Neo-Lutheranism was a 19th-century revival
movement within Lutheranism which began with
the Pietist driven Erweckung, or Awakening,
and developed in reaction against theological
rationalism and pietism. This movement followed
the Old Lutheran movement and focused on a
reassertion of the identity of Lutherans as
a distinct group within the broader community
of Christians, with a renewed focus on the
Lutheran Confessions as a key source of Lutheran
doctrine. Associated with these changes was
a renewed focus on traditional doctrine and
liturgy, which paralleled the growth of Anglo-Catholicism
in England. It was sometimes even called "German
Puseyism". In the Roman Catholic Church in
Germany, neo-Lutheranism was paralleled by
Johann Adam Möhler. The chief literary organ
of the neo-Lutheranism was Evangelische Kirchenzeitung,
edited by Ernst Wilhelm Hengstenberg.
== Repristination versus Erlangen school ==
Neo-Lutheranism developed as a reaction against
the Prussian Union in a similar manner to
the development of Tractarianism against the
British Government's decision to reduce the
number of Irish bishoprics. The term has been
defined different ways to distinguish it from
the Old Lutherans movement, which was a schism
in areas where a church union was enforced.
Also, a distinction developed in neo-Lutheranism
whereby one side held to repristination theology
which tried to restore historical Lutheranism,
while the other held to the theology of the
Erlangen School. The repristination theology
group was represented by Ernst Wilhelm Hengstenberg,
Carl Paul Caspari, Gustav Adolf Theodor Felix
Hönecke, Friedrich Adolf Philippi, and C.F.W.
Walther. Repristination theology is more similar
to later Confessional Lutheranism. In contrast,
confessionalism to the Erlangen School was
not to be static, but dynamic. The Erlangen
School tried to combine Reformation theology
with new learning. The Erlangen School included
Franz Hermann Reinhold von Frank, Theodosius
Harnack, Franz Delitzsch, Johann Christian
Konrad von Hofmann, Karl Friedrich August
Kahnis, Christoph Ernst Luthardt and Gottfried
Thomasius.
== High Church Lutheranism ==
However, neo-Lutheranism is sometimes called
only theology and activity represented by
Theodor Friedrich Dethlof Kliefoth, August
Friedrich Christian Vilmar, Johann Konrad
Wilhelm Löhe, August Friedrich Otto Münchmeyer
and Friedrich Julius Stahl who had particularly
high ecclesiology. They were polemic against
idea of invisible church, strongly claiming
church as an outward, visible institution
of salvation and therefore laid emphasis on
ordained ministry instituted by Christ and
significance of sacraments above word as Means
of Grace. However, unlike the Erlangen School,
this neo-Lutheranism did not make lasting
influence on Lutheran theology. Properly speaking,
High Church Lutheranism began in Germany much
later, 1917 the Hochkirchliche Vereinigung
Augsburgischen Bekenntnisses was created,
inspired by 95 theses Stimuli et Clavi, exactly
100 years after Claus Harms' 95 theses.
Neo-Lutheranism should not be confused with
term Neo-Protestantism, represented e.g. by
Adolf von Harnack and his followers, which
means exclusively liberal theology.
== See also ==
Gottlieb Christoph Adolf von Harless
Andreas Gottlob Rudelbach
Charles Porterfield Krauth
Ludwig Adolf Petri
Fredrik Gabriel Hedberg
Evangelical Catholic
Old Lutherans
Gisle Johnson
C. F. W. Walther
Carl Paul Caspari
U. V. Koren
Herman Amberg Preus
