Rev. Dr. John Scheck+

On Sunday night I learned that Dr. John Scheck died on Christmas Eve. Some of us had him as our beloved professor at Concordia University, Portland, Ore. He was my academic adviser, and I think I took every course he offered during those four undergraduate years (1980-1984), e.g., freshman humanities, several courses in American history, one on American thought and culture, and his introduction to philosophy. In addition to being a great teacher, he was an excellent preacher and musician. He wrote the lyrics for the school song. (A few decades later, he also composed a hymn for my son's baptism.)

John was among the shining stars that Dr. Thomas Coates, president of Concordia, Portland, brought to the school during his tenure (1946-1957). People called those faculty members "Tommy's boys." In addition to John, that illustrious group included Art Wahlers ("Mr. Concordia"), Don Lorenz, Dick Reinisch, Karl Keller, George Weller, Al Roth, and Hans Spalteholz.

When I started teaching at my alma mater, John helped to mentor me. (It took me a while to become comfortable using the first names of people who had been my esteemed professors just a few years earlier. They kept insisting that I was now their colleague, not merely their former student, and that I should thus call them by their Christian names, but every now and then I still referred to them as "Dr." or "Prof.") John graciously gave me many of his course notes and teaching aids, and he kindly took time to offer advice on how to deal with various higher-ed situations. 

(When Martin Marty received an honorary degree from Concordia, John served as the M.C. at one of the accompanying events--Marty had been John's resident assistant [is the right term "dorm buck"?] at Concordia College, Milwaukee, Wis. Needless to say, that evening we learned some new things about Marty and about John that we hadn't known before. Indeed, I need to underscore that John is the one who introduced me to Marty's writings when I was an undergraduate. In one of John's classes, we used a Marty book on American religions as one of our texts. I don't think I would have gone to the U. of Chicago had it not been for that introduction to Marty and for the encouragement that John Scheck and Hans Spalteholz gave me to go to there.)

I got to know John's first wife because she was a librarian at Concordia. I have known John's second wife, Nan, my whole life. She, her first husband, and their family spent a lot of time with our family when I was growing up in Salem, Ore. (Nan, whose father was Rev. Amos Schmidt [who served at St. Michael's, Portland, and was at one time the LCMS' campus pastor at U.C.L.A., and who was also a close friend of my grandfather Emil], is the baptismal sponsor for my sister.) Nan and John were joyfully married for more than thirty years.

In so many ways, John represented the best that the Missouri Synod produced among its clergy in the twentieth century. Today, more than one of my former classmates has commented that Dr. Scheck helped them to know what the gospel is and how to preach it effectively. Many of us are remembering sermons he preached in Concordia's Chapel of the Upper Room and at St. Michael's. His wry humor always helped to bring a little spice to the message he shared.

John was a gentleman and a scholar. He was a kind man--and a forgiving grader of freshmen term papers (!). Always prepared to offer a quick and witty reply to an offhand comment by one of his conversation partners, John modeled the kind of Christian humanism he hoped his students would embrace, one that would resist the inroads of Protestant fundamentalism in the church body that he served, but also one that would maintain the essential, mandatory content of the classic Christian faith. Needless to say, his relationship to the Missouri Synod was always tenuous, especially after 1969, and he wasn't too surprised when some of his former students were eventually pushed out of the LCMS. (His funeral will be taking place at the main ELCA church in Salem.)

I will always be grateful for all that Dr. Scheck taught me, and for how he did that teaching and preaching. I am so grateful for the mentoring he later provided. I wouldn't be where I am today were it not for him and his example.

Here is a link to his obituary:

https://www.dignitymemorial.com/obituaries/salem-or/john-scheck-11078414

Precious in the eyes of the Lord is the death of his saints. May John rest in the peace of the Lord, and may the Lord's light shine perpetually upon him.

Edmund Schlink's Ecumenical Dogmatics

I’m pleased to announce that Edmund Schlink’s Ecumenical Dogmatics will be published in early December, just in time for Christmas. It is coming out in hardcover in two half volumes (1277 pages total). The work is really the equivalent of four 320-page volumes of church doctrine. It is the culmination of Schlink’s many decades of ecumenical work and teaching (principally at Heidelberg University, where he established an ecumenical center after WWII). The work reflects his deep understanding of both Western and Eastern traditions of Christian doctrine and practice. (Schlink has influenced many American Lutheran theologians, including esp. Walt Bouman, Won Yong Ji, Robert Jenson, Carl Braaten, Eugene Skibbe, and others.) He was the principal Lutheran participant in the WCC in the 1950s, 60s, and early 70s, and he served as the official observer from the German Protestant Church at Vatican II, where he became a leading spokesperson for the non-Roman observers. 

    His dogmatics is the most significant summary of Christian doctrine written between Karl Barth’s Church Dogmatics and Wolfhart Pannenberg’s Systematic Theology. Indeed, his work contains material that is found in no other dogmatics text with which I am familiar. While Schlink is most known among Americans for his Theology of the Lutheran Confessions and his little book on baptism, his Ecumenical Dogmatics was his opus magnum. It has never been translated into another language until now. In its German form, it has continued to be an important resource for university theology students who are preparing for their exams in Christian doctrine. I’m hoping that the book will be read by American pastors, seminarians, and graduate students, but given the editorial notes that are unique to the American Edition, I think even lay people will find its content accessible and edifying.

Pannenberg (who was Schlink’s assistant for many years), wrote the preface. One of the two forewords was written by Schlink’s long-time friend, the Roman Catholic theologian Heinrich Fries. The other foreword was written by another of Schlink’s friends and WCC associates, the Greek Orthodox theologian Nikos Nissiotis. The afterword is by one of Schlink’s last assistants, Michael Plathow. In addition to serving as the principal translator (assisted by Hans Spalteholz, Robin Lutjohann, Mark Seifrid, Ellie Wegener, and Ken Jones), I wrote the 25-page introduction and all of the editorial notes (more than 500 of them). 

The abiding strength of the work is the way in which Schlink brings theological insights from all of the principal church fathers and subsequent key theologians (both Eastern and Western) into conversation with one another, identifying points of convergence and areas of ongoing disagreement (and suggesting ways forward for overcoming the differences/historic conflicts). While Luther is clearly Schlink’s most important non-biblical influence, other thinkers who receive significant attention include Irenaeus, Augustine, the Cappadocians, Cyril of Jerusalem, John of Damascus, Gregory of Palamas, Anselm, Aquinas, Calvin, but also Schlink’s most important contemporaries (e.g., Barth, Bultmann, Rahner [who was also a friend, as were Ratzinger and Kueng, who also make appearances in the book], Fries, and the principal Orthodox participants in the WCC). So the book is not only a contemporary summary of the Christian faith but also an excellent resource for gaining a deeper understanding of the history of Christian doctrine. There are more than 2000 Scripture references, but Schlink also draws heavily upon the Lutheran confessional writings and other historic confessions in the history of the churches. 

I’m hoping that the book might be used in ecumenical study groups or as a text that invites theological dialogue among pastors and other church leaders. It could serve as a discussion starter for a set of pastoral circuit meetings. I’m hoping that at least a few professors of systematic theology will use the book in their teaching, and perhaps will even assign it as a text for their seminarians or graduate students. And I do think that the work could serve as a kind of “refresher course” in Christian doctrine for pastors and other church leaders.

The book is now available to be pre-ordered: 

https://www.vandenhoeck-ruprecht-verlage.com/detail/index/sArticle/57719

Also on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Ecumenical-Confessional-Writings-Dogmatics/dp/3525560753/ref=sr_1_1?crid=ZJH7VMB0D6S5&keywords=schlink+ecumenical+dogmatics&qid=1665606738&qu=eyJxc2MiOiIwLjAzIiwicXNhIjoiMC4wMCIsInFzcCI6IjAuMDAifQ%3D%3D&sprefix=%2Caps%2C316&sr=8-1

If someone wants to order a review copy, it will be available through V&R’s American distributor in Bristol: tel. 860-584-6546

Even if you don’t want to add this important resource to your personal theological library, may I encourage you at least to encourage your regional church-related college or seminary library to add the book to its holdings? Or perhaps to your congregation's library? 

May I also encourage you to share the above links and phone number with professors and pastors whom you know who might want to purchase the book or review it for a journal?

Given the book’s size and quality, it is reasonably priced. (Comparable volumes by Barth and Pannenberg are more expensive, at least according to what I saw this morning on Amazon.) Whatever proceeds I receive from the sale of the book will be given to charities, e.g., Bright Stars of Bethlehem, the Red Cross, Habitat for Humanity, as well as local Lutheran congregations.

Here is a sampling from the table of contents:

Chapter I: The Knowledge of God
1. Beginning with the Gospel of Jesus Christ
2. The Hiddenness of God in the Gospel
3. The Revelation of the Divine Mystery
4. The Knowledge of God by Faith
5. The Knowledge of God as Being Known by the Triune God
Chapter II: The Knowledge of the World
1. The Self-Knowledge of the Human Being
2. The Knowledge of Other Human Beings
3. The Knowledge of the History of Humanity
4. The Knowledge of the Universe
5. Believing and Knowing
Chapter III: The Knowledge of God and the Doctrine of God
1. The Basic Forms of the Theological Statement
2. Structural Issues Regarding the Dogmatic Statement
Excursus: The Relationship between the Theological and Philosophical Analysis of Language
3. The Task of an Ecumenical Dogmatics
4. The Doctrine of the Acts of God
5. Theology as Doxology
6. Anthropology as Repentance
7. The Organization of Dogmatics

FIRST PART
The Doctrine of Creation
Chapter IV: The Creation of the World
Introduction: The Starting Point for the Doctrine of Creation
1. The Freedom of God the Creator
2. The Act of Creation in the Beginning
3. The Universe
4. The Purpose of Creation
5. The Originally Good Creation
6. The Order of Creation
7. God’s Continuous Creative Action
Chapter V: The Purpose of the Human Being
Introduction to Chapters V-VII: The Starting Point for the Doctrine about Human Beings
1. The Response That Is the Image of God
2. The Community That Is the Image of God
3. The Dominion That Is the Image of God
4. The Life That Is the Image of God
5. Origin and Purpose
Chapter VI: The Failure of the Human Being
1. Turning Away from God
2. Imprisonment in Guilt
3. The Urge to Sin
4. The Dominion of Sin
5. The Judgment into which Human Beings Have Fallen: Death
6. Origin and Failure
Chapter VII: The Preservation of the Human Being
1. The Preservation of the Sinner in the Midst of Having Fallen into Judgment
2. The Witness of God through the Works of Creation
3. The Commandment of the Preserver
4. The Establishing of Just Authority
5. The Conservation of the Distorted Image of God
Chapter VIII: The Preservation of the World
1. The Corruption within the Creation
2. The Service of the Angels
3. The Dominion of the Powers of Corruption
4. The Judgment into which the World Has Fallen: The End
5. The Time of Divine Patience
Chapter IX: The Governance of the World
1. God’s Dominion over World History
2. The Hiddenness of God in World History
3. The Mystery of World History: Jesus Christ and the New Creation
4. The Revealed Action of God through the Gospel
5. The Humiliation of God in His Governance of the World
6. Theodicy
7. Providence
Chapter X: The Confession of God the Creator
1. God the Father, the Creator
2. God the Eternal Father

SECOND PART
The Doctrine of Redemption
Chapter XI: The Old Testament Law
Introduction to Chapters XII and XIII: The Exaltation of Jesus as the Presupposition for the Doctrine of the Humiliation of the Son of God
1. The Honorific Titles of Jesus
2. The History of Jesus as the Basis for His Honorific Titles
3. The Reversed Sequence of the History and the Recognition of Jesus Christ
4. Historical Investigation into the Earthly Jesus
5. The Apostolic Message as the Basis of Faith
6. The History of Jesus and Christological Dogma
7. The Organization of Christology
Chapter XII: The Humiliation of the Son of God
Chapter XIII: The Exaltation of Jesus
Summary of Chapters XII and XIII: The Doctrine of the Threefold Office of Jesus Christ
Chapter XIV: The New Testament Gospel
Summary of Parts A and B: God’s Action of Grace and Human Action
Chapter XV: Baptism
Chapter XVI: The Lord’s Supper
The Conclusion to Chapters XIV-XVI: The Richness of God’s Action of Grace and the Number of Sacraments
Summary of Chapters XI-XVI: The Distinction between Law and Gospel
Chapter XVII: The Confession of God the Redeemer
1. Jesus the Redeemer
2. The Eternal Son
3. “Truly God and Truly a Human Being”

THIRD PART
The Doctrine of the New Creation
Chapter XVIII: The Outpouring of the Holy Spirit
Chapter XIX: The Church
Chapter XX: Spiritual Gift and Ministerial Office
Chapter XXI: The Preservation of the Church
Introduction: The Indestructibility of the Church
A. Holy Scripture
B. Confession
C. Church Order
Chapter XXII: The Unity of the Church and the Disunity of Christendom
1. The Dangers of Ecclesial Self-Preservation
2. The Scandal of a Disunited Christendom
3. The Question Concerning the One Church in a Disunited Christendom
4. Jesus Christ, the Lord of the Traditions of Christendom
5. Apostolic Tradition and the Traditions of Christendom
6. Recognizing the One Church in a Disunited Christendom
7. Representing the One Church in the Unification of the Separated Churches
Chapter XXIII: The Consummation of the New Creation
Chapter XXIV: The Confession of God the New Creator
1. The Holy Spirit, the New Creator
2. The Eternal Spirit of God

FOURTH PART
The Doctrine of God
Chapter XXV: The Adoration of God
Chapter XXVI: The Triune God
Introduction to Chapters XXVII-XXIX: The Holy God and the Doctrine of the Divine Attributes
Chapter XXVII: The Lord
Chapter XXVIII: The All-Consuming God
Chapter XXIX: The Self-Giving God

CONCLUDING PART
Chapter XXX: God’s Decree of Love
1. Solely by Grace
2. The Eternal Decree of the Triune God
3. The Issue of Double Predestination
4. Election
5. Rejection
6. The Incommensurability between God’s Electing and Rejecting
Excursus: On the Issue of the Theological Syllogism
7. The Warning to the Church and the Invitation to the World