Friday, Sepbtmeber 28, 2007

The purpose of these questions is not to drive you crazy, but to allow you to identify the things you don't understand.

Invocavit sermons:

• What is the tone of this sermon?
• How are we both children of wrath and children of God?
• What are the respective functions of faith and love, and how do the exercise of these functions differ?
• What, then, is Luther's objection to the Wittenberger's abolishing of the mass?

Introduction to the German New Testament:

• What is the meaning of "testament"? of "gospel"?
• What is the relationship between the Old and the New Testament?
• Why does Luther privilege certain books of the New Testament over others?

Commentary on Galatians:

• What is the meaning of the distinction between active and passive righteousness?
• What is the purpose of the law? What are its limits?
• What is the meaning of the Catholic distinction between merit of congruity and merit of condignity? What of the teaching of "formal righteousness"?
• How does Luther reverse the scholastic valuation of faith and love?
• What is imputed righteousness?

Exsurge Domine is the papal bull condemning Luther's writings and an enumeration of his teachings. A "bull" is a decree; the term stems from the seal, or "bullus," which the pope attached to the decree. Thus in the film, when Luther burned the bull, there was a lingering shot of the red papal seal melting in the flames.

• What is so destructive about heresies?
• What is special about the German nation?
• Look carefully at the enumerated errors of Luther's writings, and try to discern what is being condemned and why. Pick out any that are either interesting or confusing to you that you'd like to discuss in class.
• What does the pope wish to accomplish in his proclamations?

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