Mystical Lutheranism? Uncovering the hidden aspects of the Lutheran imago Dei doctrine.

1. Mystical Lutheranism?Uncovering the hidden aspects of the Lutheran imago Dei doctrine. Exploratory presentation Ilmari Karimies University of Helsinki Faculty of Theology.

2. Lutheranism and Mysticism – Fire and water? • Lutheran Orthodoxy • Verbum externum • Faith in objective truths of the Scripture • Mysticism vs. pietism, ’Enthusiasts’ • 20th Century Lutheranism • ”Catholic mystical” vs. ”evangelical Lutheran” • Mysticism = Metaphysical, Scholasticism (eg. Holl, Seeberg) • Inner search of individual happiness vs. moral and personal responsibility • Theology of the Cross: Material vs. invisible • See survey in Hoffman 2003, 130-188 Mystical Lutheranism? Uncovering the hidden aspects of the Lutheran imago Dei doctrine. - Ilmari Karimies

3. Luther and Mysticism – Recent Research • There are mystical elements in Luther’s theology • Emphasis of experience, acknowledgemnt of the supernatural • Eg. Bengt Hoffman: Theology of the Heart: The Role of Mysticism in the Theology of Martin Luther. Kirk House publishers, Minnesota 2003. • Luther’s theology represents a reinterpretation and transformation of mystical themes, not a break with the mystical tradition • Union with Christ in Eucharist, immediated contact with God instead through the ecclesiastical hierarchy etc. • Eg. Bernd Hamm, Volker Leppin: Gottes Nähe unmittelbar erfahren. Mohr Siebeck 2007 Mystical Lutheranism? Uncovering the hidden aspects of the Lutheran imago Dei doctrine. - Ilmari Karimies

4. Mystical Interpretation of Lutheranism? • What about Lutheranism as a whole? Can we find a point from which to unravel Lutheranism in order to present a mystical interpretation, yet staying faithful to the historical tradition and central concepts? • How to interpret a religious tradition in a new situation staying faithful to its sources? • Concepts that are central to the tradition? • Concept that are unique to the tradition? • Defining mystical? • Having to do with the invisible, immaterial and divine • Union with the divine as an epistemological principle Mystical Lutheranism? Uncovering the hidden aspects of the Lutheran imago Dei doctrine. - Ilmari Karimies

5. Original Sin and imago Dei • ’Pessimistic Lutheranism’: Emphasis on the natural depravity of the human being • Doctrinal point used especially as a basis for theaching justification by grace alone • ”Die Sündenlehre entfaltet die Kehrseite … mit der Aussage von der gänzlichen Unfähigkeit des Menschen, von sich aus etwas für sein Heil tun zu können” (TRE bd. 32, p 400, ”Sünde”) • There is no basis in the human being for turning to God Mystical Lutheranism? Uncovering the hidden aspects of the Lutheran imago Dei doctrine. - Ilmari Karimies

6. Original Sin and imago Dei • The total corruption of the ’spiritual facilities’: imago Dei has been lost at the fall (FC SD I,10) • Original righteousness = imago Dei • 19th Century Lutheranism: Imago Dei interpreted ’unontologically’ (vs. Medieval/Catholic) • A relation to God or a potential to be actualized • Concerns either single person or the human kind as a whole • Original sin interpreted as self-centredness: amor sui, concupiscentia • Consequently, faith and grace open the human being from his self-centredness to a new relationship towards God and the neighbour Mystical Lutheranism? Uncovering the hidden aspects of the Lutheran imago Dei doctrine. - Ilmari Karimies

7. The Relation of the imago Dei to Concupiscence in the CA • Original sin consists of two ’components’: • 1. The cognitive / ontological component: Loss of original righteousness (imago Dei) • 2. The affectual component: Resulting disorder in the soul, concupiscense • Concupiscense as a disorder of the affects is a result of the loss of the ontological / cognitive component • On medieval background see Heiko A. Oberman: The Harvest of Medieval Theology. (3rd. ed. Baker Academic, 2000), 122-123 Mystical Lutheranism? Uncovering the hidden aspects of the Lutheran imago Dei doctrine. - Ilmari Karimies

8. Original Sin: The Cognitive Component • ”Vetus definitio recte intellecta prorsus idem dicit, cum ait: peccatum originalis carentiam esse iustitiae originalis.... Itaque iustitia originalis habitura erat non solum auquale temperamentum quolitatum corporis, sed etiam haec dona: notitiam Dei certiorem timorem Dei, fiduciam Dei aut certe rectetudinem et vim ista efficiendi. Idque testatur scriptura cum inquit hominem ad imaginem et similitudinem Dei conditum esse. Quod quid est aliud, nisi in homine hanc sapientiam et iustitiam effigiatam esse, quae Deum apprehenderet et in qua reluceret Deus, hoc est, homini dona data esse: notitiam Dei, timorem Dei, fiduciam erga Deum et similia?” (CA II, 15-19) Mystical Lutheranism? Uncovering the hidden aspects of the Lutheran imago Dei doctrine. - Ilmari Karimies

9. Original Sin: The Affectual Component • ”Eadem est sententia definitionis, quae exstat apud Augustinum, qui solet definire peccatum originis concupiscentiam esse. Significat enim concupiscentiam successisse amissa iustitia. Nam aegra natura, quia non potest Deum timere et diligere, Deo credere, quaerit et amat carnalia; iudicium Dei aut secura contemnit, aut odit perterrefacta. Ita et defectum complectitur Augustinus et vitiosum habitum, qui successit. Neque vero concupiscentia tantum corruptio qualitatum corporis est, sed etiam prava conversio ad carnalia in superioribus viribus. Nec vident, quid dicant, qui simul tribuunt homini concupiscentiam non mortificatam a Spiritu Sancto et dilectionem Dei super omnia.” (CA II, 24-25) Mystical Lutheranism? Uncovering the hidden aspects of the Lutheran imago Dei doctrine. - Ilmari Karimies

10. Original Sin: The Relationship of the Cognitive/Ontological and Affectual • ”Nos igitur recte expressimus utrumque in descriptione peccati originalis, videlicet defectus illos, non posse Deo credere, non posse Deum timere ac diligere. Item habere concupiscentiam quae carnalia quaerit contra verbum Dei, hoc est, quaerit non solum voluptates cordis, sed sapientiam et iustitiam carnalem, et confidit his bonis contemnens Deum. Neque solum veteres, sed etiam recentiores, qui sunt cordatiores, docent simul ista vere peccatum originis esse, defectus videlicet, qui recensui, et concupiscentiam” (CA II, 26-27) • (CA continues with quotations from Thomas, Bonaventura and Hugo St. Victor.) Mystical Lutheranism? Uncovering the hidden aspects of the Lutheran imago Dei doctrine. - Ilmari Karimies

11. Imago Dei as Knowledge of the Divine • Iustitia originalis / imago Dei described as • Notitia, timor, fiducia Dei (knowledge of, fear of, trust in God) • Human being had the wisdom and righteousness to comprehend (apprehendere) and reflect (relucere) God • The loss of the knowledge of God leads to conversio ad carnalia in superioribus viribus, because God as the ultimate good is lost as the object of the will • Luther describes the process at e.g. AWA 2, 173-177 • ”Quando ergo gloria et cultus dei consistit in sincera fide, robusta spe et perfecta caritate in deum, necesse est, ut qui in deum nec confidit nec credit nec diligit, sed in quacumque creatura sese solatur, gloriam dei ad ignominiam vertit et nomen ac opus, quae deo debuerat, in creatura quaerat. […] Ex quo deinde translatus ad creaturam (cum necesse sit humanum cor credere, sperare, diligere aliquid) fidit vel in divitias vel favorem vel vires suas vel alia quacumque vel in stultitiam opinionem sive de vero sive de falso deo pradicatam. Ubi, si aliquando (permittente deo) senserit solacium, toto corde et amore huc fertur.” (AWA 2, 173, 5 – 174, 11) Mystical Lutheranism? Uncovering the hidden aspects of the Lutheran imago Dei doctrine. - Ilmari Karimies

12. Luther on imago Dei at Creation and Recreation (Gospel) • In the state of original righteousness the human being participated through the imago Dei in the divine life • E.g. WA 42, 47, 8-17: ”[8] Ergo imaginem Dei sic intelligo: Quod Adam eam in sua substantia [9] habuerit, quod non solum Deum cognovit et credidit eum esse bonum, sed [10] quod etiam vitam vixerit plane divinam, hoc est, quod fuerit sine pavore [11] mortis et omnium periculorum, contentus gratia Dei. Sicut in Heua apparet, [12] quae cum serpente sine omni metu loquitur sicut nos cum agno aut cane. [13] Ideo etiam istam poenam proponit Deus, si transgrediantur praeceptum: [14] ‘Quacunque die comederis es ligno hoc, morte morieris’, quasi dicat: Adam [15] et Heua, vos nunc vivitis securi, mortem non sentitis nec videtis. Haec [16] est imago mea, qua vivitis, sicut Deus vivit. Si autem peccaveritis, amittetis [17] hanc imaginem et moriemini.” • By the Gospel the human being is recreated to the image of God to participate in the divine life through faith • ”[11] Hoc autem nunc per Euangelium agitur, ut imago illa reparetur. [12] Manserunt quidem intellectus et voluntas, sed valde viciata utraque. Euangelium [13] igitur hoc agit, ut ad illam et quidem meliorem imaginem reformemur, [14] quia in vitam aeternam vel potius in spem vitae aeternae renascimur per [15] fidem, ut vivamus in Deo et cum Deo, et unum cum ipso sumus, sicut [16] Christus dicit.” (WA 42, 48, 11-16) • See Huovinen 1989, 29-32; 1984, 133-135. Mystical Lutheranism? Uncovering the hidden aspects of the Lutheran imago Dei doctrine. - Ilmari Karimies

13. Original Sin as the Loss of the Knowledge of the Divine, Spiritual and Intellectual • Through the original sin the human being lapsed from an intellectual, spiritual life to a sensual, carnal life • Luther explains allegorically Ps. 106:7 • ”Patres nostri carnales in aegypto primum peccatum non intellexerunt mirabilia tua Sed tantum sensu perceperunt        non mystica bona in illis figurata9 : non fuerunt memores Sed ingrati et obliuiosi, quia non Intellexerunt multitudinis misericordiae tuae que est in spiritu, quia etiam misericordia temporalis est modica respectu ȩternȩ et spiritualis, quam illi non Intellexerunt10 .[…]GLOSSA:9) Non enim Visu aut sensu, Sed intellectu in illis opus est.GLOSSA:10) quia cum presentia et temporalia tantummodo saperent, futura Vel spiritalia sperare non poterant; ideo absentibus temporalibus semper murmurabant nec crediderunt Deo.” (WA 55, I, 704-706) Mystical Lutheranism? Uncovering the hidden aspects of the Lutheran imago Dei doctrine. - Ilmari Karimies

14. Faith as the Restoration of the Knowledge of the Divine, Spiritual and Intellectual • Faith unites with Christ, giving understanding (intellectus) of the invisible, spiritual realities • ”Beatus Qui intelligit. Sepe dictum est, Quod ‘intelligere’ in [3] Scrip⌊turis non dicatur de iis, qui tantum visibilia et sensibilia cogitant, [4] quia in hoc Brutis comparatur homo ⌈⌈quomodo in philosophia capitur, [5] Sed respectu Inuisibilium⌉⌉, Sed qui spiritualia et Inuisibilia cogitant, [6] quod non nisi per fidem fieri potest in hac vita. Vnde Ro. 1.: ‘Inuisibilia Dei [7] a creatione mundi operibus intellecta conspiciuntur.’ ‘Conspiciuntur Inuisibilia’, [8] inquit, non visa, Sed ‘intellecta’, et hoc ‘ex operibus a creatione [9] mundi’. Sic Ergo Intelligere super Christo est habere cognitionem [10] de inuisibilibus in illo, que in alio homine non sunt. Et [11] ‘Beatus’ omnis ille. Alias ‘omnes schandalisantur’ in illo. ⌈⌈Vnde Psal. 31.: [12] ‘Nolite [fieri] sicut equus et mulus, quibus non est intellectus.’⌉⌉” (WA 55, II, 220, 2 – 221, 12) • Especially the Church is a ”spiritual world” • ”[103] Bl 122 Possunt et aliter distingui opera Domini, Vt primum membrum [104] sint omnia opera creature visibilia siue in natura siue miraculo olim facta. [105] 3, 533 | Secundum opera Christi pro nobis facta et totius creaturȩ nouȩ [106] i. e. Ecclesie ⌈Vel tota noua creatura Ecclesia⌉, que est mundus Spiritualis [107] et intellectualis.        Tercium opera Moralia et fidei secundum Deum facienda. [108] Quartum opera futurȩ resurrectionis.” (WA 55, II, 510, 103-108) Mystical Lutheranism? Uncovering the hidden aspects of the Lutheran imago Dei doctrine. - Ilmari Karimies

15. Works of God as Signs and Reality • Luther distinguishes between visible and invisible works of God. The visible works are a sign of the invisible: • Works of the creation and the Law are understood by faith to point to Christ • ”Quia omnia opera Creationis et veteris legis signa sunt [127] operum Dei, quȩ in Christo et suis sanctis facit et faciet, et ideo in Christo [128] illa preterita tanquam signa omnia implentur. Nam omnia illa sunt transitoria, [129] significantia ea, que sunt ȩterna et permanentia. […] Vnde Iudȩi arguuntur Psal. 27. quod non intellexerunt opera et in [134] opera, i. e. opera in veteri lege non intellectualiter aspiciebant, Sed tantum [135] carnaliter, non vt signa et argumenta rerum, Sed res ipsas. Quia [136] quod intelligitur, Inuisibile est ab eo, quod videtur, aliud longe. […] [140] Quia tunc perfecte intelligitur signum, quando res ipsa signi videtur.” (WA 55, II, 342, 126-140) • Works of the recreation / redemption (Gospel) are understood by faith to point to the final glory • ”[14] Propriissime Sunt opera spiritualia redemptionis et Iustificationis. [15] Quia hȩc summe commendata sunt omnibus Christianis. Opera [16] autem glorificationis sunt sub hiis comprehensa, Quia nondum facta, vt [17] possint memorari, nisi in capite Christo. Hȩc enim erunt omnium mirabilissima.” (WA 55, II, 507, 14-17) Mystical Lutheranism? Uncovering the hidden aspects of the Lutheran imago Dei doctrine. - Ilmari Karimies

16. Creation, Recreation and Glorification as Participation in the Divine Life • ”Quomodo [190] enim anima potest viuere (de tali enim vita hic loquitur), a qua [191] Deus auersus est, qui est vita anime sicut anima corporis? Sed Conuersio [192] ista Dei maxima et prima est, qua vnitus est nostre nature. Secunda, [193] qua vnitur spiritualiter spiritui nostro per fidem et charitatem. Tercia [194] per claram visionem. Sic enim est nobiscum ‘vna caro’, et nos cum illo [195] vnus spiritus. Verum secunda et tercia est potius conuersio nostra, qua ad [196] eum conuertimur, prima autem est eius propria et ineffabilis, qua ad nos [197] conuersus est.” (WA 55, II, 651, 190-197) • Note: ”First Conversion” might also be interpreted here as incarnation Mystical Lutheranism? Uncovering the hidden aspects of the Lutheran imago Dei doctrine. - Ilmari Karimies

17. Animal Life vs. Spiritual Life • Animal / sensual life denotes a life of the body; sensual, visible life, including human reson • Spiritual / intellectual life denotes a life in communion with God through faith / imago Dei, an intellectual life where the created things are perceived as signs of God • In the Fall the human being lapsed to a wholly sensual / animal life, ”sicut equus et mulus quibus non est intellectus” • Through faith a human being begins to live a spiritual life, though there is a struggle between the spirit and the flesh • In the state of glory after resurrection a human being will live a wholly spiritual life • See Huovinen 1989, 39-49 Mystical Lutheranism? Uncovering the hidden aspects of the Lutheran imago Dei doctrine. - Ilmari Karimies

18. Animal Life vs. Spiritual Life continued • Luther on Christ as the first example of a wholly spiritual man, who no longer lives an animal life • ”Quare et [5] regnum eius non erit mortale aut temporale, quia anima eius non vivet in [6] hac vita, sed tolletur de hac vita, qui dicit ‘Anima eius non vivet’, quod [7] [1. Cor. 15, 45.] sonat de hac vita mortali, quo modo Paulus 1. Cor. 15. ‘primus Adam factus [8] est in animam viventem, secundus autem in spiritum vivificantem’, appellans [9] hanc vitam animalem, corpus animale, illam autem spiritualem et corpus [10] spirituale. Quare et hic Christum dicit sic moriturum, ut anima eius non [11] vivat, idest animali vita non vivet. Noluit enim simpliciter eum moriturum [12] dicere, sed eis verbis usus est, quae rem proprie redderent, scilicet Christum [13] moriturum, ut amplius non viveret anima eius, idest animalis vita, victu, [14] amictu, anhelitu et aliis corruptibilis vitae necessitatibus. Animam ergo [15] habet, homo est, sed ea non vivet. At cum etiam sic vivet, ut semen [16] habeat, in quo regnet, sequitur, ut spiritualis homo sit et vivat, quod fieri [17] non potuit, nisi animale corpus moreretur et resurgeret spirituale. […] et novum semen induceret, quod ipse per Euangelium [25] genuisset ex spiritu. Erit ergo hic homo patriarcha novus, novi [26] seminis autor et origo, nova servitus, novum regnum, qualia mundus non [27] [Jes. 53, 10.] cognovit.” (WA 5, 670, 4-27) Mystical Lutheranism? Uncovering the hidden aspects of the Lutheran imago Dei doctrine. - Ilmari Karimies

19. Faith as the Restoration of the imago Dei • Faith is a process in which human being is drawn away from the reliance on the visible to become again an image of God • “Velle enim illud, quod credere, sperare, diligere iam diximus, est motus, raptus, ductus verbi dei et quaedam continua purgatio et renovatio mentis et sensus de die in diem in agnitionem dei. […] Ita per spem tribulatione operante nascentem divinae imagini conformamur et creamur ad imaginem (iuxta Paulum) eius, qui fecit nos.” (AWA 2, 320, 16-25) • “Et infra ‘Nos autem revelata facie gloriam domini speculantes in eandem imaginem transformamur a claritate in claritatem tanquam a domino spiritus’. […] Quid ergo est gloria domini? quid revelatio faciei? Diximus ps. 4. et aliis, vultum domini et conspectum dei, super nos et in conspectu nostro positum, aliud non esse quam praesentem et propitium dominum habere, in eum confidere, et ut usus scripturae, nosse dominum, quod non nisi [Hebr. 8, 11., Jer. 31, 34.] per fidem in hoc saeculo.” (WA 5, 508, 31-40) • ”Optime autem vocatur fides lumen vultus dei, quod sit illuminatio mentis nostrae divinitus inspirata et radius quidam divinitatis in cor credentis infusus, quo dirigitur et servatur, quicumque servatur; […] Hoc figuratum est in columna ignis et nube, […] Atque ut illic columna praesens ante faciem eorum ibat, ita hic fides praesentem deum habet, ut velut a vultu praesentis dei illuminatio cordis procedat, ita ut rectissime et propriissime lumen vultus dei, id est, agnitio et fiducia praesentis dei sit. Qui enim praesentem sibi deum non novit aut non sentit, nondum credit, nondum habet lumen vultus dei.” (AWA 2, 200, 3 – 201, 15) Mystical Lutheranism? Uncovering the hidden aspects of the Lutheran imago Dei doctrine. - Ilmari Karimies

20. Lutheran Order of Salvation: Different Viewpoints • Justification • Fall: Loss of original righteousness • Justification in Christ: Simuliustus et peccator • Final glory: Solus iustus • Love • Fall: Human being becomes incurvatus in se • Grace: Battle of spirit and flesh (concupiscence) • Final glory: Affectus carnis is extinguished • Faith as knowledge of God • Fall: Knowledge of God is lost • Faith: God is known enigmatically by faith (spirit), the divine is hidden by/in the visible • Final glory: God is known from face to face Mystical Lutheranism? Uncovering the hidden aspects of the Lutheran imago Dei doctrine. - Ilmari Karimies

21. Summary • Fall, faith and salvation are all expressed as participation (or lack thereof) to the invisible, intellectual and spiritual • Cf. Platonic processio – reditus, prohodos – epistrofe • This participation takes place through imago Dei / faith • Ontological and cognitive aspects are connected in the union with Christ • The theme recurs from the early Psalm Commentaries (WA 55 1513-15; AWA 2 / WA 5 1519-21) to the late commentary of Genesis (WA 42-44 1535-1545) and also in the Lutheran Confessions • Connected with particulary Lutheran doctrines of original sin, imago Dei and sola fide • Therefore: The Lutheran tradition contains a significant mystical element that has been constantly overlooked Mystical Lutheranism? Uncovering the hidden aspects of the Lutheran imago Dei doctrine. - Ilmari Karimies

22. Significance? • Possible utilization • Ecumenical spirituality? Bringing the Lutheran tradition closer to espc. the Roman Catholic mystical tradition? • Lutheran spirituality? Uncovering the mystical aspects that are inherent in the Lutheran tradition? Constructive theology taking the imago Dei doctrine as starting point? • Possible problems • Archaic / Medieval spirituality? • The doctrines of original sin and imago Dei • vs. modern anthropology and culture? • too exclusively Lutheran, non-ecumenical? • Negative towards 1.st article? (”Animal life” etc.) Mystical Lutheranism? Uncovering the hidden aspects of the Lutheran imago Dei doctrine. - Ilmari Karimies

23. Bibliography • Bernd Hamm, Volker Leppin • Gottes Nähe unmittelbar erfahren. Mohr Siebeck 2007 • Hoffman, Bengt • Theology of the Heart. The Role of Mysticism in the Theology of Martin Luther. Kirk House, Minnesota 2003. • Huovinen, Eero • An der Unsterblichkeit teilhaftig – Das ökumenische Grundproblem in der Todestheologie Luthers. In: Luther in Finnland. SLAG A 22. Helsinki 1984. P.130-144. • Kuolemattomuudesta osallinen. Martti Lutherin kuoleman teologian ekumeeninen perusongelma. STKSJ 130. 2nd edition. Helsinki 1989 • Oberman, Heiko A. • The Harvest of Medieval Theology. 3rd. edition. Baker Academic 2000. Mystical Lutheranism? Uncovering the hidden aspects of the Lutheran imago Dei doctrine. - Ilmari Karimies