Neo-Lutheranism was a 19th-century revival movement within

Lutheranism 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 ...

which began with the

Pietist Pietism (), also known as Pietistic Lutheranism, is a movement within Lutheranism that combines its emphasis on biblical doctrine with an emphasis on individual piety and living a holy Christianity, Christian life, including a social concern for ...

-driven '' Erweckung,'' or ''Awakening'', and developed in reaction against theological rationalism and

pietism Pietism (), also known as Pietistic Lutheranism, is a movement within Lutheranism that combines its emphasis on biblical doctrine with an emphasis on individual piety and living a holy Christian life, including a social concern for the needy an ...

. 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 Christians () are people who follow or adhere to Christianity, a monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. The words '' Christ'' and ''Christian'' derive from the Koine Greek title ''Christós'' (Χρ ...

, with a renewed focus on the

Lutheran Confessions ''The Book of Concord'' (1580) or ''Concordia'' (often referred to as the ''Lutheran Confessions'') is the historic doctrinal standard of the Lutheran Church, consisting of ten credal documents recognized as authoritative in Lutheranism since ...

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 Anglo-Catholicism comprises beliefs and practices that emphasise the Catholic heritage and identity of the various Anglican churches. The term was coined in the early 19th century, although movements emphasising the Catholic nature of Anglican ...

in England. It was sometimes even called "German Puseyism". In the

Roman Catholic Church The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...

in Germany, neo-Lutheranism was paralleled by

Johann Adam Möhler Johann Adam Möhler (6 May 1796 – 12 April 1838) was a German Roman Catholic theologian. He was born at Igersheim in the Bailiwick of Franconia of the Teutonic Order (from 1809 on part of Württemberg), and after studying philosophy and theolo ...

. The chief literary organ of the neo-Lutheranism was ''Evangelische Kirchenzeitung'', edited by

Ernst Wilhelm Hengstenberg Ernst Wilhelm Theodor Herrmann Hengstenberg (20 October 1802, in Fröndenberg28 May 1869, in Berlin), was a German Lutheran churchman and neo-Lutheran theologian from an old and important Dortmund family. He was born at Fröndenberg, a Westpha ...

Repristination versus Erlangen school

Neo-Lutheranism developed as a reaction against the Prussian Union in a similar manner to the development of

Tractarianism The Oxford Movement was a movement of high church members of the Church of England which began in the 1830s and eventually developed into Anglo-Catholicism. The movement, whose original devotees were mostly associated with the University of O ...

against the British government's decision to reduce the number of Irish bishoprics. The term has been defined different ways to distinguish it from the Old Lutherans movement, which was a schism in areas where a church union was enforced. Also, a distinction developed in neo-Lutheranism whereby one side held to ''

repristination theology 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 L ...

'' that tried to restore historical Lutheranism, while the other held to the theology of the

Erlangen Erlangen (; East Franconian: ''Erlang'', Bavarian: ''Erlanga'') is a Middle Franconian city in Bavaria, Germany. It is the seat of the administrative district Erlangen-Höchstadt (former administrative district Erlangen), and with 116,062 inhab ...

School. The repristination theology group was represented by

Carl Paul Caspari Carl Paul Caspari (8 February 1814 – 11 April 1892) was a Norwegian neo-Lutheran theologian and academic. He was a Professor of Old Testament Theology at the University of Oslo. He wrote several books and is best known for his interpretations ...

, Gustav Adolf Theodor Felix Hönecke,

Friedrich Adolf Philippi Friedrich Adolf Philippi (October 15, 1809 in Berlin – August 29, 1882 in Rostock) was a Lutheran theologian of Jewish origin. He was the son of a wealthy Jewish banker, a friend of the Mendelssohn family. Converted to Christianity in 182 ...

, and C. F. W. Walther. Repristination theology is more similar to later

Confessional Lutheran Confessional Lutheranism is a name used by Lutherans to designate those who believe in the doctrines taught in the ''Book of Concord'' of 1580 (the Lutheran confessional documents) in their entirety. Confessional Lutherans maintain that faithfulne ...

ism. In contrast, confessionalism to the Erlangen School was not to be static, but dynamic. The Erlangen School tried to combine

Reformation The Reformation (alternatively named the Protestant Reformation or the European Reformation) was a major movement within Western Christianity in 16th-century Europe that posed a religious and political challenge to the Catholic Church and in ...

theology with new learning. The Erlangen School included

Franz Hermann Reinhold von Frank Franz Hermann Reinhold von Frank (May 2, 1827 – February 7, 1894) was a German theologian born in Altenburg. He was an important figure in the "Erlangen School" of the German Neo-Lutheranism movement, and a specialist in theological dogmatics. ...

, Theodosius Harnack,

Franz Delitzsch Franz Delitzsch (23 February 1813, in Leipzig – 4 March 1890, in Leipzig) was a German Lutheran theologian and Hebraist. Delitzsch wrote many commentaries on books of the Bible, Jewish antiquities, Biblical psychology, as well as a history of ...

Johann Christian Konrad von Hofmann Johannes Christian Konrad von Hofmann (21 December 1810 – 20 December 1877) was a Lutheran professor of systematic and historical theology. Biography He was born on 21 December 1810 at Nuremberg, and studied theology and history at the Univer ...

Karl Friedrich August Kahnis Karl Friedrich August Kahnis (22 December 1814 – 20 June 1888) was a German Neo-Lutheran theologian. Early life From a poor background, Kahnis was educated at the gymnasium of his native town Greiz, and after acting as private tutor for sever ...

Christoph Ernst Luthardt Christoph Ernst Luthardt (22 March 1823– 21 September 1902), was a conservative German Lutheran theologian, Biblical commentator and Christian apologist. He was born in Maroldsweisach, Bavaria. Biography From 1841 to 1845 he studied theolo ...

, and

Gottfried Thomasius Gottfried Thomasius (26 June 1802 – 24 January 1875) was a German Lutheran theologian. He was born in Egenhausen (in present-day Middle Franconia) and he died in Erlangen. He studied philosophy and theology in Erlangen, Halle and Berlin, and as ...

High Church Lutheranism

However, neo-Lutheranism is sometimes limited only to the theology and activity represented by Theodor Friedrich Dethlof Kliefoth, August Friedrich Christian Vilmar,

Johann Konrad Wilhelm Löhe Johann Konrad Wilhelm Löhe (21 February 1808 – 2 January 1872) (often rendered 'Loehe') was a pastor of the Lutheran Church, Confesional Lutheran writer, and is often regarded as being a founder of the deaconess movement in Lutheranism and a fou ...

, August Friedrich Otto Münchmeyer, and

Friedrich Julius Stahl Friedrich Julius Stahl (16 January 1802 – 10 August 1861), German constitutional lawyer, political philosopher and politician. Biography Born at Würzburg, of Jewish parentage, as Julius Jolson, he was brought up strictly in the Jewish religi ...

who had particularly high

ecclesiology In Christian theology, ecclesiology is the study of the Church (congregation), Church, the origins of Christianity, its relationship to Jesus, its role in salvation, its ecclesiastical polity, polity, its Church discipline, discipline, its escha ...

. They were against the idea of the ''

invisible church The church invisible, invisible church, mystical church or church mystical, is a theological concept of an "invisible" Christian Church of the elect who are known only to God, in contrast to the "visible church"—that is, the institutional body ...

'', strongly claiming that the church was an outward, visible institution of salvation. They therefore emphasised the ordained ministry instituted by Christ and the significance of the sacraments over the Word as

Means of Grace The means of grace in Christian theology are those things (the ''means'') through which God gives grace. Just what this grace entails is interpreted in various ways: generally speaking, some see it as God blessing humankind so as to sustain and e ...

. However, unlike the Erlangen School, this type of neo-Lutheranism did not have a lasting influence on Lutheran theology. Properly speaking, High Church Lutheranism began in Germany much later, with the creation of the

Hochkirchliche Vereinigung Augsburgischen Bekenntnisses The Hochkirchliche Vereinigung Augsburgischen Bekenntnisses (''High Church Union of the Augsburg Confession'') is a Lutheran High Church organisation in Germany. It was founded in Berlin in October 1918, inspired by the High Church theses ''Stimuli ...

in 1918, inspired by 95 theses

Stimuli et Clavi Stimuli et clavi i. e. theses adversus huius temporis errores et abusus (German: ''Spieße und Nägel d.i. Streitsätze wider die Irrnisse und Wirrnisse unserer Zeit''; English: ''Goads and Nails, that is, Theses Against Errors and Abuses of This Ti ...

of 1917, exactly 100 years after

Claus Harms Claus Harms (25 May 1778 in Fahrstedt – 1 February 1855 in Kiel) was a German clergyman and theologian. Life Harms was born at Fahrstedt in Schleswig, and in his youth worked in his father's mill. At the University of Kiel he repudiated ...

' 95 theses. Neo-Lutheranism is distinct from the term '' Neo-Protestantism'', which is an exclusively liberal theology represented, for example, by Adolf von Harnack and his followers.

References

Gustaf Aulén Gustaf Emanuel Hildebrand Aulén (15 May 1879 – 16 December 1977) was the Bishop of Strängnäs in the Church of Sweden, a Lutheran theologian, and the author of '' Christus Victor'', a work which still exerts considerable influence on conte ...

: ''Dogmhistoria'', Stockholm 1933 {{Authority control Christian theological movements 19th-century Lutheranism History of Lutheranism in Germany Lutheran theology Erlangen 19th century in Germany Lutheran revivals

Repristination versus Erlangen school

High Church Lutheranism

See also

References