JCWL 2: “fear of being considered stupid”; Luther, Melanchthon, "Lindemann's List" begins; Part 2 of 8

      This continues from Part 1 (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." — In this segment, Lindemann continues presenting the background of the "scientific" forces against the Scriptural account of Joshua.  He then begins his passionate plea for the necessity of defending the truth of the Holy Scripture, and of course his star witness, after the Word of God, is THE Reformer…

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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 2 of 8, pp. 68-70]

Church "History" or the Bible?

[Johann Matthias] Schröckh says in his “Church History since the Reformation" (III, 187): 

“And although the old delusion that the opinion of the Sun's course around the Earth is confirmed by the scriptures, deep into the 17th century, the general reception of the Copernican system; finally new astronomical observations finally forced everyone to applaud them.” 

Schröckh is very much in error! So he could only judge because he himself did not understand enough to make the understanding of Scripture obedient to faith. The most respected teachers of the Lutheran Church have never considered it “delusion” “that the view of the Sun's course around the Earth is confirmed by the Scriptures”, and there is a great lack that, according to the “new astronomical observations” “everyone” would have applauded the Copernican system, at least there have always been Lutheran theologians who contradicted it.

Brockhaus Enzyklopädie or the Bible?

But why contradicted? Well, because the Copernicans couldn't prove their claims! But then primarily because that opinion breaks a breach for thousands in the solid wall of the Word of God through which every enemy could later pull in! If the Bible strays in one place, then it is not the Word of the true God, then I cannot rely on it in any place! [compare Walther’s similar strong 1880 statement] Back then the enemies of Christ recognized that and triumphed, they still recognize it today. In the article “Movement of the Earth” in Brockhaus' Conversations-Lexikon (latest edition) [now the Brockhaus Enzyklopädie] it says: “It cannot be denied that the teaching of Copernicus does not just establish the new astronomy, it has also made man bold, to doubt any belief after seeing here that a fixed Earth has been erroneously taught and believed for 6000 years.” That is certainly a clear language!!

This danger of finally losing all of Scripture, the whole true Christian faith, through the Copernican system [compare Walther’s warning], for which no evidence had yet been brought about for its infallibility, prompted many of our Lutheran fathers to testify against it. And it is only for the same reason that we also work against this silly, completely unfounded system, which has crept into almost all school books in our over-wise time, in order to make children misunderstand what the Bible says from an early age — to plant a principle in their heart, [page 69] by virtue of which they can later ask of any divine teaching: is it true? The Bible indeed says that the Sun is moving, and “science” has proven the opposite! May the following testimonials serve to make every teacher aware of what this is actually about!

The statements of Lutheran theologians given do not all have the same value, for some have only been occasional and without intention about Copernicus; others, however, the most detailed, are directly against him. But it should also be noted that they are not insignificant pastors and ignorant “clerics” who testify here; they are mostly theology professors, court preachers, superintendents; and they mostly also studied philosophy and mathematics, as was almost customary at the time. So you can well trust them to make a judgment. In any case, it is worth the effort to check their words. Perhaps they judged more matter-of-factly and freely than many theologians and scholars of the present day who have been licked by modern science and are so caught up in their bonds that they do not first ask: what is truth? but: What is the truth of the scholars? Oh, the tiresome ambition, the fear of being considered stupid, seduces some without realizing that he accepts “scientific” claims that no one has yet proven. Our old theologians didn't! They are firm on the Scripture! So they may appear as witnesses against a generation that condemns a [Pastor Gustav] Knak because his worldview is that of the Bible; but a monument is erected to Copernicus, however, because his (unconfirmed) teaching gives them an alleged right to reject the Bible.

Dr. Luther only knows the worldview of Scripture. The Earth for him is fixed, the Sun is in motion. So he says for example: “So the Word drives the Sun today and always, from morning to evening. Because it goes around in the heavens once every day is not of its own nature or strength, but of the Word by which it is created.” — — — “and also teaches the year by the Sun’s course, because it comes around every year and with its course brings the seasons, summer and winter, with it.” (III, 53) [Müller; StL III, 40; not in AE] — — “it is a work of the Divine Majesty that the sun follows its course so exactly and in a most precise manner without deviating a fingerbreadth from the straightest possible line in any part of the heaven.” (I, 40) [Müller; StL III, 31, § 61; AE 1, 25]

What Luther thought of that astronomy that considered itself as if it had measured the heavenly bodies with a yardstick or weighed them on the scales can be seen from the following words: 

“Let that be enough. That is all you need to know of the Sun and the heavens. Whatever else you would like to  [page 70] know is unnecessary and nothing but curiosity; furthermore, it is uncertain at that, and for the greater part error; as, for example, when fools want to know the size of the sun, its distance from the Earth.” (XI. 421). [Müller; StL 11, 304-5 § 26; AE 52, 168]

Not entirely certain, but it is very likely that Luther also heard about Copernicus and his new claim. In the Table Talks it is said (XXII, 2260) [Müller; StL 22, 1546; similar version see AE 54, 358-359, see this blog post]: 

“It was thought that a new Astrology wanted to prove that the Earth would be moved and go around, not the heavens or the firmament, the Sun and Moon; just as if one sits on a cart or in a ship and is moved, meaning he was sitting quietly and at rest, but the Earth and the trees go about and are moving. But so it goes now, that whoever would be wise leaves nothing of what others brought, he must make something of his own which must be the very best, as he makes it.  The fool wants to turn around the whole art of astronomy. But as the Holy Scripture indicates, so Joshua called the Sun to stand still, not the Earth. Josh. 10:12-13.”

If that “new astrologer” is not Copernicus himself, it is his teaching about which Luther expresses his opinion clearly here.

Even Melanchthon held to only a stationary Earth and cycling stars. In his chronicle [see here, or here] he speaks repeatedly “of the heavenly body’s cycle”, of “the Sun’s cycle”, etc.

= = = = = = = = =  continued in Part 3  = = = = = = = = = =

      During Lindemann's narrative above, it seemed as though I was reading from Walther's writing, so passionate is he for the truth of Holy Scripture!  How refreshing it is to read from such a one when one compares him to today's modern theologians who love to throw out the misused term "biblicism" against those who want to believe their Bible! — In the next Part 3, we continue "Lindemann's List" of theologians after Luther.