12. Second Part.
SECOND PART.
CHAPTER IV. On God.
§ 20. The incomprehensibility of God pp. 1-24. Dogmatics lives in the mystery, for it always has to do with God, who according to Holy
Scripture is incomprehensible and even cannot be named with any name 1.
This incomprehensibility of God has also been acknowledged outside the domain of special revelation 2, in Christian theology of the church fathers
3, 4, taken up by the scholastics 5, adopted by the Reformers 6, and in more recent philosophy replaced by the absolute unknowability of God 7, 8. The grounds which this agnosticism adduces 9 are, although there is very certainly no adequate knowledge of God, not tenable, because agnosticism would make all speaking on our part about God and all revelation on God's side to us impossible 10. The denial of the knowability of God includes that God has not willed and has not been able to reveal himself, and that we even lack the ground to assume his existence 11.
§ 21. The knowability of God (cognitio Dei insita) pp. 24-44. God is knowable, insofar as He reveals Himself. And that He reveals Himself, is certain according to Scripture and nature and is confirmed by all men; atheists there are scarcely any 1. The naturalness, universality, and necessity of the knowledge of God have led many to belief in innate concepts 2, 3.
But Christian theology rejected this doctrine, not only the patres and scholastics 4, but also Luth. and Geref. 5, because it led to rationalism or mysticism 6. Yet thereby it was not denied that man brings with him the potentia and inclinatio, in order of himself, without scientific reasoning, to come to some knowledge of God 7.
§ 22. The knowability of God (cognitio Dei acquisita) pp. 44-62. The cognitio Dei insita is increased by the cognitio Dei acquisita obtained by way of reflection and reasoning 1. Both belong to the theologia naturalis, which is not a product of human reason but is included in Scripture and is derived by the believer from nature 2. Holy Scripture does not prove God's existence but testifies to it 3. The so-called proofs for God's existence, partly over-, partly underestimated 4, namely the ontological 5, cosmological 6, teleological 7, and moral proof 8, are wrongly called proofs but are signa and testimonia, that God does not leave himself without witness to man 9.
§ 23. The Names of God pp. 62-78. All that becomes knowable of God through his revelation, Holy Scripture sums up under the names by which God, on the ground of his revelation (nomen editum), is named (nomen inditum) 1. All those names are anthropomorphistic 2, and formed according to the analogy in creatures 3, but this rightly, because God himself reveals himself in and through the creatures and in no other way is nameable 4. They therefore indeed give no adaequate but also no untrue 5, but an ectypal, analogical knowledge of God 6.
§ 24. Classification of the names of God pp. 78-102. Holy Scripture likewise honors all the virtues of God and does not know the distinction between essence and attributes 1, which later arose in theology and caused the essence of God to be defined as the Absolute or as Sovereign or as Father etc., 2-4, and separated the attributes thereof 5. But in God there is no distinction between essence and attributes 6, although the attributes are mutually different ratione ratiocinata 7. The attributes were classified in many ways 8, but all those classifications substantially agree and are
burdened by the same objections, so that a good classification is difficult to find 9.
§ 25. The proper names of God pp. 102-115, taken in a broader sense, are those by which God is named and addressed, such as θεος, deus, God 1, in Holy Scripture, El, Elohim, Eljon, Adonai 2, El Schaddai, Ihvh 3, Ihvh
Zebaoth 4, κυριος, πατηρ, Father, Son and Holy Spirit 5.
§ 26. The essential names of God pp. 115-227, which must be treated before the doctrine of the Trinity, contain first those by which God is designated as the Being in the absolute sense, namely, independence 1, immutability 2, infinity, which in turn includes eternity 3, and omnipresence
4. Subsequently there are names which make God known to us as the Living One, as Spirit, namely, simplicity 5, spirituality 6, invisibility 7.
Further, there are names which describe the Divine being as perfectly selfconscious, as Light, namely, knowledge of himself and of the world
(wherein the praescientia and the scientia media come under discussion) 8, wisdom (ideas in God) 9, truthfulness 10. Furthermore, there are names which point us to the ethical nature of God's being and make Him known as the Holy One, namely, goodness (lovingkindness, mercy, longsuffering, grace, love) 11, holiness 12, glory 13, righteousness 14. And finally there are names in which God meets us as the absolute power, as Sovereign, namely, the will, which is distinguished as propensio Dei in se ipsum
(necessaria) and as propensio in creaturas (libera) 15, which in the latter sense is indeed to be conceived as free but not as pure arbitrariness 16, further divides into voluntas beneplaciti and signi 17, and finally is to be honoured as omnipotence 18.
§ 27. The personal names of God pp. 227-312 make known to us, in the one Divine being, the self-distinctions, which already occur in the O. T.
(Elohim or Ihvh brings everything to pass through Word and Spirit) 1, but, especially also in contrast with the false doctrine of intermediate beings in Jewish philosophy 2, 3, are revealed much more clearly in the N. Test. The N. Test. teaches not only, that everything in nature and grace comes to pass through Father, Son and Spirit 4, but [539] also makes known to us something of the relations between these three persons, when it calls the Father, in a metaph. sense, the Father of Christ 5, Christ, in a special sense, the Word, the Son, the Image of God 6, and the Spirit, in a particular sense,
Spirit of the Father and of the Son 7. These data of the H. S. led the church to the confession of the Trinity, a dogma, which in the first period was developed by Justin, Irenaeus, Tertullian, Origen 8, subsequently was especially elaborated and defended by Athanasius 9 and Augustine 10, but was strongly opposed by Arianism and Sabellianism 11, and the directions attaching themselves thereto 12, 13. The terms, which are customary with this dogma, essence, persons, tri-unity etc., are indeed not taken from Scripture but are therefore not unlawful 14. The word essence denotes the Godhead, the Divine nature, as that exists in the persons 15. Persons are called the three independent modi subsistendi in the one Divine being 16, which differ from that being not re but yet realiter and are mutually distinguished in names, personal properties and manner of working 17. The first person has as personal property the paternitas 18. The second person is the Son, who by spiritual, simple, eternal generation has been generated out of the essence of the Father 19. The third person is the Spirit, whose personality and Godhead, although in the church recognized later than that of the Son, is of the highest importance for doctrine and life 20, and whose personal property is the εκπορευσις, not only from the Father 21, but also from the Son, Filioque 22. This ontological Trinity is mirrored in the
economical, which, together with the unity, also brings out the distinction of the three persons in the revelation 23, but it is, although it has been very much attempted, difficult to elucidate by images or to prove by reasonings
24. Yet it is of the greatest significance for the doctrine of God, of creation and re-creation, indeed for the whole Christian religion 25.
§ 28. The Counsel of God pp. 313-385, which, as comprising the opera essentialia ad intra, indicates the connection between God and his works
(opera ad extra), occurs in the O. T. especially as a fact in history 1, and appears in the N. T. clearly to be eternal, personal, and relating to the destiny hereafter 2. But in the Christian church the doctrine of predestination was weakened by the Greek church, by Pelagianism,
Semipelagianism 3, by the Roman church 4, and even by the Lutherans 5, while the Reformed indeed maintained it, but differed over the method of treatment 6, and over the infral. or supral. order of the decrees 7, and many others, Socin., Remonstr. etc., denied it or converted it into a philosophical determinism or modified it in a pelag. or semipel. sense 8. Now God's counsel is nothing other than his simple and eternal decree concerning all that in time shall be or shall happen 9, first of all comprising the providentia in the sense of ratio ordinis [540] rerum 10, and subsequently the praedestinatio, which by Pelag. was exchanged for the praescientia 11, and is opposed especially on three points 12. Among the Reformed there was difference over its infral. or supral. order 13, both of which have something for and something against them 14 and neither of which offers the true solution 15. The reprobatio, which occurs repeatedly in the H. S., in a certain sense decidedly belongs to the praedestinatio 16, but in another sense nevertheless belongs to it differently than the election 17, in which the praedestinatio reaches its end and comes to its full reality 18, for the
election has Christ and his church as its object and the honour of God in the salvation of the fallen world as its goal 19.
CHAPTER V. On the world in its original state.
§ 29. Creation pp. 386-424 is the beginning of the execution of God's counsel. Its doctrine occupies a broad place in Holy Scripture 1, and is to be understood only by faith, so that the Heathens did not know it and philosophy usually rejected it, in order to explain the world pantheistically or materialistically 2. Pantheism and materialism, however, are both incapable of making known to us the origin of things 3. The Christian church therefore adhered to the doctrine of Holy Scripture 4, and taught a creation out of nothing 5, which had been brought about by God triune,
Father, Son, and Spirit 6, and has specifically the Son as Mediator 7. It did not take place in, but coincided with the creation of time 8, and did not have its cause in God's overflowing fullness of being nor in his poverty and need
9, but in God's will, which thereby has in view the glory of his name 10. As product of God's will, the world is one whole, which contains within itself the greatest diversity.
§ 30. The spiritual world pp. 424-456 comprises the beings who usually bear the name of angels. Their existence is assumed in almost all religions, but has nevertheless also many times been rejected 1; philosophically and historically unprovable, it is for religion, although no central dogma, nevertheless of importance 2. Scripture has for them not one common name, but calls different classes 3. Yet they are in this nevertheless one, that they all are created 4, spiritual, incorporeal 5, rational 6, moral beings 7, essentially distinct from man, who is the image of God 8, called to an extraordinary and ordinary service in the kingdom of heaven, which
however includes no personal protection and intercession 9, and lays claim to no religious veneration 10.
§ 31. The material world pp. 456-489 remains in its origin outside the H.
S. unexplained 1, but arises according to Gen. 1:1 through [541] creation out of nothing (creatio prima) and is prepared in the six days (creatio secunda) 2, wherein a definite order is to be observed 3. This hexaemeron was in Christian theology often treated at length and without objection modified according to the prevailing world-view (ptolem. copernic.) 4. But the hypothesis of Kant and Laplace 5, as well as that of the developmental periods of the earth built upon the earth-layers, are difficult to reconcile with Scripture 6. The attempts at reconciliation cannot be called successful
7, even though they also contain good elements 8. But a correct conception of the creation narrative 9, and a pure sifting between the certain and the uncertain in geological science nevertheless bring about a provisional agreement 10.
§ 32. The origin of man pp. 490-507 is described differently in the first and second creation narrative, but according to both narratives is to be ascribed to God's creative omnipotence 1. The Christian church maintained this divine origin of man, against every materialistic, evolutionistic explanation, in earlier and later times 2, and in this also found support among many men of science who opposed Darwinism 3. And furthermore, between Holy Scripture and contemporary science not only the origin of man is in dispute, but also the age 4, the unity 5, and the cradle of humanity
§ 33. The essence of man pp. 508-545 lies according to Holy Scripture in this, that he is the image of God 1. The content of this image was variously conceived in the Christian church. In particular, there gradually came to
stand over against one another two conceptions, the naturalistic 2, which is equally contradicted by history, Scripture, and sound reasoning 3, and the supranaturalistic, which came to development in the Roman doctrine of the donum superadditum 4, but rests on a false conception of man and of his destination 5. The Reformation therefore taught that the image of God was essentially proper to man 6, not as a substance, but as a quality belonging to the essence of man 7. The whole man is, after all, the image of God, as the Reformed, with their distinction of the image of God in a broader and a narrower sense, acknowledged over against the Lutherans, according to soul and spirit, which are not two substances, and according to all their faculties
8, according to the virtues of knowledge, righteousness, and holiness (justitia originalis) and even in a certain sense according to the body 9.
Human nature is, among the works of creation, the highest revelation of God 10.
§ 34. The destination of man pp. 545-571. Adam, although the image of God, according to Holy Scripture did not yet at once possess the highest, and was therefore placed in the covenant of works 1. Christian theology has not fully acknowledged this truth and has in turn estimated Adam's condition too low or too high. But the Reformed have incorporated it in the doctrine of the foedus operum 2, a doctrine which, although developed all too [542] scholastically, nevertheless contains a profound thought, because it maintains religion as communion with God 3, takes full account of Adam's state before the fall 4, allows the richness of the image of God first to unfold itself in the human race 5, and therefore also explains why Roman
Catholics and Reformed, in distinction from the Lutherans, were in general adherents of creationism 6, 7.