[xone]

The Lutheran Church has its founding upon the acceptance of the Book of Concord in 1580. The Bible and the BoC form the basis of the Lutheran denomination. As the BoC was adopted after the death of Luther, and contains NONE of his AS semitic writings, there is no need for the Lutheran church to condemn it, the Lutheran Church had no part in it. By its exclusion, it stands condemned. However, contemporaries of Luther spoke unfavorably of it and recommended the seven actions described not be implemented. And they weren't; so much for his 'followers' taking his AS advice. They wouldn't take it while he was alive, yet some would have us believe they would 400 yrs later.

I might ask the same of you vis a vis the Catholic church's condemnation of its 1500 year+ history of AS. Have they finally stopped or as shown through their history, have paused for a few years only to be resumed with a change in the leadership of the papacy?

While I don't believe in paying for the sin of another, the LCMS due to continued questions re JATL passed a resolution condemning it here: www.lucasjs.com/aohe.../LCMS-on-Luthers-anti-Semetic-Statements.doc

WELS here: http://www.wels.net/news-events/forward-in-christ/october-2013/luther-and-anti-semitism?page=0,1

Historically, the lack of inclusion of the treatise in the BoC demonstrates that 34 years after Luther's death the Lutheran church had condemned it.

Re: your links, Wiki, impressive. And yet even in your reference you'll note that while proposed, Luther had no power to implement them. From the link in #48, seven years AFTER Luther's death, Catholic decreed AS for 24 of the 53 years until 1605. Expulsions, confinement to ghettoes, distinctive clothing, book burnings, book bans, all under the the guidance of Catholic leadership. Three Popes and a Cardinal directing. Were they under Luther's spell? Were they 'strays' from the faith? Just executing 'Luther's blueprint'? Or following their own detestable practice?

Your reference to a Nazi is again noted, I'm sure he loved the Reformation as much as you. No doubt he has credibility in your eyes for that alone.

[af_vet_1981]

One of your links did not work. The other attempts to defend Luther, concluding "The Jews and Their Lies" did not "represent Luther at his best" as if he just had a bad day and gave a poor sermon. I see no apology, no remorse, and no repentance.

LUTHER AND ANTI-SEMITISM

Luther also wrote about Jews in sympathetic ways and rebuked European Christians for their treatment of Jews. Here's one example: "The fury of some Christians (if they are to be called Christians) is damnable. They imagine that they are doing God a service when they persecute the Jew most hatefully, think everything evil of them, and insult them. . . . Whereas, according to the example of this psalm (14:7) and that of Paul (Romans 9:1), a man ought to be most heartily sorry for them and continually pray for them. . . . They ought to attract them by all manner of gentleness, patience, pleading and care" (What Luther Says: An Anthology, Vol. 2, 683).

Luther's attitude is more accurately characterized as anti-Judaism rather than anti-Semitism. His opposition was not racial or ethnic, but theological. He was targeting people who persistently and vigorously rejected the truth of salvation through faith alone in Jesus the Messiah and Savior of the world. Luther wrote harshly against the Roman pope and his theological supporters for the same reason. Like everyone else, Luther was a child of his times. It's difficult for people today to put themselves into his historical context, yet it's unfair to judge him according to our standards of civility. Luther's language sounds cruel, but his opponents often used similar language, and literary style of the era included harsh ridicule, name calling, and deliberate excess.

Ultimately we must conclude that the treatise in question doesn't represent Luther at his best. We cannot endorse or excuse what he wrote. From a historical viewpoint, it should not surprise us that he sometimes shared unacceptable attitudes of his day. What is amazing is how often he rose above his times and advocated magnificent and eternal truth, most of all the full and free gospel of forgiveness.

Contributing editor Forrest Bivens, professor at Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary, Mequon, Wisconsin, is a member at Victory of the Lamb, Franklin.

Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels: For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not. Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee? Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me. And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.