Neo-Lutheranism

Lutheranism
Luther's Seal
Book of Concord Apostles' Creed Nicene Creed Athanasian Creed Augsburg Confession Apology of the Augsburg Confession Luther's Small Catechism Luther's Large Catechism Smalcald Articles Treatise on the Power and Primacy of the Pope Formula of Concord
Theology Justification Law and Gospel Sola gratia Sola scriptura Christology Sanctification Two Kingdoms Priesthood of all believers Divine Providence Marian theology Theology of the Cross Sacramental Union
Sacraments & Rites Baptism Eucharist Confession Confirmation Matrimony Anointing of the Sick Holy Orders
Globally Confessional Evangelical Lutheran Conference International Lutheran Council Lutheran World Federation List of Lutheran church-bodies
History Protestant Reformation The start of the Reformation Reformation in Denmark-Norway and Holstein Reformation in Finland Reformation in Germany Reformation in Iceland Reformation in Sweden Lutheran Orthodoxy Gnesio-Lutherans Pietists Haugeans Laestadians Finnish Awakening Old Lutherans Neo-Lutherans High Church Lutherans Confessional Lutherans
Missionaries John Campanius Bartholomäus Ziegenbalg Hans Egede Johann Heinrich Callenberg Johann Phillip Fabricius Paul Henkel John Christian Frederick Heyer Karl Graul Martti Rautanen Wilhelm Sihler F. C. D. Wyneken Hans Paludan Smith Schreuder Lars Olsen Skrefsrud Ludwig Ingwer Nommensen Onesimos Nesib Paul Olaf Bodding Johann Flierl Christian Keyser Bible Translators Martin Luther Casiodoro de Reina Kjell Magne Yri Onesimos Nesib Aster Ganno Jurij Dalmatin Kristian Osvald Viderø Jákup Dahl Bartholomäus Ziegenbalg Johann Phillip Fabricius William Tyndale John Rogers (Bible editor and martyr) George Constantine (Archdeacon) Jozef Roháček Johannes Avetaranian Guðbrandur Þorláksson Ludvig Olsen Fossum Hans and Paul Egede Otto Fabricius Nils Vibe Stockfleth Olaus and Laurentius Petri Martti Rautanen Primož Trubar Jurij Dalmatin Ludwig Ingwer Nommensen Joachim Stegmann Primož Trubar Sebastian Krelj Mikael Agricola Norwegian Bible Society Samuel Ludwik Zasadius Stanislovas Rapalionis Victor Danielsen Jákup Dahl Laurentius Andreae Hans Tausen Olaf M. Norlie Jonas Bretkūnas Hans Paludan Smith Schreuder Antonio Brucioli Mikołaj Jakubica Matthias Bel Johann Ernst Glück William F. Beck
Theologians Martin Luther Wife: Katharina Luther Philipp Melanchthon Johannes Bugenhagen Johannes Brenz Justus Jonas Lucas Cranach the Elder Hans Tausen Laurentius Petri Olaus Petri Mikael Agricola Matthias Flacius Martin Chemnitz Johann Gerhard Abraham Calovius Johannes Andreas Quenstedt Johann Wilhelm Baier David Hollaz Henry Muhlenberg Lars Levi Læstadius Charles Porterfield Krauth C. F. W. Walther
Lutheranism portal	v · d · e

Neo-Lutheranism was a 19th century revival movement within Lutheranism which began with the Pietist driven Erweckung, or Awakening, and developed in reaction against theological rationalism and pietism. This movement followed the Old Lutheran movement and focused on a reassertion of the identity of Lutherans as a distinct group within the broader community of Christians, with a renewed focus on the Lutheran Confessions as a key source of Lutheran doctrine. Associated with these changes was a renewed focus on traditional doctrine and liturgy, which paralleled the growth of Anglo-Catholicism in England^[1]. It was sometimes even called "German Puseyism".^[2] In the Roman Catholic Church in Germany, neo-Lutheranism was paralleled by Johann Adam Möhler. The chief literary organ of the neo-Lutheranism was Evangelische Kirchenzeitung, edited by Ernst Wilhelm Hengstenberg.

Repristination versus Erlangen school

Neo-Lutheranism was a reaction against the Prussian Union ^[3] like Tractarianism against the British Government's decision to reduce the number of Irish bishoprics. A divide developed in neo-Lutheranism whereby one side held to repristination theology which tried to restore historical Lutheranism while the other held to the theology of the Erlangen School. The repristination theology group was represented by Ernst Wilhelm Hengstenberg, Carl Paul Caspari, Gustav Adolf Theodor Felix Hönecke, Friedrich Adolf Philippi, and C.F.W. Walther ^[3]. Repristination theology is the mother of later Confessional Lutheranism. Confessionalism to the Erlangen School was not to be static but was to be dynamic. The Erlangen School tried to combine Reformation theology with the new learning. Those of the Erlangen School included Franz Hermann Reinhold von Frank, Theodosius Harnack, Franz Delitzsch, Johann Christian Konrad von Hofmann, Karl Friedrich August Kahnis, Christoph Ernst Luthardt and Gottfried Thomasius ^[3].

High Church Lutheranism

Main article: High Church Lutheranism

However, neo-Lutheranism is sometimes called only theology and activity represented by Theodor Friedrich Dethlof Kliefoth, August Friedrich Christian Vilmar, Johann Konrad Wilhelm Löhe, August Friedrich Otto Münchmeyer and Friedrich Julius Stahl who had particularly high ecclesiology. They were polemic against idea of invisible church, strongly claiming church as an outward, visible institution of salvation and therefore laid emphasis on ordained ministry instituted by Christ and significance of sacraments above word as Means of Grace. However, unlike the Erlangen School, this neo-Lutheranism did not make lasting influence on Lutheran theology. Properly speaking, High Church Lutheranism began in Germany much later, 1917 the Hochkirchliche Vereinigung Augsburgischen Bekenntnisses was created, inspired by 95 theses Stimuli et Clavi, exactly 100 years after Claus Harms' 95 theses.

Neo-Lutheranism should not be confused with term Neo-Protestantism, represented e.g. by Adolf von Harnack and his followers, which means exclusively liberal theology.

See also

• Gottlieb Christoph Adolf von Harless
• Andreas Gottlob Rudelbach
• Charles Porterfield Krauth
• Ludwig Adolf Petri
• Fredrik Gabriel Hedberg
• Evangelical Catholic
• Old Lutherans

References

1. ^ Scherer, James A. (1993). "The Triumph of Confessionalism in Nineteenth-Century German Lutheran Missions" (– ^{Scholar search}). Missio Apostolica 2: 71–78. http://www.lsfmissiology.org/Essays/SchererTriumphofConfessionalism.pdf. ^{[dead link]} This is an extract from Scherer's 1968 Ph.D. thesis, "Mission and Unity in Lutheranism". Scherer was Professor of World Mission and Church History at the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago until his retirement.
2. ^  "Lutheranism". Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company. 1913. 
3. ^ ^{a b c} Lutheran Theology After 1580 article in Christian Cyclopedia

• Gustaf Aulén: Dogmhistoria, Stockholm 1933