TheoCenTriC

What does one get when one channels medieval Catholic spirituality through the lens of Protestant theology? The answer: Johann Arndt's spiritual classic True Christianity (1605). Labeled by Albert Schweitzer as "the prophet of interior Protestantism," Johann Arndt presents a mystical theology that is thoroughly rooted in the soil of Lutheran doctrinal distinctives. Consequently, his work provides a good starting point for wrestling with a mystical spirituality that is grounded in Protestant theology.

Faith Works

One of the stated purposes of Ardnt's book is to show how "true Christianity consists… in the exhibition of a true, living faith, active in genuine godliness and the fruits of righteousness" (21; cf. 173-175). He was disturbed by those who reduced the Christian life to mere intellectual assent or abstract doctrinal propositions. "Many think that theology is a mere science, or rhetoric, whereas it is a living experience and practice" (21). He believed that the Scriptures clearly taught that we are not only "to believe in Christ" but "we are to live in Christ and he in us" (21).

Therefore, his contemporaries who decried the need to imitate Christ for fear of undermining the importance of justification by faith were wrong. We must imitate Christ, no matter how imperfectly. "And although we cannot, in our present weakness, perfectly imitate the holy and noble life of Christ... nevertheless, we ought to love it, and yearn to imitate it, for thus we live in Christ, and Christ lives in us, as John in the first Epistle 2:6 says: He who says he abides in Him ought to talk in the same way in which he walked" (22).

Faith itself is invisible. The only way it is observably manifested to others is through the fruit of faith - the progressive development of Christian virtues with a special emphasis on love as the chief and binding virtue. Christian virtues will begin to form in the life of a true Christian to some degree, for faith is the true source of all Christian virtues. Ultimately, Arndt demonstrates that a true understanding of justification by faith alone does not lead to licentiousness but unleashes good works in the life of a believer for the good of all people. In other words, the only thing that really matters is faith working through love (Galatians 5:6).

Purgation through Repentance

True Christianity begins with true repentance: "[R]epentance is the beginning and foundation of true Christianity, of a holy life and walk, indeed, the beginning of our blessedness through true faith" (195). Repentance is necessary in order to purge the soul of sin and make the soul receptive to God's purifying power through the Spirit.

In giving priority to repentance, Arndt follows the classic medieval order of purgation, illumination, and union, but with a distinctively Lutheran twist. Because of the radical depravity of human nature apart from grace as a result of original sin, purgation is not accomplished by human effort but solely through union with God. Thus, Ardnt places mystical union at the beginning of the Christian life. By faith alone the believer is incorporated into Christ through the Spirit and shares in all the wealth of his saving resources. It is this union that is the basis for all the good in the believer, including his or her acts of purification through repentance. "God's Son did not become man for his own sake but for ours, so that he might unite us once again with God through himself, and make us participants of the highest good, and purify and make us holy once again" (65-66). Arndt effectively democratizes the Christian experience by placing mystical union at the beginning of the Christian life and thus the possession and domain of all believers. For most (if not all) other medieval spiritualities, mystical union is the ultimate end of the Christian life and the domain of only a select few in this life.

True repentance can only be practiced when one possesses a thorough knowledge of the extent of damage done by original sin. Continual reflection on one's total depravity exposes one's complete helplessness and causes one to trust solely in Christ for his or her salvation. Ardnt cites this as the main purpose of his first book -

to teach the reader how to know the hidden and inherited abomination of original sin, to learn to see our misery and helplessness, to refuse to put any trust in ourselves or our abilities, to take away everything from ourselves, and to ascribe all to Christ, so that he alone may dwell in us, work all things in us, alone live in us, and do all things in us, because he is the beginning, middle, and end of our conversion and salvation. (25)

The depths of sinful corruption are so great it is impossible to probe to the bottom, providing an endless source for repentant reflection (35, 192). Without this knowledge of one's own sickness "Christ, the true physician, and his medicine and all consolation are of no use to you" (195). This increases appreciation for Christ, for only he "can change human nature, renew it and make it pure" (192).

The depth of depravity makes true repentance difficult. It is not "a slight and easy work" (24). It calls for "earnest regret and sorrow and a thorough knowledge of sin" (24). Repentance is further complicated by its shallow counterfeits. True repentance is not superficial, but deeply internal. We must

learn to understand repentance in a proper manner. Many people err concerning it who believe that true repentance is to leave external idolatry, rejection of God, murder, adultery, unchastity, theft, and other gross external sins. This is, indeed, external repentance, of which many passages in the prophets speak... But the prophets looked much deeper, namely into the heart, and taught us of a much higher, inner repentance in which one is to die to pride, covetousness, and lust, to deny oneself, to hate and reject the world and all that which man has, to give oneself to God, to crucify the flesh, to bring a proper offering to God daily, [namely] a broken, contrite, and trembling heart, and to carry a sorrowful soul in one's body. (43)

Repentant people possess broken and contrite hearts that are emptied of sin and sinful desires and made fit to be filled with God's Spirit. Their tears are the true "holy water" that God blesses (103). Their "inner repentance and mortification of the flesh are the true cross" that must be daily borne for Christ (42). The truly repentant man dies to himself in order that Christ might live within.

Illumination through New Birth

True repentance leads to a new birth which brings "justification and sanctification or renewal" (37). This comes through faith. This faith which both forgives and transforms is a living faith that experiential unites a person with God in Christ. Because of the importance of possessing a living faith, Ardnt expounds on it in detail:

By this deep trust and heartfelt assent, man gives his heart completely and utterly to God, rests in God alone, gives himself over to God, clings to God alone, unites himself with God, is a participant of all that which is God and Christ, becomes one spirit with God, receives from him new power, new life, new consolation, peace and joy, rest of soul, righteousness and holiness, and also, from God through faith, man is newborn. Where new faith is, there is Christ with all his righteousness, holiness, redemption, merit, grace, forgiveness of sins, childhood of God, inheritance of eternal life. This is the new birth that comes from faith in Christ. (45)

Without faith, it is impossible to grow in Christian virtue: "you must be established in Christ through faith and be righteous in him before you can do any good work" (46).

Through the new birth the image of God begins to be slowly renewed in the Christian while the image of Satan is slowly destroyed. "You must look to two things in prayer: first, that the image of Satan be destroyed in you - unbelief, pride, covetousness, pleasure, wrath, and so forth; second, that the image of God might be raised up in you - faith, love, hope, humility, patience, the fear of God" (197). God made us for his joy and pleasure in his image. "Christ had to die so that the corrupted and dying image of God in man might once again be renewed through the Holy Spirit and so that man might once again be the house and the dwelling place of God in eternity" (77).

Christian virtue and good works are the fruit of this transformation into the image of God - the ultimate fruit being love. Love is more important than learning or works.

Great intelligence is common to pagans and Christians and great works are common to believers and unbelievers. Love alone is the proper test of a Christian and distinguishes false Christians from true Christians, for where there is no love, there is no good things, even if it is costly and seems to be great. (124)

True love for God and love for neighbor are inseparable. "The love of God and the love of neighbor are one thing and must not be divided" (126). "We are to treat our fellowman as God treats us" (129) and God freely sheds his love upon all. Ultimately, "God does not need our service in the slightest way, but our neighbor does" (130). We are most like God when we love our enemies (Romans 5:10). Love for God causes us to see God in everything, to renounce selfish "earthly love." "The less earthly love the more godly love and the more love of neighbor [there is]. These last two are not to be separated" (143).

Mystic Union through Love

Ardnt continues to follow the classic medieval order harnessed by Lutheran distinctives: first purgation through repentance, then illumination as gifts increase and love grows, and finally in the Third Book he speaks of the "full union through love" (221). Here the influence of the medieval mystics is prominent as he develops his theology of the interior life. He states that the Third Book is written "to point out how you are to seek and find the kingdom of God in yourself" (221).

This book is full of delightful passages that speak of the unspeakable joys of mystic communion with God. For example,

the soul is made into a temple of God, into a seat of wisdom, into a dwelling place of chastity, into a receiver of the covenant, into a tabernacle of holiness, into a chamber of the bridegroom, into a spiritual heaven, into a blessed land, into a house of mysteries, into a dear bride, into a dear garden, into a room and chamber of the marriage, and into a Paradise garden sweet-smelling and strewn with many beautiful flowers of virtue to which the Lord of all angels and the King of honor goes, so that he might marry the deeply beloved bride who is sick with love, adorn her with the flower of holy desire, bedeck her with the apples of virtue, and wait upon his dearly beloved when he comes in his adornment. Since she shines with the crown of a pure conscience, with the snow-white cloak of chastity that she has put on, and with the precious, noble pearl of good works that adorns her, she is no way afraid before him as before the sight of a harsh judge, but her only and deepest desire is that she might see and contemplate the presence of the Lord Bridegroom for which she has carried her desire (which also the blessed hosts and the heavenly spirits of joy, the angels in heaven consider as the highest glory). (256)

No matter how much he is influenced by the medieval mystics, his spirituality remains distinctively Protestant and Lutheran. No merits of any kind are allowed at any point in spiritual transformation. "You must take care that you do not connect your works and the virtues that you have begun, or the gifts of the new life, with your justification before God, for none of man's works, merit, gifts, or virtue, however lovely these may be, count for anything" (24). To attribute any good deeds to the self would be to undermine Christ's comprehensive contribution to our salvation. "Everything that belongs to holiness, Christ merited for us, for a fallen man cannot help himself. We cannot create ourselves and much less can we redeem and sanctify ourselves" (153).

Analysis

Arndt has a tremendous sense of balance, integrating two disparate traditions. By channeling Lutheran distinctives through each classic phase of medieval spirituality, he is able to modify the tradition to fit his theology, creating a mystical theology that is palatable and acceptable to Protestants.

It is a tragic that Protestants often find it difficult to proclaim free and full pardon by grace through faith while also affirming the absolute necessity of following Christ in discipleship. Ardnt allows these two truths to flow together nicely by emphasizing that repentance from sin is necessary to begin the Christian life. His teaching on the activity of faith keeps faith from descending to mere assent. His stress on love as the fruit of faith allows him to inseparably connect the active and contemplative life.

Like a good Lutheran, Arndt is able to maintain the paradox that we are simultaneously saints and sinners. God makes "something" out of those who esteem themselves as "nothing." "A man who considers himself before God as the most paltry creature, as the most miserable, is in God's eyes the greatest and most glorious. The man who considers himself the greatest sinner is the greatest saint before God." (99-100)

For Arndt, faith is foundational to all spirituality, for it apprehends Christ who is all-sufficient and all-necessary for every aspect of spiritual growth. While keeping his focus on the sufficiency of Christ in all things, he is still able to call his readers to a deeper level of mystical union.

Ardnt's emphasis on the complete sufficiency and abundance of God's grace to forgive and transform, our absolute need for Christ and the Spirit in light of our radical depravity due to original sin, and the foundational importance of prayer in all things allows him to pursue deeper mystical experiences without ever straying from Protestant distinctives.

© Richard J. Vincent, 2004