Evangelium in Corde sive ex Corde?

1. Evangelium in Corde sive ex Corde? The Actuality of a Discussion between Erasmus, Luther and Driedo Marcel Gielis 15 January 2010

2. Introduction • - spirituality • - 'evangelium in corde' • the three authors: • Desiderius Erasmus of Rotterdam (1469-1536) • Martin Luther (1483-1546) • John Driedo(ens) (ca. 1480 - 1535) • - breaches and bridges • - in the light of Yves Congar, Vraie et fausse Réforme dans l'Eglise (1950)

5. Augustine and Thomas Aquinas Altarpiece of the Louvain faculty of Divinity

7. three parts: 1) the origin, the use and the meaning of the concept 'evangelium in corde' 2) the attitude of the three theologians towards this concept 3) evaluation in the light of Congar's vision of the relationship of Catholicism and Protestantism conclusion: evangelium in corde sive ex corde

8. 1) The concept 'Evangelium in corde'

9. Origin in the framework of the contrast between a/the old and a/the new Alliance: - "Dabo legem meam in visceribus eorum, et in corde eorum, et in corde eorum scribam eam" (Jer. 31, 33). - a letter written "non in tabulis lapideis, sed in tabulis cordis carnalibus" (2 Kor. 3, 2-3). - Augustinus, De spiritu et littera (412): "Ibi in tabulis lapideis digitus Dei operatus est, hic in cordibus hominum". - Thomas Aquinas

10. Origin in the framework of a contrast between a message that was laid down by oral tradition in the hearts of believers and a message that has been put in writ: - Thomas Aquinas, S. Th., 3a, quaest. 42, art. 4, c.: "Respondeo dicendum conveniens fuisse Christum doctrinam suam non scripsisse. Primo quidem propter dignitatem ipsius: excellentiori enim doctori excellentior modus doctrinae debetur. Et ideo Christo, tanquam excellentissimo doctori, hic modus competebat, ut doctrinam suam auditorum cordibus imprimeret ... Scriptura enim ordinatur ad impressionem doctrinae in cordibus auditorum, sicut ad finem. Secundo, propter excellentiam doctrinae Christi, quae litteris comprehendi non potest, ... Si autem Christus scripto doctrinam suam mandasset, nihil altius de ejus doctrina homines aestimarent quam quod scriptura contineret".

11. Use • - In the context of the discussion about Scripture and Tradition • James Latomus, • Dialogus de tribus linguis (1519): 'evangelium in corde‘ • (in the anti-humanist polemic concerning the foundation of the Collegium Trilingue in Louvain) • other 16th century theologians • Möhler and Newman • Carl Rogers: • standards "not in stone, but written from a human heart“ • (= 'evangelium ex corde'!)

12. Sense the gospel in the heart = 'lex Christi mentalis‘ = 'oratio mentalis' - Emperor Maximilian and Abbot Johannes Trithemius (1508): a conceptual Revelation that is to be found in the Tradition - Ted Schoof about the design scheme of the Constitution Dei Verbum: "Revelation is considered as the communication of a series of conceptual truths". => Theology is separated from spirituality.

13. 2) The attitude of Erasmus, Luther and Driedo to the 'Evangelium in corde'

14. Erasmus "Christi philosophia non propositionibus tantum et ceremoniis, sed pectore totaque vita referret" (Paraclesis). "Homines ... perperam ponunt pietatem in rebus visibilibus, quae signa sunt fortasse pietatis, non causa ... cum vera pietas sit in ipsis animis" (Paraphrases). - Dogma and sacraments are only signs, no causes of faith. - ‘evangelium ex corde’

15. Luther "Spiritus sanctus ... nec dubia aut opiniones in cordibus nostris scripsit, sed assertiones“ "Sic placitum est Deo ut non sine verbo, sed per verbum tribuat spiritum, ut nos habeat suos cooperatores, dum foris sonamus, quod intus ipse solus spirat“ (De servo arbitrio). "Und inn diesen stuecken, so das muendlich, eusserlich wort betreffen, ist fest darauff zu bleiben, das Gott niemand seinem Geist oder gnade gibt on durch oder mit dem vorgehend eusserlichem wort, ... Darumb sollen und muessen wir darauff beharren das Gott nicht wil mit uns Menschen handeln, denn durch sein eusserlich wort und Sacrament". (Schmalkaldische Artikel) - The Gospel or the Word of God is external and workd as Sacrament - 'evangelium in corde', or even 'evangelium in cor'

16. Driedo John Driedo speaks about the 'evangelium in corde' in the treatise De scripturis et dogmatibus ecclesiasticis. - The gospel in the heart is the Revelation as present in the Church in the shape of the Tradition. - The Tradition is a sacramental reality. Gospel in the heart in Driedo = the Gospel or the Word of God in Luther

17. 3) Evaluation in the light of the vision of Congar on the relationship of Catholicism and Protestantism

18. Congar • Vraie et fausse réforme dans l'Église: • - distinction between the structure (singular), the structures (plural) and the life of the Church • Catholicism: • Grace makes a move from the outside (through the external Word and Sacrament) • to the inside (the inner life of the faithful) • <-> Protestantism: • from the inside towards the outside • La Tradition et les traditions (1960-63) - Revelation and Tradition have a sacramental structure. => the dogmatic constitution Dei Verbum of the Second Vatican Council

19. Erasmus, Luther and Driedo according to Congar's typology Erasmus = protestant Luther and Driedo = catholic mistake of Congar about the position of Luther: see woodcut Luther and Driedo: common spirituality

21. Conclusion

22. great merits of Erasmus in the field of a positive theology

23. evangelium in corde <-> Erasmus: evangelium ex corde <-> Luther and Driedo: evangelium in cor Erasmus = "a break with the past"; more a corrective than an alternative (Augustijn)