JCWL 3: Lutherans vs. Copernicanism! "Lindemann's List", part 3 of 8

      This continues from Part 2 (Table of Contents in Part 1), an 8-part series presenting an English translation of J. C. W. Lindemann's 1873 article "Copernicus and the Lutheran theologians." — Now we hear from the many orthodox Lutheran theologians after Luther on this question of Copernicanism.  But then, by way of one of these, an English "nonconformist" Puritan (Calvinist) theologian is quoted.  This reminds me of Franz Pieper's praise of B.B. Warfield for holding to an infallible Bible.  It reminds me of Walther's statement that "all Reformed sects... were first Lutheran".

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Excerpt from Evangelisch-Lutherisches Schulblatt, vol. 8 (1873) pp. 65-74, 107-116; translation by BackToLuther; all highlighting, red text in [] square brackets, images, and hyperlinks are mine, underlining in original.

Copernicus and the Lutheran theologians.

[by J. C. W. Lindemann, Part 3 of 8, pp. 70-73]

In the excellent Bible exposition which Dr. Lucas Osiander (the Elder, 1534-1604, court preacher, consistorial councilor and prelate at Stuttgart) published in 1573 (Latin), there is no other worldview than that of the Prophets and Apostles. Since M. David Förter translated it into German (Lüneburg 1650), it can be assumed that he, too, was not a Copernican. — In this Bible, for example, on Job 26:7 it is said: “The Earth hangs as it were in the middle between the heavens.” — On Ps. 19:5: “The heavens guide the Sun around the whole Earth.” On  v. 6 [Ps. 19:6]: “How the Sun runs so quickly as a strong hero that no one can stop, so Christ goes with the preaching of his Evangel” etc. And on verse 7 [Ps. 19:7]: “The Sun comes back up where it started, and bringeth such its course within 24 hours.” — On Ps 119:90: thou hast established the earth, and it abideth: “immobile, and therefore hangs on the water to the Last Day. Thy Word is so constant.” — On Hab. 3:11: “The Sun and Moon stood still in their habitation.” — On Sir. 43:5: “Circles fast so that it (the Sun) runs around the entire Earth in 24 hours and illuminates it.” etc., etc.

Johann Arndt, born 1555, died 1621 as General Superintendent of Celle, writes in his True Christianity” (Erfurt edition, 1745) [see here, here for English, here and here for similar quotes in English] when looking at the fourth day's work: “The Sun circles every day [page 71] around the heavens, from its rising to its setting.” (p. 719) [p. 319 here]. — And further down (p. 731) [p. 404 here, 1832]: 

“Now all people have to fairly wonder about the certain course of the Sun, from which the Gentiles have also recognized that there must be a God, an eternal mind, full of wisdom, that certain course of the Sun. For the Sun certainly keeps its course and does not go further or above the goal which God has set, not higher, not lower; it has its great path in the sky, which is called the Ecliptic or the Sun’s course. It will certainly stay on its way. It does not go on around noon, because in the first point of the heavenly ibex, it makes the winter, then it returns. It doesn't go on around midnight, because in the first point of cancer, it does the summer, then it returns. And that keeps it so certain that it is not missing for a minute. Once it has gone through the twelve heavenly signs, it is a solar year.”

The dear Valerius Herberger, born 1562, died in 1627 as a pastor at Fraustadt in Greater Poland [now Wschowa in Poland], wrote in his precious book Magnalia Dei, the Great Deeds of God (Halle 1854) this, among other things (p. 57 ff.): “Like the Sun in heaven around the Earth is led; so Jesus is carried around the world in the Evangel of the 12 apostles. — How the Sun cannot run; so no tyrant or heretic can prevent or stop the course of the Evangel. — My Lord and God, how fast the Sun is running! — The Sun stands still on Joshua's prayer (Josh. 10:13); it goes back at the prayer of Hezekiah (Isaiah 38:8).”

Konrad Dietrich, [or Dieterich; de.Wikipedia; chapter on Dieterich in 2016 CPH Lives and Writings… (🔗, 🔗)] born 1575, died in 1639 as superintendent and director of the grammar school in Ulm, the famous author of the two well-known catechisms, an equally well-trained theologian as a philologist, philosopher and historian, speaks in a sermon on Ecclesiastes 1:4-5. (printed in “Informatorium” IV, 45. ff.) [?] early and distinctly about Copernicus and his opinion.

Regarding the words “but the Earth remains forever” for example: 

“That the earth is immovable in its place and state, where it is ordered by God, namely in the center of the world, and that it remains forever, that is what Solomon teaches us in express words, since he says: the Earth remains forever, or as the Words from the Hebrew text read: the Earth stands forever, fixed as it stands. — It stays and stands as it is. That there is understood here such a consistency and state that is opposed to the movement. This is also confirmed by the fact that Scripture says: The Lord founded the Earth on the seas, Ps. 24:2; that the Earth was founded, its cornerstone laid and its feet sunk, Job 38:4-6; that he would lay the Earth on its foundations, and that at the end that it would remain forever and ever, Ps. 104:5. — Like a building now, founded on its cornerstone, and upon its pillars, [page 72] even as upon its feet, set, immovable: So also the building of the Earth, which God founded and placed on its pillars, stands immovable . That is why Scripture not only says that the Earth exists, as David says of the Lord: He has prepared the Earth that it will not be moved.”

Kepler — Lansberge — Gilbert

Dietrich then says further down: 

“Several years ago Nicolaus Copernicus, the famous mathematician, came forward and wanted to prove with different hypotheses or set reasons that it was not the heavens but the Earth that was moving, and that by such a fast circulation, that such was not to be felt. He was applauded at this time by Johann[es] Kepler, Ph. Landsperg [Philippe van Lansberge] and Dr. [William] Gilbert of London.

So J. [John] Owen [English “Nonconformist”, Puritan - Dieterich cites an English “nonconformist”; in Wikipedia under “Copernicus-Controversy–Theology”, Archive here] writes to him [? - which one?] in his Epigrammatis:

“You deny that the Earth stands, you tell us miracles – that you wrote such, you were probably in a boat!

Now we are happy to let everyone freely have their thoughts and delusions (!), and defend them as well as they can. But because our preacher [Ecclesiastes, Solomon] preaches to us otherwise, we fairly stay with him and give him applause from others for these reasons: 

(1.) Because he says in clear, lowly words: Terra stat, the Earth remains or stands; he does not say: the Earth is moved around its center, but stat, stat, the Earth stands! Since then he just needs the ghamad [Hebrew amad or way·ya·‘ă·mōḏ?] which in the book of Joshua 10:13 is used as reported on the Sun and Moon, as stood the Sun and the Moon still. Just as the Sun and the Moon there really stood still and did not move, so the Earth also stands really still and does not move. For just as one cannot in truth say of it that it stands still, which does not stand still, but moves, so one cannot in truth say of it that it is moved, which is not moved, but stands still.

(2.) Because Solomon, our preacher, therein Job, David, the prophet and man after the heart of God as he is called in Acts 13:22, and Peter the Apostle, agreeing with everything in clear, expressive terms, it must have been evidently proven and explained from their testimonies. Because they have spoken and written this, not out of human will, nor their own interpretation, but driven by the Holy Spirit (2 Peter 1:2.); what Christian believer does not want to applaud him more and more than other worldly scholars?

(3.) Because the whole choir of the old holy church fathers and teachers hold to the Holy Scripture in this case, and from this unanimously affirm and confirm the Earth's everlasting immobility. And although one or the other of Thaletis [of Thales] and others disagreeably put forward one or the other, they finally conclude that there is more to the simplicity of faith than to that the [page 73] reasonable statements should see which simplicity of belief is far preferable to all other arguments.” — —

On the words: “the Sun rises and sets” etc. Dietrich further writes: 

“What is not to understand about the annual course, which it has all year round by crossing out the zodiac or animal circle in the heaven … but of its daily course alone, … since it rises in the morning in the East, hurries along the course of the evening, … and comes back to the place in the morning, from the previous day it rose that it would go there again. So that the Sun, as it were, runs around in a crooked circle, bypassing the entire world in 24 hours and is back in the place it was on the last day. And it should be noted here that the Hebrew word “Sigeph” (breathes gasping), to indicate her fast running, that otherwise she does not hurry, to her goal as a fast running with all seriousness and desire, and like a running with gasping and puffing.”

Thus, some sentences from Dietrich's sermon could be quoted which testify what he believed in the establishment of the world on the basis of the Scriptures; but it is not a question of giving this in its entirety, but rather it is our task to show that most, if not all, Lutheran theologians have rejected Copernicus’s opinion and have held to the Bible's evidence and testimony. — We are therefore letting others speak now.

= = = = = = = = =  continued in Part 4  = = = = = = = = = =
      Yes, an orthodox Lutheran theologian, Dieterich, quoted a "nonconformist", Puritan [Baptist] John Owen, approvingly as Owen defended the truth of Holy Scripture.  (One cannot find this from today's LC-MS theologians.) We may note that the article in Wikipedia under “Copernicus-Controversy–Theology”,  on the "Controversy" surrounding Copernicus's opinion also mentions John Owen's testimony against it (Archive here). — I want to repeat Lindemann's passion:

“It is our task to show that most… Lutheran theologians have rejected Copernicus’s opinion and have held to the Bible's evidence and testimony.” — J.C.W. Lindemann

The dear Lindemann isn't done yet. We continue with "Lindemann's List" in the next Part 4…