-- The only system that Jesus fits into is one which has Him at its centre --

Friday 25 October 2013

95 Theses and Luther's theology of the cross

It's reformation Sunday this coming Sunday (must watch the Luther film again!) which prompted me to read the 95 theses again.

Though Luther's theology is developing at this stage, it seems to me that one of the primary motivators of his blast against the power and efficacy of indulgences, is an understanding of glory which doesn't involve any suffering. Glory which is not cruciform glory.  He develops this in detail in the Heidelberg Disputation the following year, but right there in the famous 95 theses, he reveals this dislike for a theology of glory.

That a Christian could buy an indulgence without having any guilt, repentance (in the right sense), without the gospel and sufferings of Jesus and just pop themselves or someone else out of purgatory seems odd to Luther. He contends that those indulgences promise glory without suffering, but the bible promises glory after (or better, through) suffering. True glory is always cross shaped. Hence 92-95:

92. Away then with all those prophets who say to the people of Christ, "peace, peace" and there is no peace!
93. Blessed be all those prophets who say to the people of Christ,  "cross, cross" and there is no cross!
94. Christians are to be exhorted to be diligent in following Christ, their Head, through penalties, death and hell.
95. And thus be confident of entering into heaven through many tribulations, rather than through the false assurance of peace. 
So already Luther is thinking through a theology of the cross vs a theology of glory. I wonder too if there is a thought to the Freedom of Christian here too, in that our pardon is not just a legal fiction, but by dint of our union with Christ and actual suffering with Him and in Him.

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