Two days ago, on 26 April 2018, in the exact day that celebrated the 500th anniversary of Martin Luther's Heidelberg Disputation (26 April 1518), I had the pleasure and the honour to be interviewed by Iron Sharpens Iron Radio's host Chris Arnzen. We discussed my book, Luther's Augustinian Theology of the Cross. We focused on Luther, the Reformation, Augustine of Hippo, the very strong connections between the two theological giants in matters of salvation, and more. Those who are interested can listen to the recorded interview on the radio's website.
I have never been interviewed in my life before. It was a good and instructing experience. Chris Arnzen is a dear brother and a gracious radio host who made the discussion both enjoyable and engaging at the same time. Iron Sharpens Iron is an enjoyable radio to listen to. This radio has interviewed many influential Reformed exponents in the past, before deciding to significantly lower the standard by interviewing me 😄 (jokes aside, please consider donating to it as donations are one of the vital sustainments of this free web radio). I also enjoyed answering questions from the listeners. I always find humbling to receive feedback telling me that my modest work has been beneficial to others. I was also glad to know that my speech on the radio was understandable in spite of my Italian accent. 🙂
I noticed that my book is available again on Wordery and BookDepository, after a period when it was described as unavailable. As usual, it is available on Amazon USA, on Amazon UK, on Wipf and Stock, and on Kindle E-Book. So far, to those interested in buying it, I personally suggest Wordery because it has free worldwide postage.
I conclude this short blog post (an announcement, more than a blog post as such) by quoting one of my favourite theses from Luther's Heidelberg Disputation, written in his usual and unique provocative style, followed by a long but worthy to be read quotation by Augustine that, in my view, significantly resonates with Luther's own thesis.
Thesis 20. He deserves to be called a theologian, however, who comprehends the visible and manifest things of God seen through suffering and the cross.
Proof: The manifest and visible things of God are placed in opposition to the invisible, namely, his human nature, weakness, foolishness. The Apostle in 1 Cor. 1:25 calls them the weakness and folly of God. Because men misused the knowledge of God through works, God wished again to be recognized in suffering, and to condemn "wisdom concerning invisible things" by means of "wisdom concerning visible things," so that those who did not honor God as manifested in his works should honor him as he is hidden in his suffering (absconditum in passionibus). As the Apostle says in 1 Cor. 1:21, "For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, it pleased God through the folly of what we preach to save those who believe." Now it is not sufficient for anyone, and it does him no good to recognize God in his glory and majesty, unless he recognizes him in the humility and shame of the cross. Thus God destroys the wisdom of the wise, as Isa. 45:15 says, "Truly, thou art a God who hidest thyself." So, also, in John 14:8, where Philip spoke according to the theology of glory: "Show us the Father." Christ forthwith set aside his flighty thought about seeing God elsewhere and led him to himself, saying, "Philip, he who has seen me has seen the Father" (John 14:9). For this reason true theology and recognition of God are in the crucified Christ, as it is also stated in John 10 (John 14:6) "No one comes to the Father, but by me." "I am the door" (John 10:9), and so forth.
"There have been some philosophers of this world who have sought for the Creator by means of the creature; for He can be found by means of the creature, as the apostle plainly says, 'For the invisible things of Him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and glory; so they are without excuse.' And it follows, 'Because that, when they knew God;' he did not say, Because they did not know, but 'Because that, when they knew God, they glorified Him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.' How darkened? It follows, when he says more plainly: 'Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools' (Rom 1:20-22). They saw whither they must come; but ungrateful to Him who afforded them what they saw, they wished to ascribe to themselves what they saw; and having become proud, they lost what they saw, and were turned from it to idols and images, and to the worship of demons, to adore the creature and to despise the Creator. But these having been blinded did those things, and became proud, that they might be blinded: when they were proud they said that they were wise. Those, therefore, concerning whom he said, 'Who, when they had known God,' saw this which John says, that by the Word of God all things were made. For these things are also found in the books of the philosophers: and that God has an only-begotten Son, by whom are all things. They were able to see that which is, but they saw it from afar: they were unwilling to hold the lowliness of Christ, in which ship they might have arrived in safety at that which they were able to see from afar and the cross of Christ appeared vile to them. The sea has to be crossed, and do you despise the wood? Oh, proud wisdom! You laugh to scorn the crucified Christ; it is He whom you see from afar: 'In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God.' But wherefore was He crucified? Because the wood of His humiliation was needful to you ... be carried in a ship, be carried by the wood: believe in the crucified One, and you shall arrive there. On account of you He was crucified, to teach you humility; and because if He should come as God, He would not be recognized. For if He should come as God, He would not come to those who were not able to see God. For not according to His Godhead does He either come or depart; since He is everywhere present, and is contained in no place. But, according to what did He come? He appeared as a man." ~ Augustine, Sermons on the Gospel of John, 2.4.
©
