Introduction: The Future of Luther Studies

Abstract : This article is an introduction to the theme articles published in this issue of Dialog. The articles derive from a workshop held in Helsinki in September 2007. They aim at identifying topics of current research that will continue to be relevant to Luther studies in the future.     

Luther and China

Abstract : Luther, a founding father of Protestant Christianity, has a promising future in Chinese theology and in the study of Christianity in China, both in the theological seminaries and in the secular universities. As a theologian, he has the potential to greatly impact Chinese Christian thought and he remains a model of social reform. He can be a source of inspiration for Chinese theologians and scholars who are creating in their own cultural contexts new ways of constructing an authentic Chinese Christian theology     

良心和启蒙:真善判断权问题

There were two prevailing sentiments in Europe after the Reformation: One opposing papal authority and one advocating individual freedom. This paper analyzes these two sentiments and finds that the concept of conscience is crucial in understanding them. The issue of conscience is about judging truth and good, and in initiating the Reformation, Martin Luther heavily appealed to his conscience while countering Catholic attacks. With the wide dispersal of the Reformation, Luther’s notion of conscience was well received among his supporters throughout Europe. Descartes later transformed Luther’s conscience into an epistemological being (the cogito), and argued that its existence was the only valid thing that survived his thorough skepticism — and as such is the foundation of human knowledge. Rousseau continued this line of thinking, which we call subjectivism, and re-employed the term conscience as a replacement for cogito, holding that conscience is the final authority in judging good and bad; that, as the starting point of human existence, it cannot be withheld from any human being; and that it therefore constitutes an inalienable human right. This paper argues that the Enlightenment was a subjectivist movement propelled by this conscience-cogito-conscience conceptualization, and that it sought to enlighten this inalienable conscience. __________ Translated from Qiushi xuekan 求是学刊 (Seeking Truth), 2008, (1): 47–54     

Synderesis in Late Medieval Philosophy and the Wittenberg Reformers

The present article discusses the concept of synderesis in the late medieval universities of Erfurt and Leipzig and the later developments in Wittenberg. The comparison between Bartholomaeus Arnoldi of Usingen in Erfurt and Johannes Peyligk in Leipzig shows that school traditions played an important role in the exposition of synderesis by the late medieval scholastic natural philosophers. However, Jodocus Trutfetter's example warns against overemphasizing the importance of the school traditions and reminds us of the manifold history of medieval discussions on synderesis, which were more or less familiar to many authors of this period. Finally, the diverse references to synderesis in the texts of Martin Luther, Johannes Bernhardi of Feldkirch and Philip Melanchthon reveal no uniform relationship with late medieval discussions but rather indicate various ways of adopting scholastic ideas and transforming them in the context of humanist and reformation thinking.     

The Lutheran Confessional Writings for the 21st Century: A Question of Translation

The 21^st century shift of the church's "center of gravity" from North America and Europe to Asia, Africa, and South America, provides a context in which translating the Lutheran confessional writings— and the theology to which they point—will play a vitally important role in the life of "...the one, holy, catholic, and apostolic church."     

Challenges and Gifts of Teaching Luther in a Lutheran College1

This article examines what can be learned from teaching Luther to American college students. It reviews several ways in which college students benefit from studying Luther. The article suggests that identifying the “operating principles” in Luther's thought can help students more carefully discern the contemporary significance of his thought. After discussing some challenges encountered when teaching Luther to college students, the article ends with reflections on the theological significance of the college context. While Luther's discovery of a gracious God remains central, the college setting promotes a retrieval of several broader themes in Luther's thinking that have often been neglected by Lutherans: ongoing creation, wisdom, the Bible as “torah,” the suffering of God, and societal reform.     

Is there a world Lutheranism? Accountability and representation in ecumenical dialogue

The following thoughts were occasioned by my experiences representing the Lutheran World Federation (LWF) and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) in a variety of international ecumenical dialogues over the past thirteen years. I reflect on some of the fundamental challenges faced by many Lutherans as we seek to represent, as conscientiously as possible, the global communion of which we are members. The question we face is a very simple one: Whom do we represent?     

Luther Studies in Germany—The Presence and Absence of Theology

Abstract : German Luther studies are still affected by the constellation of the years after the Second World War. Gerhard Ebeling's interpretation of Luther continues to frame the discourse. At the same time, in both systematic theology and church history, genuine interest in Luther has waned. There are some approaches that promise change. Some contributions in systematic theology have revealed the complex character of Luther's theology. Luther is becoming more contextualized. Most significant is the study of Luther with a view to medieval piety, especially mysticism.     

Churches in transforming mission: A story of Lutheran communion in Africa

The argument of this paper is that the legacy of “ecclesia semper reformanda” (churches in a continued reformation and renewal) in Africa should not only transform the theological perspective of the Lutheran communion, but also take stock of the diaconal, social, economic and political realities of its members. In other words, a theology done in Africa needs tools and methodologies that are more comprehensive.     

On Faith,Merit, and Eternal Life

Can eternal life be merited? The traditional Lutheran answer to this question has been negative. However, the question is not as simple as it first seems. For example, recently, Mats Wahlberg has argued that Lutherans should admit that eternal life can be merited, especially if they support the “Finnish Luther interpretation.” Although I find much to commend in Wahlberg's reading, there are at least two problems in his proposal. First, the language of merit is tied to a particular philosophical framework that is not shared ecumenically; and second, all Lutherans do not share all the details of the Finnish reading of Luther. However, both Wahlberg's proposal and the Finnish interpretation of Luther have genuine ecumenical potential if they are developed so that they can address the concerns related to the philosophy of action and Christian life.     

Living in the Borderlands—An Identity and a Proposal

Abstract :  We live in the borderlands, a place not of separation but of coming together, of connection. The continuing efforts to discern what it means to express who we are as religious people, and what it means regarding the religious identity of those who live in the borderlands is the focus of this study. In many ways, this identity is one that is in the process of being restored, renewed, and reaffirmed after many years of a combination of benign neglect and overt suppression.     

Mutually Responsive Orientation Between Mothers and Their Young Children: A Context for the Early Development of Conscience

Some parent–child dyads establish a mutually responsive orientation (MRO), a relationship that is close, mutually binding, cooperative, and affectively positive. Such relationships have two main characteristics—mutual responsiveness and shared positive affect—and they foster the development of conscience in young children. Children growing up with parents who are responsive to their needs and whose interactions are infused with happy emotions adopt a willing, responsive stance toward parental influence and become eager to embrace parental values and standards for behavior. The concurrent and longitudinal beneficial effects of MRO for early development of conscience have been replicated across studies, for a broad range of developmental periods from infancy through early school age, and using a wide variety of behavioral, emotional, and cognitive measures of conscience in the laboratory, at home, and in school. These findings highlight the importance of the early parent–child relationship for subsequent moral development.     

Mystical union and spiritual desire in late-Reformation devotion: The case of Martin Moller's The Great Mystery (1595)

This article examines the complex relationship between early-modern Protestantism and medieval mysticism. It does so through a case study of a late-Reformation work of devotion, The Great Mystery (1595), which has received very little scholarly attention. The author of this treatise, Martin Moller, an experienced Lutheran pastor, was familiar with mystical literature and drew on it directly in his numerous works of devotion. Especially evident in The Great Mystery, which presents the relationship between Christ and the Christian as a spiritual marriage, is a theme which rarely appeared in the Lutheran devotional literature of the sixteenth century: spiritual desire for God. Moller developed an evangelical theology and spirituality of desire, which marked a crucial development in early-modern Lutheran devotion. The presence of this theme also provides a potential clue for the ‘mystical turn’ in the late Reformation and why this period may have experienced a ‘crisis of piety’.     

The Annotated Luther: Updating His Essential Writings

This article provides a summary of how The Annotated Luther series was conceived and developed to reach a broad readership for a new generation of students of Luther and the Reformation. Included is a brief history of the project and the editorial principles that have guided the translation of Luther's writings, as well as the supporting annotations, introductions, and images.     

论道德惩罚及其目的

道德惩罚作为一种非强制性的制裁手段对于规约和范导道德行为体的行为有着重要的作用。道德惩罚通过公共舆论、传统习俗、内心信念和道德良心等对违背道德法则的行为或坏的道德品质予以谴责,对社会道德风尚产生不良影响的行为体的道德权利予以限制和剥夺,从而促使该道德行为体实现由恶向善的转化,达到维护道德良知的、重申道德秩序的目的。     

Proclaiming the Passion: Popular Drama and the Passion Tradition in Luther's Germany

Abstract

This article examines Martin Luther's opinions on popular drama, in particular his views on Carnival plays, Corpus Christi plays, and Passion-tide performances. A consideration of key works by the Lutheran playwright, Joachim Greff (1510-1552), provides an insight into the development of Lutheran biblical drama from its beginnings. It accordingly challenges the consensus that Luther objected to, and actively prevented, the performances of Protestant dramatizations in Reformation Germany of Christ's Passion and the Resurrection.     

良知与和谐社会建设

“致良知”是阳明学说的核心。“致良知”是他的宇宙论、道德论,也是其修养论。“致良知”对构建和谐社会有重要意义。如今中国社会出现了许多不和谐,人与人、人与社会、人与自然冲突、矛盾、对立,比比皆是。但归根到底是人自己与自己不和谐,即身心不和谐。为此,需要从阳明学中,吸取一些智慧“省察克治”,限制乃至祛除无限膨胀的私欲,抛弃消费主义,过勤俭生活。     

Theme Articles: Luther,Feminism, Friendship and the Future

Abstract : This article traces the author's journey of becoming a Lutheran feminist theologian. Drawing on insights from both Lutheran and feminist traditions, the author proposes a shift in Christian vocation imagery from that of servant to friend. She then argues that call to friendship includes subverting global structures of domination. The article ends with an invitation to join the expanding conversation about how Lutheran and feminist frameworks address the needs of our contemporary world.     

Less Religion,Better Society? On Religion,Secularity, and Prosperity in Scandinavia

Abstract : Phil Zuckerman argues in his book Society without God that Scandinavian secularity is strongly correlated to Scandinavian prosperity. In this article, we argue that such usage is premature. First, there are methodological issues that are not properly dealt with. Second, providing a causal narrative in addition to mere correlation is needed. Third, we argue that the causes of Scandinavian prosperity are found in close connection to Scandinavian Lutheranism.