Revelation

The word canon has multiple meanings. In the Christian context, it refers on the one hand to the Bible as a collection of sacred writings (cf. art. Scripture) and on the other hand to the foundation or elementary contents of the Christian faith. The relationship between the two is a topic handled within fundamental theology as well as within material dogmatics. The latter disciplines also deal with the biblical canon and biblical hermeneutics, where, in its function as Holy Scripture, the Bible has a normative status that is yet-to-be-determined more precisely not only in the context of proclamation and the life of the Church but also in all of the theological disciplines. However, the extent to which this applies to, and how it manifests itself concretely in, theological work is the subject of ongoing debate.

“I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy Christian church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the dead and eternal life.” This sentence forms the conclusion of the Apostles’ Creed (witnessed since 404), which is prayed in all Western traditions. It has a Trinitarian structure, i.e. it states what is meant by faith in God, the Creator (cf. art. Creation) and Father, in Jesus Christ and in the Holy Spirit. But doesn’t the third article of faith’s talk of the communion of saints, forgiveness of sins, resurrection of the dead and eternal life as an explanation for the Holy Spirit leave many believers rather perplexed? How can we understand the Holy Spirit?

The Hebrew and Greek words for spirit (ruach and pneuma) also stand for wind. Like the wind, the spirit “overcomes” people, it “descends.” It “takes hold” of both individuals and communities. However, as it is difficult to grasp, it is often regarded as a numinous, incomprehensible divine power. So is it pointless to strive for a clear understanding of God’s spirit? How can we make it clear that God’s Spirit, the Holy Spirit, is a very real power that liberates and uplifts people? He is an unconditionally good spirit and must be distinguished from all kinds of spirits and natural and cultural powers and forces among people. This cannot be achieved through a religiously exaggerated reference to the romance of nature. For even if the divine spirit with its “overcoming” can remind us of a pleasantly warming sun, a cooling wind or a longed-for rain, it must not be confused with natural and cosmic forces.[1] The sun can burn, storms and thunderstorms can destroy and kill. And all natural life inevitably lives at the expense of other life. In what other way can we seek to grasp the unconditionally good spirit of God, the Holy Spirit?
Biblical texts and stories can prevent us from getting stuck in our impressions: Forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the dead – these are just the fanciful speech bubbles of times past. Biblical orientation, especially in the texts of the Old Testament, leads us out of the tangle of ambiguities.

[1] Cf. Moltmann, Jürgen, Der Geist des Lebens. Eine ganzheitliche Pneumatologie, Gütersloh 2010. He wants to discover the spirit “in nature, in plants, in animals and in the earth’s ecosystems” (23), “to experience God in all things” (49ff.), translation by Michael Welker.

[2] Cf. Welker, Michael, Der Geist der Freiheit und die Freiheit des Geistes, in: Theologie im Gespräch. Jürgen Moltmann zum 95. Geburtstag, Bad Boll, 22.–24.10.2021, epd-Dokumentation 5, 2022, 7–12.

• Doctrine of God
• Pneumatology

Reference to the Bible as Holy Scripture is constitutive for Christianity in both praxis and theory and it plays a particularly important role in shaping identity within Protestantism. This is evident in its prominent status as canon. Since the Reformation, Protestant churches have regarded the Bible as the “rule and norm” (Formula of Concord, Art. I) of faith, towards which ecclesial life and theological teaching must be oriented. However, the manner in which this orientation towards the Bible is to be understood in the life of the churches and in the context of theological reflection remains controversial – both within Protestantism and among other denominations. In this respect, in contemporary Protestant dogmatics, Scripture is primarily viewed in terms of crisis. The debate surrounding the so-called “crisis of the Scripture principle” is a fundamental aspect of contemporary theological reflection on Scripture. To whom does Scripture apply, how, and in what respects? How do texts that must be interpreted historically relate to contemporary challenges? How should we deal with the plurality of Scripture and its interpretation?

• Ecclesiology
• Prolegomena

The term “Theologies of Religion” refers to the field within systematic theology that deals with the relationship of the Christian faith and the community of the faithful (Church) to other religions. It involves the examination of religious plurality in general as well as questions that emerge in relation to specific non-Christian religions (such as Islam).

• Prolegomena
• Religion
• Systematic Theology

The Christian faith lives by means of the passing on of its content. For centuries, the testimony of the revelation of God in Jesus Christ has been handed down both orally and in writing. Tradition is therefore a process of transmission (lat. tradere). In this process, Christians grapple with how to understand the passed-on content (lat. tradita, traditum). From this grappling emerged doctrines and creeds, rituals, and attitudes that likewise can be described as tradition. Even though the emergence of faith is not subject to human control, the transmission of the content of faith is a necessary medium through which faith can emerge. The question of tradition is therefore a foundational topic for theology. Yet it is one that has often only been dealt with marginally within Protestant dogmatics, primarily in the context of interdenominational controversies surrounding the question of the sources of theology and salvation. Protestant theology always determines the exact meaning of tradition in relation to the bible.

• Ecclesiology