The Holy Ministry

church and ministry 11
istry should be carried out. Normally this had to be a congregation.
Under the premises of a call extended to the candidate,
the pastoral office was transferred by ordination, which for
most parts of Germany took place at Wittenberg, not in the
“home” or future congregation of the ordinand. Luther himself
even ordained a bishop, namely Nicolaus von Amsdorf, at
Naumburg. This practice finally stopped altogether the consecration
of such priests who would never serve in the real ministry,
but would make their living by performing mere rites of
sacrificing in the mass.
To summarize Luther’s position, we find that he held the
following concept of the ministry:
a) It is a divinely instituted pastoral office, engaged in the
teaching of the Gospel and administration of the Sacraments,
rooted in the apostolate and by nature a service for others,
mandated to the church at large and acting on her behalf and
for her welfare.
b) It is strictly related to the Word of God, which it has to
proclaim.
c) Ordination confers the mandate of preaching the
Gospel, but does not confer privilege or an indelible character.
The rite of ordination is not to be isolated from the entire
process of placing someone into the ministry, but it is part of it
and is the final expression that the Triune God takes possession
of the ordinand. Ordination goes along with proper preparation
(education) and a call from a congregation or other
authorities (e.g., a sovereign, a city council or the like), acting
in behalf of the church at large.
d) It is finally God’s own call which becomes manifest in
the rite of ordination, in which the gifts of the Spirit are allotted
to the ordinand. Full exercise of the pastoral office requires
ordination.
e) Since the ministry is instituted for carrying out pastoral
functions necessary for salvation, these functions may be exercised
vicariously by unordained Christians—except for the celebration
of the Lord’s Supper (which should never be done by
anyone who is not ordained)—if emergency situations require.
f) The ministry, though basically one because of its one
essential function, can unfold and develop into a variety of
offices, as it is appropriate for the church. This is altogether de
jure humano. Respective structures and grades can therefore
change from time to time.
With this concept Luther restored the fundamental principles
of the New Testament without departing from the tradition
of the church deliberately or lightly. Instead he tried to
enlarge and apply it to the needs of his time.
THE DOCTRINE OF THE HOLY MINISTRY IN THE
LUTHERAN CONFESSIONS
It was primarily Melanchthon who cast these insights of
Luther into confessional formulations, of which the Augsburg
Confession of 1530 was the first, thereby making them the public
doctrine of the Lutheran Church.
We have to realize that the Augsburg Confession upholds
a twofold claim: 1) to be a true exposition of the biblical teaching,
fully in accord with the inspired Scriptures as the ultimate
source and norm of doctrine; and 2) to demonstrate the
catholicity of the Churches of the Augsburg Confession, i.e.,
their legitimacy relative to imperial law which gave legal status
only to those churches “catholic” in doctrine and practice.
Consequently the Augustana also had to furnish proof that its
concept of the ministry conformed to Scriptures and the
ancient church.
As for the rest, the Augustana does not
derive the office of the ministry from
the priesthood of the believers, but sees
it strictly as a divine institution.
Altogether this pastoral office is
declared necessary for the existence of
the church, and is an absolute
necessity. The minister functions “in
Christ’s place and stead”; he represents
“the person of Christ.”
The Augustana first discusses the ministry in Article V, giving
a general direction for understanding the ministry. Article
XIV contributes to the question of ordination, Article XXVIII
deals with “Ecclesiastical Power,” i.e., with the bishop’s authority.
This is the sequence in the final draft of the confession.
Historical priority however falls to Article XXVIII (which
received its final draft before all the other articles), classifying
Articles V and XIV as its theological basis and explanation.
These articles were subsequently delivered to set forth regulating
principles for practical reforms that had already taken place
and are referred to in Article XXIII, (cf. Wilhelm Maurer Historischer
Kommentar zur Confessio Augustana, Vol. I and II,
Gütersloher Verlagshaus Gerd Mohn, 1976/1978, pp. 73 ff.).
Articles V and XIV again have to be viewed in the context of preceding
and following articles as IV on “Justification,” VII and
VIII “On the Church,” XIII and XV on “The Use of the Sacraments”
and “Church Usages” respectively. Authentic comments
are to be found in the corresponding articles of the Apology.
The claim of the Augustana, to represent the ecclesia
catholica in pureness, provides us with something of a hermeneutical
key for an adequate interpretation: traditional positions,
structures and regulations which are not directly or indirectly
rejected or corrected may furthermore pass and rank as
legitimate articulations of the Lutheran understanding of the
ministry. No detailed definition and description of the ministry
is set forth; instead remarkable freedom is left for giving
expression to the doctrine on the ministry.
The Augustana speaks of the ministry in other than clerical
terms, characterizing the ministry as concerned only with serving
the church, not ruling over her. A clear distinction has to be made
between the “temporal sword” (i.e., secular, political power), given
to the bishops as a result of history, and their authentic spiritual
authority, which comes from God. The first has been bestowed
by emperors and kings and “has nothing to do with the office of