Podcasts about Heidelberg Disputation

Pastor Garrison GreeneTEXT: Genesis 29:1-30BIG IDEA: God secretly & sovereignly guides all things for his aim & our advantage.OUTLINE:1. God's Hidden Hand2. God's Perfect Plans3. God's Grand GoalRESOURCES: ESV Study Bible; The JPS Torah Commentary: Genesis by Nahum Sarna; Genesis Commentary by John Calvin; Providence by John Piper; Foundations of the Christian Faith: A Comprehensive and Readable Theology by James Montgomery Boice; Systematic Theology: From Canon to Concept by Stephen Wellum; Approaching the End of God's Grand Design by Jonathan Edwards; Heidelberg Disputation by Martin Luther

After chatting a bit about the names of their houses, and life in general, Gretchen Ronnevik and Katie Koplin jump back in to the Heidelberg Disputation of 1518, and how it is such a great foundation for Biblical counseling. Thesis 2 of Luther's Heidelberg Disputation get into how your good works are hindering your ability to see your need for God. How do we define good works, and how does it get dangerously intertwined in our idenity? This impacts our response to others who come to us with complaints, and our relationship with others, when we realize that we can continually try to justify ourselves, or we can acknowledge that Christ justifies us. This impacts our ability to receive criticism from others, and reflect on what is true. Repentence is a turning, but not a turning from vice to virtue, as it's often described, but turning from depending on our works, to depending on Christ's works. Show Notes: Support 1517 Podcast Network 1517 Podcasts 1517 on Youtube 1517 Podcast Network on Apple Podcasts 1517 Academy - Free Theological Education What's New from 1517: The Inklings: Apostles and Apologists of the Imagination with Sam Schuldheisz Hitchhiking with Prophets: A Ride Through the Salvation Story of the Old Testament by Chad Bird 30 Minutes in the NT on Youtube Remembering Rod Rosenbladt Encouragement for Motherhood Edited by Katie Koplin More from the hosts: Gretchen Ronnevik Katie Koplin Worthy Episode Mentioned: https://worthycelebratingthevalueofwomen.libsyn.com/episode-168-interview-with-grethchen-ronnevik  

QUOTES FOR REFLECTION“My grand objection to the religious system still held by many who declare themselves orthodox Churchmen. . . is, that it tends to render Christianity so much a system of prohibitions rather than of privilege and hopes, and thus the injunction to rejoice, so strongly enforced in the New Testament, is practically neglected, and Religion is made to wear a forbidding and gloomy air and not one of peace and hope and joy.”~William Wilberforce (1759-1833), social reformer credited with the abolition of slavery in the British Empire “I suddenly saw that someone could use all the language of…Christianity, and yet the center was fundamentally the self…. And God is auxiliary to that…. I also saw that quite a lot of…Christianity can easily slip, can become centered in me…, and not in the glory of God"~Lesslie Newbigin (1909-1998), British theologian “Whenever you…argue within yourself how God is to be found—a God that justifies and accepts sinners: then know that there is no other God beside this man Christ Jesus…. [W]hen any of us shall have to wrestle with the law, sin, and death, and all other evils, we must look upon no other God, but only this God incarnate and clothed with man's nature.”~Martin Luther (1483-1546) in his Galatians Commentary “…at the center of all religions is the idea of Karma…. It's clear to me it's at the very heart of the universe…. And yet along comes this thing called Grace…. Grace defies logic. Love interrupts…the consequences of your actions. ….I'm holding out for Grace. I'm holding out that Jesus took my sin onto the Cross….”~Bono of U2 fame “Thesis 26: The law says, ‘do this,' and it is never done. Grace says, ‘believe in this,' and everything is already done.”~Marin Luther in his Heidelberg Disputation (1518) “To see the law by Christ fulfilled, and hear His pardoning voice,Changes a slave into a child, and duty into choice.”~William Cowper (1731-1800), famed English poet in his “Love Constrained Obedience”SERMON PASSAGEGalatians 3:23-4:7 (ESV)Galatians 3 23 Now before faith came, we were held captive under the law, imprisoned until the coming faith would be revealed. 24 So then, the law was our guardian until Christ came, in order that we might be justified by faith. 25 But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian, 26 for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith. 27 For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. 28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. 29 And if you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's offspring, heirs according to promise.Galatians 4 1 I mean that the heir, as long as he is a child, is no different from a slave, though he is the owner of everything, 2 but he is under guardians and managers until the date set by his father. 3 In the same way we also, when we were children, were enslaved to the elementary principles of the world. 4 But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, 5 to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. 6 And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!” 7 So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God.

1517 Contributor and pastor, Bradley Gray, joins Kelsi to talk about his incredible book, Finding God in the Darkness: Hopeful Reflections from the Pit of Depression, Despair, and Disappointment, and specifically, how he sees God responding to suffering throughout Scripture. Bradley asserts Martin Luther's theology of the cross as a helpful backdrop by which to view all human suffering, and specifically the suffering caused by mental illness. Kelsi asks Brad his opinions on a recent comments over mental illness from a well-known pastor and the two discuss both harmful and helpful ways the church can offer comfort to those who find themselves suffering bouts of depressions, despair, and disappointment. Bradley Gray is pastor of Stonington Baptist Church in Paxinos, PA, where he lives with his wife, Natalie, and their three children. His writing and research are especially focused on pastoral theology and the theological development of the Reformation. Finding God in the Darkness was named as a 2023 finalist in the New Author category of the ECPA Christian Book Awards. Show Notes: ⁠Support 1517⁠ ⁠1517 Podcasts⁠ ⁠The 1517 Podcast Network on Apple Podcasts⁠ ⁠1517 on Youtube⁠ More from Kelsi: ⁠Kelsi Klembara⁠ ⁠ Follow Kelsi on Instagram⁠ Follow Kelsi on Twitter⁠ ⁠Kelsi's Newsletter⁠ Subscribe to the Show: ⁠Apple Podcasts⁠ ⁠Spotify⁠ ⁠Youtube⁠ More from Brad and this episode: Order Finding God in the Darkness Follow Brad on Instagram Follow Brad on Substack John MacArthur on mental illness Theology of the Cross: Luther's Heidelberg Disputation & Reflections on Its 28 Theses Gerhard Forde's On Being a Theologian of the Cross

3. Although the works of man always seem attractive and good, they are nevertheless likely to be mortal sins. 4. Although the works of God are always unattractive and appear evil, they are nevertheless really eternal merits.    

The law of God, the most salutary doctrine of life, cannot advance man on his way to righteousness, but rather hinders him. Much less can human works, which are done over and over again with the aid of natural precepts, so to speak, lead to that end.   https://bookofconcord.org/other-resources/sources-and-context/heidelberg-disputation/   Luther and the Heidelberg Disputation

It's the Cross, Stupid. In this episode, we discuss how God makes a theologian of the cross, how the theology of glory infiltrates churches and their doctrine, and how the cross of Christ reveals the truth about human history. SHOW NOTES:  Letters to Lutheran Pastors: Volume 1 https://amzn.to/45HmRXf  President Dwight D. Eisenhower's Farewell Address (1961) https://www.archives.gov/milestone-documents/president-dwight-d-eisenhowers-farewell-address  St. Louis Edition of Luther's Works http://www.ctsfw.net/media/pdfs/DauStLouisEditionLuthersWorks.pdf Heidelberg Disputations https://shop.1517.org/products/theology-of-the-cross Hymn: Upon the Cross Extended https://hymnary.org/hymn/ELH1996/304 De Servo Arbitrio translation review https://scholar.csl.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1555&context=ctm On Being a Theologian of the Cross: Reflections on Luther's Heidelberg Disputation, 1518 https://amzn.to/45NaVmH    SUPPORT: Support the work of 1517 http://www.1517.org/donate-podcasts 1517 Podcast Network https://www.1517.org/podcasts/   The 1517 Podcast Network on Apple Podcasts https://podcasts.apple.com/us/channel/1517-podcast-network/id6442751370 1517 on Youtube https://www.youtube.com/channel/UChDdMiZJv8oYMJQQx2vHSzg More from the hosts: Donovan Riley https://www.1517.org/contributors/donavon-riley  Christopher Gillespie https://www.1517.org/contributors/christopher-gillespie   MORE LINKS: Warrior Priest Gym & Podcast https://thewarriorpriestpodcast.wordpress.com   St John's Lutheran Church (Webster, MN) - FB Live Bible Study Group https://www.facebook.com/groups/356667039608511  Gillespie's Sermons and Catechesis: http://youtube.com/stjohnrandomlake  Gillespie Coffee https://gillespie.coffee   Gillespie Media https://gillespie.media   Tin Foil Haloes https://t.me/bannedpastors   CONTACT and FOLLOW: Email mailto:BannedBooks@1517.org  Facebook https://www.facebook.com/BannedBooksPod/  Twitter https://twitter.com/bannedbooks1517   SUBSCRIBE: YouTube https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCsvLQ5rlaInxLO9luAauF4A  Rumble https://rumble.com/c/c-1223313  Odysee https://odysee.com/@bannedbooks:5 Apple Podcasts https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/banned-books/id1370993639  Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/2ahA20sZMpBxg9vgiRVQba  Stitcher https://www.stitcher.com/s?fid=214298  Overcast https://overcast.fm/itunes1370993639/banned-books  Google Podcasts https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9iYW5uZWRib29rcy5saWJzeW4uY29tL3Jzcw TuneIn Radio https://tunein.com/podcasts/Religion--Spirituality-Podcasts/Banned-Books-p1216972/  iHeartRadio https://www.iheart.com/podcast/263-banned-books-29825974/ 

In this episode, the pastors discuss aspects of the Heidelberg Disputation. The Heidelberg Disputation can be found at: https://bookofconcord.org/other-resources/sources-and-context/heidelberg-disputation/Four reformed pastors from Miami-Dade and their guests dedicated to delivering a message of grace to the population of South Florida.

QUOTES FOR REFLECTION “The ministry of the church in contemporary America is distorted because the cultural lives of many Christians, including their deep assumptions about reality, the practice and activities that they pursue guided by those assumptions, have been decisively shaped more by modern, western culture than by the church's own account of reality as outlined in the Scriptures. This is in part because the church has too often abandoned its necessary and prophetic task of being involved in cultural formation, in favor of a more readily acceptable task of being chaplain to the cultural status quo.” ~Ken Myers of Mars Hill Audio in After Evangelism “It is not the business of the church to adapt Christ to men, but men to Christ.” ~Dorothy L. Sayers (1893-1957), English writer “If the inner psychological life of the individual is sovereign, then identity becomes as potentially unlimited as the human imagination.” ~Carl Trueman in The Rise and Triumph of the Modern Self “The love of God does not find, but creates, that which is pleasing to it.” ~Martin Luther in the Heidelberg Disputation (1518) “We become what we love and who we love shapes what we become.” ~St. Clare of Assisi (1194-1253), one of the first followers of St. Francis of Assisi “When I discover who I am, I'll be free.” ~Ralph Ellison (1913-1994) in Invisible Man “Coming close to death you begin to know what life means, and what it means is gratitude” ~Roger Scruton (1944-2020), English philosopher and writer SERMON PASSAGE Colossians 3:1-17 (ESV) 1 If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. 3 For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory. 5 Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. 6 On account of these the wrath of God is coming. 7 In these you too once walked, when you were living in them. 8 But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth. 9 Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices 10 and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator. 11 Here there is not Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free; but Christ is all, and in all. 12 Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, 13 bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. 14 And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. 15 And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. 16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. 17 And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

In this episode we discuss...rural churches and the cross with Brad Gray.You left sunny Florida  for a church in a very rural part of Pennsylvania. What, Sir, were you thinking?What is a theology of the cross? This is often talked about in comparison to a theology of glory.  What is the difference?How does a theology of the cross impact rural ministry?  What are some practical implications?What does it look like for a rural shepherd to teach and lead with a theology of the cross?Find Brad here: https://www.graceupongrace.net/?fbclid=IwAR3WdTQgJQKVFTHtFQ0kq6x_iWiibCfDgbE__GUYox70wU4LtZb5tSTGOaAGerhard O. Forde's On Being a Theologian of the Cross: Reflections on Luther's Heidelberg Disputation, 1518Stuff Rural Pastors Can Use Review:Need a bag or an old website to find one? Joe reviews the Condor Sector Sling Bag, and Brad reviews archive.org.Our Quote of the Day:There was no counsel, no help, no comfort for us until this only and eternal Son of God, in his unfathomable goodness, had mercy on our misery and wretchedness and came from heaven to help us… Jesus Christ, the Lord of life and righteousness and every good and blessing. He has snatched us, poor lost creatures, from the jaws of hell, won us, made us free, and restored us to the Father's favor and grace …he who has brought us back from the devil to God, from death to life, from sin to righteousness, and now keeps us safe there.  - Martin Luther, Large Catechism (1529)CONTACTCall and leave a message at (570) 724-3741Email: ruralpastorstalk@gmail.comWebsite: http://ruralpastorstalk.buzzsprout.com/SOCIAL MEDIAFacebook: http://facebook.com/ruralpastorstalkTwitter: @ruralpastorsLISTENItunesSpotify

Jamie Wiechman, cofounder of Breathe Life Ministries, joins host Justin Rossow on the Next Step Podcast to talk about Chapter 8: O Holy Night, in the resource Light in the Darkness: A Hymn Journal for Advent & Christmas. After a brief introduction and an opening prayer, you'll hear Jamie read Romans 5:1-11 on page 77 of the hymn journal. Then Jamie and Justin will discuss the text and what it means for living out our lives as followers of Jesus. That part of the discussion concludes with Justin reading the devotion, "A Thrill of Hope," from page 78. After we hear the Brooke and Brendan rendition of O Holy Night, Jamie tells us a little more about Breathe Life Ministries. Leading up to Easter last year, Breathe Life ran an experiment called "Making Room," a series of weekly emails that helped acknowledge and honor our losses. The goal was to prepare our hearts and lives for what Jesus has for us next. You can see one of the weekly installments of Making Room in a blog by Jamie Wiechman, called "Loss of the Familiar." At one point in the podcast, Justin failed to come up with a reference to something Luther once said. (To be fair, Luther said a whole bunch of stuff...) If this had been Jeopardy, the right answer would have been, "What is Luther's Heidelberg Disputation, Thesis 21?" Here, in part, is what Luther said: "A theology of glory calls evil good and good evil. A theology of the cross calls the thing what it actually is. This is clear: the person who does not know Christ does not know God hidden in suffering." Justin also retold the story from this chapter's devotion (with a little more context) as part of a brief Advent devotion for St. Paul, Ann Arbor. Check out that conversation here. The Bible Project also unpacks the biblical concept of hope, the major theme of this podcast, in this five-minute video. This podcast is designed especially to go with the Light in the Darkness Facebook learning community sponsored by Next Step Press. Join us at https://www.facebook.com/groups/AdventHymnJournal. This episode of the Next Step Podcast was supported in part by the generosity of Next Step Patrons. Please consider becoming a Next Step Patron before the end 2021. To see different options for support, including monthly and annual options, visit https://www.patreon.com/findmynextstep, or email justin@findmynextstep.org to make a one-time gift. The A Light in the Darkness CD from Brooke and Brendan is now available on your favorite streaming services as well as on YouTube. The music included in the podcast was written and performed by Brooke and Brendan. All rights reserved. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/mynextstep/message

Today's Reading: Introit for the 17th Sunday after Trinity (Psalm 119:1-2, 5-6; antiphon: vs.124, 137) Daily Lectionary: Malachi 1:1-14; Matthew 3:1-17 Deal with your servant according to your steadfast love and teach me your statutes. (From the Introit for the 17th Sunday after Trinity) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. The Lord deals with you according to His steadfast love. This is love that does not fade or falter. This love does not depend on your condition or how you are feeling. The truth is that we might feel good about the Lord one day, and doubtful the next. Our plea then, is that He would deal with us according to His steadfast love, because ours just won't do the trick. Martin Luther, in his 1518 Heidelberg Disputation, wrote that "the love of God does not find, but creates, that which is pleasing to it." The love that humans have for one another is usually based on some sort of quality that the other person has, and these can wax and wane over our lifetimes, causing our love for one another to increase or decrease. People sometimes fall out of love due to a change in another person. Are you fearful that the Lord might stop loving you if you can't keep up with His demands? The Lord's steadfast love does hold onto you because you have done enough good, but because you are enough in Christ Jesus. He did not find you and measure whether or not you fit the bill. He found you and loves you just as you are. He has created you, and He loves that which He creates. Isn't it great to be a creature? Paul speaks of this in Titus 3:5, that "He saved us not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to His own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit." This is how the Lord has chosen to deal with you! He has come to you and loved you, and will not stop. There was nothing particularly loveable about you, other than you are you. You are His creation. Still not sure? He's baptized you, too, just in case you were wondering if His love might be for everyone else rather than for you. This love is most certainly for you, and is how He has chosen to deal with you. In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Lord, Your mercy will not leave me; ever will Your truth abide. Then in You I will confide. Since Your Word cannot deceive me, my salvation is to me safe and sure eternally. ("Oh, How Great Is Your Compassion" LSB 559, st.4) Audio Reflections Speaker: Pastor Duane Bamsch

In this episode of the Ministry Minded Podcast, I consider (again) Jesus's Sermon on the Mount and I also highlight some recent articles from around the web that articulate the growing need for pastor-theologians. It is my aim to encourage the listener that theology isn't meant to be sequestered in the halls of scholastic thought — it's meant to richly rejoiced in, lived, and loved by one and all, in all walks of life. Connect with the show: https://graceupongrace.net/ Buy Fresh Roasted Coffee: http://www.freshroastedcoffee.com **Use code ‘GRACE10' to get 10% off!** Notes: Stonington Baptist Church sermons “On ministry transition in the middle of a pandemic and making sense of the atonement with Obbie Tyler Todd,” podcast from yours truly Luther's Heidelberg Disputation “Pastor-Theologians,” Tom Ascol “The Challenges and Possibilities (and Continuing Need) for the Pastor Theologian,” Gerald Hiestand “Gerhard Forde: A Recommendation,” John W. Hoyum “The Evangelistic Zeal of the Vaxxers,” Michael Pohlman Christ and Calamity: Grace & Gratitude in the Darkest Valley, Harold Senkbeil On Being a Theologian of the Cross: Reflections on Luther's Heidelberg Disputation, 1518, Gerhard O. Forde Your Old Testament Sermon Needs to Get Saved: A Handbook for Preaching Christ from the Old Testament, David M. King Daily Grace: The Mockingbird Devotional, Vol. 2 Grace: So Much More Than You Know & So Much Better Than You Think, Brad J. Gray --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

We pick up the story after the Heidelberg Disputation, and discuss the relationship between Martin Luther and Johannes Eck, and Eck's criticism of the 95 Theses.  Cardinal Cajetan enters the narrative, as we set the scene for Luther's  upcoming trial at Augsburg.  Happy Listening!

The eponymous unlikely marriage is that of marriage—with Christianity. After assembling an impressive number of reasons why we should have expected the Christian faith to want nothing whatsoever to do with exclusive sexual pairing, we then change directions and show why, after all, Christianity opted for marriage, and in so doing once again engaged in a doctrinal revision of inherited notions of God. In light of which, we then engage a contemporary Catholic theologian's take on Christian marriage. Spoiler alert: we don't even go near the usual hot-button topics. If you feel the need for outrage, Twitter is waiting for you. Support us on Patreon! Notes: 1. Some relevant stuff I've written: "Marriage Matters," "Blessed Are the Barren," and "Luther's Hagiographical Reformation of the Doctrine of Sanctification in His Lectures on Genesis" 2. See also Dad's Luther and the Beloved Community, ch. 8 on "The Redemption of the Body: Luther on Marriage" 3. Kant ruined Christian ethics with The Critique of Practical Reason 4. For the range of Luther's take on the nature of divine and Christian love, see the Heidelberg Disputation (esp. #28) and his explanations of the Fourth and Sixth Commandments in the Large Catechism 5. Sarah Ruden, Paul among the People 6. Matthew Levering, Engaging the Doctrine of Marriage More about us at sarahhinlickywilson.com and paulhinlicky.com!

Wow:  Finally a new episode!  In this episode, we explore Martin Luther's Sermon on Indulgences and Grace and the Heidelberg Disputation.  Happy Listening!

In the beginning was a bunch of words spoken by a host about the purpose of this podcast. Special guest Jai Mantravadi interviews host Amy Mantravadi about what motivated her to start the (A)Millennial podcast, what listeners can expect, and how she prefers to name goldfish. Also in this episode: Amy explains her theological background and why her baptism was somewhat delayed.NOTE: Apologies for the background noise at various points. It will be reduced in future episodes.Amy's blogAmy's novelsFurther reading:Charles Taylor's A Secular Age 1518 Heidelberg Disputation

Scott and Caleb are joined by John Hoyum to talk about the Law. What was the reformations last shift on the Law and how is it relevant today? Sit back, relax, grab a drink, and enjoy the show. Show Notes: Support the Show 1517 Contributors  Article on the Law in Heidelberg Disputation 

Don and Will talk today about Christian Freedom and why it is so hard to practice and live it in the Church and the world today. We also talk about the purpose of the Law (both the laws we make and the Laws God gives). Finally, we will add a little of a Monk named Luther and his Heidelberg Disputation, just to make things interesting and fun. Join us as we discuss and share our thoughts.

Mike and Wade discuss Luther's Heidelberg Disputation and Bondage of the Will in light of the first part of Wade's book, An Uncompromising Gospel. 

Join Jared and Daniel as they introduce Tulsa Bible Church's brand new podcast. Episode 2 discusses Martin Luther's, "Theology of the Cross" with five summary statements that get to the heart of what Luther originally presented in the 1518 Heidelberg Disputation.

Show Notes:Point #28 from Martin Luther’s Heidelberg Disputation- 00:45Psalm 148 - 07:28John 13:31-35 - 10:24Revelation 21:1-6 - 12:43Acts 11:1-18 - 15:17Reflection - 18:39Guided Prayer - 25:25*All readings are from the NRSV with a couple small adjustments for gender neutral pronouns and YHWH for the Lord.*All music is written, recorded, and copyrighted by Anthony MakoJoin us at postmodernliturgy.comfacebook.com/postmodernliturgyTwitter: @pmliturgyInstagram: @postmodernliturgyIf you are interested in supporting our work, please visit our Patreon site!

In the sixteenth century, society experienced upheaval as a result of the theology of Martin Luther and his Heidelberg Disputation being proclaimed and embraced by the Protestant reformers. Five hundred years later, the West is once again in upheaval as the truths of the Heidelberg Disputation are being rejected.

RESOURCES: ESV Study Bible; Preach the Word: 1, 2, 3, John by David L. Allen; The New American Commentary: 1, 2, 3, John by Daniel L. Akin; No Trinity, No Love (blog) by Jared Wilson; The Heidelberg Disputation by Martin Luther; Screwtape Letters by CS Lewis

In this episode, the SIXTEENTH in our Wingin' It series on the life of Martin Luther, Wade and Mike discuss the Heidelberg Disputation of 1518, as they continue their walk through some of the important aspects of Luther's life and the time of the Reformation. This is the first of three important moments when Luther early on is called to stand up for his teachings (stay tuned, and we'll get to the others as well). We hope you enjoy; and if you're just finding this series on the Life of Luther, you can find the whole series right here. Let the Bird Fly! is supported by the 1517 Podcast Network, which is part of 1517.org. If you haven't done so yet, stop over there and check out the other great podcasts in the network, as well as all of the other excellent content they offer. If you'd like more information on the Apologetics course Mike will be offering with Dr. Kerry Kuehn in the Summer of 2019, you can find all that information right here. And if you know someone who might be interested, make sure to share! And as always, if you are enjoying the show, please subscribe, rate, and review us on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play, Spotify, or TuneIn Radio. You can also like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter. You can also follow our Telegram Channel, where we post our new episodes as well as other content that we think you might enjoy. And, of course, share us with a friend or two! If you’d like to contact us we can be reached at podcast@LetTheBirdFly.com, or visit our website at www.LetTheBirdFly.com. Thanks for listening! Attributions for Music and Image used in this Episode: "Slow Burn" by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License. “Not Drunk” by The Joy Drops is licensed under an Attribution 4.0 International License. Image: "Portrait of Luther" by Lucas Cranach the Elder is in the Public Domain.

This week, Gillespie and Riley read Luther's nineteenth thesis from his Heidelberg Disputation, and (with Gerhard Forde's help) converse about whether a theologian of glory is really a theologian. Our Text: On Being a Theologian of the Cross, Gerhard Forde, Section Three (Theses 19-21) Show Notes:  Rembrandt Crucifixion Heidelberg Theses Article Series (1517) — Questions? Comments? Show Ideas? Send them to us at BannedBooks@1517legacy.com. Please subscribe, rate, and review the show in Apple Podcasts: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/banned-books-podcast/id1370993639?mt=2. We’re proud to be part of 1517 Podcasts, a network of shows dedicated to delivering Christ-centered content through weekly, monthly, and seasonal audio platforms. Our podcasts cover a multitude of content, from Christian doctrine, apologetics, cultural engagement, and powerful preaching. Find out more at 1517. And as always, don't forget Gillespie's coffee for your caffeinated needs and especially the 1517 Reformation Roast

The following is an excerpt from the introduction to Theology of the Cross: Reflections on Luther’s Heidelberg Disputation written by Steve Paulson and edited by Kelsi Klembara and Caleb Keith (1517 Publishing, 2018).

This week, Gillespie and Riley return to the problem of the will (with much help from Gerhard Forde) as Martin Luther expresses it in thesis thirteen of the Heidelberg Disputation.  Our Text: On Being a Theologian of the Cross, Gerhard Forde, The Problem of Will Show Notes:  Hip-hop Reviews of Metal Three Floyds Papal bull Interview with Ted Bundy One Things is Not Like the Other Heidelberg Theses Article Series (1517) — Questions? Comments? Show Ideas? Send them to us at BannedBooks@1517legacy.com. Please subscribe, rate, and review the show in Apple Podcasts: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/banned-books-podcast/id1370993639?mt=2. We’re proud to be part of 1517 Podcasts, a network of shows dedicated to delivering Christ-centered content through weekly, monthly, and seasonal audio platforms. Our podcasts cover a multitude of content, from Christian doctrine, apologetics, cultural engagement, and powerful preaching. Find out more at 1517. And as always, don't forget Gillespie's coffee for your caffeinated needs and especially the 1517 Reformation Roast  

Thesis 25 of Luther’s Heidelberg Disputation is the final turn of it. It is nothing other than the first light of hope: justification before the Holy God by faith [in Christ] sola–that is, without works!

This is the eighth installment in our special series on Luther’s Heidelberg Disputation. Translation of Theses 16, 17 and 18 by Caleb Keith.

This is the sixth installment in our special series on Luther’s Heidelberg Disputation. Translation of Theses 11 and 12 by Caleb Keith.

This is the fourth installment in our special series on Luther’s Heidelberg Disputation. Translation of Theses 7 and 8 by Caleb Keith. Luther establishes the human condition in two, and only two realities; the Christian (Thesis 7) and the unbeliever (Thesis 8).  There is no third purgatorial state of “figuring out if one is a Christian.” There are no levels of Christian holiness based on one’s avoidance of sin or one’s success at good works. The difference between the Christian and the non-Christian is not based on works or sins, but on where they place their security.

This is the third installment in our special series on Luther’s Heidelberg Disputation.

This is the second installment in our special series on Luther’s Heidelberg Disputation. You can read the first post here. Translation of Theses 3 and 4 done by Caleb Keith.

The Heidelberg Disputation is one of the earliest reformational writings from Luther with its presentation occurring just six months after the famous posting of the 95 theses. Where the 95 theses is a pointed attack on a handful of misdeeds from the Roman church, Heidelberg is a sweeping offensive meant to restore the foundation of all Christian doctrine. The presentation of doctrine found within its theses is referred to as the “Theology of the Cross,” named after Thesis 21 where Luther states, “A theology of glory declares evil good and good evil. A theology of the cross declares the thing to be what it truly is.” Luther argues that the cross is the lens through which we can understand all Christian doctrine because the cross alone stands as a corrective to the ideas and philosophies we try to force on the Word of God. To celebrate the 500th anniversary of Luther’s Theology of the Cross, we are happy to introduce this special series of reflections on the theses and proofs of the Heidelberg Disputation. Each week, we will reflect on a few of the theses leading up to this year’s Here We Still Stand Conference in October. Each post will also include a new translation completed by Caleb Keith.

The Theology of the Cross is a recurring theme on the Thinking Fellows. This fundamental concept regarding Christ and his work originated from Luther's 1518 Heidelberg Disputation. Today we flush this concept out a little further and explain why it is so fundamental to our show. Sit back, relax, grab a drink, and enjoy the show. Show Notes Here We Still Stand On Being a Theologian of the Cross McGrath: Luther's Theology of the Cross  Heidelberg Disputation online

On this episode of Table Talk Radio we remember that we still have an inbox so we dust it off and answer listener phone calls. Then we discuss and explain the purpose driven Praise Song Cruncher. Following that we list the 6 Attributes of Scripture and give Bible references for each. And finally we read, and don’t discuss, the Church sign of all church signs that’s not a church sign.

The Heidelberg Disputation represents the first time that Reformational theology emerges as a whole. In this work, Dr. Luther highlights 28 fundamental truths of the Christian faith. Almost every major issue of the Reformation is covered in bite-sized sentences. The Fellows outline the context, history, and impact of the disputation as a lead up the 500th anniversary of the Reformation. Sit back, relax, grab a drink, and enjoy the show. Show Notes Subscribe on iTunes Donate The Heidelberg Disputation Online The 95 Theses Here We Still Stand  

In this Wingin' It session Wade discusses Martin Luther's Heidelberg Disputation, which he covers in his book An Uncompromising Gospel: Lutheranism’s First Identity Crisis and Lessons for Today. Peter interviewed Wade on his book in Episode 12, and as promised Wade gives a more in-depth view of one aspect of his book here. Stay tuned for more Wining' It sessions on Wade's book! Attributions for Music Used in this Episode: “The Last One” by Jahzzar is licensed under an Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 International License. “Not Drunk” by The Joy Drops is licensed under an Attribution 4.0 Intern

This episode is our attempt to lay the ground work for why Martin Luther could stand up to both the emperor of the Holy Roman Empire and the pope and not be immediately be struck down. It is 1519, and Luther has written the 95 Theses, participated in the Heidelberg Disputation, and talked to Cardinal […]

This episode of Grace on Tap is the build-up to our discussion on the Heidelberg Disputation, where Martin Luther first defined his Theology of the Cross. The Theology of the Cross captures Luther’s ideas on sin, God’s grace and human suffering. Sadly, Luther’s ideas on the meaning of suffering remain an overlooked component of Christian […]

Continue to explore the Heidelberg Disputation and the section that is the most life giving as everything has been striped away by now if we are following Luther and every objection that we could give to God’s work in us has shown to be a faulty, defense mechanism. In Theses 25-28 we get a description of the life being raised from the dead. There is no way out but there is new life from God in Christ alone. These theses are wonderful statements of God’s grace for us.Luther always links despair and grace together. This thesis points us back to the first twelve in that God is not interested in the works that come out of our concern for our self-righteousness or the desire to justify ourselves. Those works have no standing before God. Luther contradicts Aristotle in that it is not through frequently repeated acts that we become the thing that we are but that God makes us the thing that we are and then we can do those things. Luther does not mean we are to do nothing but it is that the works do not make us righteous. For Luther, Aristotle’s Ethics are fine but it depends on what we are talking about – not about justification or new life in Christ. It is fine for how we are to live in the world for others. Explore Thesis 26-28. It is only that humility that the Law brings about which causes that despair into which Christ comes. The interplay between the Law and the Gospel is leaving the old Adam nothing to do.Christ living in us will raise us up to do good works that imitate the work of Christ. The only thing we can put our hope in is the creative love of God. This love is what calls us into being. We will seek the things that we think are good and beautiful for our own good.

In Thesis 28 of the Heidelberg Disputation we read, “The love of God does not find, but creates, that which is pleasing to it. The love of man comes into being through that which is pleasing to it.” Luther stated, “Therefore sinners are attractive because they are loved; they are not loved because they are attractive.” Explore Romans 3:21-26. Nevertheless or but God has done this for us. Not because of us but because of his love for us and Jesus Christ. For Luther, what makes a person a theologian of the Cross is experience. It is the experience of tentatio which teaches us to hold only to the Word and to deny good works and will. An example of tentatio is Psalm 119:71, “It is good for me that I was afflicted, that I might learn your statutes.” What does a theologian of the Cross look like? To be a theologian of the Cross is to be one who understands that God has revealed himself in precisely the place we would not have looked for Him. It is to understand His revelation has done precisely the things that we could not have wanted or could not have realized we even needed. Consider the language of brokenness. We need to remember that we are not just theologians of the Cross but we are also always the old person and find ways to prop up our theology of glory.

Explore 1 Corinthians 1:18-25. Explore the Heidelberg Disputation of 1518. Luther was asked at this time to deliver his “new theology” to a group of Augustinian monks in Heidelberg. Luther carefully laid out this set of theses. Luther made a distinction between a Theology of Glory and Theology of the Cross. Luther’s Theology of the Cross was not sentimentalism and was not about Christ being a victim or how we enter perceptively into the grief of the world. For Luther it was about a way of perceiving our lives and the world and a way of looking at all things through the Cross and suffering. The Theology of the Cross is a theology of revelation. God has revealed himself in a particular way and it destroys our speculation. It is our task to concern ourselves with God solely as he as revealed himself to us. For Luther, God in himself is hidden and the only way to know God is when he reveals himself. Both the Theology of Glory and Theology of the Cross are dealing with who is in control. For the Theology of Glory our works can contribute something but for the Theology of the Cross we solely attribute everything to God and we are wholly passive – we are not in control. The Disputation is set up mostly as a series of antitheses. It can be broken down into four parts: 1-12 The problem of good works; 13-18 The problem of will; 19-24 The great divide; and 25- 28 God’s work in us. Thesis 1 is about God’s Law and Thesis 28 is about God’s love for us. Luther wrestled in getting from one to the other to end up as objects of God’s love rather than those who are trying to justify ourselves by God’s law. Thesis 28 is a paradox. God creates the object of his love rather than being attracted to things that are lovable.

Continue to explore the Heidelberg Disputation. Consider Theses 1-2, “The law of God, the most salutary doctrine of life, cannot advance persons on their way to righteousness, but rather hinders them. Much less can human works, which are done over and over again with the aid of natural precepts, so to speak, lead to that end.” What can advance a sinner to righteousness? Luther states what cannot. The law cannot deliver to us what it commands. How is it that the law cannot “advance” us? The law’s role is to show us our sin. The Holy Spirit works on us to put to death that sin. The things that structure Luther’s thought are active and passive righteousness, law and Gospel, and God hidden and God revealed. The law is God’s revealed will for his creatures and there is no Gospel (good news) without it. We read in Theses 3 and 4, “Although the works of human beings always seem attractive and good, they are nevertheless likely to be mortal sins. Although the works of God always seem unattractive and appear evil, they are nevertheless really eternal merits.” Luther used the imagery from Matthew 23 “whitewashed tombs” but people in the congregation do not want to hear that. Explore the affects of antinomianism compared to nomism.

Continue to explore the Heidelberg Disputation. Explore Theses 5-6. All our works, especially the good ones, cause us to turn in on ourselves. In so far as we have a part of even God’s working in and through us, our works are still sinful. The promise is that we can do these works and whatever sin is in them God will not reckon the sin to us because we are in Christ. Consider what the Westminster Confession tells us about our works. Explore Theses 7-8. The key in these theses is the fear of God. When we fear that our works are the very things that will kill us that is when we are trusting in God and not making an idol out of our works. If we lack fear, we have self-confidence and pride in ourselves. Luther structures his whole shorter catechism on the Ten Commandments based on the idea of how we can trust in God above all things. It is that we fear, love, and trust God. Fear is what drives us to the Cross. Explore Theses 9 -12. We have to fear the condemnation of God in everything we do.

Explore the Heidelberg Disputation on good works about objectively demolishing everything we do as a source of hope or merit or grounds for standing before God. Our affections will not feel the weight of the first 12 theses. We need to remind ourselves of that truth which is revealed to us in the Cross which comes to obliterate all of these works. We can never trust our emotions. We need to route our emotions in a distinction between Law and Gospel and what they do for people so the emotions produced are healthy. Theses 13-18 is the more subjective side of the question. Can my will advance me towards righteousness? There is the problem of force. Does God force himself on us or do we have some sliver of will that allows us to chose and want the good. Is there something within us that allows us to prepare for grace? In Thesis 13 we read, “Free will, after the fall, exists in name only, and as long as it does what it is able to do, it commits a mortal sin.” How can this claim be proved? The will is not free, it is bound. The will is free to do exactly what it wants to do which is evil. We read in Thesis 14, “Free will, after the fall, has power to do good only in a passive capacity, but it can do evil in an evil capacity.” The distinction between active and distinctive is crucial. Luther’s example of passive capacity refers to a dead body. Consider water as not having an active capacity but having a passive capacity to be boiled. We need to make right distinctions and define things appropriately. Thesis 15 brings up Adam and Eve, “Nor could the free will endure in a state of innocence, much less do good, in an active capacity, but only in a passive capacity.” Even before the Fall, free will had no ability to actively work to stay innocent by itself. For Luther, even in the garden, Adam and Eve were only held in a state of innocence by their relationship to an external power, which was God and his life-giving Word for them. For Luther, we never ever ascribe the active capacity to stay innocent to the human. Humans are always the ones to receive. Peter Lombard’s Book of Sentences (c.1150) theology textbook is referenced. We always stand in need before God and there is nothing about our human nature that can change that fact. Discuss the Lutheran view of the ability to reject the promises.

Continue to explore the Heidelberg Disputation. Consider Theses 17 and 18 and the distinction of what despair means in these two theses because they almost seem to contradict each other. We despair not of God but of our works and will. That despair opens us up and gives room for the grace of God to work in us. It is the work of the Law before the Gospel is heard. Theses 19-24 is the keystone of the arch that moves us from the Law of God to the love of God. Everything builds on what has come before. Consider the presumption of the knowledge of God’s judgment on things. Romans 1:20 tells us, “For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse.” With that knowledge, people were not saved. When we trust the old Adam to look at history, creation, and the works of God, we will always find a way to talk about God’s nature and the way God has done things in a way that will not sweep away our good works and our will but will in fact justify and defend them. Luther concedes that we do have a natural knowledge of God but that insight exists at a purely cognitive level that does not get at the way God has specific intentions for humanity which are revealed to us in the work of the cross. What is the distinction between Old Testament saints and believers today? Consider the example of Jonah and the sailors at sea. Consider that Luther would say it is the office of Jesus Christ to make God concrete and certain for us.True recognition of God is seeing him in the cross. It is a concealed revelation that is only knowable by faith. Luther addresses the question, is wisdom evil?

Explore that Martin Luther speaks of two types of theologians, theologians of the Cross and theologians of glory. Luther, in the 1518 Heidelberg Disputation, states when speaking of the theologian of glory, "That person does not deserve to be called a theologian who claims to see into the invisible things of God by seeing through earthly things (events, works). The theologian of glory calls evil good and good evil." Contrast what he says about the Theologian of the Cross, "But [that person deserves to be called a theologian]who comprehends what is visible of God through suffering and the cross. The theologian of the cross says what a thing is." Bernard of Clairvaux put it this way, "Once God was incomprehensible and inaccessible, invisible and entirely unthinkable. But now he wanted to be seen, he wanted to be understood, he wanted to be known. How was this done, you ask? God lay in a manger and lay on the Virgin’s breast. He preached on a mountain, prayed through the night, and hung on a cross. He lay pale in death, was free among the dead, and was master of hell. He rose on the third day, showed the apostles the signs of victory where nails once were, and ascended before their eyes to the inner recesses of heaven . . . When I think on any of these things, I am thinking of God, and in all these things he is now my God." We really see how God is revealed as we look at what God has done in redemptive history. Dietrich Bonhoeffer in Ethics said, "In Jesus Christ the reality of God has entered into the reality of this world. The place where the questions about the reality of God and about the reality of the world are answered at the same time is characterized solely by the name: Jesus Christ. God and the world are enclosed in this name . . . we cannot speak rightly of either God or the world without speaking of Jesus Christ. All concepts of reality that ignore Jesus Christ are abstractions." The Gospel is primarily about life with God and the Bible primarily is focused on telling us a lot about God. Explore comments made by Luther from his Commentary on Genesis 1-2. Consider the identity and character of God through a Christological approach. Consider that we must have a canonical perspective also. We must be canonically sensitive because we are Christologically committed.

What was really bothering Luther, was it the selling of indulgences? Or was it a theology of glory that was the opposite of what the Bible presents? What might it look like for us to be gripped by God's upside-down gospel?

https://storage.googleapis.com/communio-sanctorum/500Years-Part05.mp3As we come up to the 500 year anniversary of Reformation Day, when Martin Luther tacked his revolutionary list of exceptions to current church practice and belief to the Castle Church door in the German town of Wittenberg, we're faced with the realization that the Reformation embraced many more people than the popular telling of history enumerates. Many more.Who do we think of when we think of the Reformation? Martin Luther & John Calvin are the first two most would name. Then with a bit more searching of the gray matter, maybe Philipp Melanchthon & Ulrich Zwingli. There are, of course, dozens more notables who played important roles in the drama that was the Reformation. One of them is the focus of this episode – a man and name that ought to be as prominent in our knowledge of this period as Zwingli or Melanchthon –> Marin Bucer, the Reformer of Strasbourg.Before we get in to his story, a little background on the situation in Germany is a good idea.As moderns, we're used to thinking of history in terms of nation-states. Even as we think back to ancient times, we tend to cast the dominant empires as just very old versions of nation-states. That, despite the fact the modern nation-state of Western civ is a relatively recent invention. We must exercise caution as we review the history of Renaissance Europe and the period of the Reformation because it was this period of time that helped set the political climate for the eventual emergence of the modern world with its nearly ubiquitous carving up of the globe in nations with clearly defined borders.Voltaire once said, “The Holy Roman Empire was neither holy, Roman, nor an empire.” Yet, that's what we call that collection of principalities that formed a loose political collection from the 9th to the 17th C. In the 16th C, the Holy Roman Empire was politically centralized in name only. It was composed of several politically different regions that put a significant check on the Emperor's power. It was this division of power that made the Reformation possible, and helps explain why it took root in Germany rather than France or Spain. As the series we did in Season 1, The Long Road to Reform makes clear, there had been many attempts at reform of the Church prior to Luther and the early 16th C, but none had the Reformation's success precisely because they usually took place in areas that were governed by a single monarch dedicated to Rome.  The HRE Emperor Charles V was also Rome's guy, but he only held his office due to the endorsement of 7 German prince-electors, who regularly differed from him on various issues. These powerful Electors and the noble-houses they were scions of had debated for years about the desirability of breaking with Rome. Martin Luther was able to succeed where others failed precisely because he arrived at a time when enough of these Electors had grown fed-up with Rome's meddling, the Emperor was politically weak, and the common people universally recognized the corruption of the Church's upper echelon.Martin Luther's political region was Saxony, ruled by the powerful and well-regarded Elector Frederick III, known as Frederick the Wise. His successors, both named John followed Frederick's support for Luther. The powerful Landgrave, Philip of Hesse, nestled West of Saxony & East of the Rhine, was another avid supporter of the Reformation. That support will play a key role in later developments for both Bucer & Luther. The Emperor walked a political tightrope as he sought to balance the demands of his these tetchy electors, dozens of lesser principalities, and the growing number of politically powerful free imperial cities ruled by councils that often acted as sovereign governments. As if that wasn't enough, Charles V also had war on multiple fronts to deal with, France in the West, the Ottomans in the East, and Italy to the South. The Reformation leaders realized the time was ripe for them to sever ties with Rome since the Emperor needed their support to deal with the external threats. It was a political perfect storm for a religious movement to emerge.Martin Bucer was born in  the French region of Alsace, next to Germany, in the free imperial city of Schlettstadt. His family were coopers by trade – barrel-makers. Nothing's known of Martin's mother. His hometown boasted a well-known school where families of the Bucer social class sent their children. He graduated there in 1507 then, at his grandfather's insistence, became a monk-novice in the Dominican Order. A year in, he was made an acolyte in Strasbourg where he took vows as a friar. By 1510, he was ordained a deacon.Bucer then began studying theology in the Dominican monastery in Heidelberg 5 yrs later. A brief trip to Mainz saw him taking a course in dogmatics and ordination as a priest. In 1517, he returned to Heidelberg to enroll in the university. It was there that Bucer began to be influenced by the ideas of Erasmus and the humanists. It was also there at Heidelberg that everything was to change for him. In April 1518, Johannes von Staupitz, an Augustinian vicar-general, invited an upstart Augustinian monk named Martin Luther from Wittenberg to debate that monks increasingly troublesome views. This debate is known now as the Heidelberg Disputation. It's where Bucer met Luther for the first time. In a long letter to his friend, Bucer recounted what he learned, commenting on several of the theses Luther had posted, where then printed up and spread all over Germany. They were the points Staupitz wanted to dispute. But Bucer found himself intrigued by them, doubly so after hearing Luther's defense. He agreed & found in Luther's points much to connect with his emerging humanist ideas. The following year, Bucer received his degree, and while giving his disputation before the faculty of  Heidelberg, made clear his theological break with Aquinas and Scholasticism.Bucer's next step in joining the Reformers was his departure from the Dominicans. That story is interesting and reads like a novel.The Grand Inquisitor of Cologne was the Dominican, Jacob van Hoogstraaten. He launched an inquiry into the teaching and views of the famous humanist scholar Johann Reuchlin. Now, in some places, like Spain, once the Inquisition set its sights on someone, everyone else beat a hasty retreat, lest suspicion fall on them as well. Not in Germany. Things were different there precisely because of the much weaker political structure. So when Reuchlin fell afoul of Hoogstraaten, several German nobles took Reuchlin's side, forcing Hoogstraaten to back down. Thwarted, he now was compelled to prove his title of Grand Inquisitor was deserved ad set his sights on Bucer, who he felt was an easier and more vulnerable target. When word reached Bucer he was now in the Inquisition cross-hairs, he decided to leave the Dominicans. Friends in the Order expedited the annulment of his vows, which were officially severed in April 1521.Though the Inquisition was now technically not able to go after him, it could work to see the annulment of his vows reversed. So over the next 2 yrs, the nobles who'd back Reuchlin came to Bucer's aid as well. He went to work as a chaplain in the court of the Elector of The Palatine and lived in the city of Nuremberg, the most powerful city of the Empire. The city government was a major supporter of the Reformation and the city became something of a magnet for Reformers. It was there Bucer met many who shared his views. In the Fall of 1521, Bucer accepted an offer to become pastor at Landstuhl. The next Summer, he met and married a former nun named Elisabeth.The city of Landstuhl was the center of one of Bucer's noble defenders, Franz von Sickengen, a German knight of confused reputation. Sickengen seems something of an opportunist who sided with commoners when it served to increase his wealth and prestige, then to back nobles for the same reason. He was something of a political pragmatist who saw in the Reformation a way to both advance his personal agenda while giving vent to his loyalty to the German people. He'd built himself a virtually impregnable castle at Landstuhl; at least impregnable by medieval styles of siegecraft. It became the scene of his ultimate defeat in 1523 when in a battle with other German nobles artillery was used for one of the first times.Wanting to advance the Reformation in his capital, Sickingen sent Bucer to Wittenberg for further study with Luther and his assistant Melanchthon. He stopped in the town of Wissembourg on the way and was persuaded by the local reformer, Heinrich Motherer, to stay and work for a time as chaplain. Bucer went to work preaching sermons each day calling for immediate reform. His special focus was abuse in the monastic orders. He was an ardent advocate of the Reformation solas; Sola Scriptura & Sola Fide. He decried the Mass as a recapitulation of Christ's saving work. He lambasted the monasteries as turning the Gospel into a system of salvation by works. Summing up his ideas in six theses, he called for a public disputation with his opponents, of which there were not a few. But the Franciscans and Dominicans ignored his challenge. Bad move on their part because it seemed to say to the local townspeople that they were afraid of not being able to refute Bucer's charges of corruption. Those townspeople, further agitated by Martin's sermons, began threatening the local monasteries. That was too much for the bishop at Speyer who then excommunicated Bucer. In a sign of the way things would go across Germany in the decades that followed, the town council decided to support the now persona-non-grata Bucer, rather than jail or exile him, thereby serving Rome it no longer aligned under its leadership.  Events beyond the Wissembourg town-limits put Bucer in peril. His benefactor, von Sickingen, was defeated and killed during the Knights' Revolt I just mentioned. The Wissembourg council urged Bucer to leave. He fled to nearby Strasbourg. It was May 1523, and it's there that Martin Bucer had his greatest impact.Though Bucer arrived in Strasbourg as a political refugee with no visible means of support and no legal rights as a citizen, within 3 months he'd become a settled fixture and influential voice there. Upon his arrival, Bucer immediately wrote to Ulrich Zwingli in Zurich, asking for a post there were he could help the burgeoning Reformation cause. Before he heard back, the reformist-minded Strasbourg city council asked him to assist their local pastor by serving as his chaplain. Bucer began teaching Bible and was so effective one of the local guilds appointed him as the pastor of St Aurelia's Church. Strasbourg couldn't have the pastor of one of its most influential church not be a citizen, so citizenship    was granted.Bucer was joined in Strasbourg by a team of capable minds all united by the Reformation Cause. Matthew  Zell, Wolfgang Capito, & Caspar Hedio. Early on, Bucer called for a debate with Thomas Murner, a monk who'd attacked Luther with biting satire.Though Strasbourg's council leaned toward the reformist camp, like so many German political leaders of this time, it tended to vacillate on installing Reformation ideas. They wanted to reform the Church but balked at implementing changes to the civil sphere that would set them at odds with the Emperor and his allies. Because Bucer and his Reformer pals had the ear of the masses, hostility toward the civil magistrates grew apace with their hostility toward the Roman clergy.That hostility boiled over when a local Augustinian leader denounced the Reformers & Strasbourg city council as heretics. Furious mobs broke into and looted local monasteries. Opponents of the Reformation we re arrested, including that Augustinian leader. That proved the crisis that moved the Strasbourg council to realize if could not longer vacillate. They asked Bucer to produce an official statement clarifying for all what their theological position was. He drafted twelve articles outlining Reformation doctrine. Missing were such things as the Mass, monastic vows, veneration of saints, and purgatory. He specifically rejected the authority of the pope but emphasized obedience to civil government. The opponents to the Reformation who'd been arrested were released and exiled, ending any and all hurdles to the Reformation in Strasbourg. And all this before the Fall of 1523, the same year Bucer arrived there.Strasbourg's reformers then set about to build a new order of service for their churches. As their basic template, they adopted the order already in use in Zurich by the churches influenced by Zwingli, then made some tweaks. In an ambitious move, they suggested that ALL churches of the Reformation adopt the same order and presented their proposal to the luminaries at both Wittenberg & Zurich.Before we carry on with Martin Bucer's story, we need to pause for a narrative sidebar . . .THE central debate Reformers carried on among themselves, and the cause that ended up producing several different Reformation streams, was the doctrine of the Lord's Supper, Communion, the Eucharist. Early on, a rift appeared between Martin Luther and the Swiss Reformers led by Zwingli.Avoiding an overly technical dissertation, let me summarize the 2 positions by saying that Luther adamantly affirmed a real presence of Christ in the bread and wine of communion, while Zwingli regarded the elements of Communion as symbolic memorials to Christ and His work.For long time listeners to CS, these views were rooted in the Christological debates of the 4th & 5th Cs we spent so much time on in both Season 1 and the Creeds series of Season 2. Luther emphasized the unity of Christ's person, saying His human attributes were infused by His divine attributes, so He was present everywhere, including in the elements of the Lord's Supper. Zwingli emphasized Christ's dual nature as God and Man and that His body, while real, was resurrected and sat at the right hand of the Father in Glory.At the Marburg C olloquy where Lutherans and the Swiss met to seek concord, they were able to agree to 13 articles, but when could not achieve agreement on the last, detailing this issue of the presence of Christ in the Lord's Supper. It's been told that in the discussions between Luther and Zwingli, as Zwingli waxed long on a philosophical treatise supporting his position, Luther took a piece of chalk and wrote on the table in front of him, “This is my body.” As Zwingli kept talking, Luther just tapped the table beneath the words.As one biographer on this says, at Worms, Luther had announced that his conscience was held captive by The Word of God. There at Marburg, he clung to the same conviction. He would not allow himself to be swayed from Christ's simple statement “This is my body” by the erudite and reasoned position of Zwingli.So intractable was Luther on this issue, and so suspicious did he become of Zwingli attempting to dissuade him, Luther went so far as to suggest the Swiss weren't Christians. But that wasn't something he regarded very long. Indeed, as the Marburg Colloquy wrapped up, Zwingli asked Luther to draw up a list of the things they agreed on as a standard for all Reformed churches. Luther and Melanchthon, really it was mostly the latter's work, produced a total of 15 articles that became the standard accepted at Schwabach in 1529. Lutherans and the Swiss agreed on all but the last dealing with the Lord's Supper. It reads thus . . .Regarding the Last Supper of our dear Lord Jesus Christ, we believe and hold that one should practice the use of both species as Christ himself did, [by “both species” is meant both bread & wine. Remember that the Roman Catholics only used the wafer. Reformers advocated using both bread & wine] and that the sacrament at the altar is a sacrament of [and here we see the distinct Lutheran doctrine of the real prese nce] the true body and blood of Jesus Christ and the spiritual enjoyment of this very body and blood is proper and necessary for every Christian. Furthermore, that the practice of the sacrament is given and ordered by God the Almighty like the Word, so that our weak conscience might be moved to faith through the Holy Spirit. [Then Melanchthon adds verbiage acknowledging the differing opinions of the Reformers] And although we have not been able to agree at this time, whether the true body and blood of Christ are corporally present in the bread and wine [of communion], each party should display towards the other Christian love, as far as each respective conscience allows, and both should persistently ask God the Almighty for guidance so that through his Spirit he might bring us to a proper understanding.This theological division not only caused massive theological problems, it produced a plethora of political problems. Those German princes who'd supported the Reformation had hoped for a religious harmony to support their break with both Rome and Emperor. A fractured Protestant church was both   weak. Bucer recognized this and worked feverishly to affect a compromise that would unite the Lutherans and Swiss. His efforts resulted in several important documents. His views of the Lord's Supper influenced Calvin, who also sought to affect a compromise between the two groups.Bucer's work toward that end began just a year after arriving in Strasbourg and continued for several years.  Bucer himself had abandoned a belief in the real presence of Christ in the elements after his own study. What troubled Martin was the insistence by both Luther and Zwingli on maintaining their positions in peril of their unity and the disharmony it engendered, allowing a rift that weakened them in the face of hostile parties. He asked for their unity to be based on what they agreed on, rather than disunity based on where they differed.Bucer's story goes longer, but unfortunately, not this episode, so let's wrap it up . . .He ministered in Strasbourg for 25 years, and while his attempts to reconcile the Swiss & Lutherans was unfruitful, he did achieve a shot-lived concord in 1536. But Bucer's reputation was dealt a terrible blow by his support of The Count of Hesse's bigamy that we've talked about in other places. It was Bucer who persuaded Luther to  support Philipp's secret marriage of a second wife. Along with Melanchthon, Bucer took part in the unsuccessful conversion of the Archbishop of Cologne in 1542.When the Protestant princes lost the Shmalkaldic War, the victorious Charles V convened a meeting at Augsburg to draw up articles known as the Interim. Bucer was “invited” to attend and be a voice for the drafting of the articles. When his edits were rejected, he was arrested and eventually coerced into signing them. But when he returned to Strasbourg, he attacked the Interim and continued his calls for reform of the church. The city council, now under close watch by imperial authorities asked Bucer to zip it. When he showed no sign of doing so they told him to leave.Archbishop Thomas Cranmer in England was watching events on the continent with interest. He invited Bucer & his pals who'd been booted from Strasbourg to come to England and help with the Reformation cause there. They arrived in April of 1549 and within days were introduced to King Edward VI. Bucer was given a position as a Professor of Divinity in Cambridge.In going to England, Bucer had great hopes of spreading the influence of the Reformation's objective of simplifying the church's liturgy. His reforms made little headway against the magisterial nature of the Church of England. His greatest influence is likely to be found in the second edition of the Book of Common Prayer which Cranmer asked him to review and edit.England proved to be an unhealthy environment for the now aging Martin. In 1551, his health finally broke and he died on the last day of February at the age of 59.In eulogy, one of his scholarly friends wrote of Bucer, “We are deprived of a leader than whom the whole world would scarcely obtain a greater, whether in knowledge of true religion or in integrity and innocence of life, or in thirst for study of the most holy things, or in exhausting labor in advancing piety, or in authority and fullness of teaching, or in anything that is praiseworthy and renowned.”Two yrs after his death, when Mary 1, AKA Bloody Mary came to the throne, as part of her effort to restore Catholicism, she tried Bucer posthumously for heresy. His casket was dug up, his remains burned, along with copies of his writings. When Elizabeth ascended the throne, she restored Bucer's legacy. A brass plaque now marks the original location of his grave.

This episode of CS is titled Luther's Legacy.Long time subscribers to CS know that while the podcast isn't bias free, I do strive to treat subjects fairly. However, being a pastor of a non-denominational, evangelical Christian church in SoCal, I do have my views and opinions on the material we cover. When I share those opinions, I try to mark them as such. So >> Warning; Blatant opinion now ensues …We live in the Era of the Instant. People expect to have things quickly and relatively easily. Technology has produced an array of labor-saving devices that reduce once arduous tasks to effortless, “push a button and voila” procedures. Sadly, many assume such instantifying applies to the acquisition of knowledge as well. The internet enhances this expectation with ready access to on-line information, not just thru a desktop computer, but via smartphones where ever we are.And of course, if it's on the interwebs, it must be true.But knowledge and understanding are different things. Knowing a fact doesn't equal understanding a concept, truth or principle. And many people now want their history in condensed form. They don't really care to understand so much as to “get an A on the quiz” or, be able to answer trivia game questions. They can answer multiple choice but wouldn't have a clue how to write an essay.I say all this as we fill in some of our gaps on Martin Luther for two reasons.First – The very nature of this podcast, short snippets on Church history, can easily foster a cavalier attitude toward our subject. So I need to make a MASSIVE qualifier and say that if all someone listens to is CS, they must never, ever assume they know Church History. My entire aim is to give those who listen reference points, a broad sweep of history with just enough detail to spark your embarking on your own journey of studying this fascinating subject. Pick one era, maybe just 1st C, and one region, then study everything you can find about it. Become an expert on that one span of history. Press in past the dates and people and places, seeking to truly understand. Then use that to expand your study either backward or forward in time.Second – When we think of someone like Martin Luther, we tend to make him an index for a certain idea or movement. “Martin Luther: Father of the Reformation.” The problem with this is that we then tend to assume Luther was born with the intent of breaking away from the Roman church, as our last 2 episodes have shown was not at all the case. The evolution of Luther's thoughts was an amazing microcosm of what was happening in at least hundreds, and probably thousands of people at that time. He just happened to be positioned as the lightening rod of change.In this episode, I want to fill in some of the gaps the previous couple episodes left because of our time-limited routine here on CS. What follows is a bit of a hodge-podge meant to provide a little more context for understanding Luther and how he came to the ideas he articulated and millions ended up embracing.Martin Luther ranks as one of the most influential figures of the last thousand years. While Marco Polo and Columbus opened new lands, Shakespeare and Michelangelo produced some of the most sublime art, and Napoleon and Stalin changed the political face of their times, Luther triggered a change in the human spirit that's reached billions all around the world. The ideas announced in his sermons and written in books have affected virtually every realm and sphere of human activity, from politics to art, work to leisure. Truth be told, Luther's main body of work was a conscious part of the early American character and continued to play a central role until recently. It was Luther who played wet-nurse to the Modern world's emergence from Medievalism. We can neither credit nor blame Luther for the whole of what eventually became Protestantism, but as one who played a critical role in the emergence of a new movement and a new way of life for millions of people, the influence of his actions and beliefs on the past 500 years is beyond calculating. The modern world can barely be understood without Luther and the Reformation he sparked.Once Martin Luther was ordained a priest and settled into his ministry at Erfurt, his    superiors in the Augustinian order decided he should continue with his theological studies. Having gained a Master of Arts, he was qualified to lecture on philosophy. But he knew he needed more study to qualify as a lecturer on the Bible.The first step toward that end was to lecture on the Sentences of Peter Lombard, a standard theology textbook of the Middle Ages, which collected extracts from Scripture and the early church Fathers, arranged under topical headings to enhance discussion of theological issues. Under the guidance of Johann Nathin, a Professor of Theology and a senior member of Luther's order, Luther set to work studying texts such as Gabriel Biel's Dogmatics, a commentary on Lombard's Sentences. Luther devoured Lombard's theology.Meanwhile, Johann von Staupitz had been involved with the German Prince and Elector, Frederick the Wise, in establishing a new university in a small town called Wittenberg, 100 miles NW of Erfurt. In the Winter of 1508–9, he invited Luther to move and teach there. Staupitz was himself Lecturer in Biblical Studies in Wittenberg, so the idea was for Luther to help with the teaching of Aristotle's Ethics. At the same time, he would work towards his doctorate, the ultimate qualification to teach theology in the church and university. After a single term, he was recalled to Erfurt for a further two years to fill a gap in the teaching program, but eventually returned to Wittenberg in 1512. Luther was placed in charge of  teaching younger Augustinian friars in the order's house in town. He received his doctorate in mid-October and enrolled as a full teaching member of the university.These years also saw the growth of Luther's profile within the Augustinian Order. In 1510, he was sent with a fellow friar to Rome to try to sort out a complex internal matter connected with the order. They assumed his training as a lawyer positioned him as perfect for the job. The trip proved unsuccessful, but it was Luther's only trip outside Germany.The Modern and mostly uninformed view of the Middle Ages is that it was a time when the people of Europe assumed they knew everything, and that the everything they knew was colossally wrong. But we Moderns NOW know è WE know everything. Ha!It does not take much investigation to realize this image of medieval thought is far from true. Erfurt, like most German universities of the time, was a place of wide theological variety. For several centuries, theology in the universities of Europe had been dominated by The Scholastics.By the time Luther came on the scene, there were three main types of Scholastic theology in operation. The first two, following the teaching of Thomas Aquinas and Duns Scotus were by then known as the ‘old way' or Realists. Alongside this was emerging a new kind of theology, called the ‘modern way', o r Nominalists.One central question medieval theologians often pondered concerned the parts played by God and humans in salvation. The question of how we can come into a right relationship with God or, as the theologians called it, the doctrine of justification, was a hot topic. Contrary to what we might think, no one in late-medieval theological circles believed that a person could earn salvation purely by their own efforts. All agreed that God's grace was necessary for salvation. The point at issue was how much and what kind of help was needed, and what part people played in the process. The Church's teaching on this question was far from clear, and a number of different positions were held, not least among the Nominalist faction.One group took their cue from the great 5th C Bishop of Hippo, St Augustine.  When it came to the doctrine of justification, they held that humanity was helpless. Only God himself, by his sovereign mercy, could intervene and save people. Another group of Nominalists, the group that had an early influence on Luther, such as William of Ockham and Gabriel Biel, thought there was something which could be done to initiate the process of salvation.When Luther read Biel's textbook, he was persuaded by the idea that God has entered into a covenant, or pact, with humanity. If the sinner did what lay within him, then God would not deny him grace. Within the framework of this agreement or covenant, sinners were capable of making a small moral effort on their own, without the help of God's grace. This initial effort was required before God would respond. This might involve feeling a genuine sorrow for sin, or generating a sense of love for God. In response to this, God would give a supply (‘infusion' was the technical term) of His grace to help fan this spark into a flame. But this initial gift of grace was not enough to access salvation on its own. The Christian then had to cooperate with God's grace and, by the exercise of good works done with God's help, perfect this contrition for sin and love for God, so that salvation could truly be attained.At the same time one group of Nominalists was scratching this out, another movement with its origins a Century earlier scorned all these movements within scholastic thought. The Renaissance, which had begun in Northern Italy, spread into Germany. It captured the allegiance of many younger scholars, with its exciting promise of returning to the sources of classical Greece and Rome as a model for literature, art, architecture, law and rhetoric.‘Humanism,' as this program was known, isn't to be confused with modern humanism, that is, secular humanism, which is atheistic. While it did have a high view of human dignity, the 16th C version was religious in character, something most colleges and universities today neglect to mention. Renaissance humanism, or the study of the humanities wasn't so much a set of ideas or philosophical opinions, as a yearning for all things classical. The great motivating desire was to acquire eloquence and skill with words and language. So, everything was devoted towards a new kind of education, which involved making the study of classical texts possible—as these were thought the best models of eloquence available. These texts could be Greek literature, Roman law, classical poetry or early Christian theology. So, the humanists promoted the study of Greek and Hebrew, alongside Latin, the language of all scholarly work in the Middle Ages, so that these texts could be read in the original, avoiding what they felt was the misleading filter of medieval translations.Humanists took particular exception to the methods and products of scholastic theology, of every stripe, Nominalist or Realist. They felt that the scholastic method encouraged the asking and answering of a series of irrelevant questions. They also objected to the method of using medieval commentaries, rather than the original texts themselves. For the humanist, lengthy medieval interpretations simply got in the way of the brilliance of the original authors. Humanists wanted a direct encounter with the original text of classical authors, the Bible and the Fathers, rather than have all that muddied by an extra layer of explanations made by lesser, more recent scholars, writing in crude and verbose medieval Latin.So, using the recent invention of the printing press, humanists reproduced of a whole series of ancient Christian texts, which made a new kind of scholarship possible. Three works in particular were important.First, in 1503, Erasmus published the Enchiridion or Handbook of the Christian Soldier. It laid out a program of reform for the Church.Second, in 1506, an 11-volume edition of the Works of Augustine appeared. For the first time in centuries, it was possible to read the greatest authority in Western theology in full, in context, and without the help of medieval commentators.Third, and most important was Erasmus's greatest achievement, his Greek New Testament published in 1516. Although this edition was not as reliable as it might have been since Erasmus had a limited number of texts to work from—it became the first-ever printed edition of the Greek text, so that, for the first time, theologians all over Europe had the chance to compare the standard Latin Bible text with the original. A number of disturbing things emerged. For example, medieval theologians were unanimous in seeing marriage as a full sacrament of the church, alongside holy communion and baptism, on the basis of Jerome's translation of Ephesians 5:32, which referred to it as a sacrament. When Erasmus's edition appeared, it became clear that the original Greek word really meant ‘mystery'. The scriptural basis for regarding marriage as equal in value to baptism and Communion was shaken. So, the work of Erasmus and the other humanists played a major part in loosening the hold of the church's authority in the minds of many educated laypeople.While they didn't engage in outright warfare, scholasticism and humanism jostled in the lecture halls and universities across Germany in the early years of the 16th C. Erfurt where Luther was, was no exception. The two schools of thought were both present in the university, although relationships between them were, on the whole, fairly amiable. Luther was known for his knowledge of classical writers. He likely attended lectures by humanist teachers.This was the theological landscape at the time Luther's mind was being formed. Taught theology by nominalists, Luther believed as long as he did his best, God would give him grace to help him to become better. Humanist texts allowed him to study the great authorities of the Bible and the Fathers with fresh eyes. From 1509–10, he studied Augustine's works and Lombard's Sentences, and some of the notes he made in the margins of these works have survived to this day. They show him to be a not particularly original adherent of the theology of the Modern Way. He'd followed his teachers well, and there was little sign at this stage of departure from them.Luther was often plagued by bouts of depression. He wondered whether God really did hold good intentions towards him, sensing rather the stern stare of Christ as judge, demanding from him an impossible level of purity. He wondered whether these feelings were evidence he wasn't chosen at all, but that he was among those destined to be damned to eternal suffering.On the shelves of the library of the Augustinian friary in Erfurt were copies of several works by Bernard of Clairvaux. Bernard was something of a hero to monks like Luther, having developed a rich spiritual theology in the 12th C, and lots of advice on the spiritual life. Luther read these and heard them read over meals. He noticed Bernard's close attention to Scripture, and a piety which kept returning to the sufferings and humility of Jesus. Bernard advised his readers to meditate on the cross of Christ, especially when anxious or depressed. One of the virtues gained from such meditation was humility, a virtue greatly valued by God. Bernard said humility's abiding image was the crucified Christ, and how God used the experience of suffering, even seasons of doubt, to bring humility to the human soul. à This was a tonic to the oft-tormented Luther.This emphasis on the Scriptures and pondering the cross, passed on by earlier scholars like Bernard and Augustine plowed and planted the field of Luther's mind for the fruit it would later produce in the central doctrine of the Reformation – Justification by Faith Alone.A recent biographer called Martin Luther “A catastrophe in the history of Western civilization.” If we look only at the religious wars which were part of the Reformation, that verdict seems fair. But if we widen the criteria of our evaluation to Luther's role in calling the church to a simpler, more just and communal vision, in puncturing the conceited abuse of power and hierarchical oppression of a moribund institution which nearly all admit was grotesquely corrupt, not to mention the inspiration which his theology has been to countless people over the centuries since, that judgment isn't fair.Luther was a man of immense personal courage, fierce intelligence, and furious stubbornness. A mind steeped in the theology of his time, an ability to see quickly to the heart of an issue, and an eloquence that enabled him to express his ideas with clarity, was a powerful mixture. He inspired deep loyalty, even ardent love on the part of his supporters. He had a capacity to enjoy life in a huge way. He could be both tender and sharp, and his absence left an irreplaceable gap. As Melanchthon put it at Luther's funeral, now they were ‘entirely poor, wretched, forsaken, orphans who had lost a dear noble man as our father'. At the same time, Luther was a man with deep flaws, who made enemies as quickly as friends, and whose brilliant language could be used to hurt as much as to heal.As we end this episode, I wanted to share something I found that I thought was really good in regards to Luther's Enduring Legacy. It has to do with his doctrine of Justification by Faith. These thoughts are sparked by Graham Tomlin's Luther and His World.Our Postmodern culture isn't concerned with the same questions that dominated the 16th C. People today don't agonize, as Luther did, over where to find a gracious God. Modern men and women aren't in the least bit concerned about the demands of a whole series of religious rules. But they do experience the constant demand to live up to standards of beauty set by the glamour industry; to levels of achievement set by business targets, or to standards of talent set by entertainment and sports. How to understand the self is a persistent and difficult problem modern psychotherapy aims to ameliorate.While Luther obviously worked before the development psychology, his doctrine of justification by faith has something to say to modern man. It says that human worth lies not in any ability or quality we possess, but in the simple fact that we are loved by our Creator.At the Heidelberg Disputation of 1518, Luther claimed: “Sinners are attractive because they are loved, not loved because they are attractive.” He used to say that our value lies not inside us, but outside us; in Christ himself. The righteousness of the Christian, in which he/she stands before God, is not their own righteousness, but is Christ's own righteousness, received by faith. They can know their true value is found not in any good quality in themselves, nor any good actions they've performed, but in the fact they're loved by God. Luther's location of value entirely ‘outside ourselves', in God's love manifested in Christ, safeguards a sense that our worth is unshakeable. Whether in work or unemployed, able-bodied or disabled; red or yellow, black or white we're ALL precious in God's sight. Even if we experience doubt over our worth through despair at our own capabilities, virtue or reputation, this sense of ultimate value cannot be taken away and can become the foundation of a secure and steady self-image because it's received rather than achieved.But there's more and this is where the doctrine of justification by faith can touch and heal our shattered world. The doctrine reverses the way in which we tend to evaluate other people. If a person's value lies in a quality or feature which they possess, such as a particular skill or ability or ethnicity, it can make distinctions between people. Some people are more valuable and some are less; and we're back to Apartheid, slavery, and the Holocaust. If, however, as justification by faith insists, a person's true value lies not in anything they possess but in something ‘outside themselves'; that they are loved by God—then we can't make such distinctions. Each person has dignity and value, and deserves equal treatment, regardless of age, skills, social utility or earning capacity.The Biblical Doctrine of Justification by Faith utterly upends Critical Theory which carves people into groups and sets worth solely by their identity IN that group. For the Biblical truth of Salvation by Grace through Faith resets human identity in only two groups; the lost and saved = Both of which are loved eternally by God, a love made manifest in the Cross of Christ.There is, however, at the same time a sobering honesty about Luther's doctrine of justification. He insists that the first step to wisdom, to a rock-solid, immovable sense of self-worth, is to take a good look into the depths of one's own soul. It means to face up honestly to the self-centeredness, lack of love for one's neighbor, cowardice and indifference towards those who are suffering that lurks there. This is no easy doctrine which glosses over the reality of sin and evil in the human heart, the capacity to inflict pain and injustice which lies in everyone. For Luther, God has to help us to look into this abyss before we can go any further. This is far from that pleasant middle-class religion which assumes that everyone is good and nice, and which refuses to look beneath the surface. Luther's God insists on facing up to the dark secrets inside, the selfish motivations and hidden desires.But this is only preliminary. Some forms of religion have implied that this is the sum of religion—making us feel bad about ourselves. Luther insists this is merely a necessary first step—a means to an end, but not an end in itself. God breaks up the fragile foundations of a sense of self-worth based in our own virtues, in order to establish a much firmer rock upon which to build. Luther would have been wary of psychological techniques which try to build self-worth by positive thinking and self-talk.Justification by faith is a reminder to Christians that they approach God not on the basis of who they are, but on the basis of who Christ is. Self-worth, value and forgiveness are gifts, not rights. It's nothing to do with achieving an elusive goal of becoming the idealized person they might like to be in their most hopeful moments. It is a reminder that it is only when they stop trying to be someone else, and start being honest about who they really are, that they can begin to receive God's acceptance of them à In Christ.It doesn't get any more Biblical than that!