Martin Luther's Theology: Its Historical and Systematic Development

18. Luther's Dispute With Zwingli

Chapter 18 LUTHER'S DISPUTE WITH ZWINGLI T H E L O R D ' S SUPPER CONTROVERSY THE EMERGENCE OF INTRA-EVANGELICAL DIFFERENCES From approximately IS 17 to IS20, when Luther's dispute with Rome reached its zenith, no attention was paid to differences among the evangelicals over sacramen­ tal doctrine. Controversy with the traditionalists relegated all other viewpoints to the periphery. Only from a later perspective did it become clear diat as early as in the attack on the late medieval doctrine of the sacrifice and celebration of the Mass arguments were raised that hinted at later differences.' In the dispute with Rome, topics that later became controversial were not treated at all, in particular the topic of the real presence.There had been united attack against the idea of sacrifice, agree­ ment in setting forth the once-for-allness of Christ's sacrifice on the cross, and a common accenting of the need for faith. The words of institution uSemselves, how­ ever, were in part variously interpreted. Further, in the years since approximately 1S17/1S18, with almost all the par­ ticipants in the coming dispute we can observe more or less serious developments in points of view. Luther originally began widi the idea of communion,2 then more 1 On this subject see first of all Eberhard Grotzinger, Lather und Zwingli (Giitersloh: Gerd Mohn, 1980). 2 See above, p. 127-28. 169 170 LUTHER'S THEOLOGY IN ITS HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENT and more rigorously set die words of institution at die center. Conversely, Zwingli did not initially surrender the idea of the real presence but accented die Supper's spiritual character.3 For die Lord's Supper controversy considerable importance attaches to die fact that Karlstadt was die first publicly to state a view odier than Ludier's. According to Karlstadt, when Jesus spoke die words of institution, he was point­ ing to his own body. This interpretation of die words "this is my body" was not Karlstadt's invention, but can be documented from the diirteendi century.4 For Karlstadt, dien, the spiritual aspect was at the center: the communicant must be certain of redemption before receiving die Supper. As for die Supper itself, it serves die memory.5 Karlstadt defended his view in various writings, particularly in his Ausslegung dieser wort Christi. Das ist meyn leybI welcherfur euch gegeben wiirt. Das ist mein bluth/welches jiir euch vergossen wiirt . . . ("Exposition of diis word of Christ.This is my body/which is given for you.This is my blood/which is shed for you...")(lS24). Prior to Karlstadt die question of die Supper had been variously broached. In a letter probably written in 1522, die Dutch humanist Cornelius Honius (Hoen), stimulated by die tract De sacramento Eucharistiae of Wessel Gansfort (+ 1489), but also by Erasmus, stated a view widespread elsewhere in Dutch humanist circles diat die words of institution are to be taken in die significative sense: die bread and wine dius "signify" Christ's body and blood but "are" not such.6 Next, contacts developed between Ludier and the Bohemian Brediren follow­ ing the Leipzig Disputation (1519) led Ludier to deal widi die Bohemians' peculiar doctrine of die Supper.7 They rejected the scholastic doctrine of transubstantiation and dius also homage to Christ in die elements of die Supper. They taught, however, diat Christ's body and blood are present in die Supper, and referred to "Christ's true body," though they construed diis presence "spiritually," in terms of "anodier exis­ tence." Ludier had some objection to diis doctrine, but distinguished die Bohemi­ ans' view, which held firmly to die presence of Christ in die Supper, from an interpretation of die words of institution in terms of a signiflcat. Ludier dealt widi the view of Honius and of die Brediren in his treatise The Adoration of the Sacrament (1523). Here for die first time he clearly advocated die real presence of Christ's body and blood in die elements of die Supper, proceeding from 3 See B. Lohse, HdhDThG, 2:51-55; Gottfried W. Locher, Huldtych Zwingli in neuer Slcht: Zehn beittdge zur Theologie der Ziircher Reformation (Zurich/Stuttgart: Zwingli Verlag, 1969), 250-65. 4 See U. Bubenheimer, Karlstadt, 652, 32-36. s See F. Kriechbaum, Grundziige derTheologieKarlstadts,\02A. 6 More detail in Lohse, HDBDThG, 2:53-54. 7 See Jaroslav Pelikan, Obedient Rebels: Catholic Substance and Protestant Principle in Luther's Reformation (NewYork: Harper & Row, 1964). [18.188.152.162] Project MUSE (2024-04-20 05:07...