Pieper & Walther on... Luther and his writings (Part 2)

See Part 1 of 8 for the beginning of this series.
Pieper goes on to Walther's statements about modern theologians and Luther:

"What fury of God however follows on it as we see today in the new German theologian who [usually] asks nothing according to Luther, yes basically despises him because he did not set forth the truth scientifically. . . . On the other hand an old theologian has called Luther's writings 'Elisha's  mantle, which he has at his ascension to drop' while Bugenhagen explicitly sees Revelation 14:6-7 fulfilled in Luther. Therefore, this first argument is of great importance. God makes Christians responsible if they do not recognize this man as the reformer of the church. We must not think in terms of Luther: 'We can also, as good Luther found the truth as best we can be found through diligent study.' Want and woe to the church if they do not use God's instrument, but pass it, no, when God fulfilled his prophet with the spirit and light, he does so for the common good of the Church!  A church in which Luther's writings are not studied at first by the pastor and then also on their way by the ordinary Christian, has certainly not Luther's mind, and spirit of Luther is the pure evangelical spirit of faith, humility, simplicity. The other dogmatists of our church are not to be put on the same level as Luther. A church in which first is not studied Luther's writings by the pastors and then also by the ordinary Christians, certainly doesn't have Luther's spirit, and Luther's spirit is the pure evangelical spirit of faith, humility, and simplicity.  The other dogmatists of our church are not to be put on the same level as Luther. Luther had nothing behind him but hellish error. He had to go alone into the Scriptures and bring out the truth.  Nobody can understand how it could be possible.  It may look easy, but it would be impossible without the special illumination of the Holy Spirit."

The world tries to judge Germany and it's downfall leading up to the Third Reich and it's defeat in World War II by it's headiness and "anti-semitism".  This judgment was especially done by Britain and it's disparaging remarks about the "Huns".  But Walther and Pieper knew better... it was Germany's departure from Luther that spelled it's true defeat, for the Land of Luther had cast off it's mantle and sought it's own program.

Part 3 covers Luther's polemical writings.