Reflections of a New Missionary - Lutheran Society for Missiology

92 Missio Apostolica
and with His perspective. As the new translation of the Book of Concord will remind us,
Luther actually wrote "Was ist das", "What is that" not "What does it mean" The
catechism expresses actual facts, not interpretations, of the Christian faith.3 Creator God
is not distant (as is a common theme of folk religion). Rather He is the Father, who
creates and provides for all believers as His chldren; with no need for intermediary
saints, ancestors or spirits. Jesus Christ is victor through His sacrificial death and
resurrection over sin, death and the devil. No evil spirit in the woods, no witch, nor any
other spirit, can overpower Jesus. Not even consequences in daily life which might lead
to death need be feared, because death itself is no fear; no need for magical protection
charms or indulgences. The Holy Spirit calls, gives life and identity to God's people, His
family, which is the church. He enables them to live as children of God. These are but a
few of the applicable themes of the Small Catechism to the worldview of folk religion. In
addition, the Laxge Catechism is a veritable treasure trove of comfort for the soul coming
out of folk religion. For example, Luther is quite firm about Christ's rout over sin, death,
and the dew1 in the explanation of article two of the Apostle's Creed.
The Lutheran Worldview
What we rarely, if ever, speak about is the commitment to a specific worldview that'
unconditional subscription to the Lutheran Confessions involves. Very specific beliefs
(see "belief systems," p. 39) about God, man, sin, salvation, sacraments, life, death,
heaven, hell, etc., all of which guide practice, are put forward by the Confessions.
Unconditional subscription means promising not to adopt or mix in another worldview in
doctrine and life. A conditional subscription, or a viewpoint which holds the Confessions
as historical documents with which one may or may not agree, is likely caused by
scruples based on enlightenment or evolutionary models of society, religion, history and
the like. These models are the very Western presuppositions which Understanding Folk
Religion complains provided underpinnings for missionary theology and practice to
weaken the Gospel message and allowed the syncretization of public Christianity and
private paganism (Chapter 1). The Confessions were written by the reformers for
themselves and for their fellow Christians coming out of folk religion into God's
marvelous light, and they did not understand God's light as bound to their time.
Lutheran Theology Is Prepared, Are We
A little more evidence from Understanding Folk Religion of how the Lutheran
church ought to be prepared to minister to souls in folk religion: The authors bemoan the
typical evangelical smorgasbord of theology, and suggest the "overlooked" use of
catechisms (p. 253). Confessions are recommended to standardize beliefs for longer
periods of time (p. 253). It is even argued that catechisms and confessions can provide a
foundation for the next generation's revival. Standardized "rituals" (liturgy) is profitable
'See Gottfried G. Krodel, Append~x of "Luther's Work on the Catechism in the Context of Late Medieval
Catechet~cal Literature," CJ25:364-404.