Augustana II: Of Original Sin

Authors

Martin H. Franzmann, Concordia Seminary, St. Louis

Publication Date

12-1-1949

Document Type

Article

Keywords

original sin, augsburg confession, consciousness, sinners, doctrine, lutheran, apology, righteousness, augustana, reformation

Submission Type

Bible Study; Lecture; Sermon Prep

Abstract

The very position of the article on original sin in the Augsburg Confession indicates the importance that the doctrine of original sin had for the consciousness of the Reformation. "We turn from God to man; here the peculiarity of the Lutheran Confession confronts us: we cannot speak of God without thinking also of ourselves. God and our ‘I’ belong intimately together." "Over against life as it should be there is life as it ought not to be." And so when the Augsburg Confession speaks of man, it speaks of sin, or better, of sinners, for it speaks personally and concretely of sinful man: "quod omnes homines nascantur… cum peccato.” Our consciousness of God is inevitably linked with the consciousness of our sin: "every thought of God wakens our conscience." Moreover, the Confession, when it speaks of sin and sinners, speaks at once of original sin, of sin as the given condition of all mankind-"Theologus ... disputat de homine peccatore" (Luther).

Disciplines

History of Christianity

Scripture References in this Resource (separated by semi-colons)

1 Peter 2:9; Romans 5:11; Romans 1:20;

Submission Cost

Free

Submission Audience

Laity; Ministers; Scholars

Recommended Citation

Franzmann, Martin H. (1949) "Augustana II: Of Original Sin," Concordia Theological Monthly: Vol. 20, Article 72.
Available at: https://scholar.csl.edu/ctm/vol20/iss1/72