The Heidelberg Disputation: A Crucial Text for Classical Christian Schools

Introduction

Teachers in Christian schools often speak of Luther’s theology—his doctrines of grace alone, faith alone, and all the rest. Yet, we frequently do so without considering his own way of speaking and without a firm grasp on the context that gave rise to his concerns. As a result, important aspects of what we can learn from Luther are passed over. The best way to remedy this problem is by giving students a taste of Luther’s own writings. Perhaps the best of these to put before pupils is the Heidelberg Disputation of 1518. This text, so often overlooked by those outside Lutheran circles, is a key document from the early days of the Reformation which gets us into the spirit, theology, and context of Luther. Classical Christian schools in the classical Protestant tradition should incorporate this document into their curriculum to help students acquire the liberal art of rhetoric, achieve a deeper knowledge of the Reformation, and become theologians of the cross (thus fulfilling part of our portrait of a graduate).

Summary of the Disputation

To see how the disputation can be put these uses, let us briefly consider its content. In theses 1-6, Luther rejects the vain notion of salvation via the Law. Only the works of God avail for salvation. In 13-16, he rejects the notion of free will as a basis for doing righteous human works that curry the favor of God. Luther teaches that free will, after the fall, exists in name only. In 17-18, he says that the purpose of this humbling under the Law is to prepare one to receive Christ—the diagnosis of sickness comes before the cure of grace. After reading these theses we are left saying, with Paul, "by works of the Law no-one will be justified in His sight, for through the Law comes knowledge of sin” (Rom. 3:20). Luther drives us to the realization that we cannot save ourselves. Through this message of condemnation driven into our hearts by the Spirit through the Word, the stony heart is made a fallow ground. The sinner, perceiving that he is completely unable to do anything to earn God’s mercy, renounces any claims to self-righteousness and is ready to receive the Savior.

Luther then takes us to Christ our righteousness: "He is not righteous who does much, but he who, without work, believes much in Christ” (25). “The Law says, 'do this' and it is never done. Grace says, 'believe in this' and it is already done.” (26). Luther leaves us basking in sweet and precious grace. The reader of the disputation, whether a new or seasoned Christian, is caught up through his reading in the horror, the beauty, and the drama of God's two words—Law and Gospel. The Law shows the sinner himself apart from Christ and drives him to repentance: "The Law brings the wrath of God, kills, reviles, accuses, judges, and condemns everything that is not in Christ." (23). Yet, after reading Luther, he is joyful at his freedom from the condemnation of the Law, again rejoicing with Paul, "thanks be to God through Jesus Christ my Lord!" (Romans 7:25).

Several Uses of the Heidelberg Disputation for Classical Christian Schools

Though Luther here has restated, in substance, what Paul teaches in his epistles, the drama of this disputation, its memorable theses, and its historical significance have the potential to positively reach our students and serve the ends of classical Christian education in several ways:
(1). Cruciform Rhetoric: The Heidelberg Disputation is useful for forming the liberal art of rhetoric in our students.

Most of these theses are jarring in both their content and form; set against their medieval theological backdrop, they are doubly jarring. In its rhetorical fervor, the disputation trains us in the art of a humbled man speaking well (a true education in rhetoric). Our teaching style when engaging high-level theology is often dry and abstract; Luther is lively, paradoxical, and existentially relevant. Thus, we can use him to train our students to translate theological wisdom into an influential idiom in conformity with the broader goals of our rhetoric curriculum. Chief among these goals is cultivating a learned and cruciform piety. 

(2). Information Goals: The Heidelberg Disputation is useful for achieving information goals for our students in a way that touches hearts.

These theses are also helpful in the theological curriculum of a school for reaching information goals pertaining to the Reformation and Reformation theology. More than that, they not only teach Luther's historically significant theology, but they do so in an affective way—they reach our hearts. One is likely not only to come away knowing the essence of Reformation theology but also loving it and embodying it. Whereas a theology teacher might stand in front of his students and say something to the effect of, "Luther argued that salvation is by grace alone through faith alone and not by works," the Heidelberg disputation says much the same in substance but in a way that is heart-effective because of its rhetorical form. It is a formatory via (way) from an essential auctor (authority). Further, to thoroughly apprehend the disputation, one must know something of medieval theology (preferably a lot of somethings). Therefore, teaching the disputation is, at least, a three-for-one: students learn Reformation history, Reformation theology, and Reformation rhetoric through an educationally effective text.

(3). Portrait of a Graduate: The Heidelberg Disputation is useful for forming student character into humble servants—theologians of the cross in conformity with the portrait of a graduate.

The Heidelberg Disputation teaches us about the methods/postures of two radically different kinds of theologians. The theologian of glory finds God where one expects to find Him—in creation, in the wisdom of great authors, and all the rest. Though this wisdom is good in and of itself, the problem with the theologian of glory is that this wisdom puffs him up in pride and thus condemns him.

The theologian of the cross is the opposite. The theologian of the cross understands that God reveals Himself most significantly to us in this life under His opposites sub specie contraria. Whereas the theologian of glory expects to find God in victory, strength, and worldly success, the theologian of the cross understands that God reveals Himself most significantly to us in this life in suffering, death, and weakness. The theologian of the cross does not reject the wisdom of God revealed in creation and providence (and, in turn, the classical canon outside Scripture), but he engages that wisdom as a theologian of the cross.

What this means for us, practically, is that through the Heidelberg Disputation, we are better equipped to form our students into people who engage the classical canon with humility—a humbled and cruciform piety. Through faith in the risen Lord Jesus, we engage the classical canon as a gift from God, with a view toward harnessing its wisdom in the service of our neighbor in love. We are not co-opting these great books for the sake of establishing our own righteousness or building our own kingdoms; we rather are using these texts in service to our neighbor in cruciform love. This, in turn, fulfills our goal of forming servant graduates.

The Crux of the Matter

Parents and teachers are sometimes afraid that we raise the next generation of Pharisees because of our emphasis on excellence at every level of classical Christian education. But how can we raise the next generation of Pharisees if we—administrators, teachers, and students—have died, in heart, to any vain notion that our works, will, and wisdom can save us? The answer to the problem of our temptation to become theologians of glory is not to lessen the demands of excellence in classical Christian schools, nor to fail to engage with the great works of the classical canon. Rather, it is to engage the canon from the perspective of a theologian of the cross—emptied of self-righteousness, receiving Christ through faith and serving our neighbor in love.

Good teachers are ultimately interested in the flourishing of students. An essential quality of our portrait of a graduate is that they are empty of self, finding their all in God through faith and serving their neighbor in love. We can move our schools in the direction of achieving this end by adding the Heidelberg Disputation to our curriculum, studying it thoroughly, and trusting God to drive its wisdom and posture deeply into our hearts.

Patrick Steckbeck is a Lutheran-classical headmaster in Naples, Florida. He received a B.A. in Theology from Reformation Bible College and a M.A. in Philosophy from Holy Apostles College and Seminary. He is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Philosophical Theology from The Institute of Lutheran Theology. He and Alexa have a one year old son, Ryker, who was born in Texas. Patrick and Alexa like to study Lutheran theology and also philosophy and literature.