A Review of Christ Present in Faith: Luther's View of Justification
by Tuomo Mannermaa
Mannermaa, operating out of a Finnish context, was driven to revisit Luther's understanding of justification in the context of a Lutheran-Orthodox ecumenical dialogue. In seeking a theological foundation on which to base the exchange, he found that divinization, theosis, the idea of becoming divine, that is so central to Orthodox understandings of salvation and justification, was not as foreign to Luther as is often assumed. Through his years of study and his careful reading of Luther's lecture notes and published text of his commentary on Galatians, he came to assert that not only is divinization not foreign to Luther, but it actually fits with Luther's own understanding in both vocabulary and theological shape, through the concept of Christ present in faith (in ipsa fide Christus adest).
As an entry into his argument, Mannermaa revisits the central Lutheran notion of the happy exchange. Luther famously asserts that Christ becomes the greatest sinner, taking upon the sins of the world, and that in faith believers become united with Christ and through this happy marriage take on the righteousness of Christ, with the communicatio iddiomatum at its climax. At this point Mannermaa is on well-traveled Lutheran territory. He then goes on to formulate Luther's break with the Christianity of is day as a contrast between "faith formed by love" and "faith formed by Christ." In the position Luther came to criticize (faith formed by love), love is understood as the divine reality, and faith is only elevated to this divine status as it is formed (brought into being) by that love; that is, faith leads a person to do the right works, love, and this love is righteous before God. Love, in effect, is the Law. In contrast to this position, Luther formulated the contrasting understanding as "faith formed by Christ." The true being of faith is not love, but is instead Christ. It is not by actions (love) that one does in faith that our being is elevated to the divine and we obtain righteousness, but instead, it is in Christ's presence in us in the faith that brings righteousness. It is not thorough the law, but through "participation in the divine life," that is through Christ, that we are justified. Here Mannermaa's argument reaches its pinnacle. Luther, echoing Paul's famous statement in Galatians that he no longer lives but that it is Christ living in him, asserts that in faith, Christ and the believer become one person, and, in fact, in this faith the Christian performs "good works" through the power of Christ. It is here that a new path seems to be trod in the understanding of Luther's theology, as sanctification and justification are brought closely together.
Mannermaa reflects on the Reformer's use of the parable of the tree and its fruit, and his assertion that it is only when a tree becomes good that it can produce good fruit. Likewise, when Christ is present in a sinner in faith, that person will bear fruit through the works of Christ. This idea is fleshed out as Mannermaa looks at "real righteousness" and "imputation." It is here that the truly revolutionary understanding of Luther's doctrine of justification becomes clear. The Formula of Concord, and much Luther scholarship after it, has been very strong in its assertion that sinners are justified by faith totally apart from works, and that thorough a forensic declaration, imputation, Christ's righteousness is made ours, and our sins are no longer taken to account before God. This, it has been emphasized, has absolutely nothing to do with the presence or absence of sin, but is totally the work of Christ totally apart from any "works" by the believer. Luther's famous phrase, simul iustus et peccator, simultaneously saint and sinner, is usually understood in just this way. This type of understanding usually provides the starting point for any discussion of justification. Here, Mannermaa acknowledges that Luther's simul has both "partim-partim" and a "totus-totus" aspects to it, in that we are both totally saint and totally sinner, and partly saint and partly sinner. Instead of starting with imputation as the seminal piece of justification, Mannermaa recreates Luther's understanding in a different way. It bears an extended quotation:
According to Luther, there are two factors constituting "Christian righteousness," namely, the "faith in the heart" and the "imputation of God." They relate to each other in the following way, to give a preliminary definition: faith is, in itself, a real righteousness (fides et iustitia formalis), even though it is, on the other hand, only initial righteousness. Namely, because faith is "weak," believers still have much sin in their "flesh," in their "old Adam." Because of these remaining sins it is necessary for justification that God "imputes" the righteousness of Christ to Christians.
Mannermaa as turned the understanding of Luther on justification on its head. Instead of starting with imputation, he ends with it, a truly innovative move with broad consequences. Through starting with the "real righteousness" of faith, the faith in which Christ is present, Luther has brought Christ directly into the heart of the believer, and his righteousness with him. In faith, Christ indwells the believer and this cannot but make them righteous and act righteously. Yet, it is not by our actions that we become justified before God, for it is the righteousness of Christ in us in, Christ who is present in faith itself, who makes these acts righteous. But we are still left with the sin that remains in the life of the believer, for even though there is righteous action, there is also the flesh which clings. It is for all of this remaining sin that Christ's righteousness is imputed to the believer, so that the sin is no longer sin before God. And because of the clinging of the flesh, and the struggle between the flesh and the Spirit, Luther has an understanding of progress, of improvement (successful "running") in overcoming the struggles of the flesh, though to the worldly eye it may only seem a crawling. The believer is still not righteous for anything he does or brings before God, but instead is made righteous by Christ who is in faith and who acts in us to bring about righteousness.
Mannermaa has put together an argument that certainly warrants a hearing by all who are concerned with Luther and his understanding of justification. For far too long, Luther's doctrine was so strongly interpreted along forensic lines that the believer didn't even seem to be involved at all, and in fact was saved only incidentally. Mannermaa calls us back to the power of salvation as the real presence of Christ in the life of the believer thorough faith. Justification is not merely a change in status, but is a whole new life, inspired by Christ and suffused with his presence.
Mannermaa's arguments resonate with the core themes of Luther's theology. He accounts for Luther's break with the church of his day, incorporates the happy exchange, and brings to the center the simul iustus et peccator. Yet, he also uplifts some oft forgotten themes, such as the partial aspects of the simul, and the gift character of justification, in addition to the favor character. To use other language, he keeps together the person and work of Christ. It is exciting to see the prospects that this can have for the reinvigoration of Lutheran theology and life. Through realizing the true presence of Christ in faith and the righteousness that Christ brings and forms in the believer, there is a new call to realize this power of Christ in our lives and in our churches, for we are truly empowered by Christ's Spirit to go forth renewed and changed and are called to overcome the sinful desires of the flesh, which no longer hold dominion over us. Lutherans can be called back to Paul's testimony that his pressing on toward the goal, and can press on with him in striving in faith. May this be a call to stop fearing "good works," but instead to claim them as Christ's works.
There are also some theological casualties as a result of Mannermaa's work. Not the least of these is the "two-kingdoms" doctrine. Traditionally, many in Lutheran theological circles have asserted that there is a strict division between the worldly and heavenly spheres, and that in the worldly sphere believers remain sinful, while in the heavenly sphere Christ's righteousness becomes our righteousness, is imputed to us. The Law has dominion over the worldly sphere, as it shows us our sin, and continues to hold sway over us, while in the heavenly sphere, we are not under the Law but through justification are under Christ. Reclaiming the real, ontological aspects of Luther's doctrine of justification means that this paradigm is brought under some suspicion. The heavenly and world can't be separated out so neatly. There is still sin in the life of the believer, and that sin is not counted against the believer though the imputation of the blood of Christ, but through Christ's presence in faith, the believer actually begins to fulfill the Law, righteousness comes into the worldly sphere, is incarnate in the faith. The doctrine of the two kingdoms has been on shaky ground, at least in its developed doctrinal status, for a while, and while it does convey some gospel truth, and it can rightly find a home in Lutheran theology, it is time that it was chastened and rethought. Bonhoeffer half a century ago cast profound doubts as to the usefulness of this doctrine, and it would seem to be no coincidence that Mannermaa's understanding of justification resonates well with Bonhoeffer's call to eradicate "cheap grace" from the church.
Christ Present in Faith, along with building bridges between the Lutheran and Orthodox churches, may also serve as an important link between Lutheran and more "evangelical" denominations. Mannermaa has reawakened the themes of the presence of Christ in the believer, a central them for many evangelicals, and of the power of the Spirit to bring about holiness and to struggle against the desires of the flesh. Christians today who stand in the lineage of the Puritains and Pietists can see, through Mannermaa's vision, a Luther who stands much closer to their hearts than the Luther that often has confronted them in the past. This may be an unintended consequence of this book, but I hope that as Lutherans reclaim some of this lost territory, evangelicals can find an unexpectedly congenial dialogue partner in Luther. They certainly will be the better for the renewed conversation.
Mannermaa has set out for us a very thoughtful and creative reassessment of this central doctrine of Luther's theology. With is frequent and extended quotations of Luther himself, he has made sure that the Reformer's voice comes through loud and clear. I don't think it could or should be said that in the end Luther understood justification as divinization or theosis. There are and remain differences between Luther's understanding and that of the traditional Orthodox church. Yet, I think Mannermaa has made a significant case for a clear resonance of themes between these two historic understandings of justification. Clearly, there is much held in common, and I think Mannermaa has achieved what he set out, in providing a common foundation for ecumenical dialogue between the Lutheran and Orthodox Churches. And I think he has achieved much more, for in this provocative assessment of Luther, he has elevated anew the power and presence of Christ. May this book be a tool for reformation and renewal, and bring awareness of Christ, who truly is present in faith.
Bloesch, Donald G. God the Almighty
Boyd, Greg and Paul Eddy Across the Spectrum
Grenz, Stanley Renewing the Center
Kaufman, Gordon In the beginning . . . Creativity
Kierkegaard, Soren For Self-Examination
Kierkegaard, Soren Practice in Christianity
McGrath, Alister Scientific Theology, vol. 1, Nature
McGrath, Alister Scientific Theology, vol. 2, Reality
McGrath, Alister Scientific Theology, vol. 3, Theory
Padgett, Alan Science and the Study of God
Peterson, Eugene Christ Plays in Ten Thousand Places
Pinnock, Clark Most Moved Mover & The Openness of God
Vanhoozer, Kevin First Theology
Wright, N.T. Jesus and the Victory of God
Science & Theology
Soren Kierkegaard