Rethinking the Wittenberg Concord for Today One of the mostly forgotten gems of the sixteenth century Reformations is the Wittenberg Concord. Signed in 1536 by representatives of evangelical southern German imperial cities and territories and the Lutherans, the dialogue that led to the concord provided space for the participants to have a meaningful dialogue that led to the recognition of each other's understanding of the sacraments as orthodox. This was remarkable, given the very public failures at Marburg in 1529 and Augsburg in 1530. The lack of agreement threatened the unity of the evangelical estates and made them, along with the Reformation teachings, vulnerable to attack by the Holy Roman Empire and the Roman Catholic Church. The dialogue participants created enough space in their own understandings of the sacraments of baptism, absolution, and the Lord's Supper to allow the agreement to occur--and function reasonably well, at least until the beginning of the Thirty Years War in 1618. The final two chapters explore how this concord has impacted the church since its acceptance, and how the lessons learned from this dialogue can assist churches today in providing healthy spaces for ecumenical dialogue to discuss controversial issues.
Gordon Jensen is the William Hordern Chair of Theology and Dean of Studies at Lutheran Theological Seminary Saskatoon in Canada. He is the author of Walking Together in Christ (2006), as well as numerous articles, essays, and chapter contributions.
Abbreviations Acknowledgments Foreword by Timothy J. Wengert Introduction 1. The Quest for an Evangelical Political Alliance Justifying an Evangelical Alliance The Diet of Augsburg The Formation of the Schmalkald League Renewed Possibilities for Theological Concord Conclusion 2. Stifled Dialogues (1520-1529) The Lord's Supper Real Presence At God's Right Hand Baptism Confession and Absolution The Marburg Colloquy Conclusion 3. Re-creating Space for Theological Dialogue (1530-1534) Renewed Dialogue New Threats to Dialogue Dialogue with France, England, and Rome Conclusion 4. Negotiating an Agreement (1534-1536) The Initial Breakthrough Selling the Lord's Supper Formula Negotiation Preparations and Challenges The Journey to Wittenberg Negotiations in Wittenberg Conclusion 5. Agreeing on the Lord's Supper The Nature of Christ's Presence in the Lord's Supper With the Bread and Wine Do Unbelievers Eat Christ's Body and Blood in the Supper? Conclusion 6. Agreeing on Baptism and Absolution Agreeing on Baptism The Necessary Bath of Rebirth Baptism as an Action of God Faith, Baptism, and Infants Baptism and Original Sin Absolution Conclusion 7. Failed Negotiations: Controlling Church Property The Imperial Chamber Court The Wittenberg Memorandum Conclusion
"Gordon Jensen's book draws some important lessons from the experience of the sixteenth-century reformers that are still relevant for anyone involved in ecumenical dialogue today." --Amy Nelson Burnett, Paula and D.B. Varner University Professor, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, Nebraska "Professor Jensen's work makes important contributions both to our understanding of the Lord's Supper in the Reformation and to potential ecumenical discussions today." --Carl R Trueman, William E. Simon Visiting fellow in Religion and Public Life, Princeton University "A remarkable achievement, and a lasting contribution to Christian ecumenism!" --Mickey L. Mattox, Professor of Historical Theology, Marquette University "Precisely and sympathetically written book rich with historical narrative and lucid theological analysis, this study is an excellent tool in both ecumenical work and in classroom." --Kirsi Stjerna, First Lutheran, Los Angeles/Southwest California Synod Professor of Lutheran History and Theology, Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary
