CONCORDIA THEOLOGICAL,... QUARTERLY ' Volume 41 Number 4 Announcements... 1 A Reformation Hymn... 6 Why Did the Reformation Succeed... C. George Fry 7 Was E rasmus Responsible for Luther... Terrence M. Reynolds 18 Conflicting Models of Ministry - Luther, Karlstadt, and Muentzer... Carter Lindberg 35 Proclaiming Freedom in Church and State... Henry J. Eggold 51 The Crisis in Biblical Authority: A Historical Analysis... Steven Hein 61 Theological Observer... 78... Homiletical Studies 79 Book Reviews... 88 Books Received... 117 Concordia Theological Seminary Fort Wayne, Indiana
Announcements A CENTER FOR LUTHERAN CONFESSIONAL STUDIES To celebrate the quadricentennials of the Formula of Concord in 1977 and the Book of Concord in 1980, Concordia Theological Seminary has decided to establish an International Center for Lutheran Confessional Studies. The new institute is to have a building of its own on the Seminary campus. Here worldrenowned scholars will be able to continue their study of the Lutheran Confessions and Seminary students will be able to undertake special research projects. Concordia Theological Seminary is seeking the support of all confessional Lutheran scholars, pastors, and laymen in this endeavor. The International Center for Lutheran Confessional Studies is also to sponsor an annual symposium on the Symbols. The first annual symposium is entitled "Lutheran Confessions in the Contemporary Church and is set for January,4-6, 1978. Lectures will be given by the Seminary's own professors and other scholars from various nations. The purpose of this first symposium is to involve laypeople in the study of the Lutheran Confessions and their viability for the church today. A tentative schedule of the first symposium follows. The Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod has consistently used the word "Concordia" as a trademark of confessional orthodox theology. The International Center for Lutheran Confessional Studies will be dedicated to preserving this "Concordia," the Book of Concord, as the living heritage of all Lutherans. The Editors
LUTHERAN CONFESSIONS IN THE CONTEMPORARY CHURCH January 4-6,1978 Convocation Sponsored by the International Center for Lutheran Confessional Studies Concordia Theological Seminary Fort Wayne, Indiana 8:00 A.M.- l:00 P.M. Registration Wednesday, January 4,1978 l:00 P.M. Introduction: "The Need for Confessional Reapplication in the Conteniporary Church" President Robert D. Preus, Concordia Theological Seminary, Fort Wayne. Indiana 1:30 P.M. "Survey of Protestant and Catholic Confessional Statements in the Second Half of the Twentieth Century" Dr. C. George Fry. Concordia Theological Seminary, Fort Wayne. Indiana 3:00 P.M. Coffee Break 3:30 P.M. "The Confession-Making Process: The Origin of Confessions and the Possibility of New Confessions" Dr. Lewis W. Spitz, Stanford University, Palo Alto, California 5:00 P.M. Dinner-Recess 7:30 P.M. "Confessional Emphasis on Law and Gospel for Our Day" Dr. Eugene Klug, Concordia Theological Seminary, Fort Wavne. Indiana Thursday, January 5,1978 8:30 A.M. 10:OO A.M. 10:30 A.M. 12:OO Noon 1:30 P.M. "Confessional Lutheranism: Churchly or Sectarian Movement?'' Dr. Jobst Schone. Church Superintendent for Berlin. Independent Evangelical Lutheran Church of Germany Coffee Break "Contemporary Denials of the Lord's Supper" Dr. Tom Hardt, Stockholm. Sweden Lunch- Recess "The Lutheran Confessions as a Distinctive Contribution to World Christianity" Dr. Henry P. Hamann. Luther Seminary. North Adelaide. Australia Coffee Break
3:30 P.M. 6:00 P.M. "Confessions and Apologetics as the Church's Mission" Dr. John Warwick Montgomery. Melodyland Schoolof Theology. Anaheim, California Banquet-"Future of Confessional Lutheranism in the World" Dr. Samuel Nafzger, Commission on Theology and Church Relations, Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod, St. Louis, Missouri Friday, January 6,1978 8:30 A.M. "Confessional Influences for Lutheran Ecumenical Practices" Dr. Ralph A. Bohlrnann, Concordia Theological Seminary, St. Louis. Missouri 10:OO A.M. Coffee Break 10:30 A.M. Discussion Groups 12:OO Noon Lunch-Recess 1:30 P.M. "Church Discipline: A Study in The Lutheran Confessions with Application to Lutheranism Today" Professor Kurt Marquart, Concordia Theological Seminary, Fort Wayne, Indiana 3:00 P.M. Summation, Dr. Robert Preus 3:30 P.M. Closing Devotion The symposium attendance fee is $35 (covers lectures and banquet). The attendance fee on a per diem basis without the banquet is $10. The room charge is $5 per night or $10 for two nights, payable in advance. Meals are available for a nominal cost at the cafeteria.
AN INSTITUTE FOR BIBLICAL LANGUAGES Recent college entrance tests show a remarkable decline in ability to use the English language properly among high school graduates. Parallel to this phenomenon is a decline in the knowledge and use of the Biblical languages among seminary students, professors, and pastors. The number of seminaries requiring a working knowledge of Hebrew and Greek has been growing smaller. One cause of this slighting of the Biblical languages is a shift in theological education from a theocentric attitude to a humanistic one. Psychologically oriented counseling courses have eroded away the exegetical and dogmatic core of the curriculum in most seminaries. Recent conventions of the The Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod have renewed the church's commitment to the Holy Scriptures as the Word of God. This means that our Synod has 1 taken a theocentric attitude and not a humanistic one. God and His word are at the center of our theology. At the roots of theocentric theology is a thorough knowledge of the Scriptures, especially in the languages in which the Holy Spirit inspired them. This kind of Biblical commitment presupposes a new zeal for the study of Greek and Hebrew. Unfortunately, many pastors and students who share the Synod's understanding of the Bible do not feel adequately equipped to use the Scriptures in their original languages. Some have forgotten much of what they once learned, others have never had the opportunity to learn Hebrew and Greek. The problem for many is that intensive study of a Biblical language generally involves a large block of time which many, especially pastors, are unable to afford. Concordia Theological Seminary has, therefore, established an Institute for Biblical Languages to meet these needs. Beginning with the summer session of 1978, the Institute will offer basic and intermediate courses under the direction of Dr. Theodore Mueller, professor of languages at the University of Kentucky and an adjunct professor of the Seminary, a well-known pioneer in transformational linguistic education. The Institute for Biblical Languages will also publish materials evincing a commitment to the Scriptures as the written Word of God and designed to maintain the highest standards of scholarship in the service of the church. Further information follows. The Editors
INSTITUTE FOR BIBLICAL LANGUAGES Co ncordia Th eologicai Seminary Fort Wayne, Indiana Objectives Since theology is predicated on the Word, the study of the original languages in which this Word was written is of primary importance. Therefore, the Institute promotes the study of Greek and Hebrew through expert teaching scholarly publications materials which reflect the latest linguistic developments Courses During the summer session (June-July) courses in Basic and Intermediate Greek and in Basic Hebrew are offered. They are designed for the student who never learned a foreign language the student who wants a refresher course or further indepth study of the language the pastor who wishes to recapture a lost linguistic skill. Methodology The courses are built upon.the most recent theories of transformational linguistics and use the latest developments in foreign language acquisition: individualized instruction self-instructional and programmed materials tapes visual aids. For information write to: Institute for Biblical Languages 6600 N. Clintin Street Fort Wayne, Indiana 46825