THAT A CHRISTIAN ASSEMBLY OR CONGREGATION HAS THE RIGHT AND POWER TO JUDGE ALL TEACHING AND TO CALL, APPOINT, AND DISMISS
TEACHERS, ESTABLISHED AND PROVEN BY Eric W. and Ruth C. Gritsch In the spring of 1522 the small town of Leisnig, located in electoral Saxony on the river Mulde, joined the Reformation and began to reorganize its parish along lines similar to those followed in the larger cities such as Wittenberg, Augsburg, Nürnberg, and others.1 But Antoninus, the abbot of Buch, the nearby
Cistercian monastery, who exercised the right of patronage over the city, was hostile to the Reformation.
In the ensuing division between a large majority of townspeople, supported by peasants from surrounding villages, and the abbot, some influential citizens of Leisnig asked Luther to pay them a visit and to support their cause. Luther went to Leisnig on September 25, 1522, and presumably discussed two items with them: first, the right of the parish to select its own priests and preacher; and, second, the establishment of a "common chest" for the parish according to the practice in Wittenberg.2 By the end of 1522, the Leisnig congregation elected Henry Kind, one of the Cistercian monks, as their priest, and Magister John Gruner, from the town of Oschatz, as their preacher—without the approval of Abbot Antoninus. Various attempts to reach a compromise between the congregation, the monastery, and the bishop failed.3
On January 25, 1523, a delegation from the Leisnig congregation visited Luther in Wittenberg to ask once more for support. Led by the feudal landlord of Leisnig, Sebastian von Kötteritzsch, and another representative of the town council, Hans Salbach, they presented Luther with a written request to provide a biblical rationale for their practice of calling their own priest and preacher and of reorganizing the financial structure and style of worship of the parish. Luther promised to do so and immediately went to work writing the treatise entitled That a Christian Assembly or Congregation Has the Right and Power to Judge All Teaching and to Call, Appoint, and Dismiss Teachers, Established and Proven by Scripture.
Printed by Cranach and Döring in Wittenberg, it appeared the beginning of May, 1523, perhaps on May 10.4 Soon afterward Luther wrote Concerning the Order of Public Worship5 and the Preface to Fraternal
Agreement on the Common Chest of the Entire Assembly at Leisnig, 6 thus fulfilling his promise to present the Leisnig congregation with a rationale for their right to call their own preachers, to reform worship, and to reorganize the financial structure of the parish.
The treatise was written in such a way that everyone, not just the people of Leisnig, could obtain directives for a proper understanding of congregational authority. Luther clearly emphasized the word as the basis for ministry: since the congregation shares in the authority of the word on the basis of baptism, it may call its own preachers. Everyone who is baptized may exercise the office of the word, which belongs to the individual Christian as well as to the Christian community. In the later development of the Reformation, congregationalism, so strongly emphasized by Luther here, had to give way to the state church. But Luther emphasized in the treatise and throughout his life that the doctrine of the common priesthood of all believers should be the theological basis for a proper understanding of the role and authority of the pastor who is called to be the "priest of priests."
The translation of Albert T. W. Steinhaeuser in PE 4, 71–85, precedes ours. A revision by Theodore G. Tappert of Steinhaeuser's translation is available in SW 2, 321–334. Our translation is based upon the first German edition of the treatise, entitled Das eyn Christliche versamlung odder gemeyne recht und macht babe, alle lere tzu urteylen und lerer zu beruffen, eyn und abzusetzen, Grund und ursach aus der schrifft, in WA 11, 408–416.
- 121 THAT A CHRISTIAN ASSEMBLY OR CONGREGATION HAS THE RIGHT AND POWER TO JUDGE ALL TEACHING AND TO CALL, APPOINT, AND DISMISS
TEACHERS, ESTABLISHED AND PROVEN BY SCRIPTURE First, it is necessary to know where and what the Christian congregation1 is, so that men do not engage in human affairs (as the non-Christians were accustomed to do) in the name of the Christian congregation.
The sure mark by which the Christian congregation can be recognized is that the pure gospel is preached there. For just as the banner of an army is the sure sign by which one can know what kind of lord and army have taken to the field, so, too, the gospel is the sure sign by which one knows where Christ and his army are encamped. We have the sure promise of this from God in Isaiah 55[:10–11], "My word" (says
God) "that goes forth from my mouth shall not return empty to me; rather, as the rain falls from heaven to earth, making it fruitful, so shall my word also accomplish everything for which I sent it." Thus we are certain that there must be Christians wherever the gospel is, no matter how few and how sinful and weak they may be.2 Likewise, where the gospel is absent and human teachings rule, there no Christians live but only pagans, no matter how numerous they are and how holy and upright their life may be.
Thus it undeniably follows that bishops, religious foundations, monasteries, and all who are associated with them have long since ceased to be Christians or Christian congregations, even though they have claimed they are more entitled to this name than anyone else. For whoever recognizes the gospel sees, hears, and understands that even today they insist on their human teachings, have driven the gospel far away from themselves, and are still driving it away. That is why one should consider pagan and worldly what these people do and pretend.
Second, in this matter of judging teachings and appointing or dismissing teachers or pastors, one should not care at all about human statutes, law, old precedent, usage, custom, etc., even if they were instituted by pope or emperor, prince or bishop, if one half or the whole world accepted them, or if they lasted one year or a thousand years. For the soul of man is something eternal, and more important than every temporal thing. That is why it must be ruled and seized only by the eternal word; for it is very disgraceful to rule consciences before God with human law and old custom. That is why this matter must be dealt with according to Scripture and God's word; for God's word and human teaching inevitably oppose each other when the latter tries to rule the soul. This we shall prove clearly with regard to our present discussion, in this manner:
Human words and teaching instituted and decreed that only bishops, scholars, and councils should be allowed to judge doctrine. Whatever they decided should be regarded as correct and as articles of faith by the whole world, as is sufficiently proven by their daily boasting about the pope's spiritual law.3 One hears almost nothing from them but such boasting that they have the power and right to judge what is Christian or what is heretical. The ordinary Christian is supposed to await their judgment and obey it. Do you see how shamelessly and foolishly this boasting, with which they intimidated the whole world and which is their highest stronghold and defense, rages against God's law and word?
Christ institutes the very opposite. He takes both the right and the power to judge teaching from the bishops, scholars, and councils and gives them to everyone and to all Christians equally when he says,
John 10[:4], "My sheep know my voice." Again, "My sheep do not follow strangers, but flee from them, for they do not know the voice of strangers" [John 10:5]. Again, "No matter how many of them have come, they are thieves and murderers. But the sheep did not listen to them" [John 10:8].
Here you see clearly who has the right to judge doctrine: bishops, popes, scholars, and everyone else have the power to teach, but it is the sheep who are to judge whether they teach the voice [i.e., the words] of Christ or the voice of strangers. My dear, what can these water bubbles4 say against it, with their feet scraping,5 "Councils, councils! One must listen to the scholars, the bishops, the crowd; one must look at the old usage and custom"? Do you think the word of God should yield to your old usage, custom, and bishops? Never! That is why we let bishops and councils decide and institute whatever they please; when
God's word is on our side we—and not they—shall judge what is right or wrong and they will have to yield to us and obey our word.6
Here I think you can indeed see clearly enough how much trust should be placed in those who deal with souls by means of human words. Who cannot see that all bishops, religious foundations, monasteries, universities, and everything belonging to them rage against this clear word of Christ? They shamelessly
- 122 take away the judgment of teaching from the sheep and annex it to themselves through their own law and blasphemy. That is why they should certainly be regarded as murderers and thieves, as wolves and apostate Christians, for they are openly convicted here not only of denying God's word but also of opposing and acting against it. Such action was quite appropriate for the Antichrist and his kingdom, according to the prophecy of St. Paul, II Thessalonians 2[:3–4].
Christ says again, Matthew 7[:15], "Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing but are inwardly ravenous wolves." You see, here Christ does not give the judgment to prophets and teachers but to pupils or sheep. For how could one beware of false prophets if one did not consider and judge their teaching? Thus there cannot be a false prophet among the listeners, only among the teachers.
That is why all teachers and their teaching should and must be subject to the judgment of the listeners.
Again, the third passage is from St. Paul, I Thessalonians 5[:21], "Test everything but hold fast to that which is good." You see, here he does not want to have any teaching or decree obeyed unless it is examined and recognized as good by the congregation hearing it. Indeed, this examination is not the concern of the teachers; rather, the teachers must first state what is to be examined. Thus here too the judgment is taken from the teachers and given to the Christian pupils. There is a radical difference between Christians and the world: in the world the rulers command whatever they please and their subjects accept it. "But among you," says Christ, "it should not be so." Instead, among Christians each person is the judge of the other person; on the other hand, he is also subject to the other person.7 However, the spiritual tyrants have made a worldly power out of Christendom.
The fourth passage is again from Christ, Matthew 24[:4–5], "Take heed that no one leads you astray.
For many will come in my name, saying, 'I am the Christ,' and they will lead many astray." To sum up, do we really need to quote any more sayings? All of St. Paul's warnings, Romans 16[:17–18], I Corinthians 10[:14], Galatians 3, 4, and 5, Colossians 2[:8], and elsewhere, and all the sayings of the prophets in which they teach us to avoid human teaching,8 do nothing but take the right and power to judge all doctrine away from the teachers and with a stern decree impose it on the listeners instead, on pain of losing their soul. Accordingly, they not only have the power and the right to judge everything that is preached, they also have the duty to judge, on pain of [incurring] the disfavor of Divine Majesty. Thus we see in what an un-Christian way the tyrants treated us when they took this right and obligation from us and made it their own. For this alone they richly deserve to be driven out of Christendom and to be chased away as wolves, thieves, and murderers who rule over us and teach us things contrary to God's word and will.
Thus we conclude that wherever there is a Christian congregation in possession of the gospel, it not only has the right and power but also the duty—on pain of losing the salvation of its souls and in accordance with the promise made to Christ in baptism—to avoid, to flee, to depose, and to withdraw from the authority that our bishops, abbots, monasteries, religious foundations, and the like are now exercising. For it is clearly evident that they teach and rule contrary to God and his word. This first point is established certainly and firmly enough, and one should depend upon it, that it is a divine right and a necessity for the salvation of souls to depose or to avoid such bishops, abbots, monasteries, and whatever is of their government.
Second, since a Christian congregation neither should nor could exist without God's word, it clearly follows from the previous [argument] that it nevertheless must have teachers and preachers who administer the word. And since in these last accursed times the bishops and the false spiritual government neither are nor wish to be teachers—moreover, they want neither to provide nor to tolerate any, and God should not be tempted to send new preachers from heaven—we must act according to Scripture and call and institute from among ourselves those who are found to be qualified and whom God has enlightened with reason and endowed with gifts to do so.
For no one can deny that every Christian possesses the word of God and is taught and anointed by God to be priest, as Christ says, John 6[:45], "They shall all be taught by God," and Psalm 45[:7], "God has anointed you with the oil of gladness on account of your fellows."9 These fellows are the Christians,
Christ's brethren, who with him are consecrated priests, as Peter says too, 1 Peter 2[:9], "You are a royal priesthood so that you may declare the virtue of him who called you into his marvelous light."10
But if it is true that they have God's word and are anointed by him, then it is their duty to confess, to teach, and to spread [his word], as Paul says, 1 Corinthians 4 [II Cor. 4:13], "Since we have the same spirit
- 123 of faith, so we speak," and the prophet says in Psalm 116[:10], "I came to believe, therefore I speak." And in Psalm 51[:13], he [God] says of all Christians, "I will teach the ungodly your ways, and sinners will return to you." Here again it is certain that a Christian not only has the right and power to teach God's word but has the duty to do so on pain of losing his soul and of God's disfavor.
If you say, "How can this be? If he is not called to do so he may indeed not preach, as you yourself have frequently taught," I answer that here you should put the Christian into two places. First, if he is in a place where there are no Christians he needs no other call than to be a Christian, called and anointed by God from within. Here it is his duty to preach and to teach the gospel to erring heathen or non-Christians, because of the duty of brotherly love, even though no man calls him to do so. This is what Stephen did,
Acts 6–7, even though he had not been ordered into any office by the apostles. Yet he still preached and did great signs among the people. Again, Philip, the deacon and Stephen's comrade, Acts 8[:5], did the same thing even though the office of preaching was not commanded to him either. Again, Apollos did so too, Acts 18[:25]. In such a case a Christian looks with brotherly love at the need of the poor and perishing souls and does not wait until he is given a command or letter from a prince or bishop. For need breaks all laws and has none. Thus it is the duty of love to help if there is no one else who could or should help.
Second, if he is at a place where there are Christians who have the same power and right as he, he should not draw attention to himself. Instead, he should let himself be called and chosen to preach and to teach in the place of and by the command of the others.11 Indeed, a Christian has so much power that he may and even should make an appearance and teach among Christians—without a call from men—when he becomes aware that there is a lack of teachers, provided he does it in a decent and becoming manner.
This was clearly described by St. Paul in 1 Corinthians 14[:30], when he says, "If something is revealed to someone else sitting by, let the first be silent." Do you see what St. Paul does here? He tells the teacher to be silent and withdraw from the midst of the Christians; and he lets the listener appear, even without a call. All this is done because need knows no command.
If then St. Paul says here that anyone from the midst of the Christians may come forward if there is a need and calls him through such a word of God, and tells the other to withdraw and deposes him by the power of his word, how much more right does a whole congregation have to call someone into this office when there is a need, as there always is, especially now! For in the same passage St. Paul gives every
Christian the power to teach among Christians if there is a need, saying, "You can all prophesy one by one, so that all may learn and all be admonished" [1 Cor. 14:31]. Again, "You should earnestly desire to prophesy, and do not forbid speaking in tongues; but all things should be done decently and in order" [1
Let this passage be your sure foundation, because it gives such an overwhelming power to the Christian congregation to preach, to permit preaching, and to call. Especially if there is a need, it [this passage] calls everyone with a special call—without a call from men—so that we should have no doubt that the congregation which has the gospel may and should elect and call from among its members someone to teach the word in its place.
But if you say, "Did not St. Paul command Timothy and Titus to institute priests12 [I Tim. 4:13; Titus 1:5], and do we not read, Acts 14[:23], that Paul and Barnabas instituted priests among the congregations?
(Therefore, the congregation cannot call anyone, nor can anyone draw attention to himself and preach among Christians; rather, one must have permission and authorization from bishops, abbots, or other prelates who represent the apostles)" I answer that if our bishops, abbots, etc., did represent the apostles, as they boast, one opinion would certainly be to let them do what Titus, Timothy, Paul, and Barnabas did when they instituted priests, etc. But since they represent the devil and are wolves who neither want to teach the gospel nor suffer it to be taught, they are as little concerned with instituting the office of preaching or pastoral care among Christians as the Turks or the Jews are. They should drive asses and lead dogs.
Moreover, if they were really decent bishops who wanted to have the gospel and wanted to institute decent preachers, they still could not and should not do so without the will, the election, and the call of the congregation—except in those cases where need made it necessary so that souls would not perish for lack of the divine word. For in such a need, as you have heard, not only may anyone procure a preacher, be it through pleas or the power of worldly authority, but he should also hurry to the scene himself and make an - 124 appearance and teach if he can—for need is need and has no limits—just as everyone should hurry to the scene of a fire in town and not wait until asked to come.
Otherwise, if there is no such need and if there are those who have the right, power, and grace to teach, no bishop should institute anyone without the election, will, and call of the congregation. Rather, he should confirm the one whom the congregation chose and called; if he does not do it, he [the elected man] is confirmed anyway by virtue of the congregation's call. Neither Titus nor Timothy nor Paul ever instituted a priest without the congregation's election and call. This is clearly proven by the sayings in Titus 1[:7] and 1 Timothy 3[:10], "A bishop or priest should be blameless," and, "Let the deacon be tested first." Now Titus could not have known which ones were blameless; such a report must come from the congregation, which must name the man.
Again, we even read in Acts 4 [6:1–6] regarding an even lesser office, that the apostles were not permitted to institute persons as deacons without the knowledge and consent of the congregation. Rather, the congregation elected and called the seven deacons, and the apostles confirmed them. If, then, the apostles were not permitted to institute, on their own authority, an office having to do only with the distribution of temporal food, how could they have dared to impose the highest office of preaching on anyone by their own power without the knowledge, will, and call of the congregation?
But since in our times there is the need, but no bishop, to provide evangelical preachers, the examples from Titus and Timothy are invalid. Instead, one must call [a preacher] from among the congregation, regardless of whether or not he is confirmed by Titus. For those under Titus' care would and should have done the same thing if Titus had not wanted to confirm him, or if there had been no one else to institute preachers. That is why this time is very different from the time of Titus when the apostles ruled and wanted to have true preachers. Now our tyrants only want to have wolves and thieves.
Why do these raging tyrants condemn us for such electing and calling? They themselves do and must do the same thing. Not one of them is ever instituted pope or bishop by the power of someone; rather, he is elected and called by his chapter13 and then confirmed by others—the bishops by the pope as their supreme head, and he, the pope himself, by the cardinal of Ostia14 as by his inferior. And even if one of them were not confirmed, he would still be bishop and pope. Thus I ask the dear tyrants: if bishops are made by the election and call of their own congregation, and if the pope is pope without confirmation by any other authority and by election alone, why should not a Christian congregation, too, make a preacher by its call alone? For they [the tyrants] regard the episcopal and papal estate as higher than the office of preaching! Who gave them this right and took it from us, especially since our calling has Scripture on its side, but their calling is nothing but a mere human trifle without Scripture, with which they rob us of our rights? They are tyrants and knaves who deal with us just as the devil's apostles should.
That is why there is still a custom in some places of having worldly authorities such as councilmen and princes institute and pay preachers themselves in their towns and castles, just as they please and without the permission or authorization of the bishops and popes.15 And no one interfered, even though (I fear) they did not do it out of a [correct] understanding of their Christian rights. Rather, they did it because the spiritual tyrants despised and underestimated the office of preaching and made a great separation between it and the spiritual government, even though it is the highest office, on which all others depend and from which they follow. On the other hand, where there is no office of preaching, none of the others can follow. For John says, John 4[:2], that Jesus did not baptize, he only preached. And Paul boasts, 1
Corinthians 1[:17], that he was not sent to baptize but to preach.
Therefore, whoever has the office of preaching imposed on him has the highest office in Christendom imposed on him. Afterward he may also baptize, celebrate mass, and exercise all pastoral care; or, if he does not wish to do so, he may confine himself to preaching and leave baptizing and other lower offices to others—as Christ and all the apostles did, Acts 4 [6:4]. Thus it becomes evident that our present-day bishops are spiritual idols and not bishops. For they leave the highest office of the word, which should be their own, in the hands of the very lowest [orders], namely, chaplains, monks, and mendicants.16 They also leave the lower offices such as baptizing and other pastoral care to them. In the meantime, however, they administer confirmation, consecrate bells, altars, and churches which are neither Christian nor episcopal duties and which they themselves invented. They are perverted and blind masks and true child-bishops.17
Adelmann, Bernard, 26 Aesop's fables, 104, 163, 213 Albrecht, archbishop of Mainz, xxiii–xxv, 60, 241–245, 269 Albrecht, duke of Prussia, xv Althaus, Paul, xv, xviii Alveld, Augustine (Romanist in Leipzig), xxiii, 51, 61
"ass of Leipzig", 53 attack on Luther, 52 defender of apostolic see, 53 Luther's attack on, 54 Luther's response to, 49–104 and natural reason, 62
"seven swords" argument, 52 Concerning the Apostolic See, 51 A Very Fruitful and Useful Booklet About the Papal See and About St. Peter, 53
Amsdorf, Nicholas, 227 Anhalt, Adolph von, bishop of Merseburg, 51 Antichrist, 60, 84, 134, 173, 193, 194, 203, 210, 279, 280, 307
Antoninus, abbot of Buch, 303 Apostles' Creed, xiii, 36 Aristotle, xvi, 130, 134, 144, 146, 162, 168, 197, 208–209 Auerbach, Henry Stromer von, 242
Augsburg, 26, 56, 134, 211, 248, 303 Augustine, 32, 35, 55, 78, 178–179, 189, 198, 268, 280 use of Scripture, 166 Against the Donatist Petilian, 196
Against the Epistle of Parmenian, 196 Expositions on the Book of Psalms, 189 Letter to Jerome, 166 On the Gospel of John, 78
On the Spirit and the Letter, 180 On the Unity of the Church, 79, 177 Our Lord's Sermon on the Mount, 270 Reply to Faustus, 210
Baal-Peor, 262–265, 271 Ban, xiii, 5–22, 256 condemnation of, 15 danger of, 11–12, 15 - 126 destruction of, 11 disobedience of, 21–22 endurance of, 12, 17 eternal, 20 fear of, 13–15, 20 fellowship and, 7–8, 11, 20 function of, 7–11, 16 harm of, 14, 19
Holy Spirit and, 15 instituted by Christ, 8 inward and outward, 10 just and unjust, 13–15, 19–20 large and small, 8 love of, 16 malpractice of, 22 meaning of, 9 nature of, xxii, 5–12 perversion of, 13 power of, 16–17 punishment of, 10–13 sacrament and, 7–8, 10, 22 social status and, 21 teaching about, 17
Baptism, xxii, xxv, 75, 171, 268, 304 Bede the Venerable, 211 Benedict, St., 192, 211 Benno of Meissen, 107 Bernard of Clairvaux, 268
Bernhardi, John, 53, 101 Confutation of the Inept and Impious Booklet of Friar Augustine Alveld, 53 defense of Luther, 54
Bishops, accursed before God, 283 attributes of, 253–255 Balaam and, 265 blindness of, 274 call of congregation, 311–312 constituency of, 275 deposition of, 309 destruction of, 278 devil and, 277, 311 disobedience of, 253 election of, 313 episcopus, 282 equality of, 74 fellowship and, 7–8 greed of, 259, 290–292 insurrection against, 283 job of, 277, 282, 295 judgment of, 306 kinds of, 279 meaning of, 154–155 money and, 271–273, 285
- 127 nature of, 253–254, 299 oppression of, 282 possessions of, 273–275 preaching and, 270–271, 285, 289 punishment of, 252
St. Nicholas, 252, 314 sins of, 257–258, 289–290 spiritual dominion of, 252 as steward of God, 255 as teacher, 256–257 teaching of, 261–266
"virtues" of, 270–273 worship of, 260–262 Boehmer, Heinrich, xxii, xxiii, 59 Bohemians, 82, 108, 112, 173 Boniface VIII, pope, 199, 281
Bornkamm, Heinrich, xi, xv, xvi Brant, Sebastian, 167 Cajetan, 56, 134, 248 Canon law, 112, 126, 249, 281 Capito, Wolfgang, 140, 242, 243
Catharinus, Ambrosius, 167 Chastity, 44, 148, 150, 206–214, 234, 241–242, 253–268, 285, 288–289 involuntary, 297–298 Christ, and Aaron, 80–83, 178 and Adam, 64, 79 and ban, 16 belief in, 159 blood of, 147 and Christendom, 73 chronology of, 203 commandment of, 21 faith and, 149, 155 head of, 172 as high priest, 81, 237 as King Solomon, 83 kingdom of, 67, 88 as Lord, 76 love and, 16, 97–99 and Melchizedek, 81 and Moses, 82 obedience to, 96 power of, 12 reproval of, 251 respect for, 102
- 128 as rock, 78, 93 as salvation, 146 sheep of, 100 signs of, 169 as son of God, 86 understanding about, 181 Christendom, 158, 171, 195, 202, 219, 308 as assembly of faith, 65–69 burden of, 95
Christ the head of, 68, 72 as community, 62–70 damage to, 252 defense of, 62 earthly head of, 71 as external assembly, 69–71 highest office in, 314 improvement of, 73 as kingdom of Christ, 76 as kingdom of God, 66, 93, 218
Luther's definition of, 65 Luther's distinction in terms, 57 nonphysical community, 65 and papacy, 55–104 papal influence in, 61 and papal pomp, 75 papal power, 84, 89 people of, 64 as physical community, 63, 69, 71 promises to, 90 and Rome, 66, 88 ruled by, 70 signs of, 75 and soul of man, 68 source of term, 68 spiritual community, 68 true existence of, 69 twelve apostles and, 83 types of, 70–71 unity of, 62, 65–67
Christianity, condition of, 133 meaning of, 54 as spiritual assembly, 69 Christians, 19, 72 and community, 70 death of, 124 duty of, 310 faith of, 69 as God's people, 155 as heretics, 56–58 obedience of, 171, 208 obligation of, 127
- 129 and papal power, 89, 101 persecution of, 144 place of, 310 priesthood of, 151–155, 236 security of, 146 word and, 309 world and, 308
Chrosner, Alexius, 26, 27 Church, absolution of sin, 42 assembly, 57 birth of Christ's children, 180 bishops and, 155 body of, 172 bride of Christ, 235 and Christendom, 57, 70–71 commandments of, 31, 34 communion of saints, xiii–xvi, xxiii, xxiv, 65, 75 comparison of, 220 errors in, 220–221 extent of, 75 faith and, xii Greek, 150 head of, 172 bidden and visible, xiii instituted by God, 70 kingdom of God, 66, 76, 93, 218
Kirche im Werden, xviii Luther's concept of, xxiii–xxv Luther's definition of, xi, xiv Luther's dialectic of, xiii–xvi Luther's distinction in terms, 57
Luther's doctrine of, 110 Luther's reform of, xiv–xv as mother, 10, 17 noninstitutional character of, xiii "people of God", xiii, xiv Petrine chronology, 203–206 physical nature of, 218 power of, 10, 21 reform of, 139 rulers of, 158 and Scripture, 168 signs of, 75 spiritual nature of, 75, 141, 153, 218–222 term misused, 159 unity of, 139 unity with Christ (mysterium), 181
Claudius, 203, 204, 206 Clergy, administration of the word, 309 anointed by God, 310 - 130 call of, 306, 312 chastity of, 266–267 conscience of, 293 consecration of, 210 duties of, 309 job of, 214 marriage of, 206–215, 241, 289–294 vices of, 213–214
Confession, xxii, 25–47 ability of man, 34 abstain from, 30 anxiety and, 31 as appeasement of conscience, 37 criterion for, 34 faith and, 30 fear and, 31 to God, 30–31 and God's commandments, 45 and good intention, 30, 32, 37 guilt and, 33 lack of intention, 31
Luther's summary of, 41 method of, 27, 35–38 motivation for, 25 perversion of, 38–40 results of, 30 as sacrament, 32, 40 sin and, 33, 34, 39 superstition and, 40 trust in, 28 tyrannical decrees, 45 work of, 28
Congregation, 303–314 call of, 311 as church, 16 "common chest" of, 306–307 duty of, 308–309 gospel and, 305, 308–309 judgment of, 306–308 mark of recognition, 305 powers of, 311 selection of priests, 303, 306–307
Constance, Council of, 127, 134, 149 Constitutiones Clementinae, 281 Cyril of Alexandria, 232 De Vera et Falsa Penitentia, 38
- 131 Decretalium D. Bonifacii Papae VIII, 12 Decretalium D. Gregorii IX, 35, 38 Decretalium Gregorii IX, 281 Decreti Prima Pars, 290, 292
Decreti Secunda Pars, 210, 249 Decretum Gratiani, 281 Devil (evil one), 10, 22, 34, 36, 39, 78, 93, 119, 123–125, 133, 148, 150, 151, 178, 195, 208–210, 247, 267,
277, 281, 284, 292–294, 296 Duns Scotus, 168, 211 Eck, John, xxiii, 51, 56, 57, 83, 108, 109, 122, 123, 145, 165, 173 An Answer for Jerome Eraser Against Luther's Mad Hunt, 109
On the Primacy of Peter, 83 Einsiedel, Haugold von, 119, 121 Emser, Hieronymous, 119 Emser, Jerome, xxiii–xxiv, 56, 77, 82, 107–115, 119–135, 279, 292 accused Luther falsely, 123 arbitrariness of, 160 and Aristotle, 134, 144 armament of, 143–146 attack on Luther, 119, 121–123, 230
Bible of, 179 blasphemy of, 171, 186, 199 carelessness of, 211–212 charges against Luther, 148 chief article of, 152 distortion of letter and Spirit, 190 evil spirit and, 145 extravagance of, 196 false teaching of, 129 faults of, 214–215 feud with Luther, 107–110 hatred of, 112, 131, 148, 212 humiliation of Scripture, 177 indolence of, 203–206 knowledge of Scripture, 112–115 letter to Bohemian Catholics, 108 lies of, 113–115, 126–128, 131, 145, 151, 172–174 logic of, 208 misinterpretation of Luther, 148, 153 negligence of, 114 offended by teachings of Luther, 124 and papacy, 144 as priest, 108, 113, 122, 123, 133, 146, 152 on priesthood, 152, 227, 230 salvation of, 128 slander of, 115, 202 spirit of malice, 112
- 132 strategy of, 139 suppression of Luther's teachings, 129–130 and tradition, 162, 227 use of Scripture, 167 weapons of, 143, 144, 156, 163, 167, 230, 238, 189–190, 196
Against the Ecclesiastic, Falsely So Called, and True Arch-heretic Martin Luther, 244, 247 Against the Un-Christian Book of the Augustinian Martin Luther, Addressed to the German Nobility, 109,
121, 127, 132, 135, 139, 143, 146, 158, 169, 172, 200, 210, 230 Answer to the Raging Bull, 197 Assertion of the Goat Against Luther's Hunt, 109, 130
Concerning the Leipzig Debate, 77 Formal Declaration of the Capricorn Regarding the Lutheran Game, 77 Quadruplica to Luther's Recent Answer, Concerning His Reformation, 227, 230, 231, 232, 233
Reply to the Answer of the Raging Bull in Wittenberg, 119 Reservation to Luther's First Retraction, 228, 231 To the Bull in Wittenberg, 110, 119, 121, 126, 128, 130, 131, 133
Enders, Ludwig, 107, 110, 119, 121, 128, 130, 131, 132, 133, 135, 139, 146, 158, 172, 197, 210, 211, 227, Exsurge, Domine, 113, 123, 247, 248
Fairclough, H. Rushton, 129 Faustus of Mileve, 210 Faventinus, Didymus (Melanchthon), 110 Fedotov, George P., 58 Fowler, Harold N., 144
Francis of Assisi, 62, 193, 268 Franciscan Order, 51, 53, 62 Franciscus, Petrus, 216 Frederick, elector of Saxony, 22, 25, 27, 242
Gensichen, Hans-Werner, xiii George, duke of Saxony, xxiii, 22, 82, 107, 119, 139, 228 Germany, 60, 107, 296 Gerrish, Brian A., xviii Gerson, John, 40, 44, 168, 211
God, xiii, xvii, xviii, 83, 84, 191, 195, 231, 257, 290 anger of, 20 and authority, 18 blasphemy of truth, 151 church of, 281 commandment of, 16, 17, 177, 187, 250, 262, 274, 276, 278, 286, 291, 294 contradiction of, 84 crown of, 20
- 133 defiance of, 93 disfavor of, 247 estates instituted by, 86 fear of, 34 forgiveness of, 30 freedom before, 20 gift of, 180 as God, 100 grace of, 67, 126, 130, 247, 276 and guilt of man, 144 help of, 125, 150 honor of, 125, 134 as judge, 113 judgment of, 16, 18, 33, 35, 130, 131, 250 kingdom of, 66, 76, 93, 218 as liar, 94 majesty of, 77 in medieval art, 25 mercy of, 25, 36, 40, 41 mockery of, 162 name of, 119, 122, 124, 128, 261–262 opposition to, 176 order of, 59, 64, 97, 280 peace of, 242 and power of Rome, 88 promise of, 28–30 providence of, 17, 101, 205 punishment of, 18, 148 service to, 268 soul and, 263 strength of, 88 teaching of, 248 temptation of, 127 trust in, 28, 145 vows to, 286 will of, 128 wisdom of, 64 work of, 93, 188 wrath of, 188, 275, 290
Good works, 33, 35, 185, 262, 276, 285, 287 Gospel, xvi, 75, 82, 86, 87, 95, 129, 133, 155, 169, 170, 173, 184, 194, 251, 285, 295, 298, 305
Gregory II, pope, 281 Gregory VII, pope, 211 Gregory XII, pope, 252 Grünenberg, John, 6, 26, 52, 120, 141, 228 Gurk, Cardinal Raymund von, 107
- 134 Hauck, Albert, 211 Hausmann, Nicholas, 299 Heretics, 58, 67, 73, 75, 76, 79, 87, 88, 101, 170, 171, 174, 181, 205, 207, 211, 234, 247, 268
Hilary of Poitiers, 280 Holy Spirit, xiv, 67, 75, 77, 79, 83, 86, 103, 144, 155, 160, 161, 170, 175, 176, 178, 182, 183, 197, 199, 203,
220, 237, 268, 277, 278, 281, 289 Honorius III, pope, 62 Huss, John, 20, 73, 108, 127, 134, 149, 172, 173 Hussites, 73, 82, 108
Indulgences, 25, 127, 134, 241–244, 273, 275–276, 289 James, St., 43, 285, 286 Jerome, 29, 155, 176, 181, 203, 210 Against Jovinianus, 210
Commentary on Titus, 155 Jerome of Prague, 134, 149 Jews, xvii, 67, 69, 77–79, 82, 85, 123, 125, 145, 161, 176, 180, 181, 185, 204, 247, 287, 290
John, duke of Saxony, 26 John the Baptist, 188, 203 Kattenbusch, Ferdinand, xiii Kawerau, Gustav, 107, 132 Kawerau, Waldemar, 140
Keys, office of, xvi, xvii, xxv, 42, 86–92, 96 and community, 91 and Peter, 86, 88 and pope, 91, 92 power of, xvii, 42, 88, 89, 91, 92
Kirche, xiii, 57, 305 Köhler, Walther, 273, 275, 287 Kötteritzsch, Sebastian von, 303 Krodel, Gottfried, 242, 244 Law, xvi, 39–40, 64, 157–158, 162, 169, 170, 183, 185, 188, 200, 202, 207, 210, 214, 291, 306 commandments, 37, 39, 64, 184, 187, 270 end of, 185 of Moses, 19, 85 old and new, 80 and Paul, 177
"privileges of the clergy", 249 quoted by Christ, 89 of Rome, 84 - 135 sin and, 38 spiritual, 177 Ten Commandments, xxii, 37, 274, 286
Leipzig, 51, 53–56, 58, 67, 69, 87, 100, 103, 107, 108, 110, 122, 165, 176, 197, 211, 244 Leipzig Debate, xv, xxi, xxiii, 57, 100, 108, 109, 119, 122, 165
Leisnig, xxiv, 303–304 Leo X, pope, xxiii, 55, 113, 273 Lives off the Fathers, 45 Loewenich, Walther von, xviii Lonicer, John, 52, 54, 62, 101
Against the Romanist Friar Augustine Alveld, 52 Lotther, Melchior, 25, 26, 53, 110 Luther, Martin, xi–xix, xxi–xxv and Alveld, attack on, 61–64 and Alveld, refutation of, 64 and Alveld, response to, 76–85 apostolic chronology, 203–206 armor of God, 144 attack on, 247 on the ban, 7–22 bishops rejected, 279–280
"Bohemian heretic", 109 on confession, 27–47 on councils, 139 dialectic theology of, xi ecclesiological writings of, xxii–xxv ecclesiology, bibliography on, xi ecclesiology of, xiv, xviii, xxiii, xxv, 111–115, 121–135, 143–223, 229–238, 305–314 and Eck, 122 and Emser, 107–110, 119 and Emser, advice to, 132 and Eraser, agreement with, 233 and Emser, attack on, 121–135, 139, 143, 147, 198, 214–215 and Emser, reply to, 109–110, 111–115, 139–140 faith and, xviii heresies of, 233 interpretation of, 126 irony of, 228 issues dealt with, 140 and laws, 171, 202 lies about, 150 on marriage, 206–215 mind of, xxiv and Murner, 141, 215–219 opinion of fathers, 164 orthodoxy of, 108 and papacy, 55–104, 221–223, 247–299 and Pauline theology, xvi - 136 and Peter, 205 prophecy about, 135
Saxon humor of, xix, xxiv spirit of, 119 as teacher, 180 teaching of, 124–125, 133, 200, 248–249 on tradition, 216 treatise on the church, 53 use of Scripture, 156, 163–165, 176, 196–197, 199, 215–218 victory of, 243–244
The Abridged Response to Martin Luther, 173 An Addition to Goat Emser, 109 Against Hanswurst, xv Against the Idol at Halle, 241–243
Against the Spiritual Estate of the Pope and the Bishops, Falsely So Called, xviv, 239–299 Answer to the Hyperchristian, Hyperspiritual, and Hyperlearned Book by Goat Eraser in Leipzig—Including
Some Thoughts Regarding His Companion, the Fool Murner, xxiii, xxiv, 137–223, 227 Avoiding the Doctrines of Men, 308 The Babylonian Captivity of the Church, xvii, xxiii, 169, 175, 309
The Blessed Sacrament of the Holy and True Body of Christ, and the Brotherhoods, 5–6, 7, 82 A Brief Instruction on How Confession Should Be Made, 25–26
The Bull of the Ecclesiastic in Wittenberg Against the Papal Bishops …, 245 Concerning the Answer of the Goat in Leipzig, xxiii, 117–135
Concerning the Ministry, xvii, 305 Concerning the Order of Public Worship, 304 Confession Concerning Christ' s Supper, xvii Defense and Explanation of All the Articles, 173
A Discussion on How Confession Should Be Made, xxii, 23–47 Dr. Luther's Bull and Reformation, 245, 278–299 Dr Luther's Retraction of the Error Forced Upon Him by the Most Highly Learned Priest of God, Sir Jerome
Emser, Vicar in Meissen, xxiv, 225–238 An Explanation of Certain Articles by Dr. Martin Luther, Regarding His Sermon on the Blessed Sacrament,
Fraternal Agreement on the Common Chest of the Entire Assembly at Leisnig, 304 The Freedom of a Christian, xxiii, 148, 308
The Holy and Blessed Sacrament of Baptism, 43 Instruction for a Brief Confession of Sins, According to the Decalogue, 38
The Judgment of Martin Luther on Monastic Vows, 285 Lectures on Galatians, 1519, xiv, xxi, 201 Lectures on Galatians, 1535, xvi Luther at the Diet of Worms, 141
Ninety-five Theses, xvi, 9, 42, 241 Nun bitten wit den Heiligen Geist (hymn), 69 On the Councils and the Church, xvi On the Papacy in Rome: Against the Most Celebrated Romanist in Leipzig, xxiii, 49–104, 140, 159, 172
Receiving Both Kinds in the Sacrament, 274 Resolution Concerning the Lutheran Thesis XIII on the Power of the Pope, xii, 92
The Sacrament of Penance, 25 A Sermon on the Ban, xiii, xxii, 3–22 A Sincere Admonition by Martin Luther to All Christians to Guard Against Insurrection and Rebellion, xix The Ten Commandments, Preached to the People of Wittenberg, 38, 213
The Ten Commandments, with a Brief Exposition of Their Fulfilment and Violation, 38 That a Christian Assembly or Congregation Has the Right and Power to Judge All Teaching and to Call,
Appoint, and Dismiss Teachers, Established and Proven by Scripture, xxiv, 301–314 To the Christian Nobility of the German Nation, xxiii, 10, 19, 95, 109, 119, 139, 140, 147, 148, 151, 172, 206,
To the Goat in Leipzig, xxiii, 56, 105–115, 119 Treatise on Good Works, 213 Treatise on the New Testament, That Is, the Holy Mass, 140
Veni Sancte Spiritus (hymn), 65 Why the Books of the Pope and His Disciples Were Burned by Doctor Martin Luther, 126, 158
Lutheran World, The, xi Mainz, bishopric of, 60 Manichaeans, 170, 197 Maritain, Jacques, 208 Mass, 22, 38, 39, 41, 89, 195
Meissen, bishop of, 82, 299 Melanchthon, Philip, 110, 227, 242, 243 Apology of the Augsburg Confession, 45, 53, 110 Miltitz, Charles von, 25, 51, 53, 248
Ministry, 151–153 baptism and, 267–268 call to office (Befehl, Beruf), xvii, 74 as community, xviii ecclesiasticum, 153 equality of orders, 155 laying on of hands, 174
Luther's advice on, 234–235 Luther's definition of, xvi–xvii, 218 Luther's view of, xxiii–xxv, 110 "mutual consolation of the brethren", xiv, xxii papal election, 313 reproval of others, 28, 250–253 in Scripture, 154 spiritual estate, 8, 14–15, 18, 69, 75, 86, 218, 244, 265, 266, 268, 287 spiritual, meaning of, 174 titles not important, 248 word as basis for, 304
Mirandola, Pico della, 107 Missa catechumenorum, 22 Monasteries, 296–299, 305 Mosellanus, Peter, 54 Müller, Gerhard, xiii Murner, Thomas, xxiv, 129, 140, 207, 212, 215–224
A Christian and Brotherly Admonition, 215 - 138 Guild of Fools, 125 Nero, 95, 203, 204, 306 New Testament, xvi, xxv, 52, 77, 78, 80, 85, 97, 153, 158, 182, 183, 187, 228, 235, 254
Old Testament, xv, 52, 77, 78, 84, 85, 133, 158, 182, 183, 193, 254, 281, 291 Origen, 175, 176, 178, 181, 232 Ostia, cardinal of, 313
Papacy, 51–104, 153 authority of, 59, 63, 99 Behemoth, 124 church of, 220–221 confirmation of clergy, 58–59 defense of, 56 as divine institution, 51 and divine order, 60 existence of, 99 external glory of, 78 failings of, 59 fees collected by, 60 fellowship and, 7–8 and Germany, 60 and God's order, 94 and gospel, 58 as head of Christendom, 71–72 as high priest, 78–86 honor of, 58 as interpreter of Scripture, xv love and, 98
Luther's opinion of, xxiii–xxv, 51, 101–103 opposition to, 101 Petrine foundation of, 205 power of, 57, 59, 61, 71, 75, 90, 100 spirituality of, 192 subject to others, 94 subjection to, 85
Pauck, Wilhelm, xiii, xviii Paul, St., 73, 81, 84, 131, 135, 143, 144, 174, 188, 190, 205, 210, 231, 251, 254–257, 268, 272, 277, 278, 291,
Pelikan, Jaroslav, xiv Penance, 25, 45, 46, 89, 96, 287 Peter, St., 73, 74, 80–83, 97, 135, 152, 174, 203–206, 234–237, 248–249, 256–260, 268, 272, 283–284 and apostles, 87, 191 authority of, 86–87, 92, 95 chronology of, 203–206 and community, 89 instruction of, 99 and love, 100 petra, 86, 222
- 139 on priesthood, 152 primacy of refuted, 86–90 "Tend my sheep", 95–100 Pope, 100, 123–124, 126, 133–135, 202 and Aaron, 79–83 above Christ, 101 affairs of, 198 as Antichrist, 102, 134, 195, 212 attack on, 173 authority of, 92, 101 as Balaam, 265, 272 bishop of Rome, 98 and bishops, 172 books of, 126, 133 bulls of, 275–278, 287, 289 confusion caused by, 201 deceit of, 195 and devil, 149 divine right of, 139 as external priest, 79 as head of church, 161, 172, 275 as heretic, 92, 172 as idol, 134, 201 judgment of, 101 laws of, 126, 150, 159, 171, 193, 207, 249, 262, 287, 291, 292 and love, use of against, 100 and marriage, 84 as messenger, 42, 72–74 names of, 194 obedience to Christ, 96 opposition to, 101 oppression of, 272 person and office of, 89–90, 95, 98, 99 power of, 88, 193, 285–286 primacy of, 141 as slanderer of God, 273 spirit of, 289 teaching of, 195, 262 as tender of sheep, 95–97 as tyrant, 201
"virtue" of, 275–278, 285–287 and vows, 285 Preaching, 182–183, 298–299, 310 duties of, 314 grace versus ban, 189 - 140 Luther's criticism of, 186–187 as "ministry of the letter", 183–184, 202 as "ministry of the Spirit", 183–184, 202 by pope and priesthood, 190
Spirit not preached, 186 Spirit, office of, 188 Priapus, 261, 264, 271 Prierias, Sylvester, 55, 173 Priest, and confession, 25 consecration of (ordo and ritus), xvii judge of sins, 33 meaning of, 154 names for, 156 office of, 194 representative of church, 158 as "tonsure-bearers", 235–237 true priest, 158–159
Priesthood, of all believers, xvii, xxiv, 151–152, 157, 159, 227–238, 304 churchly order, 155, 157, 158 external, 160 idolatry of, 264–265 kinds of, 152, 157, 159, 279 nature of, 153, 209, 234 priesterey, 234 and Scripture, 159–162 and tradition, 157–158
"Privileges of the clergy", 249 Quintilianus, M. Fabius, 211 Rastrum beer, 76, 98, 211 Raugsdorf, Andreas, 283 Reed, Ennis, 104, 213
Rhadinus, Thomas, 110, 112, 126, 157, 162, 166 Rome, 25, 43, 51, 53, 67, 87, 88, 93, 96, 102, 107, 112, 171, 204, 241, 271
Russian Orthodox Church, 58 Sacrament of the altar, xv, xxii, 7–11, 20, 22, 75, 82, 134 St. Nicholas Day, 252, 314 Saints, 86, 96, 101, 193
Schirlentz, Nickel, 244 Schleynitz, John von, 109 Schwiebert, E. G., xxi, 25, 83, 108, 113, 123, 141, 248, 303 Scotus, John Machabeus, xiv Scripture, xi, xii, xv, 55, 56, 63, 64, 69, 75, 77, 79, 81–83, 94, 101, 103, 104, 108, 111–114, 131, 133, 139,
147, 153, 159–161, 169, 173, 194, 200, 205, 207, 211, 214, 217, 230, 232, 254, 258, 263, 266, 267, 270, 306, 309, 313 fathers and, 163–168, 176, 192–193, 217, 222 letter and Spirit in, 111–114, 174–201, 231–232 mysteria, 180
- 141 preferred over examples, 36 Sin, 251, 267 ability to know, 35, 183–185 absolution of, 42, 86, 89, 90, 171, 241 against God, 31 against the church, 31 and ban, 19–21, 42 and canonical hours, 39 and evil rulers, 18–19 fear of, 20 forgiveness of, 28, 30 harm of, 20 hatred of, 30 of the heart, 32, 33 and incest, 45 and intention, 34 man's nature, 34 mortal and venial, 32, 34–35, 42 and pope, 202, 212, 290 and punishment, 11 remission of guilt, 42
"reserved cases", 41–43, 241 Smalcald Articles, xi Smith, Preserved, xiv, 52, 108, 109, 139, 140, 243 Spalatin, George, 25, 26, 27, 51, 109, 110, 139, 227, 241–244
Stephen, St., 149, 218, 310 Stiefel, Michael, 224 Tappert, Theodore G., xi, 45 Thiele, Ernst, 15, 87, 121, 123, 127, 146, 147, 153, 159, 160, 162, 167, 197, 207, 213, 216, 267
Thompson, Harrison S., 108 Turks, 11, 13, 15, 19, 69, 76, 82, 93, 94, 101, 161, 280 Votum satislactionis, 43 Vows (oaths), 286–299 and baptism, 43 of chastity, 44 and commandment of God, 43, 288 differentiation of, 44 monastic, 288–289
- 142 Wartburg, xxi, 227, 242, 243 Weissestadt, Magister, 107 Wingren, Gustaf, xvii Wittenberg, xii, xxi, xxii, 6, 25, 52, 53, 67, 69, 110, 120, 139, 141, 227, 228, 242, 243, 245, 303
Word of God, xi, xiv–xvi, xxi, xxiii, xxv, 28, 56, 61, 64, 90, 94, 130, 131, 139, 151, 159, 160, 166, 167, 174, 178, 179, 193, 200, 213, 214, 237, 250–253, 270, 271, 277, 279, 284, 292, 298, 306, 307, 309 and ecclesiastical authority, 140 freedom of, 22 interpretation of, 91, 168
Luther's discovery of, xviii spiritual authority of, 22 as sword, 146, 162, 165, 167 use of, 19 Worms, Diet of, 141, 227, 248
Worms, Edict of, xxi, 247 Zabarella, Francis, 134 2Luther, M. (1999, c1970). Vol. 39: Luther's works, vol. 39 : Church and Ministry I (J. J. Pelikan, H. C.
Oswald & H. T. Lehmann, Ed.). Luther's Works (Vol. 39, Page 315). Philadelphia: Fortress Press.