evangelium

1
Evangelium in Corde sive ex Corde? The Actuality
of a Discussion between Erasmus, Luther and
Driedo Marcel Gielis 15 January 2010
2
Introduction

• - spirituality
• - 'evangelium in corde'
• the three authors
• Desiderius Erasmus of Rotterdam (1469-1536)
• Martin Luther (1483-1546)
• John Driedo(ens) (ca. 1480 - 1535)
• - breaches and bridges
• - in the light of Yves Congar, Vraie et fausse
  Réforme dans l'Eglise (1950)

3
(No Transcript)
4
(No Transcript)
5
Augustine and Thomas Aquinas Altarpiece of
the Louvain faculty of Divinity
6
(No Transcript)
7
three parts 1) the origin, the use and the
meaning of the concept 'evangelium in corde' 2)
the attitude of the three theologians towards
this concept 3) evaluation in the light of
Congar's vision of the relationship of
Catholicism and Protestantism conclusion
evangelium in corde sive ex corde
8
1) The concept 'Evangelium in corde'
9
Origin in the framework of the contrast between
a/the old and a/the new Alliance - "Dabo legem
meam in visceribus eorum, et in corde eorum, et
in corde eorum scribam eam" (Jer. 31, 33). - a
letter written "non in tabulis lapideis, sed in
tabulis cordis carnalibus" (2 Kor. 3, 2-3). -
Augustinus, De spiritu et littera (412) "Ibi in
tabulis lapideis digitus Dei operatus est, hic in
cordibus hominum". - Thomas Aquinas
10
Origin in the framework of a contrast between a
message that was laid down by oral tradition in
the hearts of believers and a message that has
been put in writ - Thomas Aquinas, S. Th., 3a,
quaest. 42, art. 4, c. "Respondeo dicendum
conveniens fuisse Christum doctrinam suam non
scripsisse. Primo quidem propter dignitatem
ipsius excellentiori enim doctori excellentior
modus doctrinae debetur. Et ideo Christo, tanquam
excellentissimo doctori, hic modus competebat, ut
doctrinam suam auditorum cordibus imprimeret ...
Scriptura enim ordinatur ad impressionem
doctrinae in cordibus auditorum, sicut ad finem.
Secundo, propter excellentiam doctrinae Christi,
quae litteris comprehendi non potest, ... Si
autem Christus scripto doctrinam suam mandasset,
nihil altius de ejus doctrina homines aestimarent
quam quod scriptura contineret".
11

• Use
• - In the context of the discussion about
  Scripture and Tradition
• James Latomus,
• Dialogus de tribus linguis (1519) 'evangelium in
  corde
• (in the anti-humanist polemic concerning the
  foundation of the Collegium Trilingue in Louvain)
• other 16th century theologians
• Möhler and Newman
• Carl Rogers
• standards "not in stone, but written from a human
  heart
• ( 'evangelium ex corde'!)

12
Sense the gospel in the heart 'lex Christi
mentalis 'oratio mentalis' - Emperor
Maximilian and Abbot Johannes Trithemius (1508)
a conceptual Revelation that is to be found in
the Tradition - Ted Schoof about the design
scheme of the Constitution Dei Verbum
"Revelation is considered as the communication of
a series of conceptual truths". gt Theology is
separated from spirituality.
13
2) The attitude of Erasmus, Luther and Driedo to
the 'Evangelium in corde'
14
Erasmus "Christi philosophia non
propositionibus tantum et ceremoniis, sed pectore
totaque vita referret" (Paraclesis). "Homines
... perperam ponunt pietatem in rebus
visibilibus, quae signa sunt fortasse pietatis,
non causa ... cum vera pietas sit in ipsis
animis" (Paraphrases). - Dogma and sacraments
are only signs, no causes of faith. -
evangelium ex corde
15
Luther "Spiritus sanctus ... nec dubia aut
opiniones in cordibus nostris scripsit, sed
assertiones "Sic placitum est Deo ut non sine
verbo, sed per verbum tribuat spiritum, ut nos
habeat suos cooperatores, dum foris sonamus, quod
intus ipse solus spirat (De servo
arbitrio). "Und inn diesen stuecken, so das
muendlich, eusserlich wort betreffen, ist fest
darauff zu bleiben, das Gott niemand seinem Geist
oder gnade gibt on durch oder mit dem vorgehend
eusserlichem wort, ... Darumb sollen und muessen
wir darauff beharren das Gott nicht wil mit uns
Menschen handeln, denn durch sein eusserlich wort
und Sacrament". (Schmalkaldische Artikel) - The
Gospel or the Word of God is external and workd
as Sacrament - 'evangelium in corde', or even
'evangelium in cor'
16
Driedo John Driedo speaks about the 'evangelium
in corde' in the treatise De scripturis et
dogmatibus ecclesiasticis. - The gospel in the
heart is the Revelation as present in the Church
in the shape of the Tradition. - The Tradition
is a sacramental reality. Gospel in the heart
in Driedo the Gospel or the Word of God in
Luther
17
3) Evaluation in the light of the vision of
Congar on the relationship of Catholicism and
Protestantism
18

• Congar
• Vraie et fausse réforme dans l'Église
• - distinction between the structure (singular),
  the structures (plural) and the life of the
  Church
• Catholicism
• Grace makes a move from the outside (through the
  external Word and Sacrament)
• to the inside (the inner life of the faithful)
• lt-gt Protestantism
• from the inside towards the outside
• La Tradition et les traditions (1960-63)

- Revelation and Tradition have a sacramental
structure. gt the dogmatic constitution Dei
Verbum of the Second Vatican Council
19
Erasmus, Luther and Driedo according to Congar's
typology Erasmus protestant Luther and Driedo
catholic mistake of Congar about the position
of Luther see woodcut Luther and
Driedo common spirituality
20
(No Transcript)
21
Conclusion
22
great merits of Erasmus in the field of a
positive theology
23
evangelium in corde lt-gt Erasmus evangelium ex
corde lt-gt Luther and Driedo evangelium in
cor Erasmus "a break with the past" more a
corrective than an alternative (Augustijn)