The Osiandrian controversy was a controversy amongst the

Lutheran Lutheranism is one of the largest branches of Protestantism, identifying primarily with the theology of Martin Luther, the 16th-century German monk and reformer whose efforts to reform the theology and practice of the Catholic Church launched th ...

s, originated in around 1550 by

Andreas Osiander Andreas Osiander (; 19 December 1498 – 17 October 1552) was a German Lutheran theologian and Protestant reformer. Career Born at Gunzenhausen, Ansbach, in the region of Franconia, Osiander studied at the University of Ingolstadt before b ...

, a German theologian. He asserted that it was only through the righteousness of Christ with respect to the divine nature (entirely excluding the righteousness of Christ with respect to the human nature) that mankind could obtain justification, and that men became partakers of Christ's divine righteousness through faith. Osiander thought the prevailing current in his area gave an overemphasis on forensic justification--he saw Christ as a physician who heals instead of as a judge who declares one righteous. He taught that God does not declare the sinner just, but makes him just. Osiander held that justification does not impute Christ's obedience and righteousness to the sinner, but instead the indwelling of Christ causes justification.Osiandrian Controversy
in the Christian Cyclopedia

Criticism and debate

Osiandrianism was opposed by

Nicolaus von Amsdorf Nicolaus von Amsdorf (German: Nikolaus von Amsdorf, 3 December 1483 – 14 May 1565) was a German Lutheran theologian and an early Protestant reformer. As bishop of Naumburg (1542–1546), he became the first Lutheran bishop in the Holy Roman E ...

Martin Chemnitz Martin Chemnitz (9 November 1522 – 8 April 1586) was an eminent second-generation German, Evangelical Lutheran, Christian theologian, and a Protestant reformer, churchman, and confessor. In the Evangelical Lutheran tradition he is known as ...

Matthias Flacius Matthias Flacius Illyricus (Latin; hr, Matija Vlačić Ilirik) or Francovich ( hr, Franković) (3 March 1520 – 11 March 1575) was a Lutheran reformer from Istria, present-day Croatia. He was notable as a theologian, sometimes dissenting strong ...

Philip Melanchthon Philip Melanchthon. (born Philipp Schwartzerdt; 16 February 1497 – 19 April 1560) was a German Lutheran reformer, collaborator with Martin Luther, the first systematic theologian of the Protestant Reformation, intellectual leader of the Lu ...

, and

Joachim Mörlin Joachim Mörlin (5 April 1514, Wittenberg, Electorate of Saxony – 29 May 1571, Königsberg, Duchy of Prussia (now Kaliningrad in Russia) - 1945) was an Evangelical Lutheran theologian and an important figure in the controversies following ...

. They criticized Osiander for breaking the "close connection between alien and proper righteousness and the idea that both were rooted in the cross of Christ" Eventually the strictly anti-Osiandrian view prevailed. Part three of the ''Epitome'' of the ''

Formula of Concord Formula of Concord (1577) (German, ''Konkordienformel''; Latin, ''Formula concordiae''; also the "''Bergic Book''" or the "''Bergen Book''") is an authoritative Lutheran statement of faith (called a confession, creed, or "symbol") that, in its t ...

'' rejected Osiandiranism by stating that "Christ is our Righteousness neither according to the divine nature alone nor according to the human nature alone, but that it is the entire Christ according to both natures, in His obedience alone, which as God and man He rendered to the Father even unto death, and thereby merited for us the forgiveness of sins and eternal life, as it is written: As by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of One shall many be made righteous," (Romans 5:19)Epitome of the Formula of Concord
part three, paragraph 3 This doctrine was opposed principally by

Francesco Stancaro Francesco Stancaro (also Latin: Franciscus Stancarus) (1501 in Mantua – 1574 in Stopnica) was an Italian Catholic priest, theologian, Protestant convert, and Protestant reformer who became professor of Hebrew at the University of Königsberg ...

, who ran to the opposite extreme of excluding entirely Christ's divine nature from all concern in the redemption procured for sinners. This controversy led to others, which were highly detrimental to the interests of the Lutheran church.

offered an early opinion on the Osiandrian controversy. Although his letter to Osiander was generally positive, he criticized Osiander, especially for "not including a discussion of Christ's meritorious death when mentioning Christ's essential righteousness." On 27 May 1551,

publicly attacked Osiander from the pulpit, which Osiander defended at the pulpit four days later.

Johannes Brenz Johann (Johannes) Brenz (24 June 1499 – 11 September 1570) was a German Lutheran theologian and the Protestant Reformer of the Duchy of Württemberg. Early advocacy of the Reformation Brenz was born in the then Imperial City of Weil der S ...

was also outspoken on the controversy and urged Osiander to "avoid causing division among the Evangelicals at this dangerous time". The controversy continued until around 1566 but continued to be discussed for centuries — notably by Eduard Böhl in the late 19th century, who declared it to have had an impact upon reformed theology. In 1555 there were outbreaks of violence in Prussia over the Osiandrian controversy.

References

: {{Early Lutheran controversies 1550 in Europe Reformation in Germany Protestantism-related controversies 1550 in Christianity