Encyclopedia of sacred theology - pagina 615

Chap. Ill]

more.

THE CHURCH AND THE OFFICE

§ 91.

It is

very different, on the other hand, with

churchly confession. is

a product of the

it

has revealed

An

life of

is

itself officially, i.e. in ecclesiastical assemblies,

it

first

Spirit.

Two

things are

First, the self-consciousness of

has developed

itself historically,

which, con-

the result of a spiritual experience and a spir-

itual struggle that

the

It

the Church, as in an ever richer form

contained in this confession. the Church, as

the

objective condition lies in this.

under the special guidance of the Holy

sequently,

591

fills

in the

gap between the present and

appearance of the Christian Church.

And

in the

second place, the result of the special leading of the Holy Spirit, vouchsafed in the course of ages to the Church, and

knowledge of God that has developed itself within her For this reason the theologian should not undervalue the confession of his Church, as if in it a mere opinion presented itself to him over against which, with equal if not with better right, he might place his opinion. The life of the Church, and the forming and reforming of her self-consciousScienness, is an action which is uninterruptedly continued. influence an and must exert does tific study unquestionably

to the pale.

but for this reason this action should not sacrifice company its independent character and motive of its own. charged with the public water-works may change the direction

upon

this,

A

of

some part of a river-bed by cutting

off

some needless bend company the

or obstructive turn, but this does not render the original creator of the river

who

causes

the same way, the scientific theologian

its

waters to flow.

may

In

exert a correc-

power here and there upon the confessional life of the this does not constitute him the man who sets That life pursues its own course, the this life in motion. stream of that life creates a bed for itself. To the theologian, therefore, the confession of his Church does not merely tive

Church, but

possess the presumption of truth fore

him clothed with authority

the

many

:

;

it

appears objectively be-

with that authority which

wield over the individual, with the authority ephemeral excitements with the

of the ages in the face of

;

authority of the office in distinction from personal

with the authority which

is

life

due to the churchly

;

life

and by

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