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Papers by Vidar L. Haanes

Mission Studies, 2002

In this article, veteran Tanzania missionary Fergus King reflects on the connection between missi... more In this article, veteran Tanzania missionary Fergus King reflects on the connection between mission and theological education. "Mission" is primarily God's mission, participation in which is constitutive of the church's very nature. In today's debate, "theological education" is pulled between a commitment to a more "holistic" approach (paideia) and a more academic approach (Wissenschaft), and while it needs both it also must take into account local context: location, culture, language and worldview. When context is taken into account, theological education cannot but be mission-oriented, since its goal becomes an education that aims at a faithful and relevant communication of the gospel to fellow Christians and non-Christians, both locally and universally. King concludes with some reflections on the nature of theological authority: ultimately authority resides in the entire church, past and present. Theological education, therefore, is aimed...

Journal of Reformed Theology, 2011

Jin Heung Kim's concern in this dissertation is to examine Peter Martyr's (PM) use of the Fathers... more Jin Heung Kim's concern in this dissertation is to examine Peter Martyr's (PM) use of the Fathers and the Medievals against the Lutheran doctrine of ubiquity, represented by the teaching of Johann Brenz. In the first chapter Kim gives an introduction to the intellectual roots of PM, distancing himself from the thesis of Armstrong and Donnelly, who focused on PM's scholastic (Aristotelian) background. Further he gives a short history of the Eucharistic controversies in the Early and Medieval Church, using this as a tool to explain PM's arguments against the Romanist and Lutheran doctrines on the Lord's Supper. We also get a short bibliographical essay. In the second chapter Kim studies PM's doctrine of the Lord's Supper and his involvement in the Eucharistic controversies, and his impact among Reformed theologians. In the third chapter he analyses PM's use of the Fathers and some medieval theologians in the treatises Tractatio and Dialogus. Jin Heung Kim has developed a "new method" for statistical survey, "a double approach" to the material, meaning a "quantitative as well as qualitative" discussion. In practise this means that he is counting the frequency of the citations as well as determining the "relative gravity that PM ascribed to each of them in the Eucharistic treatise". On the basis of the statistical data, he analyzes the purpose, principles and characteristics of PM's use of the Fathers and Medievals. In the fourth chapter Kim compares PM's use of the Fathers against Johann Brenz, his Lutheran "adversary". He hopes to "find a way to evaluate PM's use of the Fathers in a just and fair manner". In the conclusion he tries to answer the questions raised in the prolegomena: How did PM's use of the Fathers and the Medievals make a difference to his doctrine of the Lord's Supper and to the way the Reformed and the Lutherans diverged? The dissertation of Jin Heung Kim is a good tool for other Reformation scholars, especially the material he brings forth. I am impressed by his close reading of PM's treatises on the Eucharist, and of his statistical work. He is generally well informed, even if I miss the recent J. Zuidema: Peter Martyr Vermigli (1499-1562) and the outward instruments of divine grace (V&R, 2008). And, as Melanchthon is seen as a hero both by PM and Kim, it is surprising that there is no reference to E.P.Meijering's Melanchthon and Patristic Thought (Brill 1983). Kim says: "Melanchthon's profound respect for the authority of the Church Fathers is outstanding" (218); and further: "Melanchthon was an important paragon against such partisan preference and the arrogant and imperious attitude of the other Lutherans" (135). PM even puts Melanchthon among the Church Fathers, with equal authority. The reason is Melanchthon's "agreement with Biblical teaching". E. P. Meijering concluded his book with a passage on "the strength and weakness of Melanchthon's theology". In Kim's dissertation I find a lot about the strength of PM's theology, but hardly anything about the weakness. I miss an evaluation of PM's criteria for choosing citations from the Fathers. But probably the main criterion is that the citations support his theology against his adversaries-as was the method for most of the reformers, including Luther. Kim is often one-sided in his description and evaluation. He is "surprised to see that the right wing Lutherans were so stubborn and obstinate in following Luther to the extent that

Handbook of Theological Education in World Christianity

The life and work of Caspar Schwenckfeld (1489–1561), the reformer of Silesia, resulted in a para... more The life and work of Caspar Schwenckfeld (1489–1561), the reformer of Silesia, resulted in a paragraph of condemnation in the Formula of Concorde, and a denomination still existing: The Schwenckfeldians. Schwenckfeld was deeply influenced by the writings of Martin Luther, and in 1521 he convinced Duke Friedrich of Liegnitz, Silesia of the need for reformation. It became clear that Schwenckfelds’s theology parted from Luther’s in the understanding of justification, satisfaction and the bondage of the will. Schwenckfeld focused on «Erkenntnis Christi», the experiential knowledge of Christ given to the believers, leading to insight in divine mysteries and true knowledge in matters of faith. Schwenckfeld sought the inner spiritual truth that would lead Christians to real understanding of the Lord's Supper. Through his resurrection, Christ unites himself inwardly with the believers so that his spiritual, resurrected flesh and blood become their food. The Lord’s Supper is truly an eating and drinking of spiritual bread and wine. Thus the Divine seed of life within them receives nourishing, causing this divine life to soak man’s entire being with Christ. Schwenckfeld’s Christology seems to be rooted in neo-platonic ontology and epistemology, even if he argued that his special insight in the mutual relation of the three Persons in the Trinity was part of «Erkenntnis Christi», given him by the Spirit. In 1529 Schwenckfeld went into exile in Strasbourg, living in the house of Wolfgang Capito. His theology was condemned by the Protestants at Schmalcald in 1540. He spent several years on the run, and died in Ulm 1561.

In this article, we discuss the push and pull factors for Haugeans to join the first, organized e... more In this article, we discuss the push and pull factors for Haugeans to join the first, organized emigration from Norway to America in 1825. The Haugeans represented early revival Christianity with the personal, religious choice, and responsibility for their own lives and future both here and beyond. The social relations were lifted out of the traditional, steadfast class society, and were reorganized and linked to the society of friends. The Haugeans’ training in social mobility is an important prerequisite for emigration. We look into the development of Haugeanism in the Norwegian settlements, from the first, vital role of the Haugean preachers to the gradual institutionalization in the late 1840s. Both synods and colleges bore Hans Nielsen Hauge’s name in America. The Haugean synods gradually became more marginalized towards the turn of the 19th century, as most Norwegian-Americans chose to join other Norwegian synods. Hans Nielsen Hauge nevertheless retained a central place in the...

Teologiens historie fra oldkirken til var egen tid har vaert preget av en viss spenning mellom de... more Teologiens historie fra oldkirken til var egen tid har vaert preget av en viss spenning mellom den vitenskapelig-teoretiske (skolastiske) og den praktiskkirkelige (monastiske), ofte uttrykt som spenningen mellom kirken og akademiet, teologien og den allmenne vitenskapskultur. Denne artikkelen gir en historisk gjennomgang av denne problematikken fra middelalderen til nytiden. Dagens debatt om teologiens kirkelige funksjon og forankring gar tilbake til kloften mellom monastisk og skolastisk teologi pa 1100-tallet, viderefores i teologiens utvikling pa 1500-tallet og frem til Schleiermacher-resepsjonen i tysk og skandinavisk teologi i nytiden.

Studia Theologica Nordic Journal of Theology, Apr 17, 2007

Page 1. Christological Themes in Luther's Theology Vidar L. Haanes Theologians from Bell... more Page 1. Christological Themes in Luther's Theology Vidar L. Haanes Theologians from Bellarmino and Gregor of Valencia to Yves M.-J. Congar have questioned different aspects of Luther's Christology in relation to Catholic tradition. ...

Studia Theologica Nordic Journal of Theology, Apr 17, 2007

Page 1. Christological Themes in Luther's Theology Vidar L. Haanes Theologians from Bell... more Page 1. Christological Themes in Luther's Theology Vidar L. Haanes Theologians from Bellarmino and Gregor of Valencia to Yves M.-J. Congar have questioned different aspects of Luther's Christology in relation to Catholic tradition. ...

Mission Studies, 2002

In this article, veteran Tanzania missionary Fergus King reflects on the connection between missi... more In this article, veteran Tanzania missionary Fergus King reflects on the connection between mission and theological education. "Mission" is primarily God's mission, participation in which is constitutive of the church's very nature. In today's debate, "theological education" is pulled between a commitment to a more "holistic" approach (paideia) and a more academic approach (Wissenschaft), and while it needs both it also must take into account local context: location, culture, language and worldview. When context is taken into account, theological education cannot but be mission-oriented, since its goal becomes an education that aims at a faithful and relevant communication of the gospel to fellow Christians and non-Christians, both locally and universally. King concludes with some reflections on the nature of theological authority: ultimately authority resides in the entire church, past and present. Theological education, therefore, is aimed...

Journal of Reformed Theology, 2011

Jin Heung Kim's concern in this dissertation is to examine Peter Martyr's (PM) use of the Fathers... more Jin Heung Kim's concern in this dissertation is to examine Peter Martyr's (PM) use of the Fathers and the Medievals against the Lutheran doctrine of ubiquity, represented by the teaching of Johann Brenz. In the first chapter Kim gives an introduction to the intellectual roots of PM, distancing himself from the thesis of Armstrong and Donnelly, who focused on PM's scholastic (Aristotelian) background. Further he gives a short history of the Eucharistic controversies in the Early and Medieval Church, using this as a tool to explain PM's arguments against the Romanist and Lutheran doctrines on the Lord's Supper. We also get a short bibliographical essay. In the second chapter Kim studies PM's doctrine of the Lord's Supper and his involvement in the Eucharistic controversies, and his impact among Reformed theologians. In the third chapter he analyses PM's use of the Fathers and some medieval theologians in the treatises Tractatio and Dialogus. Jin Heung Kim has developed a "new method" for statistical survey, "a double approach" to the material, meaning a "quantitative as well as qualitative" discussion. In practise this means that he is counting the frequency of the citations as well as determining the "relative gravity that PM ascribed to each of them in the Eucharistic treatise". On the basis of the statistical data, he analyzes the purpose, principles and characteristics of PM's use of the Fathers and Medievals. In the fourth chapter Kim compares PM's use of the Fathers against Johann Brenz, his Lutheran "adversary". He hopes to "find a way to evaluate PM's use of the Fathers in a just and fair manner". In the conclusion he tries to answer the questions raised in the prolegomena: How did PM's use of the Fathers and the Medievals make a difference to his doctrine of the Lord's Supper and to the way the Reformed and the Lutherans diverged? The dissertation of Jin Heung Kim is a good tool for other Reformation scholars, especially the material he brings forth. I am impressed by his close reading of PM's treatises on the Eucharist, and of his statistical work. He is generally well informed, even if I miss the recent J. Zuidema: Peter Martyr Vermigli (1499-1562) and the outward instruments of divine grace (V&R, 2008). And, as Melanchthon is seen as a hero both by PM and Kim, it is surprising that there is no reference to E.P.Meijering's Melanchthon and Patristic Thought (Brill 1983). Kim says: "Melanchthon's profound respect for the authority of the Church Fathers is outstanding" (218); and further: "Melanchthon was an important paragon against such partisan preference and the arrogant and imperious attitude of the other Lutherans" (135). PM even puts Melanchthon among the Church Fathers, with equal authority. The reason is Melanchthon's "agreement with Biblical teaching". E. P. Meijering concluded his book with a passage on "the strength and weakness of Melanchthon's theology". In Kim's dissertation I find a lot about the strength of PM's theology, but hardly anything about the weakness. I miss an evaluation of PM's criteria for choosing citations from the Fathers. But probably the main criterion is that the citations support his theology against his adversaries-as was the method for most of the reformers, including Luther. Kim is often one-sided in his description and evaluation. He is "surprised to see that the right wing Lutherans were so stubborn and obstinate in following Luther to the extent that

Handbook of Theological Education in World Christianity

The life and work of Caspar Schwenckfeld (1489–1561), the reformer of Silesia, resulted in a para... more The life and work of Caspar Schwenckfeld (1489–1561), the reformer of Silesia, resulted in a paragraph of condemnation in the Formula of Concorde, and a denomination still existing: The Schwenckfeldians. Schwenckfeld was deeply influenced by the writings of Martin Luther, and in 1521 he convinced Duke Friedrich of Liegnitz, Silesia of the need for reformation. It became clear that Schwenckfelds’s theology parted from Luther’s in the understanding of justification, satisfaction and the bondage of the will. Schwenckfeld focused on «Erkenntnis Christi», the experiential knowledge of Christ given to the believers, leading to insight in divine mysteries and true knowledge in matters of faith. Schwenckfeld sought the inner spiritual truth that would lead Christians to real understanding of the Lord's Supper. Through his resurrection, Christ unites himself inwardly with the believers so that his spiritual, resurrected flesh and blood become their food. The Lord’s Supper is truly an eating and drinking of spiritual bread and wine. Thus the Divine seed of life within them receives nourishing, causing this divine life to soak man’s entire being with Christ. Schwenckfeld’s Christology seems to be rooted in neo-platonic ontology and epistemology, even if he argued that his special insight in the mutual relation of the three Persons in the Trinity was part of «Erkenntnis Christi», given him by the Spirit. In 1529 Schwenckfeld went into exile in Strasbourg, living in the house of Wolfgang Capito. His theology was condemned by the Protestants at Schmalcald in 1540. He spent several years on the run, and died in Ulm 1561.

In this article, we discuss the push and pull factors for Haugeans to join the first, organized e... more In this article, we discuss the push and pull factors for Haugeans to join the first, organized emigration from Norway to America in 1825. The Haugeans represented early revival Christianity with the personal, religious choice, and responsibility for their own lives and future both here and beyond. The social relations were lifted out of the traditional, steadfast class society, and were reorganized and linked to the society of friends. The Haugeans’ training in social mobility is an important prerequisite for emigration. We look into the development of Haugeanism in the Norwegian settlements, from the first, vital role of the Haugean preachers to the gradual institutionalization in the late 1840s. Both synods and colleges bore Hans Nielsen Hauge’s name in America. The Haugean synods gradually became more marginalized towards the turn of the 19th century, as most Norwegian-Americans chose to join other Norwegian synods. Hans Nielsen Hauge nevertheless retained a central place in the...

Teologiens historie fra oldkirken til var egen tid har vaert preget av en viss spenning mellom de... more Teologiens historie fra oldkirken til var egen tid har vaert preget av en viss spenning mellom den vitenskapelig-teoretiske (skolastiske) og den praktiskkirkelige (monastiske), ofte uttrykt som spenningen mellom kirken og akademiet, teologien og den allmenne vitenskapskultur. Denne artikkelen gir en historisk gjennomgang av denne problematikken fra middelalderen til nytiden. Dagens debatt om teologiens kirkelige funksjon og forankring gar tilbake til kloften mellom monastisk og skolastisk teologi pa 1100-tallet, viderefores i teologiens utvikling pa 1500-tallet og frem til Schleiermacher-resepsjonen i tysk og skandinavisk teologi i nytiden.

Studia Theologica Nordic Journal of Theology, Apr 17, 2007

Page 1. Christological Themes in Luther's Theology Vidar L. Haanes Theologians from Bell... more Page 1. Christological Themes in Luther's Theology Vidar L. Haanes Theologians from Bellarmino and Gregor of Valencia to Yves M.-J. Congar have questioned different aspects of Luther's Christology in relation to Catholic tradition. ...

Studia Theologica Nordic Journal of Theology, Apr 17, 2007

Page 1. Christological Themes in Luther's Theology Vidar L. Haanes Theologians from Bell... more Page 1. Christological Themes in Luther's Theology Vidar L. Haanes Theologians from Bellarmino and Gregor of Valencia to Yves M.-J. Congar have questioned different aspects of Luther's Christology in relation to Catholic tradition. ...