Luther's Reformation: The Word is Jesus

 505 years ago, a German monk named Martin Luther nailed 95 theses for debate to the Castle Church door of Wittenberg, Germany. This was quite normal, as the door functioned as a community bulletin board. But little did he know that these 95 theses would spark a change in the entire Western World.

Luther's theses were not his mature thought, as he still had allegiance to the Pope and was still a loyal Roman Catholic at the time. But over time he would see that the Roman Catholic Church had abandoned the pure Gospel, and God would be pleased to use this man to bring the Good News to the world. Indeed, before Luther Jan Hus had come, and when Rome burned Hus at the stake Hus correctly claimed that another one would come and they would not be able to silence the Gospel.

But as Luther was opposed by Rome on one end, he was opposed by the Anabaptists and the Calvinists and the Zwinglians on the other end. While for Luther Rome had added to the Gospel, the Calvinists and Baptists had taken away from it. Rome had added works of merit, and the Baptists had taken Christ out of the Sacraments and turned them into mere ordinances or commands from God to merely remember a past event. The Calvinists had taken the “for you” out of the Gospel and turned it into amorphous categories of “the elect.”

Indeed, Luther's Reformation was all about the fact that the Good News is that Christ is God's Word to mankind, God's final Word. We have a gracious God in Christ, gracious for you in Word and Sacrament.

Consider Psalm 15, for example. Is this Psalm about who we are before God, trying to be those things which no one can truly be if he is honest, or is it about Christ? Christ is the One Who is characterized by the traits of Psalm 15, and only Him.

Christ is on every page of the Bible. Christ is in the Sacraments. Christ is in the Sermon, and it is not a morality lesson for us to follow, but it preaches Christ.

This was Luther's Reformation.

It was all about Jesus Christ.

Happy Reformation Day my friends.

The Reformation - Monolithic?

The Protestant Reformation was indeed an enormous event in world history. It had - and has - far reaching effects in the Christian Church but also in the world as seen through secular eyes. This post will explore how Lutherans and Reformed Christians view and interpret the Reformation. As you will see, the two divergent theologies do not see things eye to eye. Clearly we do not see eye to eye doctrinally, but as we will endeavor to show, the two sides do not see eye to eye historically either.

Within the broader context of the entire Reformation era, we can see there are in essence five major groups in play. These groups are the Roman Catholics, Lutherans, the Reformed, the Anabaptists, and the Anglicans. For our purposes, we will focus mainly on the Lutherans and the Reformed, and how they relate to each other as well as the Roman Catholic church. This is not to say that there is nothing worth learning about the Anglicans or the Anabaptists. Both of these groups were also present during this era, one being more conservative than the other, as Anglicans are quite clearly closer (for lack of a better term) to the magisterial continental Reformers than the excessively radical Anabaptists.

This post is not intended to be a sort of overall summary of the Reformation era. It is meant to address how each of these two major theologies of the Reformation view not only each other historically and contemporarily, but also how they relate to and see the Papacy and the Roman Church.

My observation through the years has been that the Lutherans and the Reformed view the Reformation era very differently. This is, as we will endeavor to show, very much due to a divergence in doctrine.

Reformed Views

For the Reformed Christian, the Lutherans and the Reformed are the two great churches that trace their roots back to this historical period. The contemporary Reformed Christian tends to see the Reformation as one entire reform of the church. For this reason, nearly all Reformed teachers have a deep admiration for the magisterial Lutherans, and specifically for Dr. Martin Luther. This can be shown in many ways.

First, there are many Reformed teachers and believers that tend to see Luther (not to mention St. Augustine of Hippo of the 4th and 5th century) as, to put it crudely, as a sort of proto-Calvinist. It is argued that Luther laid the groundwork and then Calvin and his contemporaries completed it. It is argued that Luther did not reform far enough by some Reformed adherents. Nevertheless, Luther is regarded by many as the fountainhead of the Reformed Reformation. Modern Reformed Christians like to point to certain aspects of Luther's theology in an attempt to demonstrate that Luther was indeed, for the most part, the beginning of the Reformed Reformation. Specifically, they will point to works written by Luther such The Bondage of the Will. Modern Reformed efforts have been made to cast Luther as a Calvinist in some ways. Here is one such example: "Double or Nothing: Martin Luther's Doctrine of Predestination" by Brian Mattson (the-highway.com)

If the reader indulges us here and reads Mattson's paper, you will notice a few things. First, per Mattson, Luther was clearly a double predestinarian in the vein of St. Augustine, which agrees with Reformed Theology. Second, Luther's magnum opus was The Bondage of the Will. (As opposed to say, the Small or Large Catechism or all of his works on Scripture and Theology) Third, Lutheranism rejected Luther's teachings on some things and followed off in another direction. These ideas that Mattson is trying to defend are incorrect when we look at the life, theology, and work of Luther.

Very few Reformed scholars and teachers have a disdain for Luther, as they view him as the primary figure of the Reformation, which is culminated with Reformed Theology. R.C. Sproul, a big name in contemporary Reformed Theology, is quite normative for the Reformed when he counts Luther as his most admired and favorite Reformer. Sproul gave numerous lectures on Luther, nearly always casting Luther in an admiring and positive manner.

Not all Reformed believers attempt to turn Luther into a Calvinist or proto-Calvinist, although it would seem to be the prevailing treatment and stance on Luther in the Reformed camp. As an aside, James Swan, a Reformed blogger over at Beggars All: Reformation And Apologetics (beggarsallreformation.blogspot.com) is in many ways a breath of fresh air, as he allows Luther to be Luther for the most part. To wit, he does not try to make Luther a Calvinist.

Because of these things, the majority of Reformed Christians (not all, Reformed casts a big umbrella) tend to not only be very positive and fond of Luther, but they also tend to be very positive of Lutheran Theology and Lutherans in general. They see us as part of the same Reformation and on the same team, so to speak. It is commonly asserted by Reformed teachers that Calvin and Luther were not that far apart (Westminster West is big in this regard. See writings by contemporary Reformed Theologians such as Michael Horton and R. Scott Clark. Much of their work and ideas are readily accessed online. See The Heidelblog | Recovering the Reformed Confession for example) and efforts are made quite often to find commonalities and link the two theologies together. Ther Lutheran teachers, on the other hand, see things very differently.

Lutheran Views

For Lutherans, both teachers as well as laymen, the Reformation is viewed very differently, and in this lay blogger's opinion, given the historical and theological documents, rightfully so.

Therefore, it is surprise to many Reformed Christians that Lutherans do not see Lutheran and Reformed as the two great theologies that sprung from the Reformation. Rather, we see these as two totally different theological movements. We see Lutheranism as the conservative Reformation. On the contrary, we see Reformed Theology as a radical Reformation - more of a revolt and the beginning of a new strain of Christianity; a new theology that departs from catholicity on many key doctrines. That is not to say Reformed Theology is as radical as say, the Anabaptists, whose modern offspring today would be sects and cults such as the Amish or the Mennonites.

To see the Lutheran perspective, one needs only to look at the actual historical attempts at ecumenicism between the two camps. There were numerous major events as well as theological documents that took place in the Reformation era that lend creedence to how we see the relationship or lack thereof between the two.

It is unfair to claim that these two camps did not attempt to unify. Numerous attempts were made. We can point to the Marburg Colloquy of 1529, where Zwingli and Oecolampadius met with Luther and Melanchthon to discuss theology. Other big names from the era were also present, such as Martin Bucer and Justus Jonas. The Colloquy was called by Landgrave Philip of Hesse, who desired a unified Protestant theology, mainly for political purposes. Luther was skeptical of this right from the start. Zwingli, however, desired this union and attempted to find common ground even where there was none. How can I make a statement like that about Zwingli? Zwingli later wrote a document that backed off the Marburg articles of agreement. In short, Zwingli and the Swiss camp were of the opinion that differences on the Lord's Supper should not prevent an allied political front with the Lutherans, over against Charles V and the Holy Roman Empire and the Papacy. Luther, on the other hand, found this arrangement repugnant. Luther's aim was always doctrinal purity. This is evidenced when, at the conclusion of Marburg, Luther refused to extend fellowship to Martin Bucer, saying that they were "of a different spirit." Bucer, in his efforts, tried to continually work at finding compromise. Luther would have none of it.

Enter Philip Melanchthon. Melanchthon, as we know, was the author of some of the Lutheran confessional documents found in the Book of Concord. Specifically, it was Melanchthon who penned the Augsburg Confession of 1530, as well as the Apology of the Augsburg Confession, a defense written in response to Rome's response to the Original Augsburg Confession. Melanchthon is also responsible for the Confessional document entitled The Treatise on the Power and Primacy of the Pope. Melanchthon was indeed a very large figure in Lutheranism as well as the Reformation considered as a whole.

Melanchthon, however, later in life, became quite the compromiser and also fell into some theological errors, which were rejected by the final Lutheran Confessional documents, the Epitome and Solid Declaration of the Formula of Concord. These Confessional documents were put together by second generation Lutherans, led by Martin Chemnitz and Jacob Andreae, among others.

This brings us to a couple topics. Where did Melanchthon compromise and where did he err? There are, as we will point out, a lot of different things going on here.

Melanchthon desired Christian unity. Nobody can say this goal, when considered by itself, is a bad goal. It is a noble one. However, the manner in which Melanchthon went about this has been rejected completely by Confessional Lutheranism.

The first compromise we will point to is the Variata of 1540. The Variata was, to put it simply, a revision of the Augsburg Confession that was meant to promote unity and acceptance of Calvin and Reformed Theology. In the Variata, the rejection of the Calvinist doctrine on the Lord's Supper is removed. The Variata is viewed in Lutheran circles as non-Confessional as well as compromising and erroneous. In other words, Lutheranism flatly rejects the Variata. So here we see Melanchthon compromising the Lutheran doctrine of the Lord's Supper in order to bring about more unity with the Reformed.

The second compromise we can point to is Melanchthon's attempt to compromise with Rome. Melanchthon was, sadly, the author of the Leipzig Interim of 1548, a document designed to compromise with Rome.

Reverend A. Brian Flamme is quoted,

"Long story short, the Evangelicals looked to Philipp for guidance and stability amidst the coming onslaught, but his efforts fell short. The Reformation church broke apart and Philipp fell out of favor because of his compromises with the Papists and Reformed on matters of ceremonies, Christ's presence in the Supper, and the role of human will in conversion." (Philipp Melanchthon - Lutheran Reformation)

Philipp was opposed by a group of Lutherans that came to be known as the Gnesio (genuine) Lutherans, who were in the main correct, although they were not above error either. Quoting the Reader's Edition of the Book of Concord,

"Matthias Flacius maintained that original sin is not an accident, but the very substance of fallen humanity. The Lutherans (including the Philippists) were practically unanimous in opposing this error. Accident refers to something that 'just happens to be there.' It is a characteristic that is not essential to a person or thing...In the Augsburg Confession, Lutheranism insisted that original sin is so deep a corruption of human nature that it prevents a person from contributing anything to his or her own salvation. After Luther's death Melanchthon suggested that a person can, and in fact does, cooperate with God's grace in salvation."

"Article I of the Formula of Concord, therefore, had to make clear what the Bible teaches. Since the fall, human nature is not sin itself, but it is sinful. The Formula wisely points out that to suggest God created sin would mean that God's Son assumed sin itself into divinity in the Incarnation. What is more, if sin is part of a person's very substance, then it too will be resurrected on the Last Day to spend eternity in heaven, an absurd idea, in view of Scripture."

So, in response to Melanchthon's compromise and addition of a synergistic cause in salvation, Flacius responded with his own error - to make sin part of the actual substance of humanity. The Formula sets forth the proper teaching, rejecting both of these errors.

If one takes the time to study the history here, they will see clearly that the common Reformed argument, that Lutherans followed Melanchthon and not Luther, is patently false. Confessional Lutheranism rejects the compromises of Melanchthon as well as his later errors after Luther's death.

In actuality today, it is the Reformed who generally are the ones who attempt to do the compromising with the Lutherans, insisting that we are not really that far apart from each other, and that Luther and Calvin were mainly on the same team, so to speak. Confessional Lutheranism rejects this line of thought outright, pointing to the doctrinal history of the two churches as well as the historical data that has been discussed.

We can also point to other historical documents that show we are not incorrect here. The Consensus Tigurinus is one such document. The Consensus was composed by none other than John Calvin himself in 1549. It can be found here: Consensus Tigurinus (1549) · BookOfConcord.org

In the Consensus, we see the following ideas set forth:

In article 16, we see the idea that the elect alone receive Christ. The reprobate receive nothing but bread and wine. In article 17, Calvin rejects that idea that the Lord's Supper conveys grace. In article 20, Calvin separates the benefit of the Lord's Supper from the administration of it. In article 22, Calvin asserts that to read the Institution of the Lord's Supper is done by "preposterous interpreters" and that they are figurative.

All of this coming from a man who tried to concoct a via media between Luther and Zwingli. Clearly, Calvin sees and rejects the Lutheran position.

In Summation

What Calvin, and all other persons who attempt to create unity between the Reformed and the Lutherans miss, is that this doctrine is so essential to our life and salvation that we will never compromise it in any way, shape, or form. In practice, those who attempt compromise on this topic are guilty of reducing the Lord's Supper to a secondary doctrine. We utterly reject this view. In short, the Lord's Supper, and everything that entails, is absolutely essential in doctrine. Memorialism is not the Lord's Supper. Nor is Calvin's theory of spiritual eating by faith. Unless Christ's true body and blood is also received orally, in your mouth, it is not the Lord's Supper. 

There have been historical attempts to compromise on this doctrine and combine the two churches. One such example was the Prussian Union in Germany. In fact, the synod of which I am a member, the Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod, is a result of Lutherans rejecting the Prussian Union and emigrating to the United States, where they were free to practice Lutheranism, apart from Reformed Theology in the church.

These things are why, when Reformed teachers attempt to say that the Reformed and Lutherans are not too far from each other, we say, not so fast. In fact, we are miles apart. Certainly, there are similarities. But, how can we compromise and be in communion with a church that does not have a valid Lord's Supper because they reject precisely what it is and what it does.

This point cannot be missed. When certain Reformed teachers say we are really close doctrinally, two major things are in play. First, they are expecting Lutherans to accept their stance on the Lord's Supper, which we see as completely false and invalid. Second, they are betraying the fact that they really aren't that familiar with Lutheran doctrine and teaching, and probably have never read Lutheran treatments of these topics. This is betrayed every time a Reformed teacher links the Lutheran doctrine on the Lord's Supper with consubstantiation, a theory we flatly reject.

At the end of the day, these two theologies are two different churches. They started in different places by different persons. They simply happened to occur in the same historical era. The attempt at ecumenicism has been done ad nauseum, especially in the 16th century. They failed then and they are bound to fail now, unless one side or the other compromises on doctrine. Seemingly, it always seems to be the Lutherans who are being asked to compromise on the Lord's Supper and accept the Reformed doctrine as a true expression of the real presence, which we adamantly reject.

In some ways it's a shame we are so different on these things. Yet, this is how it has to be and there is no way around it without compromise on numerous doctrines which we as Lutherans consider essential to Christianity. We simply cannot play kum-ba-ya with theology we see as erroneous. Nor will we ever relegate an essential truth such as the Lord's Supper to a secondary status. There is a reason why the Lord's Supper is one of the six chief parts in the Small Catechism. It is that important.

So how does ecumenism look? Well, we certainly can work together in civil society for the common good. We certainly can honor each other in our vocations. We definitely can discuss theology with each other and do so in a friendly and Christ-like manner. The White Horse Inn is a fantastic example of this.

But let us not pretend that we are really close theologically or that we should be in communion. That is just dishonest. Let's be honest with each other. We are a long way apart, and we should not pretend that we are not.

We are fortunate at this blog to have numerous people here who have been on both sides of this fence. Generally speaking, Reformed Christians are a bit shocked and taken aback when they see how Lutheranism views the Reformation. And in some ways, I too think like a Calvinist. I like logic. I like everything nice and neat. And Systematic Theology in Calvinism does that. The same applies to lifelong Lutherans when they see how the Reformed see the Reformation. A friend of mine made a good observation that he shared with me. In post-World War II America, there was and is a sentiment that we all just need to put our theological differences aside and bind together to fight the Communists. But historically, this is not how it has been, especially in light of the documents and Confessions of the 16th century. We are, as a whole, in very concrete ways, guilty of allowing our American ideals and individualism effect our doctrine. We still put American flags by our altar sometimes and it certainly does not belong there. We can still be thankful that we are allowed to freely worship without deifying the state. Other nations are not as fortunate. May we pray fervently to get past this!

We can start by being honest with each other. Softening our stances to be ecumenical, is, to put it bluntly - sin. We are bearing false witness and breaking the 8th commandment. Let us therefore strive for honesty in our discussions. That is where we need to start.

+Pax+

Christology and Communion: It Matters. Part III

In this final installment we will wrap up our series on Lutheran and Reformed Christology and their respective doctrines of the Lord's Supper. To properly understand this rather large difference, we must hearken back to the Marburg Colloquy of 1529. On one side were the Swiss Reformers, headed up by Zwingli. On the other side were the Wittenberg Reformers, lead by Martin Luther.

In charity, the Germans and the Swiss Reformers agreed on numerous articles of faith. However, the one major point of contention was the Lord's Supper. Luther would steadfastly insist that Christ is bodily present in thr Eucharist, whereas Zwingli and Oecolampadius would deny such, instead favoring a memorial meal. But why?

The Swiss group, headed by Zwingli, put forth two main arguments. First, they would argue on the basis of John 6:63, that Christ forbids us to eat his flesh. Second, on the basis of the Ascension, that Christ is seated at the right hand of God and that his body cannot possibly be in multiple places (in the Lord's Supper) at one time.

The German group, headed by Luther, would not budge, nor entertain philosophical or mathematical arguments from the Swiss party. Luther stood fast on the words "This is my body."

Theologically, there are a few things going on here, which would come to light down the road. As we have spoken of already, Lutheran theology holds to a doctrine called the genus maiestaticum. Reformed theology rejects this. Second, we also must understand that both camps saw the phrase "the right hand of God" differently. Third, Reformed theology holds to a doctrine that states "the finite cannot contain the infinite."

For Lutheranism, due to the communication of the attributes, Christ can be anywhere at any time, because Christ is God. Wherever Christ can be by way of his divinity, there you have the whole Christ, both bodily as well as divinity, because Christ is one person. His divine nature is not, therefore, present by itself apart from his humanity.

The Reformed, and this extrapolates to Calvin and his successors as well, deny this. They claim that by nature, a human body occupies a finite given space. This is to say, as a local mode of presence, a human body is very finite and has a definite size and shape. Therefore, the communication of the attributes is limited to Christ's local circumscribed human body, and this ends up being a flat denial of the true bodily presence of Christ in the Holy Supper.

For Lutheranism, the right hand of God is everywhere. Why is this? Simply put, the right hand of God is a position of authority and rule and dominion. Lutheranism at this juncture appeals to Scriptures such as this,

St. Matthew 28:18-20

And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.

This is of course the Great Commission. Notice a couple things. First, Jesus says to the Apostles that "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me." To wit, Jesus is the reigning sovereign king of everything and everywhere. He has all authority in heaven as well as on earth. Second, Jesus says that "I am with you always, to the end of the age." Thus, not only does Jesus say he has all authority everywhere, he also says, right before he ascends to heaven, that he will be with us always, during this age. He does not say the Holy Spirit will be with us always, although that is true as well. He says HE will be with us always, even now.

For Reformed Theology, this is not the case. In that theology, the right hand of God is an actual place in heaven where Christ will stay until he returns in glory. Therefore, he cannot be bodily present in the Lord's Supper. The Reformed Theologians refer to this by the term "ubiquity," which essentially means omnipresence. Thus, Christ, having a human body, cannot be omnipresent, and therefore, not bodily present in the Lord's Supper. Later, John Calvin called this ubiquity of Christ a "monstrous phantasm."

However, what both Zwingli and Calvin both miss is that nowhere does Lutheran theology claim a local presence of Christ's body and blood. Hence Zwingli's accusation at Marburg that Luther held to a local presence of Christ in the Supper was an attack on a position Luther did not hold. By local, we mean simply put, as Christ was while Incarnate. We do not go to Jerusalem and shake Jesus' hand or pose for photo ops with him, because he certainly did ascend and will not return on a local basis until his return in glory. However, Christ is God and he says the bread is his body. In other words, Christ is God and if he wants to make himself present in some other mysterious way, he can do so. You know, perhaps in and with bread and wine?

When Christ gave us the Lord's Supper and said "this is my body...this is my blood" they are to be believed by faith and not explained (Rome) or denied (Zwingli, Calvin) by use of human reason and philosophy.

We stick to the words of Christ. This is my body. The bread is his body. He feeds himself to us in our mouths. We do not need philosophy, as we have the sure final will and testament of the Son of God. This doctrine is far too important and vital to our salvation to ever be compromised in any way, shape, or form, lest we deny the plain teaching and words of God Incarnate. Any human attempt at a philosophy to explain in favor of or deny these words are true is subtraction, not addition.

The later Reformed churches, headed by Calvin, attempted to create a via media (middle way) between Luther and Zwingli at Marburg, but there simply is not one. Calvin would posit that we do receive Christ's body and blood, but it is spiritually by faith where we are lifted to the right hand of God via the Holy Spirit to partake by faith of the absent Christ. But this, seen through Lutheran eyes, is nothing more than a fancy rejection of the real presence. Reformed theologians like to affirm the real presence these days, but unless Christ is truly there, in, with, and under the forms of bread and wine with his true body and blood, it is in reality an affirmation of a real absence with no presence. For Christ does not say "This is my Spirit" or "The Holy Spirit will lift you up to partake of me" or something along those lines. He says "This is my body." Either the bread and wine are Christ's body and blood and go in your mouth or Christ is not present according to his institution. The Book of Concord says,

Epitome: VIII:17

Hence He also is able and it is very easy for Him to impart, as one who is present, His true body and blood in the Holy Supper, not according to the mode or property of the human nature, but according to the mode and property of the right hand of God, as Dr. Luther says in accordance with our Christian faith for children, which presence (of Christ in the Holy Supper] is not [physical or] earthly, nor Capernaitic; nevertheless it is true and substantial, as the words of His testament read: This is, is, is My body, etc.

And earlier in the Epitome, regarding the Lord's Supper,

Epitome: VII:10-16

The grounds, however, on which we stand against the Sacramentarians in this matter are those which Dr. Luther has laid down in his Large Confession concerning the Lord’s Supper.

The first is this article of our Christian faith: Jesus Christ is true, essential, natural, perfect God and man in one person, undivided and inseparable.

The second: That God’s right hand is everywhere; at which Christ is placed in deed and in truth according to His human nature, [and therefore] being present, rules, and has in His hands and beneath His feet everything that is in heaven and on earth [as Scripture says, Eph. 1:22 ], where no man else, nor angel, but only the Son of Mary is placed; hence He can do this [those things which we have said].

The third: That God’s Word is not false, and does not deceive.

The fourth: That God has and knows of various modes of being in any place, and not only the one [is not bound to the one] which philosophers call localis (local) for circumscribed].

We believe, teach, and confess that the body and blood of Christ are received with the bread and wine, not only spiritually by faith, but also orally; yet not in a Capernaitic, but in a supernatural, heavenly mode, because of the sacramental union; as the words of Christ clearly show, when Christ gives direction to take, eat, and drink, as was also done by the apostles; for it is written Mark 14:23: And they all drank of it. St. Paul likewise says, 1 Cor. 10:16: The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ? that is: He who eats this bread eats the body of Christ, which also the chief ancient teachers of the Church, Chrysostom, Cyprian, Leo I, Gregory, Ambrose, Augustine, unanimously testify.

We believe, teach, and confess that not only the true believers [in Christ] and the worthy, but also the unworthy and unbelievers, receive the true body and blood of Christ; however, not for life and consolation, but for judgment and condemnation, if they are not converted and do not repent, 1 Cor. 11:27-29.

Here we have a short summary of the Lutheran doctrine, which is roundly rejected by Reformed theology. For further reading regarding this topic, I recommend the following:

1. Epitome of the Formula of Concord, VII, regarding the Holy Supper, and VIII, regarding the person of Christ.

2. Solid Declaration of the Formula of Concord, VII and VIII, regarding the same, fleshed out in much more detail.

3. This Is My Body by Hermann Sasse. This book is an historical account pieced together using primary sources from the Marburg Colloquy of 1529.

4. The Institutes by John Calvin, Book Fourth, chapter 17 on the Lord's Supper, which lays forth the groundwork for the Reformed doctrine.

Sadly, our two traditions, while certainly having much in common, will never be in communion with each other. The Lutheran church sees this as a fundamental doctrine and will never compromise it. This may sound harsh, but our stance is that Reformed churches reject what the Lord's Supper is, and therefore do not have a valid Lord's Supper. This does not mean we see them as lost or heathen or something like that. But we certainly do see them as heterodox not only on the Lord's Supper, but less so on the person of Christ as well. We hesitate to use the word heresy in this regard. We do see Reformed Christology as leaning towards Nestorianism, but falls short of full blown Nestorianism - save for the late Gordon Clark, who flatly said Chalcedon did not define their terms well enough and said Christ is two persons. But I digress.

May the Lord of Glory, Jesus Christ, lead us into all truth.

+Pax+

Christology and Communion: It Matters. Part II

In our first installment of this three part series comparing and contrasting Lutheran and Reformed Christologies and how they affect each tradition's doctrine on the Lord's Supper, we laid out a brief sketch of Lutheran Christology, drawing mainly from the Epitome of the Formula of Concord, section VIII, on the person of Christ. In this second installment, we will cover Reformed Christology, drawing from the Westminster Confession of 1646 and the London Baptist Confession of 1689. Since these two great Reformed Confessions agree with each other, we will be able to quote from either and know what both state. We will also draw from John Calvin, Huldrich Zwingli, and other relevant Reformed fathers.

As stated in the first post, we do not agree on everything Christological, but we do agree on large amounts of it. Unfortunately, where we do disagree ends up in doctrines that Lutherans see as vital to our salvation, whereas the Reformed tend to treat them as secondary.

WCF VIII:2 (LBCF VIII:2) 

The Son of God, the second person in the Trinity, being very and eternal God, of one substance, and equal with the Father, did, when the fulness of time was come, take upon him man’s nature, with all the essential properties and common infirmities thereof, yet without sin: being conceived by the power of the Holy Ghost in the womb of the Virgin Mary, of her substance. So that two whole, perfect, and distinct natures, the Godhead and the manhood, were inseparably joined together in one person, without conversion, composition, or confusion. Which person is very God and very man, yet one Christ, the only mediator between God and man.

Here we have a very orthodox confession of the Hypostatic Union and the Person of Christ. Westminster and London are equivalent here. Westminster continues,

WCF VIII:3-4

The Lord Jesus, in his human nature thus united to the divine, was sanctified and anointed with the Holy Spirit above measure; having in him all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge, in whom it pleased the Father that all fulness should dwell; to the end that, being holy, harmless, undefiled, and full of grace and truth, he might be thoroughly furnished to execute the office of a mediator and surety. Which office he took not unto himself, but was thereunto called by his Father, who put all power and judgment into his hand, and gave him commandment to execute the same.

This office the Lord Jesus did most willingly undertake, which, that he might discharge, he was made under the law, and did perfectly fulfill it; endured most grievous torments immediately in his soul, and most painful sufferings in his body; was crucified, and died; was buried, and remained under the power of death, yet saw no corruption. On the third day he arose from the dead, with the same body in which he suffered; with which also he ascended into heaven, and there sitteth at the right hand of his Father, making intercession; and shall return to judge men and angels at the end of the world.

And finally,

WCF VIII:7

Christ, in the work of mediation, acteth according to both natures; by each nature doing that which is proper to itself; yet, by reason of the unity of the person, that which is proper to one nature is sometimes, in Scripture, attributed to the person denominated by the other nature.

Here is our largest area of difference, but it needs to be seen via the lens of the Lord's Supper to see why.

In essence, this is where the Reformed and the Lutherans part on Christology. For the Reformed, attributing the communication of the attributes here only applies within the local circumscribed body of Christ, which has ascended to heaven. However, this leads to many Reformed theologians claiming that Christ's divinity is omnipresent apart from his humanity. While it is true that his divinity is what makes it possible for Christ to be omnipresent, the Lutheran thinker immediately sees an issue here - that is, we see a splitting of the one person of Christ. For where his divinity is, there is the whole Christ. This is what Lutherans termed the extra calvinisticum, the Calvinist beyond, so to speak. It is at this point that the Reformed reject the genus maiestaticum and the Lutherans reject the extra calvinisticum.

We agree on many points of Christology. We disagree on one key point and it relates directly to our doctrines of the Lord's Supper. The final post in this three part series will cover that.

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Christology and Communion: It Matters. Part I

As I embark on this post, I am reminded how imperative it is to use proper verbiage when tackling this topic. Christology is really important, and there are tons of different heresies running amok; not only in the church today, but also for the past 2000 years, which the early church dealt with by way of ecumenical councils for the most part. Hence, I will be drawing heavily in this post from mainly the Book of Concord. Specifically, from the Epitome and the Solid Declaration of the Formula of Concord, Epitome VIII and Solid Declaration VIII, which both deal with the Person of Christ.

From the outset, let us define what our Christology is, and along the way, we will also define what it is not - especially over and against Christology as it is defined in Reformed Theology. Spoiler alert, we do not believe the same things in all cases. Once we have set forth an orthodox and robust Christology, we shall then discuss how it relates to the Lord's Supper and why it matters. We will also reference some historical events along the way.

Epitome VIII:2-3

The chief question, however, has been whether, because of the personal union, the divine and human natures, as also their properties, have realiter, that is, in deed and truth, a communion with one another in the person of Christ, and how far this communication extends.

The Sacramentarians have asserted that the divine and human natures in Christ are united personally in such a way that neither has realiter, that is, in deed and truth, in common with the other that which is peculiar to either nature, but that they have in common nothing more than the name alone. For unio, they plainly say, facit communia nomina, i.e., the personal union makes nothing more than the names common, namely, that God is called man, and man God, yet in such a way that God has nothing realiter, that is, in deed and truth, nothing in common with humanity, and humanity nothing in common with divinity, its majesty and properties. Dr. Luther, and those who held with him, have contended for the contrary against the Sacramentarians.

So here is a quote summarizing the controversy as laid out in the Epitome of the Formula of Concord. First, let us explain some terms. When the writers refer to "Sacramentarians" they refer to those who reject the true bodily presence of Christ in the Lord's Supper. Namely, this is aimed at memorialists, who believe that the Lord's Supper is nothing more than a memorial remembrance, such as Zwingli, and also to the Reformed Calvinists, who asserted not a true bodily presence in and with the bread and wine, but rather a spiritual reception by faith for the elect. This latter doctrine of the Reformed is mainly what this series will ultimately be arguing against, and as you will see, this doctrine was formulated as such precisely because of their Christology.

In essence, Lutheranism adheres to a doctrine known as the genus maiestaticum, which means that the attributes of the divine nature are communicated to the human nature in the one person of Christ. Reformed Theology rejects the genus maiestaticum altogether.

First of all, what exactly do we adhere to?

Epitome VIII:5

That the divine and human natures in Christ are personally united, so that there are not two Christs, one the Son of God, the other the Son of man, but that one and the same is the Son of God and Son of man, Luke 1:35; Rom. 9:5.

Here you will see that we, in essence, reject what is called Nestorianism. We affirm, with the Scriptures as well as the early church, that there is one Christ, not two. This is a clear affirmation of the hypostatic union.

Epitome VIII:6

We believe, teach, and confess that the divine and human natures are not mingled into one substance, nor the one changed into the other, but that each retains its own essential properties, which [can] never become the properties of the other nature.

In case somebody wants to fling a Eutychian card (which some Reformed thinkers have done), here is a clear rejection that the two natures are mixed or mingled together.

Epitome VIII:7-8

The properties of the divine nature are: to be almighty, eternal, infinite, and to be, according to the property of its nature and its natural essence, of itself, everywhere present, to know everything, etc.; which never become properties of the human nature.

The properties of the human nature are: to be a corporeal creature, to be flesh and blood, to be finite and circumscribed, to suffer, to die, to ascend and descend, to move from one place to another, to suffer hunger, thirst, cold, heat, and the like; which never become properties of the divine nature.

And the Lutheran fathers define what they mean. Each nature, united in the one person of Christ, retains their own essential properties. So far, the Reformed theologian is in agreement with the Epitome. Lutherans have been accused of Eutychianism by some Reformed teachers in the past. These paragraphs should shut that down. So, what is Eutychianism? 

Eutychianism is also called Real Monophysitism. It is the belief that the human nature and divine nature in Christ are so blended that in essence they constitute one new nature. Eutyches of Constantinople explained this as the divine nature deifying the human nature, or dissolving into it such as a drop of honey in the ocean. This was put forth as a response to Nestorianism, which basically said Christ's natures were so divided that he is essentially two persons. So in an attempt to combat Nestorianism, Eutychianism makes the opposite error. Both were deemed heretical by church councils.

Epitome VIII:9

As the two natures are united personally, i. e., in one person, we believe, teach, and confess that this union is not such a copulation and connection that neither nature has anything in common with the other personally, i.e . because of the personal union, as when two boards are glued together, where neither gives anything to the other or takes anything from the other. But here is the highest communion, which God truly has with the [assumed] man, from which personal union, and the highest and ineffable communion resulting therefrom, there flows everything human that is said and believed concerning God, and everything divine that is said and believed concerning the man Christ; as the ancient teachers of the Church explained this union and communion of the natures by the illustration of iron glowing with fire, and also by the union of body and soul in man.

Here is the crux between Reformed Christology and Lutheran Christology. The Epitome continues:

Epitome VIII:10-14

Hence we believe, teach, and confess that God is man and man is God, which could not be if the divine and human natures had in deed and truth absolutely no communion with one another.

For how could the man, the son of Mary, in truth be called or be God, or the Son of God the Most High, if His humanity were not personally united with the Son of God, and He thus had realiter, that is, in deed and truth, nothing in common with Him except only the name of God?

Hence we believe, teach, and confess that Mary conceived and bore not a mere man and no more, but the true Son of God; therefore she also is rightly called and truly is the mother of God.

Hence we also believe, teach, and confess that it was not a mere man who suffered, died, was buried, descended to hell, arose from the dead, ascended into heaven, and was raised to the majesty and almighty power of God for us, but a man whose human nature has such a profound [close], ineffable union and communion with the Son of God that it is [has become] one person with Him.

Therefore the Son of God truly suffered for us, however, according to the property of the human nature which He assumed into the unity of His divine person and made His own, so that He might be able to suffer and be our High Priest for our reconciliation with God, as it is written 1 Cor. 2:8: They have crucfied the Lord of glory. And Acts 20:28: We are purchased with God’s blood.

Epitome VIII:18

By this our doctrine, faith, and confession the person of Christ is not divided, as it was by Nestorius, who denied the communicatio idiomatum, that is, the true communion of the properties of both natures in Christ, and thus divided the person, as Luther has explained in his book Concerning Councils. Neither are the natures together with their properties confounded with one another [or mingled] into one essence (as Eutyches erred); nor is the human nature in the person of Christ denied or annihilated; nor is either nature changed into the other; but Christ is and remains to all eternity God and man in one undivided person, which, next to the Holy Trinity, is, as the Apostle testifies, 1 Tim. 3:16, the highest mystery, upon which our only consolation, life, and salvation depends.

Here is the summary given by the writers of the Formula. We believe and confess that,

1. The two natures of Christ retain all of their essential properties. The properties of one are never the properties of the other.

2. We believe and confess that Christ is one person with two natures.

3. Since Christ is one, the two natures, while certainly retaining their own attributes, communicate; the divine to the human. That is to say, Christ, the one person, can be fully God and die. Hence, we can say God died. Or, Christ, as one person, can raise Lazarus from the grave. This is to say, a man raised another man from the dead.

Here is what we are not saying.

That the divine nature is capable of dying. It isn't. Jesus death was made possible by his human nature. But to say that only his human nature died is to split Christ. Jesus died - the one person, both God and man. So a man died on the cross. So did God. Because Jesus is both.

We are also not saying that the human nature can multiply fish and bread exponentially or raise another man from the dead. Only God can do those things. Yet Jesus, being God and man, did them. It was a human voice in human language calling out "Lazarus! Come forth!" 

Therefore we reject the following as errors.

1. That Jesus' human nature alone is what died for us.

2. That Jesus' divine nature alone did the miracles.

Why do we reject these ideas? Because Jesus the one person did these things. Natures do not do things. Persons do. Thus we can see the communication of the attributes affirmed by orthodox Lutheran Christology.

Part II in this 3 part series will address Reformed Christology. We will wrap up with the doctrine of the Lord's Supper in Lutheranism and Reformed Theology and how Christology affects this in Part III.

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