WIC4a: Layman's Movement: Proclamation of the Word (Thesis 1)

      This continues from Part WIC3b (Table of Contents in Part WIC1) in a series presenting a new translation of all of Franz Pieper's essays previously translated in the 1933 CPH book What Is Christianity? And Other Essays. — In this fourth of six essays, Pieper addresses a movement that originated over a century ago, which eventually culminated in establishing the "Lutheran Layman's League", better known as the group associated with a float in the Rose Parade every year on New Year's Day, and the "Lutheran Hour" broadcast. — The essay spans pp. 8-67 in the Report of the 1913 Southern Illinois District convention.

      This essay is divided into 3 major sections:

Thesis 1: "The "lay movement" in the proclamation of the Word." (pp. 11-37)

Thesis 2: "The "lay movement" in financial terms." (pp. 37-62)

Thesis 3: "The "lay movement" in the Christian walk in general." (pp. 62-67)

Notable Quotes:

9: For some speakers for this "Movement": "The task of the Christian church is seen not so much to save sinners… but to educate the non-Christian world to become civilized people. However, this is quite wrong."

10: "When Darwin later visited them [people of Tierra del Fuego] again and saw the change that had taken place with this people as a result of the mission…he is said to have made regular contributions to the mission."

10: "all Christians without exception and without ceasing should be active in preaching the Gospel near and far"

10: "spiritual priesthood is just another word for the Christian lay movement"

12: "…what is the relationship between this public teaching ministry and the teaching of all Christians?"

12: "Some have…restricted the proclamation of the Word, which belongs to all Christians…This is done by the Roman sect and also by Romanizing Protestants. … Others…deny the divine order of the public preaching ministry."

14: "The apostle Paul commands the establishment of this [public] office"

18: "Persons who serve the church within the church…remain under the oversight of the office of bishop or public preaching office"

19: "A church…may not call a man to the preaching office or leave him in this office if he has committed civil offenses and thereby lost his good name before the world.…The church must take the office from him."

20: "a congregation that has …the office of bishop…that is temporarily "vacant" will appoint one or more people to read out a sermon, visit the sick, perform baptism and serve communion."

21: "Pastors…cannot refer to their "office" or their higher education, "science" and the like without and against God's Word."

21: "The public preaching ministry requires a special, that is, greater teaching ability, a greater gift …"

22: "public ministers of the Word are not to involve themselves in the affairs of this life,…but according to Christ's command they are to feed on the gospel, 1 Cor. 9:14" [This would seem to be a hard saying for small congregations unable to support a pastor adequately.]

24: "This gives him [the pastor] courage and strength to remain faithfully at his post, for example in the case of contagious diseases, when everyone flees." [This would be pertinent to recent Covid-19 outbreak.]

26: "Luther…says that those who stand in God's office and faithfully preach God's Word should …be called…"holy father", not because of their person, but because of the office in which they preach God's Word" [Gottesdienst members will overlook the condition that "they preach God's Word".]

In the next Part WIC4b, …