Johann Arndt: A prophet of Lutheran Pietism by Daniel Van Voorhis (review)

Voorhis assesses the spiritual legacy of Johann Arndt (1555–1621), a Lutheran pastor, superintendent, and devotional writer, considered by many to be the forerunner of Pietism. He looks at Arndt from a previously unexplored angle: his correspondence. Arndt is best known for True Christianity, and somewhat known for his Ikonographie, a defense of icons, in opposition to the Reformed. Voorhis asserts that Arndt was a spiritual author, something of a mystic. With respect to movements like Orthodoxy and Pietism, he is hard to peg down on the theological spectrum. His work predates Pietism, but he has many affinities with the Pietists, especially seen in his focus on spiritual practices. He worked at the time that Orthodoxy was coming into its own. He was, after all, a mentor for and friend with Johann Gerhard, one of the most important theologians of Lutheran Orthodoxy.

The subtitle does not harmonize entirely with one of Voorhis's positions, that, at least doctrinally, Arndt did not break with Lutheran orthodoxy. Pietism, as seen in Spener, originated considerably later than Arndt, even if Arndt's work was highly valued by Pietists. Pietism often referred to Orthodoxy as "dead," but this was a caricature. Many of the Orthodox theologians, such as Gerhard, offered rich devotional treasures alongside their dogmatic systems. What should be said is that, in general, Pietists were far more ecumenical than Orthodox Lutheran theologians, and less inclined to condemn positions which did not align with "pure doctrine." What Voorhis shows is that although Arndt valued theology done in accord with the Book of Concord, the Book of Concord is no straitjacket. The Catholic pre-reformation mystical tradition offers helpful spiritual authors. Given that Luther's reform is indebted both to monasticism, with its love of learning and desire for God, and scholasticism, with its quest for exactitude in the formulation of doctrine, Arndt's work clearly aligns with the monastic element. While the Reformation dealt with purifying the church's witness, Arndt, as Voorhis indicates, saw himself as a prophet of genuine faith, one who refused to allow scholastic thought forms to limit the reach of faith.

This book presents (1) the history of Arndt research, (2) the question of whether Arndt is best seen as a hero or a heretic, (3) Arndt's commitment to confessional Lutheranism, (4) the eclectic nature of his spirituality, and (5) Arndt's own self-designation as a prophet. Appendix C includes selections in German of Arndt's correspondence with government officials and theologians.

The book assumes some familiarity with Orthodoxy and Pietism. Today it is wise to explain the tension between these two movements more explicitly. Several times, Voorhis notes that Arndt was not against confessionalism per se but instead was for enriching the church's devotional life by embracing medieval spiritual authors such as Bernard of Clairvaux.

Voorhis proves Arndt's orthodoxy by outlining the Formula of Concord's position on disputed doctrines, such as original sin, free will, the third use of the law, the Lord's Supper, Christology, and adiaphora, and shows how Arndt's thinking—especially as presented in his letters—in every case conforms to the thinking presented in the Lutheran confessions(45-56). Even so, it would seem that for Arndt Christianity is not to be found in the mere affirmation of pure doctrine (77). Instead, the Spirit must enlighten and reform the church as Christians daily seek to imitate Christ (71, 102).

This work would be more helpful if it included a review of recent scholarship on Orthodoxy and Pietism. Thanks to the efforts of scholars such as Johann Anselm Steiger (Hamburg) and his students, views of Lutheran Orthodoxy are undergoing some major rethinking, with the pastoral and devotional aspects of this movement receiving significant attention. Scholars such as Jonathan Strom (Emory) have led new efforts to re-evaluate Pietism and move beyond nineteenth-century stereotypes. Readers would profit from seeing Arndt within the broader context of these scholarly efforts.

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