When Luther Gets It Wrong
One of the oddities we’ve noticed about how the Mahlerites arrive at their peculiar doctrines is a stiff-necked belief that they, the Mahlerites, are being faithful to Luther and Walther by having the same ‘racism’ that both Lutheran luminaries are alleged to have held.(1)
In the Mahlerite view, Historic Lutheranism is racist and they believe it is meant to be racist. Furthermore, they argue that to oppose racism is to align oneself with Bolsheviks and Satanists.
Here are the problems with this view, first is the absurd logic that is employed to embrace such a position. Second, the Mahlerites, are guilty of adding articles of faith to Confessional Lutheranism that are not listed as articles in the Book of Concord nor found in the scritpures.
Let’s start with the absurd logic that is being employed by the Mahlerites.
Posting two screenshots, one from a Satanist Twitter account and one from Soviet propaganda account doesn’t actually prove anything. I would remind the Mahlerites that despite the reprehensible evils believed by both Satanists and Bolsheviks, there are still many things that both get correct. For example, both Satanists and Bolsehviks, believe that the sky is blue and that touching a hot stove will result in someone being burned. To claim that someone who believes that the sky is blue is now siding with Satanists and Bolsheviks is an example of a muddled fallacious logic. I would remind the Mahlerites that Roman Catholics believe in the doctrine of the Trinity, yet Confessional Lutherans do not reject the Trinity. Not only do Lutherans believe the doctrine of the Trinity, they overtly teach that the one who denies the doctrine of the Trinity is a heretic and not a Christian. Therefore, despite the significant differences between Lutherans and Roman Catholics, they hold the doctrine of the Trinity in common. This does not in any way make us bedfellows and allies of Rome.
Second, historic Lutheranism is defined by the Confessions as normed by the scriptures. Lutheran doctrine is not defined by the the extra-biblical opinions of any Lutherans from the past. It is very clear that neither Luther nor Walther were inerrant in their extra-Biblical beliefs.
A famous example of this is Luther’s opposition to Copernicus and his discovery of the heliocentric solar system. Here is what Luther said about Copernicus:
There was mention of a certain new astrologer [Copernicus] who wanted to prove that the earth moves and not the sky, the sun, and the moon. This would be as if somebody were riding on a cart or in a ship and imagined that he was standing still while the earth and the trees were moving.
So it goes now. Whoever wants to be clever must agree with nothing that others esteem. He must do something of his own. This is what that fellow does who wishes to turn the whole of astronomy upside down. Even in these things that are thrown into disorder I believe the Holy Scriptures, for Joshua commanded the sun to stand still, and not the earth [Josh. 10:12].(2)
And it gets worse, Luther, in his lectures on Genesis said:
Indeed, it is more likely that the bodies of the stars, like that of the sun, are round, and that they are fastened to the firmament like globes of fire, to shed light at night, each according to its endowment and its creation.3
We live in the day where we send satellites into orbit, men to the moon and probes to the planets in our solar system. Copernicus has been vindicated and Luther is wrong. I do not know a single Confessional Lutheran who denies the heliocentric solar system. Nor do I know any who argue that because Luther and other historic Lutherans denied the heliocentric solar system therefore, in order for someone to be a true Lutheran that means they are required to repudiate Copernicus and his heliocentric “heresy”.
If the Mahlerites were consistent in their logic, and no one is claiming they are, then they should also condemn Copernicus like Luther did.
We’ve noticed that over and again, when the Mahlerites are pressed to produce Biblical texts and articles of faith from the Lutheran Confessions to justify their racist views, they cannot do so. The reason for this is quite simple, the Bible and the Lutheran Confessions do not teach their racist ideology. Therefore, they are left with two options, repent, or engage in sophistry to justify their beliefs. They’ve clearly chosen the second. But by doing so, the Mahlerites are guilty of adding doctrines to the scriptures that simply do not exist, and they are adding articles of faith to the Lutheran confessions that also do not exist.
The Mahlerites would be wise to consider the warning from scripture given to those who would add to God’s Word:
2 John 1:9–11: “Everyone who goes on ahead and does not abide in the teaching of Christ, does not have God. Whoever abides in the teaching has both the Father and the Son. If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not receive him into your house or give him any greeting, for whoever greets him takes part in his wicked works.”
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This post will not address the alleged racism that the Mahlerites claim that Luther, Walther and others are alleged to have held. Future blog posts will take a closer look these claims which are being made by the Mahlerites.
Martin Luther, Luther's Works. Vol 54. Table Talk, ed. Helmut T. Lehmann (Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 1967), 358–9
Ibid., 42.