An Essay in Handiwork of MDNispel Mark D. Nispel, PhD

Get the pdf with citations and footnotes here:

In 313 CE the Roman Emperor Constantine along with his imperial colleague issued the Edict of Milan and established the legal basis for the toleration of Christianity within the Roman Empire, both East and West. This event served as a critical component of what can be called the “Rise of Christendom”. “Christendom” here means “the portion of the world in which Christianity is the dominant religion”. As such this word ‘Christendom’ includes within it an aspect of demographics, that is, being a dominant religion among a population, and also, an aspect of geography, a region or combination of regions where this religion is dominant among the population. Taken together these two aspects indicate ‘Christendom’ must relate to the governing system of the people and the region involved. A religion can not become dominant in a geographic region without attracting the attention of governing authorities. There must be either implicit or explicit toleration. The Edict of Milan was a new statement of explicit tolerance for Christianity by the political establishment of the Roman empire. It ended state sanctioned repression and persecution of Christians. As has been said before: “Christ founded Christianity, but Constantine founded Christendom.” And the history of the west was changed forever. But what did the Christian interactions with established society look like before 313 CE?

CFW Walther

Source Document: The Google Books scan and OCR source from Google Books:

Hathi Trust Archive: https://catalog.hathitrust.org/Record/003905830

.pdf of the Translation with footnotes etc.:

My 2019 translation pdf: WaltherConcerningtheNameLutheran._MDNispel1989Revised2019

This translation as revised in 2019 is available also online from other websites such as:

https://ctsfw.net/media/pdfs/WaltherConcerningtheNameLutheran.pdf

Translated by Mark Nispel From: Der Lutheraner 1 (1844):2-4, 5-7, 9-12 PDF June 2019

[Translator’s Note: This translation was first presented in the Husker Lutheran of University Lutheran Chapel, Lincoln, NE in 1989 and has now been entirely reviewed and revised].

Masters Thesis - University of Nebraska 1997 and related work

Thesis

I Said, ‘You are gods’" Salvation as Deification and the Early Patristic use of Psalm 82

Derived Article

Nispel, Mark D. “Christian Deification and the Early Testimonia”, Vigiliae Christianae 53, 3 (1999): 289-304, doi: https://doi.org/10.1163/157007299X00037

Available back issue:

Christian Deification and the Early Testimonia

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Original pdf: Made-Without-Hands.pdf

In this paper I will identify several monotheistic and monergistic verbal expressions from the Hebrew Old Testament. I will then demonstrate that these ideas and phrases interacted and developed over time via a series of linguistic steps which led ultimately to the creation of a specific Greek word by early Christian communities. This word was used to describe the role of God’s power in several aspects of Christian salvation. Specifically, this article examines the origin and usage of the early Christian word ἀχειροποίητος, ‘made without (human) hands.’

As a demonstration of a translating ai workflow and the current capabilities of some of the leading platforms / models for academic or language type work, I present the workflow I just completed for having ai re-translate the article “Von dem Namen Lutheraner”.

See also: Blog post introducing this project

NOTE: my own hand translated 2019 version is here with links to the original source:

Concerning the Name Lutheran

Step 1 -> The Original Source Document

I have the original source document as an 1844 printed text. This was the source for the original 1989 and 2019 translations.

As a second demonstration of an AI translation workflow, I present the project completed for the 1854 article “Sollen die Apokryphen des Alten Testaments ferner den Bibeln beigebunden werden oder nicht?” (“Should the Apocrypha of the Old Testament Continue to Be Bound with Bibles or Not?”), published in Der Lutheraner, Vol. 10, No. 11, St. Louis, January 17, 1854.

See also: Blog post introducing this project

The workflow follows the same pattern as the first AI translation demo, applied here to a previously untranslated Lutheran periodical article on a topic of continuing interest: the proper place of the Apocrypha in Lutheran theology and practice.

© Mark Nispel, 1998 as a PhD student at the University of Nebraska Lincoln

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Original pdf: de servo arbitrio (some missing Greek fonts)

Published in Logia VII (1998), 4:

Nispel, Mark. “De Servo Arbitro and the Patristic Discussion of Freedom, Fate, and Grace.” Logia, A Journal of Lutheran Theology (1998): 13-22.

Available as a back print here.

The church first expresses what it believes in the language of prayer and worship, but when it turns to teaching and confessing this language does not always suffice. Therefore, Christian theology has often turned to the philosophical schools for language and concepts with which to confess that which is believed. The doctrine of human nature is one such case. The concepts of human freedom, moral responsibility, and fate were debated vigorously by the Greek philosophers. This debate of the academies is clearly reflected in the theology of the early Greek fathers as they confessed human freedom. Further, the very concept of “will”, as we use it, is itself derived from reflection upon human psychology and is not a part of a divinely revealed schematic of human nature. Yet, in churches all around us and in our general society, it is quite common to speak of the unquestionable axiom of “free will”, as some positive and indispensable part of mankind. In this context, Luther’s *de servo arbitrio *(Concerning Bound Choice) and Article XI of the Formula of Concord stick out like two sore thumbs. Given this state of philosophically packed language, a long Christian history, and the Lutheran confession denying human free will it is important to consider the language and context of the confession against free will. In so doing, I believe that it will be discovered that Luther’s *de servo arbitrio *reflects much of Augustine’s approach to free will, divine foreknowledge, and predestination, but, unlike Augustine, Luther keeps these doctrines subject to the preaching of law and gospel, the revelation of God in Christ.

© Mark Nispel, 1998 as a graduate student at the University of Nebraska Lincoln

Get the article including citations and footnotes:

Original pdf: Lutheran and Patristic Doctrine: The Keys as ecclesiae datae and potestas episcoporum

Published in Concordia Journal (2000):

Nispel, M. “Lutheran and Patristic Doctrine: The Keys as ecclesiae datae and potestas episcoporum.” CONCORDIA JOURNAL 26, no. 2 (2000): 115-137.

Available as a back print via Atlas Serials: here.

Word after word, page following page, and book heaped upon book, all bear witness of the contemporary effort to understand and explicate the mystery of the church. The problem of ecclesiology is manifested in multifarious forms in various places. For some, the argument is over a perceived ecclesiastical trade deficit caused by excessive import of ideas from the worlds of business and psychology. In others, the battle is over the use of popular entertainment forms in public worship. Another wide spread manifestation is the ongoing controversy over women and the public preaching office. These questions seem dissimilar but are related through the even more general struggle to rediscover the role of the laity within the life of the church. This is reflected, for example, in the October, 1993 issue of *The Ecumenical Review *dedicated to the theme of “Reopening the Ecumenical Discussion of the Laity.” And this general malaise continues to motivate the ongoing efforts of the Laos Consultation within the World Council of Churches, where baptism is now referred to as “ordination to the people of God.” All of these are part of the modern struggle for answers to the long-standing questions of “What and where is the church?” and “What is the ministry?”

© Mark Nispel, 1997 as a graduate student at the University of Nebraska Lincoln

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Original pdf: Office and Offices: Some Basic Lutheran Philology

Published in Logia VI (1997), 3: 5 - 12: Available as a back print here.

Office and Offices: Some Basic Philology

The theme of “The Office and Offices” brings to mind at once the rather uncomfortable realization that in discussing this topic contemporary North American Lutheranism is more often lost than found. Theological perfection is not yet close at hand. This implies no malice towards theologians of whom I consider myself one, albeit an amateur. Even less is it an affront to Confessional Lutherans of whom again I am unreservedly one. But rather it comes as the conclusion of a rather extended period of observation of the various divisions, parties, and sects even within synodical boundaries all intending to defend the truth.

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Original pdf: Pfarramt

Translator’s Introduction

Although there remains general interest in the topic of the ministry among confessional Lutherans of North America, there is a lack of understanding concerning the details of the historical context on which much of the Reformation material on the ministry depends. This is related to the generally low familiarity with the Reformation languages, German and Latin. Together, these shortcomings have contributed to a lack of clarity among English-speaking American Lutherans regarding questions of the ministry and the use of Reformation material in doctrinal controversies on this topic. Without clarity of thought, there can be no progress. The translation of the following letter and of the Weimar edition introduction to it, as well as the inclusion of geographical concepts of church order, will help readers to understand this topic. Additionally, this letter may serve as a pattern and tool for understanding other Reformation materials frequently cited in the discussion of church and ministry among us.