Faithfulness: Luther's vision of excellence in ministry.

Any discussion of ministry inspires a certain amount of passion in the church. Differing perspectives become readily apparent regarding the definition of ministry, its nature and sphere of responsibilities and its structure. The question of expectations also engenders substantial debate. That ministry remains a lively topic of conversation and an important concern within the church is confirmed by the fact that it has been chosen as the topic of our Leadership Conference this year and that you are participating in this Conference.

I have been invited to address the theme of excellence in ministry in light of Martin Luther's theological and practical insights, and I very much appreciate the invitation and the opportunity to do so. The Reformer is not only one of the most creative and influential theologians in the history of the church, he pursued his own ministry for more than four decades, most of that time as an ordained clergyperson. During these years he formulated his doctrine of ministry and reflected creatively and honestly on his own ministry, on that of his colleagues and opponents and on the ministry of all of God's people. His theological perspectives, experientially informed proposals and practical example have impacted the doctrine and practice of ministry within the Lutheran community since the Reformation. Indeed, many of his ideas have also been affirmed and implemented within other ecclesiastical traditions. Hence, this exploration of Luther's perspective is warranted, for the Reformer continues to provide the church with theologically astute and creative insights.

Luther had lofty expectations of God, of the church as a community of faith and as an institution, of the leadership of that community and of himself. God not only fulfilled but far exceeded his expectations. However, that was not the case with human beings, even when they pursued lofty vocations, exercised much power or received a great deal of respect or fear from their fellow human beings. Hence, he held his contemporaries and himself accountable and sought to provide the people of God with the resources necessary to strive for excellence, particularly excellence in ministry. Sufficient knowledge, finely honed native skills, unflinching dedication, a readiness to risk bitter opposition as well as wholehearted support and a willingness to serve were to characterize Christians as they pursued their ministerial vocation. However, none of these ideals were more important than faithfulness. From Luther's perspective, excellence in ministry consisted ultimately and primarily of this divine virtue, and the three components of excellence were a faithful identity, the faithful pursuit of a divine vocation and faithful living. That is the thesis of this presentation.

The first essential requisite for excellence in ministry is a faithful identity. That is to be expected. It is only when we know who we are that it will become apparent what we are called to be and do. According to Luther, all Christians are priests. That is their ultimate identity, which is created in and through baptism. The Reformer notes:

 For a priest, especially in the New Testament, was not made but was
 born. He was created, not ordained. He was born not indeed of flesh,
 but through a birth of the Spirit, by water and Spirit in the washing
 of regeneration [John 3:6f; Titus 3:5f]. Indeed, all Christians are
 priests, and all priests are Christians. Worthy of anathema is any
 assertion that a priest is anything else that a Christian. (1)

Luther makes this point more succinctly when he asserts: "A Priest is not identical with a Presbyter or Minister--for one is born to be priest, one becomes a minister." (2)

In baptism, individuals are welcomed into the community of faith, and their faith then shapes their priestly identity. Luther insists, therefore, that "faith must do everything. Faith alone is the true priestly office. ... Therefore all Christian men are priests, all women priestesses, be they young or old, master or servant, mistress or maid, learned or unlearned." (3)

Because priesthood constitutes the believers' very essence, it defines their identity. All Christians are, therefore, ontologically the same. There are no essential differences among them. In light of this basic theological presupposition Luther challenged common ecclesiastical and societal assumptions and ideals. Specifically, he rejected the medieval notion that the clergy are the spiritual estate because of the indelible character imputed through ordination and that all other Christians constitute the temporal estate. Such a hierarchical world view was inconsistent with his baptismal theology and the concomitant doctrine of the universal priesthood. While his assertions were revolutionary in his own context and inspired ardent opposition, particularly from the clerical hierarchy, they were also welcomed by many lay Christians as well as ordained leaders of the church, and they inspired not only ecclesiological reforms but also a different understanding of societal structures. Quite obviously, contemporary understandings of ministry and of ordination were also impacted in substantial ways.

The Reformer insists that all Christians are part of the spiritual estate because they have all become priests since they share the same baptism, the same gospel and the same faith. (4) This priestly identity into which they are born transcends and shapes all their other identities and callings. On the basis of these insights, which are informed by his baptismal theology, Luther also formulated his doctrine of vocation. All of these ideas coalesced already by 1520, soon after his emergence as an evangelical theologian. Thus he asserted in his "The Babylonian Captivity of the Church":

 ... [T]he works of monks and priests, however holy and arduous they
 may be, do not differ one whit in the sight of God from the works of
 the rustic laborer in the field or the woman going about her
 household tasks, but ... all works are measured before God by faith
 alone. ... Indeed, the menial housework of a manservant or
 maidservant is often more acceptable to God than all the fastings and
 other works of a monk or priest, because the monk or priest lacks
 faith. (5)

Luther's point is clear. Baptism and faith determine whether individuals are priests or not, whether they are part of the spiritual estate or not and whether their labors are spiritual and God-pleasing or not. The baptismal, priestly calling thus impacts all that believers are and do.

While Luther ardently defended the universal priesthood, he also insisted that the baptized priests must choose individuals from among their ranks to serve as pastors in the church. The priesthood is the calling and identity of all the baptized, and pastoral ministry is the particular vocation of the ordained. Good order, practical necessity and Christ's institution require the establishment of the ordained ministry. The Reformer cautioned that what belongs to all cannot be usurped by any. Thus, good order must be manifest within the community of faith. He notes:

 Let everyone, therefore, who knows himself to be a Christian, be
 assured of this, that we are all equally priests, that is to say, we
 have the same power in respect to the Word and the sacraments.
 However, no one may make use of this power except by the consent of
 the community or by the call of a superior. (For what is the common
 property of all, no individual may arrogate to himself, unless he is
 called.) (6)

Such order is crucial because it facilitates the preaching of the gospel.

In addition to good order, practical considerations also require the appointment of pastors. After all, the necessities of life, the needs of society, the diverse responsibilities of daily living and the variety of gifts and callings make it impossible for the baptized to fulfill the unique functions of ministry on a daily basis. Hence, specific individuals are chosen by the community who perform the tasks of ministry, both as representatives of Christ and of their fellow priests.

Most importantly, Luther notes that God has instituted the office of ministry and has chosen specific people to be God's unique witnesses. (7) The church has therefore affirmed the office of the ordained. Luther agrees with this tradition and identifies the ministry as a particular mark of the church:

 Fifth, the church is recognized externally by the fact that it
 consecrates or calls ministers. ... There must be bishops, pastors,
 or preachers, who publicly and privately give, administer, and use
 the aforementioned four things or holy possessions in behalf of and
 in the name of the church, or rather by reason of their institution
 by Christ. ... The people as a whole cannot do these things, but must
 entrust or have them entrusted to one person. ... [H]e alone should
 be allowed to preach, to baptize, to absolve, and to administer the
 sacraments. The others should be content with this arrangement and
 agree to it. (8)

Pastors may then transmit the pastoral office to others, with the consent of the community. (9)

The fact that Luther affirmed both the universal priesthood and the ordained ministry and that he insisted that the ordained ministry is both instituted by Christ and is also constituted through the choice of the community has inspired substantial debate within Lutheranism. Disagreements persist regarding the precise relationship between the baptized priests and the ordained ministers, regarding the rights and privileges of each and over the question whether the ordained ministry is or is not derived from the universal priesthood. It is likely that Luther would have considered such debates to be rather curious and inconsequential. His concerns were to clarify necessary consequences of his baptismal theology, to confirm scriptural principles and to address the ministry needs of the church, and he believed that he had done so in theologically defensible and practically efficacious ways. He also trusted that he provided the church with principles and resources which would foster excellence in ministry.

It is important to recognize that Luther viewed ministry primarily in functional terms. While the baptismal priesthood is an ontological reality which defines the believers' essence and being and gives them a particular status or Stand, ministry is an office or Amt. That office consists of fulfilling specific functions. "Therefore, a priest in Christendom is nothing else but an officeholder," insists Luther. (10) The specific functions of ministry will be discussed below.

Call and ordination are the means used by God and the community to constitute the ordained ministry. While the call is both internal and external, the latter is most important because it confirms the inner call and brings assurance both to the pastor and to the community. Thus Luther stresses: "If we did not hold fast to and emphasize the call and commission, there would finally be no church. ... So we say, either demand proof of a call and commission to preach, or immediately enjoin silence and forbid to preach, for an office is involved--the office of ministry. One cannot hold an office without a commission or a call." (11)

The call is essential, and ordination is the public affirmation of the call. Although Luther rejected ordination as a sacrament, he eventually viewed it as scripturally warranted and as functionally effective and useful. He came to that conclusion by 1523 when he stated:

 Ordination indeed was first instituted on the authority of Scripture,
 and according to the example and decrees of the Apostle, in order to
 provide the people with ministers of the Word. The public ministry of
 the Word, I hold, by which the mysteries of God are made known, ought
 to be established by holy ordination as the highest and greatest of
 the functions of the church, on which the whole power of the church
 depends, since the church is nothing without the Word and everything
 in it exists by virtue of the Word alone. (12)

This passage not only clarifies the essential function of the office of ministry, namely, the proclamation of God's word, particularly of the gospel, (13) but it also indicates the great respect that Luther had for the pastoral office. He calls it "the highest and greatest of the functions of the church," not because he sought to foster a hierarchical perspective or because he affirmed the powers and privileges which the medieval church claimed for the clergy. His great respect for the ordained ministry is inspired instead by the fact that it is ultimately the ministry of the word. It is important to note, however, that proclamation of the word is shared with the universal priests, just like all the other functions of ministry. Hence, Luther stresses that a "Christian ... is born to the ministry of the Word in baptism." (14) Pastors, however, have the special privilege of proclaiming the word publicly and that makes their vocation "the greatest and highest."

Rather than focusing on power, authority and wealth, Luther envisioned the pastoral office in terms of ministry and service. (15) Those chosen for this crucial office in the church "are not lords, but servants. (16)" They serve God's people who have chosen them and among whom they minister, and they serve God as God's instruments and as stewards of the unique gifts God has given to the church. Service, of course, also characterizes the calling of the universal priests since they have been united with Christ through faith and have received their baptismal call to follow Christ and pursue his priestly vocation.

Excellence in ministry thus begins with a faithful identity. For people of faith that identity is their priesthood, bestowed in and through baptism. This priesthood is viewed functionally by Luther and consists of a call to carry out the unique responsibilities that Christ himself has given to his people. While all the baptized have the authority to exercise those functions, (17) the ordained are called to the particular office within the community of faith whose obligation it is to carry out the responsibilities of ministry as the representatives of Christ and of their fellow priests. Both the baptized priests and the ordained pastors are engaged in a shared ministry, however, and the ministerial functions reflect the priestly identity of the baptized.

Luther identifies the functions of ministry in his treatise, "Concerning the Ministry," which was addressed to the Christians in Bohemia but whose insights were applicable to the whole Christian community. The Reformer summarizes the priestly functions in the following manner:

 Mostly the functions of a priest are these: to teach, to preach and
 proclaim the Word of God, to baptize, to consecrate or administer the
 Eucharist, to bind and loose sins, to pray for others, to sacrifice,
 and to judge of all doctrines and spirits. Certainly these are
 splendid and royal duties. But the first and foremost of all on which
 everything else depends, is the teaching of the Word of God. For we
 teach with the Word, we consecrate with the Word, we bind and absolve
 sins by the Word, we baptize with the Word, we sacrifice with the
 Word, we judge all things by the Word. (18)

This list of ministerial functions is not surprising. Ministry from Luther's perspective has to do with the care of souls, with Seelsorge. (19) It has to do with God's work in the world. Ministry is intended to heal broken relationships and to bring wholeness, life and salvation. It is the ministry of word and sacraments precisely because of these realities, and its faithful pursuit is essential for the well-being of God's people. Excellence in ministry thus consists of the diligent exercise of these divinely instituted functions which constitute the priestly vocation. In addition to a faithful identity, the faithful pursuit of a divine vocation is the second component of excellent ministry.

As the previous quotation from Luther indicates so strikingly, the first and foremost function of ministry is the teaching and preaching of the word. Indeed, ministry is properly defined as ministry of the word. The significance of God's word for effective ministry and for the well-being of the church cannot be exaggerated. It is the chief mark of the church, according to the Reformer.

 First, the holy Christian people are recognized by their possession
 of the holy word of God. ... This is the principal item, and the
 holiest of holy possessions, by reason of which the Christian people
 are called holy; for God's word is holy and sanctifies everything it
 touches; it is indeed the very holiness of God. ... (20)

The word is not only a holy possession, but it is constitutive of the church and thus necessary for its very existence. There is, therefore, a necessary and symbiotic relationship between the word and God's people. Luther makes the unflinching assertion that " ... God's word cannot be without God's people, and conversely, God's people cannot be without God's word." (21) It is quite logical to conclude, then, "that the ministry of the Word is the highest office in the church." and that it belongs to all the baptized priests. (22) Without this ministry there is no church because there are no believers. If there are no believers then the word is also not preached and the gift of salvation, granted freely for Christ's sake, is not shared. The eternal destiny of humanity is, therefore, at stake.

God's word is, of course, a dialectical word. It is law and gospel. While these must be carefully distinguished, they dare never be separated or confused. (23) The proclamation of the law is necessary because of the reality and power of sin, not only in natural human beings, but even in the baptized saints and priests who, nevertheless, remain sinners as well. Sin thus necessitates the law. Because he was not a systematic theologian, Luther's understanding of the law is not always expressed with the formulaic precision of Philip Melanchthon or the Formula of Concord. However, the Reformer does generally cite two functions of the law, and he emphasizes particularly that God does God's alien work of condemning sin and of leading the sinner to despair by means of the law.

The first use of the law, according to Luther, is the civil or political use which is intended to curb sin, to punish evildoers and to protect the innocent. God exercises this use of the law through constituted authorities, such as parents, teachers and particularly temporal governments. The goal of this function of the law is to produce civil righteousness, facilitate justice and bring about peace, all of which greatly benefit society, though they contribute nothing to justification and, hence, to salvation. (24) Luther summarizes his understanding of the first use of the law and its effects in his "Smalcald Articles": "Here we maintain that the law was given by God, in the first place, to curb sin by means of the threat and terror of punishment and also by means of the promise and offer of grace and favor." (25) The Reformer believes, however, that this function of the law does not always accomplish its purpose because of the pervasive reality and the radical power of sin.

The second, chief or theological function of the law is, therefore, crucial. This use of the law is directly related to God's saving work and is necessarily complementary to the gospel. It is specifically through this function of the law that God accomplishes God's alien work by revealing sin; confronting humans with the reality of their brokenness and rebelliousness; demonstrating to them that they cannot fulfill the law, particularly the first commandment, and, thus, leading them to despair. This alien work of condemning sin and terrifying the conscience is necessary, for only then will humans cease their attempts to save themselves and to barter with God on the basis of presumed human merit. Only then will they abandon their efforts to usurp God's place by not letting God be God. Only then will they recognize that they are in dire need of radical good news and that they are utterly dependent on God for their very identity, for all their needs and for their eternal destiny. Luther also summarizes this function of the law in the "Smalcald Articles":

 The foremost office or power of the law is that it reveals inherited
 sin and its fruits. It shows human beings into what utter depths
 their nature has fallen and how completely corrupt it is. The law
 must say to them that they neither have not respect any god or that
 they worship foreign gods. This is something that they would not have
 believed before without the law. Thus they are terrified, humbled,
 despondent, and despairing. They anxiously desire help but do not
 know where to find it; they start to become enemies of God, to
 murmur, etc. This is what is meant by Romans [4:15]: "The law brings
 wrath," and Romans 5[:20], "Sin becomes greater through the law."
 (26)

The theological use of the law is, therefore, essential for the proclamation of the gospel. Human beings will only recognize their need of radical good news after they have been confronted with and are realistically and experientially aware of their alienation from God and their utter helplessness. They must despair of themselves. Only then are they prepared for and able to hear the gospel. (27)

Convinced that he was faithfully interpreting St. Paul, Luther proclaimed boldly and consistently that the gospel is the wondrous good news of God's redemptive acts in and through Christ and the blessed assurance that the benefits of Christ's saving activity are given to human beings as gracious gifts granted in and through faith. The gospel has nothing to do with commands but solely with promises. "So you see," notes Luther, "that the gospel is really not a book of laws and commandments which requires deeds of us, but a book of divine promises in which God promises, offers, and gives us all his possessions and benefits of Christ. " (28) This is because Christ literally comes to us in the gospel, or we are brought to him. (29) Thus God accomplishes God's proper, saving and justifying work through the gospel as faith is created and the gifts of forgiveness, wholeness, life and salvation are granted to the believer. Luther's Christo-centric and fide-centric perspective is clearly evident as he describes the dynamic interplay between law and gospel in God's justifying work.

 Now when a man has learned through the commandments to recognize his
 helplessness and is distressed about how he might satisfy the law-
 since the law must be fulfilled ... then, being truly humbled and
 reduced to nothing in his own eyes, he finds in himself nothing
 whereby he may be justified and saved. Here the second part of
 Scripture comes to our aid, namely, the promises of God which declare
 the glory of God, saying, "If you wish to fulfill the law ... believe
 in Christ in whom grace, righteousness, peace, liberty, and all
 things are promised you. If you believe, you shall have all things;
 if you do not believe, you shall lack all things." ... God our Father
 has made all things depend on faith so that whoever has faith will
 have everything, and whoever does not have faith will have nothing.
 (30)

Faith, this essential gift which brings with it all other gifts, is created only through the preaching of the gospel, according to Luther, and the Reformer insisted that the gospel is a living, dynamic word which is shared most effectively when it is preached. This is why he argues that "the gospel should really not be something written, but a spoken word which brought forth the Scriptures, as Christ and the apostles have done. This is why Christ himself did not write anything but only spoke. He called his teaching not Scripture but gospel, meaning good news or a proclamation that is spread not by pen but by word of mouth." (31) The proclamation of the word, particularly the gospel, is, therefore, the first and foremost function of ministry.

While the living, spoken word is the primary expression of the gospel, the sacraments, the material word, proclaim the same radical good news and are means whereby God's gifts of grace are shared with God's people. The ministry is, therefore, the ministry of word and sacrament, and excellence in ministry also consists of the faithful administration of baptism and of Christ's Supper. While the preached word addresses the whole community, the sacramental word is spoken to each individual. Thus it is a personal word that brings good news to each believer. That is the uniqueness of the sacramental word. In baptism we are addressed by name and then baptized in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. In the Eucharist we are assured that the elements are the body and blood "for you." Luther makes this point in one of his eucharistic treatises:

 But when I distribute the sacrament, I designate it for the
 individual who is receiving it; I give him Christ's body and blood
 that he may have forgiveness of sins, obtained through his death and
 preached in the congregation. This is something more than the
 congregational sermon; for although the same thing is present in the
 sermon as in the sacrament, here there is the advantage that it is
 directed at definite individuals. In the sermon one does not point
 out or portray any particular person, but in the sacrament it is
 given to you and to me in particular, so that the sermon comes to be
 our own. (32)

The personal, sacramental word is accompanied by a physical element in the sacrament, thereby affirming the mysterious reality that the material is a vehicle of the divine or that the finite holds the infinite. (33) The intimacy and concreteness of God's presence are thereby particularly confirmed by the sacraments. Thus, the sacramental ministry, normally exercised by the ordained clergy, is the means whereby the personal nature of God's word and the radical nature of God's presence are tangibly experienced by the individual members of the community of faith.

Baptizing is the second function of ministry. Luther considered baptism to be the first and foremost sacrament, (34) and in light of Matthew 28:18 and Mark 16:16 he stressed that it was instituted by God. It is not simply a human rite. Hence, he notes in the Large Catechism:

 Observe, first, that these words contain God's commandment and
 institution, so that no one may doubt that baptism is of divine
 origin, not something devised or invented by human beings. ...
 [B]aptism is no human plaything but is instituted by God himself.
 (35)

He warns, therefore, that baptizing should not be considered a matter of choice. Indeed, "we must be baptized or we shall not be saved." (36) The Reformer does nuance this statement in other writings and affirms that faith, which is necessary for salvation, is created through the preaching of the word as well. He also comforts troubled parents by noting that God welcomes children who have not survived the birth process as long as the parents have the intention of baptizing their children. Luther's point in the Large Catechism is obviously that baptism is not an adiaphoron, that Christians must heed Christ's command and that the benefits of baptism are such that the sacrament dare not be neglected. He also insists that baptism and salvation are connected. Baptism is, therefore, ultimately a matter of faith and trust in God's promises. The Reformer summarizes his position in the following manner:

 But no matter how external it [baptism] may be, here stand God's Word
 and command that have instituted, established, and confirmed baptism.
 What God institutes and commands cannot be useless. Rather, it is a
 most precious thing, even though to all appearances it may not
 be worth a straw. ... What is more, it is performed in his [God's]
 name. So the words read, "Go baptize," not "in your name" but "in
 God's name." (37)

God's command was sufficient reason for Luther to baptize, primarily because he was convinced that God's commands are efficacious and are intended to benefit God's people. Heeding Christ's ordinances was, therefore, a matter of faith.

Luther defines baptism as "water enclosed in God's command and connected with God's Word." (38) The word is the crucial part of baptism, for it transforms common water into "a divine, heavenly, holy, and blessed water." (39)

It is not surprising, therefore, that the benefits of baptism are exceptional since they are truly divine gifts. As the baptismal candidate enters the waters of baptism or, more likely, has them poured over her, the old nature drowns and a new person arises. Her sin is forgiven, and the gifts of salvation and eternal life are bestowed on her. (40) Through baptism she becomes a child of God, a member of the body of Christ and a sister of all those who have been washed by the baptismal waters before her. Baptism thus distinguishes believers from all those who are not baptized because the sacrament makes them people of Christ, their Leader, "under whose banner of the holy cross" they struggle against sin. (41) All of these blessings are realities because God makes and keeps promises in baptism. Indeed, Luther insists that baptism would not be a sacrament at all if it did not include a divine promise. "For to constitute a sacrament there must be above all things else a word of divine promise, by which faith may be exercised." (42) The promise of baptism is made by Christ in Mark 16:16 when He says: "He who believes and is baptized will be saved." It is crucial, therefore, that we never doubt that "once we have been baptized, we are saved." (43)

Luther cautions, however, that an essential prerequisite comes with a divine promise. The promise is kept only when it is not doubted but trusted. Hence, God's promises always require faith. Luther's favorite synonym for faith. Luthur's favorite synonym for faith is fiducia, trust, because that is precisely what faith is and what it enables us to do, namely, to trust God's promises. Hence, faith must be present if the divine gifts promised are to become the possession of the baptized, for "unless faith is present or is conferred in baptism, baptism will profit us nothing." (44) It is for this reason that Luther defended the possibility of infant faith and asserted that faith is a gift of baptism. (45) All the other blessings of the sacrament are possible only because of this unique gift. While Luther's stance regarding infant faith was challenged in his own time and continues to be debated in the Christian community in our day, the Reformer insisted that baptism can create faith precisely because Christ is present at and in baptism and is, in fact, the baptizer. And so he inquires: "Since then he is present, speaks, and baptizes, why should not his Word and baptism call forth spirit and faith in the child ...?" (46) With Christ all things are possible, and he came into the world so that humans might have faith and thus receive the gifts of salvation and justification which he has won for them. These gifts are promised in baptism, and they become ours because of the faith created through the word of promise in the sacrament.

While baptism is administered only once, its effects and benefits last throughout the life of the believer, and all believers can be assured that their baptism belongs to them. (47) The people of God thus return to their baptism again and again. When Anfechtungen or spiritual struggles trouble them, they remember that they have been washed with the waters of baptism and marked with the sign of the cross. When sin, which is not eradicated by baptism, (48) and the "terrors of conscience" manifest themselves, "we must boldly and without fear hold fast to our baptism." Each of us must remind herself or himself: "But I am baptized, and through my baptism God, who cannot lie, has bound himself in a covenant with me. He will not count my sin against me, but will slay it and blot it out." (49) The daily significance of baptism for each believer's spiritual journey is summarized by Luther in the "Large Catechism": "Thus we must regard baptism and put it to use in such a way that we may draw strength and comfort from it when our sins or conscience oppress us, and say: 'But I am baptized! And if I have been baptized, I have the promise that I shall be saved and have eternal life, both in soul and body.'" (50)

Luther concludes, therefore, that baptism shapes every aspect of the Christian life which should be nothing less than a baptismal journey. Hence, he counsels:

 Therefore let all Christians regard their baptism as the daily
 garment that they are to wear all the time. Every day they should be
 found in faith and with its fruits, suppressing the old creature and
 growing up in the new. If we want to be Christians, we must practice
 the work that makes us Christians, and let those who fall away return
 to it. (51)

Baptizing is an essential function of ministry, for ministry's purpose is to nurture faith and shape the Christian life.

The third function of the ministerial vocation is the faithful celebration of the Lord's Supper in accordance with Christ's command. While Luther challenged the medieval Western church's sacramental theology, practice and piety, he always considered the Eucharist to be a sacrament, insisted that it be celebrated within the community of faith as Christ had instituted it and ardently defended an evangelical understanding of the mass, both against his Roman opponents and against the Swiss and the Radical reformers. This sacrament thus received a great deal of attention in his writings, and he considered it to be an essential mark of the church (52) as well as a necessary function of ministry. (53) The Eucharist, in which Christ offers His body and blood in and under bread and wine, is a gift to all believers of every place and time. Hence, the function "to consecrate or administer the sacred bread and wine ... belongs to all." (54) Of course pastors are again the ones who exercise this function publicity as representatives of Christ and of the community, and they do so for the sake of Christ and the community. It is crucial that the sacrament be celebrated according to Christ's institution, for only then is it administered "rightly." (55) Blessing, proclaiming, distributing and partaking constitute a true and valid Eucharist and a faithful exercise of the sacramental ministry.

As is the case with baptism, the word is the most important part of the Eucharist, though the word must be combined with physical elements in order to constitute a sacrament. The words of Christ with which he promises the gifts of his body and blood for the forgiveness of sins are the "whole power of the mass." (56) Because forgiveness is not simply promised but, in fact, bestowed, the Eucharist is an expression of the gospel. Luther claims, therefore: "Now the mass is part of the gospel; indeed, it is the sum and substance of it. For what is the whole gospel but the good tidings of the forgiveness of sins? Whatever can be said about forgiveness of sins and the mercy of God in the broadest and richest sense is all briefly comprehended in the word of this testament." (57)

The blessings of the sacrament are, therefore, profound. Christ's assurances "given for you" and "shed for you for the forgiveness of sins" confirm that forgiveness, life and salvation are given to the believer "because where there is forgiveness of sin, there is also life and salvation." (58) Luther's words are obviously familiar, as are Christ's words. Both are intended to convey a profound truth and to instill absolute peace in the heart of every believer. That is why the celebration of the Lord's Supper is such an essential function of ministry and why a faithful exercise of that function is essential for the spiritual welfare of the individual and the community.

The Reformer is consistent by emphasizing that the gifts promised in the sacrament are efficacious only through faith. As has already been noted in the discussion of baptism, the promises must be trusted if they are to be received. Only faith, no human work, prepares a person for the sacrament and makes her worthy to receive the blessings offered. Hence, Luther assures his readers:

 [W]e conclude that the mass was provided only for those who have a
 sad, afflicted, disturbed, perplexed and erring conscience, and that
 they alone commune worthily. For, since the word of divine promise in
 this sacrament sets forth the forgiveness of sins, let every one draw
 near fearlessly, whoever he may be, who is troubled by his sins,
 whether by remorse or by temptation. For this testament of Christ is
 the one remedy against sins, past, present and future, if you but
 cling to it with unwavering faith and believe that what the words of
 the testament declare is freely granted to you. (59)

Significantly, the faith that is necessary in order to benefit from the sacrament is, in fact, nourished by the sacrament. When believers come to the table and eat and drink, they receive "food of the soul" that "nourishes and strengthens the new creature." The Supper "is given as a daily food and sustenance so that our faith may be refreshed and strengthened." (60) Such spiritual nourishment is necessary because it strengthens faith which, in turn, enables believers to live the new life that is the gift of baptism.

As the gospel is proclaimed in the sacrament and faith is nourished through the gifts of Christ's body and blood, believers are united with Christ and with their fellow saints and enjoy their support in the struggles of life. Luther emphasizes this benefit of the sacrament particularly in his early eucharistic writings which are intended to explore the meaning of the sacrament in light of his emerging evangelical theology. His later eucharistic treatises, whose contents reflect the sacramental conflicts of the Reformation era, do not focus on the theme of unity. The latter is, nevertheless, an important, though neglected, aspect of Luther's eucharistic theology and is explored particularly in his "The Blessed Sacrament of the Holy and True Body of Christ, and the Brotherhoods," published in 1519. In this treatise the Reformer stresses that through the sacrament Christ and all of his saints become one spiritual body. As a result of this fellowship, "all the spiritual possessions of Christ and his saints are shared with and become the common property of him who receives this sacrament." (61) All sufferings and sins also become common property. Mutual love is awakened and this love, in return, strengthens the fellowship. (62)

The unity created by the sacrament is thus mutually beneficial for the saints as Christ shares all of his gifts with them and takes on all their sins and infirmities while they share all of their gifts with one another and bear each other's burdens. Hence, the Eucharist not only effects and affects the believers' relationship with Christ but also their dealings with each other and the rest of creation. It impacts every aspect of life and strengthens believers as they pursue their varied callings. Faith is nourished by the sacrament and so is love for God and the neighbor. This love manifests itself in willing service. (63) Luther notes that this was clearly the case among the early Christians, who not only gathered together for the communal meal during which they celebrated the sacrament but who also collected food and other material goods which were distributed to those who experienced need, as St. Paul indicates in I Corinthians 11. (64)

The benefits and effects of the sacrament are, of course, intimately related to the gift of Christ's body and blood in the Lord's Supper. The eucharistic presence became a volatile and much-debated issue during the sixteenth century as both the Swiss and the Radical reformers affirmed either a symbolic or a spiritual understanding of Christ's presence. While Luther rejected the doctrine of transubstantiation by 1520 and also criticized various other sacramental teachings and practices of the Roman Church, he agreed with the church's affirmation of the real presence and became an ardent defender of Christ's bodily presence, particularly in his conflicts with Huldreich Zwingli and his allies. For Luther, the significance, meaning and efficacy of the sacrament were intimately related to the presence of Christ. The clarity and authority of Scripture and, most importantly, the trustworthiness of Christ's promises were also at stake. Luther thus confessed unflinchingly that the true body and blood of Christ are present in the sacrament "in and under" the bread and wine. (65) Luther's use of prepositions to express the relationship of body and blood to the elements of bread and wine is intentional. While he sought to make a precise confession, he resisted the temptation of attempting to desctibe orexplain the manner of Christ's presence. Thus he insisted that Christ's body and blood are present without seeking to define how they are present. The eucharistic mystery is, therefore, affirmed.

Christ's command and promise as well as Luther's deep appreciation for the Eucharist and its nurturing role in the Christian life explain why the Reformer considered the celebration of this sacrament to be an essential expression of excellence in ministry.

The fourth function of ministry is the exercise of the office of the keys, which is nothing other than the proclamation of God's dialectical word of law and gospel (66) and a daily return to baptism. Luther defines the keys as "an office, a power or command given by God through Christ to all of Christendom for the retaining and remitting of the sins of men." (67) The keys, like the preached word and the sacraments, are a mark of the church (68) and an integral aspect of ministry. (69) The persistent reality of sin and its power in the lives of people, even of Christians, and the need of repentance and forgiveness necessitate the keys. Luther describes the institution and purpose of the keys in his treatise "The Keys." The pastoral tone and spiritual focus of Luther's words are readily apparent:

 For the dear Man, the faithful Bishop of our souls, Jesus Christ, is
 well aware that his beloved Christians are frail, that the devil, the
 flesh, and the world would tempt them unceasingly and in many ways,
 and that at times they would fall into sin. Therefore, he has given
 us this remedy, the key which binds, so that we might not remain too
 confident in our sins, arrogant, barbarous, and without God, and in
 the key which looses, that we should not despair in our sins. Thus
 aided we should stay on a middle road, between arrogance and faint
 heartedness, in genuine humility and confidence, being provided for
 richly in every way. (70)

It is, of course, the proclamation of the law which prevents arrogance by threatening the unrepentant sinner, and it is the preaching of the gospel which rescues repentant believers from faint-heartedness and engenders both humility and confidence by announcing a divine promise. (71)

The keys save sinners both from arrogance and despair because the pastor's or the Christian sister's or brother's words of binding or loosing have the authority of Christ. Indeed, Christ speaks through the confessor. Christ, therefore, assures every Christian: "If you bind and loose on earth, I will also bind and loose right along with you in heaven. When you use the keys, I will also." (72) Hence, sinners may neither ignore nor doubt the words of a sister or brother. Their words are effective and trustworthy because they are Christ's words and thus convey the truth. Luther insists, therefore, that Christ "binds and joins himself to our work. Indeed, he himself commands us to do his own work." (73)

The "us" refers not only to the clergy, although it includes them as well. Luther is convinced by Matthew 18:15 that Christ has empowered every believer to forgive and retain sins. It makes no difference whether one is a member of the clerical hierarchy or not. A laywoman, a child, indeed, any Christian can be the voice of Christ for a sister or brother. (74) Thus the Reformer makes the bold assertion: "The keys belong to the whole church and to each of its members, both as regards their authority and their various uses." (75)

Luther insists further that both keys must be exercised and that both have the same purpose, namely, to help sinners "in the attainment of heaven and eternal life" and to grant "righteousness without any merit of works, solely through the forgiveness of sins." (76) Some sinners, even when they are also saints, persist in their sin, refuse to repent and do not desire the assurance of forgiveness. Such people must be addressed with the law and may even be excluded from the community. The goal, however, is not to condemn them but to make them aware of the power of sin in their lives and lead them to repentance. The binding key, therefore, functions "as a wholesome medicine and has a beneficial effect on evil persons, although it is terrifying and annoying to the flesh." (77) On the other hand, there are Christians who are deeply distressed by their sins, whose conscience troubles them and who desperately seek a word of comfort and forgiveness. Such people should be assured of God's grace and love by means of the key that looses. (78) Luther advises that private confession, which he supports heartily, is particularly effective in comforting troubled consciences. (79)

Confession and absolution obviously consist of two parts, the confession inspired by repentance and the assurance of forgiveness. While both are necessary, the latter is the crucial part in which the believer must place all of her trust. This advice of Luther in the Large Catechism is informed both by Scripture and by his extensive personal experience with the church's penitential system. During his monastic years he had struggled mightily to find peace of conscience, especially through the sacrament of penance. However, he failed to do so because he focused on the merits of his own confession rather than the proclamation of good news in the words of absolution. This experience is reflected in his description of confession and absolution in the Large Catechism:

 The first is our work and act, when I lament my sin and desire
 comfort and restoration for my soul. The second is a work that God
 does, when he absolves me of my sins through the Word placed on the
 lips of another person. ... We should set little value on our work
 but exalt and magnify God's Word. We should not go to confession as
 if we wanted to perform a magnificent work to present to God, but
 simply to accept and receive something from him. (80)

God forgives for God's sake because God is gracious, not because of our work or merit.

In order to trust God's promise and to accept the gracious gifts God offers, faith is necessary. This persistent and consistent theme in Luther's theology is emphasized also in his reflections regarding the office of the keys. Faith is necessary, first of all, because true repentance is possible only when faith is actively present. Luther explains in the "The Babylonian Captivity of the Church":

 A contrite heart is a precious thing, but it is found only where
 there is an ardent faith in the promises and threats of God. Such
 faith, intent on the immutable truth of God, makes the conscience
 tremble, terrifies it and bruises it; and afterwards, when it is
 contrite, raises it up, consoles it, and preserves it. Thus the truth
 of God's threat is the cause of contrition, and the truth of his
 promise the cause of consolation, if it is believed. ... Therefore
 faith should be taught and aroused before all else. Once faith is
 obtained, contrition and consolation will follow inevitably of
 themselves. (81)

Faith is essential as well because God considers only faith when it comes to matters of forgiveness. That is why believers dare not trust in their own repentance and contrition but only in God's promises. Luther warns, therefore: "Beware then, of putting your trust in your own contrition and of ascribing the forgiveness of sins to your own remorse. God does not look on you with favor because of that, but because of the faith by which you have believed his threats and promises, and which has effected such sorrow within you." (82)

Thirdly, faith is necessary because it alone enables the believer to trust the promises of God expressed by the keys. The keys require such faith in order to be effective, for faith alone fulfills their expectations by inspiring repentance and trust. Luther therefore assures the believer: "[I]f you believe in their judgment they recover for you the innocence you received in baptism. You will be born anew as a real saint, for God's Word and the keys are holy. They sanctify all who believe in them." (83) Faith, then, is the only prerequisite for the proper exercise and the blessed efficacy of the keys.

It is a great responsibility and privilege to walk with sisters and brothers on their spiritual journey; to hold them accountable for their sin, when necessary; to address them with God's law; to hear their confession; and to speak the radical good news of forgiveness, the word of the gospel, to them. That is precisely the responsibility and privilege of ministry, both of the baptized priests and the ordained pastors, and all believers are called to pursue that pastoral vocation with faithfulness for Christ's sake, for the well-being of our sisters and brothers and for the sake of excellence in ministry.

Proclaiming the living, dynamic word of God, baptizing, celebrating the Holy Supper and carrying out the office of the keys are the chief functions of ministry. They constitute the very essence of this divine vocation because they all have to do with the word of God, with law and gospel. Their faithful exercise constitutes excellence in ministry from Luther's perspective. However, he also identifies other responsibilities of ministry which are now noted briefly.

The fifth function of ministry is to sacrifice. This should not be a surprise since offering sacrifices had traditionally been the vocation of the priesthood. That was surely the case with the priests of the first covenant. The chief responsibility of the medieval church's priesthood was also to offer a sacrifice, namely, the sacrifice of the mass. Indeed, that was the sole function of many priests during the Middle Ages. However, when Luther identified sacrifice as a function of the priesthood, he was affirming neither of these traditions. The sacrifices prescribed in the Old Testament were no longer necessary because of Christ's atoning sacrifice, and a sacrificial understanding of the Eucharist was totally contrary to the gospel according to Luther. (84) His understanding of sacrifice was formed and normed by his reading of the New Testament. He explains:

 [I]n the New Testament there is no sacrifice except the one which is
 common to all, namely the one described in Rom 12[:1], where Paul
 teaches us to present our bodies as a sacrifice, just as Christ
 sacrificed his body for us on the cross. In this sacrifice he
 includes the offering of praise and thanksgiving. Peter likewise
 commands in I Pet 2[:5] that we offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable
 to God through Jesus Christ, that is, ourselves, not gold or animals.
 ... [I]n the church there is only this sacrifice, namely, our body.
 (85)

Luther's point is clear. Baptized priests, and that includes ordained pastors, are expected to dedicate themselves totally to the service of God which, according to Luther, necessarily includes the service of the neighbor. This calling will be discussed further below.

The sixth function of ministry is to pray. According to Luther, prayer is essential for God's sake, for the sake of others and for our sake. Interestingly and significantly, Luther connects prayer to the second commandment in his discussion of the Lord's Prayer in the Large Catechism where he explains that God requires us to pray, that is, "to call upon God in every need." This is precisely how we honor God's name, for by "invocation and prayer the name of God is glorified and used to good purpose." (86) When we call on God's name we also address our needs and the needs of others, both spiritual and physical. God is already aware of those needs but wants us to name them so that we might be more open to receive the good things God is prepared to give us. (87) Prayer is, therefore, an affirmation of God's graciousness and generosity. Of course, believers must be truly aware of their need and distress, and earnestness must accompany effective prayers. "Then prayer will come spontaneously, as it should," says Luther, "and no one will need to be taught how to prepare for it or how to create the proper devotion." (88) Christ himself has, of course, taught his followers how to pray by giving them the Lord's Prayer, which is a constant reminder of the need for prayer. (89) God has made it clear in Scripture that God is pleased with our prayers, that God promises to answer our petitions and that we can approach God with confidence. (90) When we pray for others, we have the privilege of becoming mediators and intercessors before God. Thus we emulate Christ himself and are truly priests. (91) Assuming the role of intercessor is thus an essential aspect of excellent ministry.

The seventh function of ministry is to judge doctrine. (92) It is important to note that Luther was not affirming or envisioning some kind of inquisitorial procedure within the community of faith. Indeed, he was very clear that no force is to be used in matters of faith and conscience, only the sword of the Spirit, the word of God, which is alone effective. He also warned that temporal authorities are not to interfere in spiritual concerns. (93) At the same time, the Reformer insisted that faithfulness to the gospel was absolutely essential for the spiritual well-being of God's people, for the mission of the church, for effective ministry, indeed, for God's justifying and sanctifying work in the world. Hence, all the church's preaching, teaching, piety and practices needed to proclaim Christ--Christumtreiben. Faithful proclamation of the gospel and careful evaluation of doctrine were, therefore, crucial aspects of the priestly vocation, both of the baptized and particularly of the ordained. The baptized needed to be certain that the gospel was preached faithfully, and the ordained needed to be concerned that they proclaimed the good news faithfully. Luther himself sought valiantly to articulate a theology that was consistent with the gospel, and his whole reform program was informed by that gospel. Hence he evaluated and then affirmed or rejected the church's teachings and practices in light of the gospel. Judging doctrine is, therefore, to be expected of every baptized priest, and every priest is able to do so because "a Christian is one who has the Holy Spirit, and who as Christ says, is taught all things by the Spirit [John 14:26]." (94)

Excellence in ministry requires a faithful identity and a faithful vocation. The latter consists of the faithful exercise of the priestly functions which have all been divinely instituted. There is one more matter that must be considered, however. Excellence in ministry also necessitates a faithful life, and the pursuit of the priestly vocation is only one aspect of that life. Ethical living is the other. Luther was ardently opposed to any Donatist tendencies within the church. He insisted, therefore, that the validity and efficacy of word and sacrament were not dependent on the moral character of the priests, neither the baptized nor the ordained. At the same time, the Reformer knew full well that the morality of both the baptized and particularly of the ordained affects the effective preaching of the gospel. He was also convinced that faith inspires a radically altruistic Christian life. Faithful living is, therefore, also an essential aspect of excellence in ministry. The Reformer explicated his vision of the Christian or priestly life in one of his most attractive and significant treatises, "The Freedom of a Christian."

Luther begins the treatise with the dialectical thesis: "A Christian is a perfectly free lord of all, subject to none. A Christian is a perfectly dutiful servant of all, subject to all." (95) He then supports both parts of the thesis in the remainder of the treatise.

"A Christian is a perfectly free lord of all, subject to none." This statement describes reality according to Luther because the Holy Spirit has created faith in the Christian through the proclamation of the gospel, which is alone necessary for Christian living. (96) Faith then accomplishes wondrous things in and for the justified person. The first benefit of faith is that it makes the law unnecessary. Luther explains:

 It is clear, then, that a Christian has all that he needs in faith
 and needs no works to justify him; and if he has no need of works, he
 has no need of the law; and if he has no need of the law, surely he
 is free from the law. ... This is that Christian liberty, our faith,
 which does not induce us to live in idleness or wickedness but makes
 the law and works unnecessary for any man's righteousness and
 salvation. (97)

Even as it makes the law unnecessary, faith actually fulfills the law because it keeps the first commandment by considering God to be truthful and trustworthy, thereby giving God the greatest honor. "The very highest worship of God is this," claims Luther, "that we ascribe to him truthfulness, righteousness, and whatever else should be ascribed to one who is trusted." (98) When God sees that through faith we give God honor, God honors us by considering us to be truthful and righteous because of our faith. Considering God to be truthful and just is, in fact, being truthful and just. (99) Luther concludes, therefore, that "faith alone is the righteousness of a Christian and the fulfilling of all the commandments, for he who fulfils the First Commandment has no difficulty fulfilling all the rest." (100)

The third benefit of faith is that it unites the believer with Christ. Luther uses the analogy of marriage in describing this union and draws the conclusion that as a result of this "true marriage" froblicher Wecbsel, a "happy exchange," occurs. All that belongs to Christ is now the believer's, and all that belongs to the believer is now Christ's. It is a happy exchange from the believer's perspective because of its beneficial effects. Luther explains:

 Christ is full of grace, life, and salvation. The soul is full of
 sins, death, and damnation. Now let faith come between them and sins,
 death, and damnation will be Christ's, while grace, life, and
 salvation will be the soul's; for if Christ is a bridegroom he must
 take upon himself the things which are his bride's and bestow upon
 her the things that are his. If he gives her his body and very self,
 how shall he not give her all that is his? And if he takes the body
 of the bride, how shall he not take all that is hers? (101)

The Christian liberty that faith brings is truly radical, for believers are freed from the law, sin, death and damnation, and they receive grace, life and salvation because they are united with Christ. There is no greater freedom.

Because he has united himself with them through faith, Christ also grants his people his kingship and priesthood. "Hence all of us who believe in Christ are priests and kings in Christ," claims Luther, "as I Pet 2[:9] says: 'You are a chosen race, God's own people, a royal priesthood, a priestly kingdom, that you may declare the wonderful deeds of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light."' (102) The Reformer also explains the nature of the believer's royal and priestly character. As royalty the Christian is lord over all things so that nothing can harm her. (103) Of course, that royal status has nothing to do with physical power or authority because it is spiritual. For this reason, the believer's power is "a truly omnipotent power, a spiritual dominion in which there is nothing so good and nothing so evil but that it shall work together for good," if the Christian only believes. (104)

The priesthood which is Christ's gift to the believer is an even greater blessing than that of being "the freest of kings." (105) As priests, Christians "are worthy to appear before God to pray for others and to teach one another divine things." (106) The divine things that Luther is, no doubt, envisioning are the word and the sacraments, which are the gracious gifts that God is eager to grant God's people.

Through the gift of faith, created and nurtured by the Holy Spirit through the preaching of the gospel, Christians are absolutely free. All the powers which can imprison them spiritually and take away life have been conquered. Believers have been united with Christ and share all of his blessings. How is it possible, then, that such radically free people can also be "perfectly dutiful servants, subject to all"? That is precisely the divine paradox, according to Luther. Christians have been freed in order to be servants. Since they have already been emancipated by Christ, they are not required to do anything to free themselves. Hence, they are free to focus on others and to serve them. That is their blessed vocation, and it should not surprise them. After all, one aspect of their freedom is their unity with Christ, the creator and ruler of the universe and the great high priest. Yet he took on human flesh and walked on this earth in order to become humanity's servant. His calling is now the calling of all Christians, precisely because they are people of faith.

Faith is the great Christian liberty, but it is also the power within believers that motivates them to serve others because faith is quite naturally and necessarily active in love. Hence, it inspires Christians to do all kinds of good works that serve God and the neighbor. Luther celebrates the dynamic nature of faith in this passage from his "Prefaces to the New Testament":

 O, it is a living, busy, active, mighty thing, this faith. It is
 impossible for it not to be doing good works incessantly. It does not
 ask whether good works are to be done, but before the question is
 asked, it has already done them, and is constantly doing them. (107)

While good works are not a prerequisite for faith and surely do not justify, they are a natural consequence of faith and, thus, necessary. Faith comes first, however, and then good works follow. These were revolutionary ideas in Luther's day, and they are still radical in our time. According to Luther, good works are not motivated by a fear of God, a desire to achieve merit and to be able to bargain with God, or a sense of self-satisfaction. Rather, Christian ethical behavior is a reflection of the believer's existence coram deo, (108) and good works are inspired by faith which is manifest in love of God and the neighbor.

While this is not Luther's chief focus, he does point out that their good works benefit believers themselves. Good works are, in fact, a spiritual exercise by means of which the sinful nature, "the flesh" in St. Paul's terminology, is disciplined. The flesh is purified of evil inclinations and lusts by means of such works, and it, together with the spirit, then becomes an instrument of God. (109) As good works curb the doer's sinful inclinations, they also serve as an example to others who must discipline the flesh. (110) Most importantly, however, faith inspires good works so that God and the neighbor are served or, more precisely, so that God is served through the service of the neighbor in the "freedom of love." (111) As people who enjoy radical freedom, Christians are concerned about only one thing, namely, how they may benefit and serve others. "This is a truly Christian life," asserts Luther. "Here faith is truly active through love [Gal 5:6], that is, it finds expression in works of the freest service, cheerfully and lovingly done, with which a man willingly serves another without hope of reward; and for himself he is satisfied with the fullness and wealth of his faith." (112) When Christians exercise this servant role they are, of course, emulating Christ himself. (113) In light of Philippians 2:5-8, Luther points out that although Christ was God, he came into our world not to exercise power over us but to be one of us and to experience all that we experience. He lived his life and pursued his redemptive work as our servant, and all that he accomplished as our servant is now ours. (114) In the same way, argues Luther, "we also ought freely to help our neighbor through our body and its works, and each one should become, as it were, a Christ to the other that we may be Christs to one another and Christ may be the same in all, that is, that we may be truly Christians." (115) As "Christs to one another," people of faith also seek to serve all, without making any distinctions or drawing any boundaries. They do not consider whether their service is received with gratitude or ingratitude; whether they are praised or not; whether they benefit through their service or not; whether the one who is served is friend or foe. Such generous and profligate service is reminiscent of God's generosity who makes the sun shine on the evil and the good [Matthew 5:45]. (116)

The Reformer summarizes his whole argument in the "The Freedom of a Christian" in the following passage. That passage also serves as a concise statement of his vision of the Christian life, which is the truly faithful life that all the baptized priests are called to live.

 We conclude, therefore, that a Christian lives not in himself, but in
 Christ and in his neighbor. Otherwise he is not a Christian. He lives
 in Christ through faith, in his neighbor through love. By faith he is
 caught up beyond himself into God. By love he descends beneath
 himself into his neighbor. Yet, he always remains in God and in his
 love. ... (117)

The freedom to love God and the neighbor and to express that love in willing service chatacterizes the faithful life of all baptized priests. This freedom to love is a practical confirmation that the faith that gives Christians their baptismal identity as priests and that informs all of the functions of their ministerial vocation also shapes their lives, lived in an intimate relationship with God and with the neighbor. The circle is thus complete. Faithful identity leads to a faithful vocation which is, in turn, pursued in context of a faithful life. All three are necessary components of excellence in ministry.

One more point needs to be made in support of the thesis that has been argued, namely, that excellence in ministry consists of faithfulness. It has become apparent during the course of this exploration of Luther's thought that from the Reformer's perspective ministry is ultimately about God's work, not ours. When the word is proclaimed, the sacraments are celebrated, sins are forgiven and retained, sacrifices are offered, prayers are raised and doctrines are evaluated, God is at work. According to Luther, every priest, whether baptized or ordained, must say to herself or himself and to those who are the recipients of her or his ministry: "What I do, I do not by my own authority, but in the name and stead of God, so that you shall regard it just as if our Lord himself had done it in a visible manner. The Doer and the minister are different persons, but the work of both is the same work, or rather, it is the work of the Doer alone, through my ministry." (118) In his "The Private Mass and the Consecration of Priests," the Reformer is quite specific in asserting God's activity through the ministry of God's people. He insists:

 For we must believe and be sure of this, that baptism does not belong
 to us but to Christ, that the gospel does not belong to us but to
 Christ, that the office of preaching does not belong to us but to
 Christ, that the sacrament [of the Lord's Supper] does not belong to
 us but to Christ, that the keys, or forgiveness and retention of
 sins, do not belong to us but to Christ. In summary, the offices and
 sacraments do not belong to us but to Christ, for he has ordained all
 this and left it behind as a legacy in the church to be exercised and
 used to the end of the world; and he does not lie or deceive us.
 Therefore, we cannot make anything else out of it but must act
 according to his command and hold to it. However, if we alter it or
 improve on it, then it is invalid and Christ is no longer present,
 nor is his ordinance. (119)

Martin Luther insisted that ministry is not about us and our accomplishments. It ultimately consists of doing God's work. Thus there is much at stake, and no vocation is more important than this one. It is precisely for this reason that faithfulness is the ultimate criterion for determining excellence in ministry. This seems so obvious, but it is so crucial. In order for God's work to be done, God's people must do it because in God's surprising wisdom God has chosen to work through means. Thus God's has chosen to work through means. Thus God's work will be done when those whom God has chosen to be God's instruments pursue their calling faithfully. It is as simple and profound as that. This means, of course, that God's people, the baptized priests and the ordained and consecrated leaders of the church, cannot determine what to do and how to do it. They dare not decide to "improve" God's call. God's people must do what God has called them to do, and they must do it as God intends it to be done, namely, as Christ has commanded and modeled. In short, they must be faithful so that the word they proclaim is truly the gospel, the sacraments they celebrate and share are divine gifts of life, the word of forgiveness they speak is God's word of assurance, the prayers they offer are addressed to God, the doctrines they teach are consistent with God's radical good news and the life they live reflects Christ's wondrous serving love. God is faithful, and God's faithfulness is manifest especially in God's word, in baptism, in the Supper, in the good news of forgiveness and newness of life and in love expressed in tangible ways. God's faithfulness will be experienced particularly when God's priests exercise their vocation faithfully. Then their ministry will, indeed, be excellent.

(1.) "Concerning the Ministry," in Helmut Lehmann and Jaroslav Pelikan, eds., Luther's Works, 55 vols. (Philadelphia: Fortress Press; St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1955-1986), Vol. 40, 19. Hereafter referred to as LW.

(2.) "Concerning the Ministry," LW 40, 18.

(3.) "A Treatise on the New Testament, that is, the Holy Mass," LW 35, 101.

(4.) "To the Christian Nobility of the German Nation Concerning the Reform of the Christian Estate," LW 44, 127. Hereafter referred to as "To the Christian Nobility." See also Luther's "The Misuse of the Mass," LW 36,141: "Because the words of Peter [I Pet 2:9] are spoken to all Christians, if he wishes the anointed and tonsured priesthood to be comprehended therein, it follows that the holy, pious women and children are also tonsured and anointed priests. For Peter's words apply to all Christians of whichever priesthood; they make the priesthood common to all Christians."

(5.) "The Babylonian Captivity of the Chuich," LW 36,78.

(6.) "The Babylonian Captivity of the Church," LW 36,116. See also "Concerning the Ministry," LW 40,34: "It is of the common rights of Christians that we have been speaking. For since we have proved all of these things to be the common property of all Christians, no one individual can arise by his own authority and arrogate to himself alone what belongs to all. Lay hold then of this right and exercise it, where there is no one else who has the same rights. But the community rights demand that one, or as many as the community chooses, shall be chosen or approved who, in the name of all with these rights, shall perform these functions publicly. Otherwise, there might be shameful confusion among the people of God, and a kind of Babylon in the church, where everything shall be done in order, as the Apostle reaches [I Cor 14:40]. For it is one thing to exercise a right publicly; another to use it in time of emergency. Publicly one may not exercise a right without consent of the whole body or of the church. In time of emergency each may use it as he deems best."

(7.) "To the Christian Nobility," LW 44,176: "I want to speak only of the ministry which God has instituted, the responsibility of which is to minister word and sacrament to the congregation, among whom they reside."

(8.) "On the Councils and the Church" LW 41, 154.

(9.) "Concerning the Ministry," LW 40,36: "With the approval of the community these might then delegate the office to others."

(10.) "To the Christian Nobility," LW 44,129.

(11.) "Infiltrating and Clandestine Preachers," LW 40,386.

(12.) "Concerning the Ministry," LW 40, 11.

(13.) "The Babylonian Captivity of the Church," LW 36,116: "Furthermore, the priesthood is properly nothing but the ministry of the Word--the Word, I say; not the law, but the gospel." See also "Concerning the Ministry," LW 40,36: "Inasmuch as the office of preaching the gospel is the greatest of all and certainly is apostolic, it becomes the foundation for all other functions, which are built upon it, such as the offices of teachers, prophets, governing [the church], speaking with tongues, the gifts of healing and helping, as Paul directs in I Cor 12[:28]. Even Christ chiefly proclaimed the gospel, as the highest function of his office, and did not baptize [John 4:2]. Paul, too, gloried in the fact that he was sent not to baptize [I Cor 1:17], as to a secondary office, but to the primary office of preaching the gospel."

(14.) "Concerning the Ministry," LW 40, 37.

(15.) "The Babylonian Captivity of the Church," LW 36,112-13: "If they were forced to grant that all of us that have been baptized are equally priests, as indeed we are, and that only the ministry was committed them, yet with our common consent, they would then know that they have no right to rule over us except insofar as we freely concede it. For thus it is written in I Pet 2[:9]: 'You are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, and a priestly royalty.' Therefore we are all priests, as many of us as are Christians. But the priests, as we call them, are ministers chosen from among us. All that they do is done in our name; the priesthood is nothing but a ministry. This we learn from I Cor 4[:1]: 'This is how one should regard us, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God.'"

(16.) "The Babylonian Captivity of the Church," LW 36,27.

(17.) "Concerning the Ministry," LW 40,34-35: "Here we take our stand: There is no other Word of God than that which is given all Christians to proclaim. There is no other baptism than the one which any Christian can bestow. There is no other remembrance of the Lord's Supper than that which any Christian can observe and which Christ has instituted. There is no other kind of sin than that which any Christian can bind or loose. There is no other sacrifice than of the body of every Christian. No one but a Christian can pray. No one but a Christian may judge of doctrine. These make the priestly and royal office."

(18.) "Concerning the Ministry," LW 40,21.

(19.) "Infiltrating and Clandestine Preachers," LW 40,384: "For to the pastor is committed the pulpit, baptism, the sacrament [of the altar], and he is charged with the care of souls."

(20.) "On the Councils and the Church," LW 41,148-49.

(21.) "On the Councils and the Church," LW 41,150. See also the discussion of the centrality of the word in the life of the church in Paul Althaus, The Theology of Martin Luther, tr. by Robert C. Schulz (Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 1966), 288-89. Hereafter referred to as Althaus.

(22.) "Concerning the Ministry," LW 40,23.

(23.) Bernhard Lohse, Martin Luther's Theology, tr. by Roy A. Harrisville (Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 1999), 267-69. Hereafter referred to as Lohse. See also Althaus, 256-58.

(24.) Lohse, 270-71. See also Althaus, 251-52.

(25.) Robert Kolb and Timothy J. Wengert, eds., The Book of Concord (Min neapolis: Fortress Press, 2000), Smalcald Articles III,2, 311. Hereafter referred to as Book of Concord.

(26.) Book of Concord, Smalcald Articles, III,2, 312.

(27.) Lohse, 271-73; Althaus, 251-55; 258-59; 268-69.

(28.) "A Brief Instruction on What to Look For and Expect in the Gospels," LW 35,120.

(29.) "A Brief Instruction on What to Look For and Expect in the Gospels," LW 35,121.

(30.) "The Freedom of a Christian," LW 31,348-49.

(31.) "A Brief Instruction on What to Look For and Expect in the Gospels," LW 35,123.

(32.) "The Sacrament of the Body and Blood of Christ--Against the Fanatics," LW 36,348-49.

(33.) finitum capax infiniti. Luther emphasizes this concept particularly in his defense of the real presence against the symbolic interpretations of Huldreich Zwingli and his colleagues. See his two major eucharistic and Christological Treatises, "That these Words of Christ, "This is My Body,' etc., Still Stand Firm Against the Fanatics" and "Confession Concerning Christ's Supper" in LW 37.

(34.) "Concerning the Ministry," LW 40, 23: "For in baptizing we proffer the life-giving Word of God, which renews souls and redeems from death and sins. To baptize is incomparably greater than to consecrate bread and wine, for it is the greatest office of the church--the proclamation of the Word of God."

(35.) Book of Concord, "Large Catechism," 457.

(36.) Book of Concord, "Large Catechism," 457.

(37.) Book of Concord, "Large Catechism," 457. See also "Concerning Rebaptism," LW 40, 252: ""For even if I were never certain any more of faith, I still am certain of the command of God, that God has bidden to baptize, for this he has made known throughout the world. In this I cannot err, for God's command cannot deceive. ... True, one should add faith to baptism. But we are not to base baptism on faith."

(38.) Book of Concord, "Small Catechism," 359. The scriptural passage to which Luther is referring is Matthew 28:19. See also Book of Concord, "Large Catechism," 458: "[I]t is not simply plain water, but water placed in the setting of Gods Word and commandment and made holy by them."

(39.) Book of Concord, "Large Catechism," 458. See also Book of Concord, "Small Catechism," 359: "How can water do such great things? Answer: Clearly the water does not do it, but the Word of God, which is with and alongside the water, and faith, which trusts this Word of God in the water. For without the Word of God the water is plain water and not a baptism, but with the Word of God it is a baptism, that is, a gracefilled water of life and a 'bath of the new birth in the Holy Spirit,' as St. Paul says to Titus in chapter 3[:5-8], 'through the bath of rebirth and renewal of the Holy Spirit, which he richly poured out over us through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that through that very grace we may be righteous and heirs in hope of eternal life. This is surely most certainly true.'"

(40.) Book of Concord, "Small Catechism," 359; Book of Concord, "Large Catechism," 459

(41.) "The Holy and Blessed Sacrament of Baptism," LW 35,29.

(42.) "The Babylonian Captivity of the Church," LW 36,92.

(43.) "The Babylonian Captivity of the Church," LW 36,59.

(44.). "The Babylonian Captivity of the Church," LW 36,59.

(45.). See his "Concerning Rebaptism," LW 40,241-46; 254-58 and his "Large Catechism," Book of Concord, 462-64.

(46.). "Concerning Rebaptism," LW 40,242-43.

(47.) "On the Councils and the Church," LW4l,151: "Indeed, you should not even pay attention to who baptizes, for baptism does not belong to the baptizer, nor is it given to him, but it belongs to the baptized. It was ordained for him by God, and given to him by God, just as the word of God is not the preacher's (except in so far as he too hears and believes it) but belongs to the disciple who hears and believes it; to him it is given."

(48.) "The Holy and Blessed Sacrament of Baptism," LW 35,33-34: "You ask, 'How does baptism help me, if it does not altogether blot out and remove sin?' This is the place for a right understanding of the sacrament of baptism. This blessed sacrament of baptism helps you because in it God allies himself with you and becomes one with you in a gracious covenant of comfort. ... From that hour he begins to make you a new person. He pours into you his grace and Holy Spirit, who begins to slay nature and sin, and to prepare you for death and resurrection at the Last Day. ¶ In the second place you pledge yourself to continue in this desire, and to slay your sin more and more as long as you live. ... This too God accepts. He trains and tests you all your life long, with many good works and with all kinds of sufferings. Thereby he accomplishes what you in baptism have desired, namely, that you may become free from sin, die, and rise again at the Last Day, and so fulfill your baptism. .. For when this does not happen, when we do not suffer and are not tested, then the evil nature gains the upper hand so that a person invalidates his baptism, falls into sin, and remains the same old man he was before."

(49.) "The Holy and Blessed Sacrament of Baptism," LW 35,36.

(50.) Book of Concord, "Large Catechism," 462.

(51.) Book of Concord, "Large Catechism," 466.

(52.) "On the Councils and the Church," LW41,152.

(53.) "Concerning the Ministry," LW 40,24.

(54.) "Concerning the Ministry," LW 40,24.

(55.) "On the Councils and the Church," LW 41,152.

(56.) "The Babylonian Captivity of the Church," LW 36,43.

(57.) "The Babylonian Captivity of the Church," LW 36,56.

(58.) Book of Concord, "Small Catechism," 362.

(59.) "The Babylonian Captivity of the Church," LW 36, 57. See also "The Babylonian Captivity of the Church," LW 36,38-39: "From the above it will at once be seen what is the right and what is the wrong use of the mass, and what is the worthy and what the unworthy preparation for it. If the mass is a promise, as has been said, then access to it is to be gained, not with any works, or powers, or merits of one's own, but by faith alone. For where there is the Word of the promising God, there must necessarily be the faith of the accepting man. It is plain therefore, that the beginning of our salvation is a faith which clings to the Word of the promising God, who, without any effort on our part, in free and unmerited mercy takes the initiative and offers us the word of his promise." See further "The Babylonian Captivity of the Church," LW 36,40-43 and Book of Concord, "Large Catechism," 470.

(60.) Book of Concord, "Large Catechism," 469.

(61.) "The Blessed Sacrament of the Holy and True Body of Christ, and the Brotherhoods," LW35,51.

(62.) "The Blessed Sacrament of the Holy and True Body of Christ, and the Brotherhoods," LW 35,51.

(63.) "Admonition Concerning the Sacrament of the Body and Blood of our Lord," LW 38,126: "Where such faith is thus continually refreshed and renewed, there the heart is also at the same time refreshed anew in its love of the neighbor and is made strong and equipped to do all good works and to resist sin and all temptations of the devil. Since faith cannot be idle, it must demonstrate the fruits of love by doing good and avoiding evil. The Holy Spirit is at hand; he does not let us rest but makes us willing and inclined to do all that is good and earnest and diligent in opposing all that is evil."

(64.) "The Blessed Sacrament of the Holy and True Body of Christ, and the Brotherhoods," LW 35,57.

(65.) Book of Concord, "Large Catechism," 467. See also Book of Concord, "Small Catechism," 362 where Luther only uses the preposition "under." See also the discussions in Gunther Gassman and Scott Hendrix, Fortress Introduction to the Lutheran Confessions (Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 1999), 109-22 and in Eric W. Gritsch and Robert W. Jenson, Lutheranism. The Theological Movement and its Confessional Writings (Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 1976), 75-90. Hereafter referred to as Gritsch and Jenson.

(66.) "The Keys," LW 40,372-73: "For the key which binds carries forward the work of the law. It is profitable to the sinner inasmuch as it reveals to him his sins, admonishes him to fear God, causes him to tremble, and moves him to repentance, not to destruction. The loosing key carries forward the work of the gospel. It invites to grace and mercy. It comforts and promises life and salvation through the forgiveness of sins. In short, the two keys advance and foster the gospel by simply proclaiming these two things: repentance and forgiveness of sins [Luke 24:47]."

(67.) "The Keys," LW 40,366.

(68.) "On the Councils and the Church," LW 41,153.

(69.) "Concerning the Ministry," LW 40,25.

(70.) "The Keys," LW 40,373.

(71.) "The Keys," LW 40,329: "For 'the key which binds,' indeed, is nothing else and can be nothing but a divine threat with which God threatens the hardened sinner with hell. And 'the key which looses' is nothing else and can be nothing but a divine promise with which he promises to the humble sinner the kingdom of heaven."

(72.) "The Keys," LW 40,365.

(73.) "The Keys," LW 40.365.

(74.) "The Sacrament of Penance," LW 35,12: "It follows in addition that in the sacrament of penance and forgiveness of guilt a pope or bishop does nothing more than the lowliest priest. Indeed where there is no priest, each individual Christian--even a woman or child--does as much. For any Christian can say to you, 'God forgives you your sins, in the name,' etc., and if you can accept that word with a confident faith, as though God were saying it to you, then in that same faith you are surely absolved."

(75.) "Concerning the Ministry," LW 40,27.

(76.) "The Keys," LW 40,328.

(77.) "The Keys," LW 40,373.

(78.) "On the Councils and the Church," LW 41,153; "The Keys," LW 40,377; Book of Concord, "Large Catechism," 476-80.

(79.) "The Babylonian Captivity of the Church," LW 36,86: "As to the current practice of private confession, I am heartily in favor of it, even though it cannot be proved from the Scriptures. It is useful, even necessary, and I would not have it abolished. Indeed, I rejoice that it exists in the church of Christ, for it is a cure without equal for distressed consciences. For when we have laid bare our conscience to our brother and privately made known to him the evil that lurked within, we receive from our brother's lips the word of comfort spoken by God himself. And, if we accept this in faith, we find peace in the mercy of God speaking to us through our brother."

(80.) Book of Concord, "Large Catechism," 478. See also "The Keys," LW 40,364: "Remember that the keys or the forgiveness of sins are not based on our own repentance or worthiness. ... On the contrary our repentance and work, our disposition and all we are, should be built on the keys. We are to depend on them with as daring confidence as on God's Word itself. You must never doubt what the keys say and give you, at the risk of losing both body and soul. It is as certain as if God himself were saying so, which indeed he does. It is his own Word and command. But if you doubt the same you make God a liar. You pervert his order and base his keys on your own repentance and worthiness. You should, indeed, repent. But to make repentance the basis of the forgiveness of your sins and of corroborating the work of the keys, is to abandon faith and deny Christ. By means of the key, he will forgive your sins, not for your own sake but for his own name's sake, out of pure grace."

(81.) "The Babylonian Captivity of the Church," LW 36,84.

(82.) "The Babylonian Captivity of the Church," LW 36,85.

(83.) "The Keys," LW 40,375.

(84.) See Luther's ardent critique of the church's sacrificial understanding of the Eucharist in his "The Babylonian Captivity of the Church," LW 36,51-57.

(85.) "Concerning the Ministry," LW 40,28-29.

(86.) Book of Concord, "Large Cat echism," 441.

(87.) Book of Concord, Large Cat echism, 444: "God therefore wants you to lament and express your needs and concerns, not because he is unaware of them, but in order that you may kindle your heart to stronger and greater desires and open and spread your apron wide to receive many things."

(88.) Book of Concord, "Large Catechism," 444.

(89.) Book of Concord, "Large Catechism," 444.

(90.) Book of Concord, "Large Catechism," 443: "For by his Word, God testifies that our prayer is heartily pleasing to him and will assuredly be heard and granted, so that we may not despise it, cast it to the winds, or pray uncertainly."

(91.) "Concerning the Ministry," LW 40,30.

(92.) "Concerning the Ministry," LW 40,31.

(93.) See his "Temporal Authority: To What Extent it Should be Obeyed," LW 45,93;105-18.

(94.) "Concerning the Ministry," LW 40,33.

(95.) "The Freedom of a Christian," LW 31,344.

(96.) "The Freedom of a Christian," LW 31,345: "One thing, and only one thing, is necessary for Christian life, righteousness, and freedom. That one thing is the most holy Word of God, the gospel of Christ ... [I]t is the Word of life, truth, light, peace, righteousness, salvation, joy, liberty, wisdom, power, grace, glory and of every incalculable blessing."

(97.) "The Freedom of a Christian," LW 31,349-50.

(98.) "The Freedom of a Christian," LW 31,350.

(99.) "The Freedom of a Christian," LW 31,351: God "does us that great honor of considering us truthful and righteous for the sake of our faith. Faith works truth and righteousness by giving God what belongs to him. Therefore God in turn glorifies our righteousness. It is true and just that God is truthful and just, and to consider and confess him to be so is the same as being truthful and just."

(100.) "The Freedom of a Christian," LW 31,353.

(101.) "The Freedom of a Christian," LW 31,351.

(102.) "The Freedom of a Christian," LW 31,354.

(103.) "The Freedom of a Christian," LW 31,354

(104.) "The Freedom of a Christian," LW 31,355.

(105.) "The Freedom of a Christian," LW 31,355.

(106.) "The Freedom of a Christian," LW 31,355.

(107.) "Prefaces to the New Testament," LW 35,370.

(108.) Gritsch and Jenson, 137-39.

(109.) "The Freedom of a Christian," LW 31,358-60.

(110.) "The Freedom of a Christian," LW 31,369: "Each one should do the works of his profession and station, not that by them he may strive after righteousness, but that through them he may keep his body under control, be an example to others who also need to keep their bodies under control, and finally that by such works he may submit his will to that of others in the freedom of love."

(111.) "The Freedom of a Christian," LW 31,369.

(112.) "The Freedom of a Christian," LW 31,365.

(113.) Luther notes that Christ can become an example for Christians only after they have accepted Him as gift. This is a crucial point because the Reformer insists that Christ must first be Savior before He can be an example. He explores this distinction in his "A Brief Instruction on What to Look for and Expect in the Gospels," LW 35,119-20. This is a marvelously rich passage which clarifies not only the two roles of Christ but also confirms the intimate relationship between faith and works. Luther notes: "The chief article and foundation of the gospel is that before you take Christ as an example, you accept and recognize him as a gift, as a present that God has given you and that is your own. This means that when you see or hear of Christ doing or suffering something, you do not doubt that Christ himself, with his deeds and suffering, belongs to you. On this you may depend as surely as if you had done it yourself; indeed, as if you were Christ himself. See, this is what it means to have a proper grasp of the gospel, that is of the overwhelming goodness of God, which neither prophet, nor apostle, nor angel was ever able fully to express, and which no heart could adequately fathom or marvel at. This is the great fire of the love of God for us, whereby the heart and conscience become happy, secure, and content. This is what preaching the Christian faith means. This is why such preaching is called gospel, which in German means a joyful, good, and comforting 'message'; and this is why the apostles are called the 'twelve messengers.' ... Now when you have Christ as the foundation and chief blessing of your salvation, then the other part follows: that you take him as your example, giving yourself in service to your neighbor just as you see that Christ has given himself for you. See, there faith and love move forward, God's commandment is fulfilled, and a person is fearless to do and to suffer all things. Therefore make note of this, that Christ as a gift nourishes your faith and makes you a Christiana. But Christ as an example exercises your works. These do not make you a Christian. Actually they come forth from you because you have already been made a Christian."

(114.) "The Freedom of a Christian," LW 31,366.

(115.) "The Freedom of a Christian," LW 31,367-68.

(116.) "The Freedom of a Christian," LW 31,367

(117.) "The Freedom of a Christian," LW 31,371.

(118.) "Babylonian Captivity of the Church," LW 36,63.

(119.) "The Private Mass and the Consecration of Priests," LW 38,200.

Kurt K. Hendel

Bernard, Fischer, Westberg Distinguished Ministry Professor of Reformation History Director of M.A. Programs, Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago

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Author:	Hendel, Kurt K.
Publication:	Currents in Theology and Mission
Article Type:	Critical essay
Geographic Code:	1USA
Date:	Jun 1, 2009
Words:	15876
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