Book: American Lutheranism Vindicated; or, Examination of the Lutheran Symbols, on Certain Disputed Topics

S >> Samuel Simon Schmucker >> American Lutheranism Vindicated; or, Examination of the Lutheran Symbols, on Certain Disputed Topics




Note 1. Symbolik, p. 103, n. 2.

Note 2. The original is: Also von Luther selbst und schon in den ersten
_Zeugen_ von ihm dem Katechismus ange haengt." [sic on
punctuation] _Zeugen_ here is evidently a typographical error for
Zeiten.

Note 3. For particulars see the writer's History of the American
Lutheran Church, pp. 239-241.


CHAPTER XII.
CONCLUDING REMARKS.

We have thus found the statements of the Definite Platform, as to the
tenets taught in the Augsburg Confession and other Symbolical books,
established by the most careful and conscientious investigation of the
original sources. Such are the facts incontestibly [sic] proved. They
are true, and will remain true, notwithstanding all the ill-advised
efforts to hide them. The Augsburg Confession, and other symbols, do
teach the tenets ascribed to them in the Platform, and, in the judgment
of the great mass of American Lutherans, the Word of God rejects them,
and inculcates the contrary. All the invective and vituperation, not of
the author of the Plea but of multitudes of old-Lutherans, &c., cannot
change the truth, for it is unchangeable and eternal; nor is it their
duty to deny it, any more than it is ours.

The question then arises, what is our duty under these circumstances?
What does God expect of us, in view of these facts, as men to whom the
interests and management of a portion of his church are confided? As men
to whom he has given his inspired oracles, as the sure word of prophecy,
to which we are to give heed? As men who love Luther and his
fellow-laborers much, but desire to love Christ more?

Does our duty call on us to deny the truth, and say, these doctrines are
not taught in these books, when the most careful examination has assured
us of the contrary? No honest man can affirm this.

Is it honest or honorable to avow, unconditionally, creeds containing
errors, and then labor to gloss over or defend these errors, because
they are there? This would be to descend to the level of corrupt
politicians, who professedly defend every measure of their party,
whether right or wrong.

Is it our duty to profess such creeds, then by arbitrary interpretations
to explain away these errors, and thus endeavor to hide them from the
public view? This would be injustice to the memory of their authors, and
cast reproach on the principles of the Reformation, the essence of which
was, that human errors must be rejected in favor of God's Word; and that
the standards or professed doctrines of the church, must in every age be
conformed to her views of Scripture truth.

Is it our duty, is it the Master's will, that we should try to believe
those tenets of a creed which the Scriptures condemn? This would be
treason to the Master, and be hearkening to the teachings of man rather
than of God! Yet how many are there from whose lips the phrase
confessional fidelity (Bekenntnisstreue,) is heard far oftener than
fidelity to God's word (Bibeltreue)!

Is it our duty to renounce the Augsburg Confession altogether? This
would be the case, _if its errors were fundamental_. But as they are few
in number, and all relate to non-fundamental points, this does not
necessarily follow. As nineteen twentieths of the creed are sustained by
Scripture, and embody a rich and ample exhibition of divine truth, ten
times as extended as that which was invested with normative authority in
the golden age, the first three centuries of the Christian church, and
used as a term of Christian fellowship, we may well retain the creed,
after in some way disavowing its several errors. And the historical
importance of the document, as the type of a renovated Christianity,
authenticated by the blessing of Heaven, renders its retention
desirable, as far as it has approved itself to the conscience of the
church, after the increasing philological, exegetical, and historical
light of three progressive centuries.

The position of those who maintain that _genuine Lutheranism_ demands
perpetual adherence to everything contained in this Confession, yea, as
some affirm, to all the former symbolical books, is utterly untenable.
In the _first_ place, these brethren forget that the symbolic system,
_i.e._, the practice of binding ministers to the so-called symbolical
books, was _not_ adopted at the organization of the Lutheran Church,
_nor at any time during Luther's life_, nor until more than half a
century after the rise of Lutheranism, and more than a quarter of a
century after the noble Luther had gone to his heavenly rest.
_Symbolism is therefore no part of original Lutheranism_. The efforts of
Luther to reform the Romish Church began in 1517--the first regular
organization of Lutheran churches was not made until some time after his
excommunication by the Pope, in 1520. The first directory for Lutheran
worship was published by Luther in 1523, in which, although private
masses and the idea of the mass being a sacrifice had been rejected, the
_ceremonies_ of the mass, even the _elevation of the host_, (though not
for adoration) were retained; another improved one in 1526; and the
Augsburg Confession was presented to the Diet in 1530; but the full
symbolic system contended for by some of our opponents, was not adopted
until 1580, _after the Lutheran church had existed more than half a
century!!_ That system, historically considered, is not, therefore,
Lutheran, but _Post_-Lutheran and _Ultra_-Lutheran, for it is after him
in time, and goes beyond him at least in one point of doctrine, and far
beyond him in the abridgement [sic] of ministerial liberty of doctrinal
profession, and in exaction of uniformity on minor points. Again, these
brethren forget that Luther thought it his duty to _reform_ the church
of his birth, and did _not leave it until driven out by the Pope_. The
efforts of American Lutherans to reform and render more biblical the
ecclesiastical framework of our church, is therefore, _truly Lutheran in
principle_, indeed far more Lutheran, than to retain unaltered those
symbols, when we believe that the progress of Protestant light and
biblical investigation for three hundred years, has proved them to
contain important errors.

Thirdly, they forget that _Luther himself never saw, much less approved,
the most objectionable and stringent of these books_, the Form of
Concord, the profession of which they would make essential to
Lutheranism.

Fourthly, they overlook the fact that _entire Lutheran kingdoms, such as
Denmark and Sweden, from the beginning rejected some of these books_,
and yet are everywhere acknowledged as Lutherans.

Fifthy, [sic] they forget that the _Form of Concord itself professes to
regard Confessions of faith only an exhibitions of the manner_ in which
Christians of _a particular age understand the Scriptures;_ implying
that they were not supposed even by the authors of the symbolic system
themselves to be unchangeable, although their incorporation with the
civil law of the land, closed the door against all subsequent
improvement.

A revision of our symbolic standpoint, is therefore perfectly consistent
with primitive Lutheranism; and according to the Congregational or
Independent principles of Lutheran church government, advocated by
Luther, and hitherto practiced on by our American church, as well as
avowed by the Constitution of the General Synod, each District Synod is
competent to do this work for herself as long as she retains "the
_fundamental_ doctrines of the Bible as taught by our church."

How then can this important work be best accomplished, of releasing
ourselves on the one hand from the profession of the errors contained
in the Confession, and on the other of avowing the unadulterated truths
of God's word?

1. Shall we _drop the practice of binding our ministers to any creed
except the Bible_, and refer in unofficial ways to the _Augsburg
Confession_, as in general a correct summary of our views of Bible
truth? This was the practice of the _fathers of our church in the Synod
of Pennsylvania from the beginning of this century, till within two or
three years_. It was practiced by that body whilst it was controlled by
_Drs. Helmuth, Schmidt, Muhlenberg_, of Lancaster, _Schaeffer_, of
Philadelphia, _Endress, Lochman, J. G. Schmucker, Geissenhainer_
subsequently of New York, _Muhlenberg_, of Reading, and the present
venerable Senior of the Ministerium, Rev. _Baetis_. This plan we always
regarded as too lax, and preferred the distinct avowal of the Augsburg
Confession as to the fundamental doctrines of the Bible, and were
ourselves instrumental in introducing its qualified recognition into
the General Synod's Theological Seminary in 1825, and her Constitution
for District Synods in 1829. Still we have recently been denounced as
unfaithful to the confession, by those unacquainted with the history of
our church during the last five and thirty years.

2. Shall we _adopt a new creed_, to supercede [sic] the venerable
Augsburg Confession? This is unnecessary, because the points regarded as
erroneous in it, are confessedly few and non-essential. When these are
erased, the great mass of Christian truth remains intact, and not one
of all the cardinal doctrines of the Reformation is affected.

3. Shall we adopt and publish the entire Augsburg Confession, _with a
list annexed to it, of those points believed by the majority to be
erroneous_, providing that they may be rejected by all who do not
believe them? This would be a contradictory procedure, first to publish
the whole, and then to reject a portion of it as not symbolic or
binding. If these supposed errors are not to be received, why
perpetuate their memory, and afford to the enemies of our venerable
church, a constant supply of material to fight against us, and render
the church odious in the popular eye?

4. Shall we remain satisfied with _the General Synod's doctrinal basis_,
of absolute assent to the _Bible_, and agreement with the _Augsburg
Confession_ as far as the _fundamentals_ of God's Word are concerned?

This pledge we always regarded as accordant with the principles of God's
Word, and sufficient for the necessities of the church. Amid the recent
progress of more rigid symbolism, and symbolic sympathies, it has,
however, been disparaged by some connected with the General Synod. We
still believe it sufficient, _provided all_ the Synods embraced in the
General Synod will adhere to it; and those who have recently adopted the
entire symbolic system, will return to it. But if District Synods of
symbolic tendencies, will adopt the obligation to the mass of symbolic
books; New School Lutherans are compelled, in self-defence, also to
define their position more minutely, that the christian public may not
hold them responsible for the errors of the former symbols, nor their
supposed adherence to them tend to give them currency. If, therefore,
Old School Synods adhere to their recent pledge to all the symbolical
books, we prefer the following course for other District Synods.

5. The best plan by far in our judgment is to _retain the great body of
the Confession unaltered, and simply to omit the few sentences
inculcating the disputed or erroneous topics_. The remainder is believed
by all, and can be subscribed by all, whether they believe the omitted
topics or not.

This is precisely the thing done by the American Recension of the
Augsburg Confession. _It's [sic] principle is to omit the
disputed points and, retain unaltered the remainder, on which we all
agree_. On the three disputed points which alone are believed by any
amongst us, namely, baptismal regeneration, the real presence of the
Saviour in the eucharist, and the denial of the divine appointment of
the Christian Sabbath, entire freedom is allowed. As to the others,
private confession and absolution, the ceremonies of the mass, and
exorcism, which was taught not in the Augsburg Confession, but in the
Appendix to Luther's Smaller Catechism,--they are not received by any
one within the pale of the General Synod, and are so distinctly
semi-Romish that they are prohibited by the Platform. The adoption of
the name, _American Recension_, always notifies th reader of some
revision, and precluded the charge of an attempt to pass it off for the
unaltered Confession of the sixteenth century.

The Synodical Disclaimer or List of these rejected errors, which is
annexed to the Platform, can be dropped as soon as the churches are
fully informed of the ground of our not receiving the other symbolical
books, or if this be deemed unnecessary, it may be dropped at once. By
the adoption of either of the latter two methods, and especially of the
last, by the individual District Synods, they would present to the
world a clear profession of their faith, have a sufficient test for the
admission of members, and the rejection of heretics, and could
harmoniously labor together for the furtherance of the gospel. We have
thus in the fear of God and in the spirit of Christian love; but
uninfluenced by the fear or favor of man, presented our deliberate
convictions on the subjects now agitating the church, after six and
thirty years of study of the Bible, and experience in the ministry of
our divine Master. And we close with the earnest prayer, that the Great
Head of the Church, may employ these pages for the advancement of his
glory, that he may conduct his beloved Zion onward in her march of
development and progress, until she has attained her millennial
features, and her world-wide extension, and until "the kingdoms of this
world are become the kingdoms of our Lord and his Christ, and he shall
reign for ever and ever."


APPENDIX.
DEFINITE PLATFORM;
BEING THE
DOCTRINAL BASIS OR CREED,
CONTAINED IN
PART I.
OF THE
DEFINITE SYNODICAL PLATFORM,
REFERRED TO IN THE PRECEDING WORK, AND CONSTRUCTED
IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE PRINCIPLES OF THE
GENERAL SYNOD.

PREFACE.
As the American Recension, contained in this Platform, adds not a single
sentence to the Augsburg Confession, nor omits anything that has the
least pretension to be considered "a fundamental doctrine of Scripture,"
it is perfectly consistent with the doctrinal test of the General Synod,
as contained in her Formula of Government and Discipline, Chap. XVIII.,
Sec. 5, and XIX., Sec. 2. The Apostles' and Nicene Creeds are also universally
received by our churches. Hence any District Synod, connected with the
General Synod, may, with perfect consistency, adopt this Platform.

DOCTRINAL BASIS OR CREED.

Whereas it is the duty of the followers of Christ to profess his [sic]
religion before the world (Matt. x. 32), not only by their holy walk
and conversation, but also by "walking in the apostles' doctrines"
(1 Cor. xiv. 32), and bearing testimony "to the faith once delivered to
the saints" (Jude 3), Christians have, from the earlier ages, avowed
some brief summary of their doctrines or a Confession of their faith.
Such confessions, also called symbols, were the so-called Apostles'
Creed, the Nicene Creed, &c., of the first four centuries after Christ.

Thus also did the Lutheran Reformers of the sixteenth century, when
cited by the Emperor to appear before the Diet at Augsburg, present the
Confession, bearing the name of that city, as an expose of their
principal doctrines; in which they also professedly reject only the
_greater part_ of the errors that had crept into the Romish Church.
(See conclusion of the Abuses Corrected.)

Again, a quarter of a century after Luther's death, this and other
writings of Luther and Melancthon, together with another work which
neither of them ever saw, the Form of Concord, were made binding on
ministers and churches, not by the church herself, acting of her own
free choice, but by the civil authorities of certain kingdoms and
principalities, in consultation with some prominent theologians. The
majority of Lutheran kingdoms, however, rejected one or more of them,
and the Augsburg Confession alone has been acknowledged by the entire
Lutheran Church. (Hutterus Red. p. 116, Sec. 50.)

Whereas the entire Lutheran Church of Germany has rejected the binding
authority of the symbolical books as a whole, and also abandoned some
of the doctrines of the Augsburg Confession, and our fathers in this
country more, [sic] than half century ago, ceased to require
a pledge to any of these books, whilst they still believed and in
various ways avowed the great fundamental doctrines contained in them:

And whereas the General Synod of the American Lutheran Church, about a
quarter of a century ago, again introduced a qualified acknowledgment of
the Augsburg Confession, in the Constitution of her Theological
Seminary, and in her Constitution for District Synods, at the ordination
and licensure of ministers, without specifying tho doctrines to be
omitted, except by the designation that they are not fundamental
doctrines of Scripture; and whereas a desire has extensively prevailed
amongst our ministers and churches, to have this basis expressed in a
more definite manner; and the General Synod has left this matter
optional with each district Synod:

_Therefore, Resolved_, That this Synod hereby avows its belief in the
following doctrinal Basis, namely, the so-called _Apostles' Creed_, the
_Nicene Creed_, and _the American Recension of the Augsburg Confession_,
as a more definite expression of the doctrinal pledge prescribed by the
General Synod's Constitution for District Synods, and as a correct
exhibition of the Scripture doctrines discussed in it: and that we
regard agreement among brethren on these subjects as a sufficient basis
for harmonious co-operation in the same church.

DOCTRINAL BASIS OR CREED.

_The Old and New Testaments the only Infallible Rule of Faith and
Practice_

1. "We believe, teach, and confess, that the only rule and standard,
according to which all doctrines and teachers alike ought to be tried
and judged, are the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments alone, as
it is written, Psalm cxix. 105: 'Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a
light upon my path.' And St. Paul, Gal. i.8, says 'Though an angel from
heaven preach any other Gospel unto you than that which we have preached
unto you, let him be accursed.'

2. "But all human writings and symbols, are not authorities like the
Holy Scriptures; but they are only a testimony and explanation of our
faith, showing the manner in which at any time the Holy Scriptures were
understood and explained by those who then lived, in respect to articles
that had been controverted in the church of God, and also the grounds on
which doctrines that were opposed to the Holy Scriptures, had been
rejected and condemned."--_Form of Concord, pp_. 551, 552.

THE APOSTLES' CREED

I believe in God the Father Almighty, the Maker of heaven and earth:

And in Jesus Christ, his only Son our Lord; who was conceived by the
Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was
crucified, dead and buried. -- The third day he rose from the dead, he
ascended into heaven, and sitteth on the right hand of God the Father
Almighty, from whence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Ghost, the holy universal church; the communion
of saints; the forgiveness of sins; the resurrection of the body, and
the life everlasting.

THE NICENO-CONSTANTINOPOLITAN CREED.

I believe in one God, the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth,
and of all things visible and invisible.

And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God, begotten of
his Father before all worlds; God of God, Light of light, true God of
the true God, begotten not made, being of one substance with the Father,
by whom all things were made; who for us men and for our salvation, came
down from heaven, and was incarnate by the Holy Ghost of the Virgin
Mary, and was made man and was crucified also for us under Pontius
Pilate. He suffered and was buried, and the third day he rose again,
according to the Scriptures, and ascended into heaven, and sitteth on
the right hand of the Father; and he shall come again with glory to
judge both the quick and the dead; whose kingdom shall have no end.

And I believe in the Holy Ghost, the Lord and Giver of life, who
proceedeth from the Father and the Son, who with the Father and the Son
together is worshipped [sic] and glorified, who spake by the prophets.
And I believe in one holy universal and apostolic church. I acknowledge
one baptism for the remission of sins; and I look for the resurrection
of the dead and the life of the world to come.

AMERICAN RECENSION OF THE AUGSBURG CONFESSION.

ARTICLE I. - OF GOD.

Our churches with one accord teach, that the decree of the Council of
Nice, concerning the unity of the Divine essence, and concerning the
three persons, is true, and ought to be confidently believed, viz.: that
there is one Divine essence, which is called and is God, eternal,
incorporeal, indivisible, infinite in power, wisdom and goodness, the
Creator and Preserver of all things visible and invisible; and yet, that
there are three persons, who are of the same essence and power, and are
co-eternal, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. And the term
person they use in the same sense in which it is employed by
ecclesiastical writers on this subject: to signify, not a part or
quality of something else, but that which exists of itself.

ARTICLE II. - OF NATURAL DEPRAVITY.

Our churches likewise teach, that since the fall of Adam, all men who
are naturally engendered, are born with sin, that is, without the fear
of God or confidence towards Him, and with sinful propensities: and that
this disease, or natural depravity, is really sin, and still causes
eternal death to those who are not born again. And they reject the
opinion of those who, in order that they may detract from the glory of
the merits and benefits of Christ, allege that man may be justified
before God by the powers of his own reason.

ARTICLE III. - OF THE SON OF GOD AND HIS MEDIATORIAL WORK.

They likewise teach, that the Word, that is, the Son of God, assumed
human nature, in the womb of the blessed Virgin Mary, so that the two
natures, human and divine, inseparably united in one person, constitute
one Christ, who is true God and man, born of the Virgin Mary; who truly
suffered, was crucified, died, and was buried, that he might reconcile
the Father to us, and be a sacrifice not only for original sin, but
also for all the actual sins of men. Likewise that he descended into
hell (the place of departed spirits), and truly arose on the third day;
then ascended to heaven, that he might sit at the right hand of the
Father, might perpetually reign over all creatures, and might sanctify
those who believe in him, by sending into their hearts the Holy Spirit,
who governs, consoles, quickens, and defends them against the devil and
the power of sin. The same Christ will return again openly, that he may
judge the living and the dead, &c., according to the Apostolic Creed.

ARTICLE IV. - OF JUSTIFICATION.

They in like manner teach, that men cannot be justified before God by
their own strength, merits, or works; but that they are justified
gratuitously for Christ's sake, through faith; when they believe, that
they are received into favor, and that their sins are remitted on
account of Christ, who made satisfaction for our transgressions by his
death. This faith God imputes to us as righteousness. ROM. iii. 4

ARTICLE V. - OF THE MINISTERIAL OFFICE.

In order that we may obtain this faith, the ministerial office has been
instituted, whose members are to teach the gospel, and administer the
sacraments. For through the instrumentality of the word and sacraments,
as means of grace, the Holy Spirit is given, who, in his own time and
place (or more literally, when and where it pleases God), produces
faith in those who hear the gospel message, namely, that God, for
Christ's sake, and not on account of any merit in us, justifies those
who believe that on account of Christ they are received into (the
divine) favor.

ARTICLE VI. - CONCERNING NEW OBEDIENCE (OR A CHRISTIAN LIFE).

They likewise teach, this faith must bring forth good fruits; and that
it is our duty to perform those good works which God has commanded,
because he has enjoined them, and not in the expectation of thereby
meriting justification before him. For, remission of sins and
justification are secured by faith; as the declaration of Christ himself
implies: "When ye shall have done all those things, say, we are
unprofitable servants."

The same thing is taught by the ancient ecclesiastical writers: for
Ambrose says, "this has been ordained by God, that he who believes in
Christ is saved without works, receiving remission of sins gratuitously
through faith alone."

ARTICLE VII. - OF THE CHURCH.

They likewise teach, that there will always be one holy church. The
church is the congregation of the saints, in which the gospel is
correctly taught and the sacraments are properly administered. And for
the true unity of the church nothing more is required, than agreement
concerning the doctrines of the gospel, and the administration of the
sacraments. Nor is it necessary, that the same human traditions, that
is, rites and ceremonies instituted by men, should be everywhere
observed. As Paul says: "One faith, one baptism, one God and Father of
all," &c.

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