mike@unmvax.cs.unm.edu (Michael I. Bushnell) (09/07/89)
The list of German patriots who contributed to the fight against Hitler
was great. Part of the Confessional documents forming Part I of the
PCUSA's Constitution is The Theological Declaration of Barmen. Here it
is. I think we can all learn from its message about the relation
between churches and between the Church and the State.
THE THEOLOGICAL DECLARATION OF BARMEN
I. An Appeal to the Evangelical Congregations and
Christians in Germany.
The Confessional Synod of the German Evangelical Church met in Barmen,
May 29-31, 1934. Here representatives from all the German
Confessional Churches met with one accord in a confession of the one
Lord of the one, holy, apostolic Church. In fidelity to their
Confession of Faith, members of Lutheran, Reformed, and United
Churches sought a common message for the need and temptation of the
Church in our day. With gratitude to God they are convinced that they
have been given a common word to utter. It was not their intention to
found a new Church or to form a union. For nothing was farther from
their minds than the abolition of the confessional status of our
Churches. Their intention was, rather, to withstand in faith and
unanimity the destruction of the Confession of Faith, and thus of the
Evangelical Church in Germany. In opposition to attempts to establish
the unity of the German Evangelical Church by means of false doctrine,
by the use of force and insincere pratices, the Confessional Synod
insists that the unity of the German Evangelical Church can come only
from the Word of God in faith through the Holy Spirit. Thus alone is
the Church renewed.
Therefore the Confessional Synod calls upon the congregations to range
themselves behind it in prayer, and steadfastly to gather around those
pastors and teachers who are loyal to the Confessions.
Be not deceived by loose talk, as if we meant to oppose the unity of
the German nation! Do not listen to the seducers who pervert our
intentions, as if we wanted to break up the unity of the German
Evangelical Church or to forsake the Confessions of the Fathers!
Try the spirits whether they are God! Prove also the words of the
Confessional Synod of the German Evangelical Church to see whether
they agree with Holy Scripture and with the Confessions of the
Fathers. If you find that we are speaking contrary to Scripture, then
do not listen to us! But if you find that we are taking our stand
upon Scripture, then let no fear or temptation keep you from treading
with us the path of faith and obedience to the Word of God, in order
that God's people be of one mind upon earth and that we in faith
experience what he himself has said: "I will never leave you, nor
forsake you." Therefore, "Fear not, little flock, for it is your
Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom."
II. Theological Declaration Concerning the Present
Situation of the German Evangelical Church
According to the opening words of the consitution of July 11, 1933,
the German Evangelical Church is a federation of Confessional Churches
that grew out of the Reformation and that enjoy equal rights. The
theological basis for the unification of these Churches is laid dows
in Article 1 and Article 2(1) of the constitution of the German
Evangelical Church that was recognized by the Reich Government on July
14, 1933:
Article I. The inviolable foundation of the German
Evangelical Church is the gospel of Jesus Christ as it is
attested for us in Holy Scripture and brought to light agin in
the Confessions of the Reformation. The full powers that the
Church needs for its mission are hereby determined and
limited.
Article 2 (1). The German Evangelical Church is divided into
member Churches (_Landeskirchen_).
We, the representatives of Lutheran, Reformed, and United Churches, of
free synods, Church assemblies, and parish organizations united in the
Confessional Synod of the German Evangelical Church, declare that we
stand together on the ground of the German Evangelical Church as a
federation of German Confessional Churches. We are bound together by
the confessions of the one Lord of the one, holy, catholic, and
apostolic Church.
We publicly declare before all evangelical Churches in Germany that
what they hold in common in this Confession is grievously imperiled,
and with it the unity of the German Evangelical Church. It is
threatened by the teaching methods and actions of the ruling Church
party of the "German Christians" and of the Church administration
carried on by them. These have become more and more apparent during
the first year of the existence of the German Evangelical Church.
This threat consists in the fact that the theological basis, in which
the German Evangelical Church is united, has been continually and
systematically thwarted and rendered ineffective by alien principles,
on the part of the leaders and spokesmen of the "German Christians" as
well as on the part of the Church administration. When these
principles are held to be valid, then, according to all the
Confessions in force among us, the Church ceases to be the Church and
the German Evangelical Church, as a federation of Confessional
Churches, becomes intrinsically impossible.
As members of the Lutheran, Reformed, and United Churches we may and
must speak with one voice in this matter today. Precisely because we
want to be and to remain faithful to our various Confessions, we may
not keep silent, since we believe that we have been given a common
message to utter in a time of common need and temptation. We commend
to god what this may mean for the interrelations of the Confessional
Churches.
In view of the errors of the "German Christians" of the present Reich
Church government which are devastating the Church and are also
therefore breaking up the unity of the German Evangelical Church, we
confess the following evangelical truths:
1. "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the
Father, but by me." (John 14:6). "Truly, truly, I say to you, he who
does not enter the sheepfold by the door but climbs in by another way,
that man is a thief and a robber....I am the door; if anyone enters by
me, he will be saved." (John 10:1, 9.)
Jesus Christ, as he is attested for us in Holy Scripture, is the one
Word of God which we have to hear and which we have to trust and ovey
in life and in death.
We reject the false doctrine, as though the Church could and would
have to acknowledge as a source of its proclamation, apart from and
besides this one Word of God, still other events and powers, figures
and truths, as God's revelation.
2. "Christ Jesus, whom God made our wisdom, our righteousness, and
sanctification and redemption." (I Cor. 1:30.)
As Jesus Christ is God's assurance of the forgiveness of all our sins,
so in the same way and with the same seriousness he is also God's
mighty claim upon our whole life. Through him befalls us a joyful
deliverance from the godless fetters of this world for a free,
grateful service to his creatures.
We reject the false doctrine, as though there were areas of our life
in which we would no belong to Jesus Christ, but to other lords--areas
in which we would not need justification and sanctification through
him.
3. "Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every
way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body
[is] joined and knit together." (Eph. 4:1>5, 16.)
The Christian Church is the congregation of the brethren in which
Jesus Christ acts presently as the Lord in Word and sacrement through
the Holy Spirit. As the Church of pardoned sinners, it has to testify
in the midst of a sinful world, with its faith as with its obedience,
with its message as with its order, that it is solely his property,
and that it lives and wants to live solely from his comfort and from
his direction in the expectation of his appearance.
We reject the false dotrine, as though the Church were permitted to
abandon the forms of its message and order to its own pleasure or to
changes in prevailing ideological and political convictions.
4. "You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and
their great men exercise authority over them. It shall not be so
among you; but whoever would be great among you must be your servant."
(Matt. 20:23, 26.)
The various offices in the Church do not establish a dominion of some
over the others; on the contrary, they are for the exercise of the
ministry entrused to and enjoined upon the whole congregation.
We reject the false doctrine, as though the Church, apart from this
ministry, could and were permitted to give itself, or allow to be
given to it, special leaders vested with ruling powers.
5. "Fear God, Honor the emperor." (I Peter 2:17.)
Scripture tells us that, in the as yet unredeemed world in which the
Church also exists, the State has by divine appointment the task of
providing for justice and peace. [It fulfills this task] by means of
the threat and exercise of force, according to the measure of human
judgement and human ability. The Church acknowledges the benefit of
this divine appointment in gratitude and revernce before him. It
calls to mind the Kingdom of God, God's commandment and righteousness,
and thereby the responsibility both of rulers and of the ruled. It
trusts and obeys the power of the Word by which God upholds all
things.
We reject the false doctrine, as though the State, over and beyond its
special commission, should and could become the single and
totalitarian order of human life, thus fulfilling the Church's
vocation as well.
We reject the false doctrine, as though the Church, over and beyond
its special commission, should and could appropriate the
characteristics, the tasks, and the dignity of the State, thus itself
becoming an organ of the State.
6. "Lo, I am with you always, to the close of the age." (Matt.
28:20.) "The word of God is not fettered." (II Tim. 2:9.)
The Church's commission, upon which its freedom is founded, consists
in delivering the message of the free grace of God to all people in
Christ's stead, and therefore in the minstry of his own Word and work
through sermon and sacrament.
We reject the false doctrine, as though the Church is human arrogance
could place the Word and work of the Lord in the service of any
arbitrarily chosen desires, purposes, and plans.
The Confessional Synod of the German Evangelical Church declares that
it sees in the acknowledgement of these truths and in the rejection of
these errors the indispensable theological basis of the German
Evangelical Church as a federation of Confessional Churches. It
invites all who are able to accept its declaration to be mindful of
these theological principles in their decisions in Church politics.
It entreats all whom it concernes to return to the unity of faith,
love, and hope.
[Reprinted from _The Constitution of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.),
Part I, Book of Confessions_, without permission. (But I doubt they'd
mind...)
There reprinted from _The Church's Confessions Under Hitler_ by Arthur
C. Cochrane. Phila.: Westminster Press, 1962, pp237-242, by
permission.]
--
Michael I. Bushnell \ This above all; to thine own self be true
LIBERTE, EGALITE, FRATERNITE \ And it must follow, as the night the day,
mike@unmvax.cs.unm.edu /\ Thou canst not be false to any man.
Telephone: +1 505 292 0001 / \ Farewell: my blessing season this in thee!