Reformation seen in light of humanism,theology
Understanding of the Protestant Reformation comes only from the study of theology combined with the meaningful consideration of humanism in universities.
Jaroslav Pelikan, humanities lecturer, made this point last night in his speech in the University Theatre.
Pelikan is the Titus Street professor in ecclesiastical history at Yale University.
HIS TOPIC WAS "The Irony of the Reformation."
The reformation deserves a new perspective during the 450th anniversary of Martin Luther's posting on the 95 Theses he said. "One of the sentiments is the sense of irony."
The Luther scholar cited five basic ironies of the period. They are:
- Political irony.
- Intellectual irony.
- Organizational irony.
- Theological irony.
- ● Theological irony.
● Eumonical irony.
- Ecumenical irony.
HE SAID THE "supreme irony" of the Reformation is: "What was launched in the church and by a churchman will now have to be carried on, as indeed it was, by a university professor."
He quoted Luther as calling himself "a doctor in a free university."
"What football brings to the modern university." Pelikan said, "theology brought to the 16th-century university.
"Only by careful scholarship, where theology participates in humanistic study at the university, can the meaning of the Reformation be properly understood."
REFORMERS BELIEVED they were in the "vanguard of intellectual and cultural life of the time.
"They did not see any conflict in 'Biblical humanism.' Yet their 'humanism' was in many ways reactionary."
This has undergone "another twist," he said, "and Reformation helped to bring the modern university into being and thus to institutionalize the dialogue between theology and other disciplines.
"Politically the Reformation was a protest against the tyranny of Rome."
HE SAID IT WAS ironic that the Reformation "allied itself with the fresh, young, new power of European life." But, he said, later history showed this power could also be abused.
A principle accusation against Reformers was that they were introducing unheard-of novelties instead of the old faith. However, he said, since 1854, Protestantism has been accused of being primitivistic instead of developmental.
"Yet the Reformation also did more than anyone else to introduce historical method into theology."
Pelikan said reformers criticized and lampooned the organizational structures.
"The Reformation declared the Gospel can speak of itself by itself. Four and one-half centuries later we are saddled in massive Protestantism ecclesiastical structures.
"YET EVEN AS it has spawned organizations, the Reformation has remembered that they are neither ultimate nor irreformable."
The Reformation claimed to bring the church "back to the true ground of unity," he said. He cited the current profusion of Christian sects today.
"Nevertheless, the Reformation also becomes a principle source both of the zeal for reunion and of the insights needed for it."
Daily Kansan
3
Wednesday, February 22, 1967
- LOOK into the engineering opportunities open in rural electrification and telephony
- ASK your Placement Office for pamphlets telling what the Rural Electrification Administration offers for a challenging career with all advantages of Federal Civil Service
- SIGN UP for a personal interview with the RSA Recruiting Representative who will be at your Placement Office February 27,1967
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