- Pastor Dr. Lothar Schwabe
Some Lutherans support same-sex blessings and the ordination of non-celibate homosexuals on compassionate grounds and not on the basis of theology. But the theological support is given through Revisionist Theology.
"Revisionist Theology" or "Reductionist Theology" or "The Emerging Church" are names given to a new theological movement that is revising much of what Christian Churches have traditionally believed. It represents popular psychology in theological terms. Key concepts in popular psychology such as "Accept me as I am," "I am OK, you are OK," and "Unconditional love" are echoed by Revisionist Theologians as "Inclusiveness," "Christian hospitality," "Celebrating diversity," "Tolerance," and "Radical grace." The messages of Holy Scriptures are reduced to the question "What would Jesus do?" which focuses more on speculating on what Jesus would do and referring to what he did not say than proclaiming what Jesus did do and what he did say. The authority of Scriptures is challenged because interpretation of it becomes dependent on one's own intellectual assessment of it instead of one's faith.
Traditional Theology has stated that Scriptures cannot be understood by reason alone. "But in spiritual matter, human reasoning certainly is not in order. Other intelligence, other skill and power are requisite here -something granted by God himself and revealed through his Word." (Martin Luther, Epistle Sermon, Twelfth Sunday After Trinity, Lenker Edition, Vol. IX, # 12-13) Scripture is understood only if read through the eyes of faith. It is the Holy Spirit that helps us to see the truth. "I believe that I cannot by my own reason or strength believe in Jesus Christ my Lord or come to Him. But the Holy Spirit has called me through the Gospel . . ." (Martin Luther, Small Catechism)
Lutherans have never believed that human wisdom and reason can lead us to Jesus. In Traditional Theology, faith comes first and is then followed by reason, rather than reason coming first which will then lead to faith - just as much as a man begins his relationship with his future wife through love and then employs reason thereafter. Any relationship to Jesus has to begin with faith and not with reason or logic. Jesus can only be really understood through a faith relationship.
Throughout Scriptures we hear the message that it is only through faith that we can approach God and that we can relate to Jesus.
"Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ." (Romans 10:17)
"Through whom we have gained access by faith." (Romans 5:2)
"So that your faith may not rest on men's wisdom but on God's power." (1 Corinthians 2:5)
"I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty." (John 6:35)
"They must return to God in repentance and have faith in Jesus." (Acts 20:21)
"The righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe." (Romans 2:22)
Lutherans have been firm in stating that, though written by humans, Scriptures of the Old and New Testament are the Word of God through which God still speaks. Scriptures are the only source of the Church's doctrine and the authoritative standard for the faith and life of the Church. A purely rational approach cannot understand the essence of love or faith. Love and faith, which in nature are very similar, are realities that cannot be understood except through experience. A rational age that approaches everything through reason has produced very good computers and very poor marriages. It has also ruined many human relationships. A strictly rational approach to Scriptures will produce very poor churches and will ruin many faith-relationships with Jesus.
Revisionist Theology presents a theology very different from the traditional theology that our Church has taught in the past. This new theology is based on "New Hermeneutics," which means a new way of interpreting Scriptures. Revisionist Theology approaches Scriptures through reason and in a rational way. It is through a historic-critical method that the real Jesus is discovered. Revisionist Theologians are sincere. Most of them are not just mean-spirited people who are out to belittle conservatives and destroy the "Faith of Our Fathers." But they use the wrong tool to understand Scriptures. Most Revisionist Theologians strive to be intellectually honest, but they are trapped in rationalism and believe that it is only through human reason that the truth can be found. If reason alone would be capable to discover the truth, then why do we need Scriptures at all? If the human mind is capable of discovering all that is good and true, then what is the point in praying for the guidance of the Holy Spirit? The track record of those in our world who use their reason as the only guide in determining their political action is not very good. Corporate greed may be a reasonable motivation, considering the shareholders interest in maximizing profits, but it lacks heart.
Revisionist Theologians come up with a very different Jesus than do Traditional Theologians. The Jesus of the Revisionist Theology, which is inspired by the Jesus Seminar movement, is just a great human being who had a concern for justice and who never intended to be the Son of God or to die for our sins. Revisionist Theologians take great delight in finding rules and prohibitions that modern Christians no longer adhere to. They use those as reasons to justify homosexuality as being just as pleasing to God as heterosexuality.
The ELCIC is now divided between those who still believe what they believed at the merger twenty years ago, which was the faith of Martin Luther and the Reformers, and those who seek to destroy that faith.
The following pairings illustrate differences between the characteristic beliefs of Traditional Theology and those beliefs that are often expressed within the "emerging" Revisionist Theology.
Traditional Theology teaches that Scripture is the final authority. "Those things which have been delivered to us by God in the Sacred Scriptures must be sharply distinguished from those that have been invented by men in the Church, it matters not how eminent they be for saintliness and scholarship." - Martin Luther
Revisionist Theology teaches that what some revisionist theologians say is the final authority.
Traditional Theology takes its instruction from the Bible and confronts contemporary culture from the perspective of the Bible.
Revisionist Theology takes its instruction from contemporary culture and confronts the Bible from the perspective of culture.
Traditional Theology teaches that the Bible is the Word of God and that God actually speaks through Scriptures. "The Scriptures, although they were written by men, are not of men nor from men, but from God." - Martin Luther.
Revisionist Theology teaches that the Bible only contains the word of God rather than is the word of God, and that many sayings of Jesus are not authentic.
Traditional Theology teaches that Jesus spoke of himself as the Son of God.
Revisionist Theology teaches that Jesus was such a good person that people only thought and believed that he was the Son of God.
Traditional Theology teaches that Jesus was the Savior who died for our sins. Revisionist Theology teaches that it was the early Church which came up with the teaching that Jesus was the Savior who died for our sins, and that Jesus never thought of himself as the Savior.
Traditional Theology teaches that God accepts all sinners and calls on them to change their sinful ways. It teaches that justification must be followed by a transformation of life style and thus becoming more like Christ (sanctification).
Revisionist Theology teaches simply that God loves us and affirms us as we are.
Traditional Theology teaches that Christians need to hear both the preaching of the law and the Gospel.
Revisionist Theology reduces the message to the question "What would Jesus do?" Much of the Bible, including the whole Old Testament, is not needed any more.
Traditional Theology teaches that even true Christians need to hear and remember the Ten Commandments for daily living.
Revisionist Theology teaches that the only law left for us is to love each another and that we do not need the law.
Traditional Theology teaches that we are saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ. Revisionist Theology teaches universal salvation.
Traditional Theology teaches that the unity of the church is based on sharing the same faith.
Revisionist Theology teaches that the unity of the church is based upon embracing diversity.
Traditional Theology teaches that the Lutheran Confessions guide Lutherans in the way they interpret Scriptures.
Revisionist Theology teaches that the Lutheran Confessions were written for their time and are only examples for us. Revisionist Theology encourages contemporary Lutherans to make up their own confessions.
Traditional Theology teaches that theology belongs to the people, the priesthood of all believers.
Revisionist Theology teaches that theology is the domain of an elite group of scholars.
Traditional Theology confesses the Apostles' or the Nicene Creed.
Revisionist Theology teaches a faith that, if followed to its logical consequences, could be expressed in a "Revisionist Creed" by confessing something like:
THE "EMERGING" REVISIONIST CREED
We believe in a higher power, the divine,
which is worshipped by many religions,
like Christianity, Buddhism, Islam, and Hinduism.
We believe that Jesus was an exemplary human being.
He was so good that people thought he was the Son of God.
He was dedicated to justice and helping the poor.
He preached love.
People thought that he was the Savior.
He died on a cross, and, similar to the ancient belief
in atonement through sacrifices,
people believed that he died for their sins.
Like Socrates, he was a teacher of a subversive wisdom.
Like Buddha, he had an enlightenment experience.
Like a shaman, he was a healer.
Like Gandhi, he sided with the minorities and the outcasts.
He was a classical prophet of Israel.
He was concerned with the shape of society and criticizing the elites. He was a most remarkable man whose example we should follow.
We believe that, as the church, we are a group of people
who stand up for justice and the acceptance of diversity.
We have the duty to follow society and culture and recognize homosexuality
as a natural condition that should not prevent non-celibate homosexuals
from being ordained as pastors and bishops or being married in church.
We believe that the New Testament was mostly made up by the followers of Jesus. But it is a good book that teaches people to love each other, look after the environment and engage in social justice.
AMEN
Traditional Theology teaches us to be faithful.
Revisionist Theology teaches us to be relevant.
Traditional Theology teaches confessional integrity.
Revisionist Theology teaches diversity.
Diversity, for Revisionist theologians, means:
All those who believe in Traditional Theology must be broad-minded enough to tolerate the teachings of Revisionist Theology including same-sex blessings and the ordination of non-celibate homosexuals as pastors and bishops of our church. However, diversity does not mean that Revisionist theologians have to tolerate the proclamation and distribution of Traditional Theology.
Lutherans have insisted on confessional integrity within the Lutheran Church while being in an ecumenical relationship with those who embrace a different theology.
Lutherans who take a stand on Traditional Theology consistently experience that their voices are suppressed by those who embrace Revisionist Theology. Revisionist Theologians expect those who stand for Traditional Theology to embrace their Revisionist Theology in the name of love and understanding. But when those who dare to believe what they believed 21 years ago, at the time of the merger, speak up they are branded as intolerant and desiring to divide the Church.
Revisionist Theology is very different from the Traditional Theology which most Christians believe. It amounts to radical theological make-over of our Church. Revisionist Theology is dividing our Church.
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For further information go to the web.
For exampole, Google "Marcus Borg - Me and Jesus". An announcement ('ad') in The Canada Lutheran, March 2007, page 16, promotes the "Living the Questions" series in which Marcus Borg, a Revisionist Theologian, is a key speaker.
With respect to the "Living the Questions" study series, also, see the article "Is This Where the Lutheran Church is Heading?", previously posted at the Solid Ground site.
Dr. Eta Linnemann taught Revisionist Theology as a New Testament professor in Germany. In an artcile "Confessions of a Former Bultmannian" she describes that after a conversion experience she advised people to trash her books.
Google: "Revisionist Theology". You will find 240,000 entries.
