AS CHRISTIANS, WE ARE CALLED TO SEEK THE UNITY OF THE ONE BODY OF CHRIST. ‘Bue when it comes to che sacraments the church ha often been—and remeins—dvided. What are we to do? Can we stil gather together at the seme table? ‘Based on the lectures from the 2017 Wheaton Theology Conference, this volume brings togeth- cer the reflections of Protestant, Roman Catholic, and Eastern Orthodox theclogians who jointly ‘consider what itmeans to prodaim the wnity ofthe body of Christin ight of the sseramencs, ‘Without avoiding or downplaying the genuine theological and secramenal differences that exist, ‘between Christian traditions, what emerges i a thoughtful consideration of what it means 10 live with the difficult, elusive command 19 he one asthe Father and the Sonate one “This collection of essays by scholars fom diverse backgrounds not only helps us understand why the Eucharist continues o divide us but also offers sensible suggestions on how to continue ‘he conversation toward better mutual understanding” SIMON CHAN, tiniy Melogia Cage, Srgspore “nowhere docs the ev of division come tothe fore more poignantly than in the celebration of ‘unity a the Eucharisc table, The volume’s pl ta‘come’ and ‘eat rogethe’ all on believers ‘East and West, Catholic and Protestant, to refuse ro accommodate our empirical divisions.” HANS. BOERSMA, 1 LPsstecteesnrof Tool, Reser Coleos “These essays offer unflinching honesty, surprising humor keen insight, and posible ways for. ‘ward as they wrestle with the hard questions about why Christians are and remain divided over war should nite us: the sscramente of baptm and the Lori’s Supper” JAMES R. PAYTON JR., profecramert ot hata: RedeererUnesty Colege GEORGE KALANTZIS (PHD, Northwestern Univessity) is profscorof theology and diree- tor ofthe Wheaton Center fr Ealy Christian Seudies at Wheaton College. Hes te author of CCoesar and the Lamb Early Christian Atiudes on War and Military Serice and Theodore of _Mopsuestia: Commentary onthe Gospel of John, and hei the coditor of Enangelicals and the Early Church: Recovery Reform, Renewal Life in the Spirit: Spiritual Formation in Theological Perspective; Christian Political Witness; and The Sovereignty of God Debate MARC CORTEZ (PHD, St Andrews) i profesor of theology at Wheaton Callege. Hes the au- of Resourcing Theological Anthropology; Christologicl Anthropology in Historical Perspec- ‘Theological Anthropology-A Guide forthe Perplexed: and Embodied Souls Ensouled Bodies EDITED BY GE KALANTZIS ana MARC CORTEZ aN . IVPAcademic —_WheatonCollege ‘wsepaeademiecom icin[om ey Pra Baumgaertner,CONTENTS | ACKNOWLEDGMENTS: 1 INTRODUCTION 3 i Gronas Kazawrats ano Mane Conrez |__| THE SUPPER OF THE LORD: Goodness and (Grace ina Corinthians 1197-34 — Aner Paster ® 2. | CHURCHES AND THE POLITICS OP THE SACRAMENTS: Rethinking “Unity of the Church” =D. Zac Niewworre a 3, | BNBERSONA CHRISTI: The Catholic Understanding ‘of the Ordained Priesthood in Relation to the Bucharist = Tuouas G, Werwanpy, OFM, Cap. 8 4 | AWAVEORWARD: ACatoie-Anateptt Eedlesiology — D. Srepuen Loxe 65 5, | ASCENSION, commAUNION, AND THE HOSPITALITY OF THE PRIEST-KING — Cuenira Fee Norpuxe ® Ge ee UNITY WE SEEK: Orthodox Eucharistic Eecesiology — Brapuéy Nassi¢ * 7, | ee en — Karusrive SoNDEREGGER " | VISUALECUMENTSM: The Coy Communion ofr = Marracew J. Muciwer im Q) | THE HUCHARIST, THE RISEN LORD, AND ‘THE ROAD TO EMMAUS: A Road to Deeper Unity? = Marraew Laverne 15010 | THEESCHAToLOGICAL DIMENSION OF SACRAMENTAL UNITY: An Orthodox Christian View — Pave L. Gavenxur WITH CHRIST”: Sacraments and the Life ‘of the Church — Gronor Kazanrzis 12. | WHOINVITED THE BAPTIST? The “Sucramens and Free Church Theology — Mane Conzsz SACRAMENTS AND (DIS-)UNITY: A Constructive ‘oposal Tovward Healing the Divisions ating Mutual Recognition (art KARKKAINEN CONTRIBUTORS AUTHOR INDEX SUBJECT INDEX SCRIPTURE INDEX 200 20 29 2 245 2 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ‘THIS VOLUME HAS BEEN MADE POSSIBLE be partnership between Wheaton College's Department sponsored by The Wheaton Center for Early Christian Studies, whose mission to ‘promote historical and theological engagement with the early church's witness ‘complemented the vision for this year’s conference particularly well. “The editors are grateful to Bob Fryling, Dan Retd, and the whole IVP their unflagging eupport ofthe conference. David McNutt deserve nition for bringing this volume to completion. Lynn Cobick, Wheaton alleges interim associate dean of biblical and theological studies, provided leadership and encouragement at every phase ofthis project. Paula Anderson and Judi Nychay ‘were the administrative gurus who made the conference possible, Daniel Hall and Justin Zahrace played a critical role in all tages of editing, and Aaron Hilllabored ‘over the indices. ‘We dedicate this volume to il Peliez Baumgaertne, the indefatigable dean of Jumanities and theological studies at Wheaton College, whose witness tothe faith- fulness of God and legacy of inclusion and ecumenism will continue to guide us for many years to come. forr@) VISUAL ECUMENISM The Coy Communion of Art SS 7 1 1 | i MattHew J. MILLINER “The fret Protestants split from the Latin church that had, ofcourse, already been in schism withthe B Orthodox church for almost five hundred years. In ight of this realty, ll Christians must be considered schematics; no Christian church i imaeune from this accusation, including Catholics and the Orthodox. RONALD RITTGERS “Aslong as and tothe extent thatthe asim sation must be regarded as requirement of ruth tse just so Tong and fo just that extent wil Visusl Ecumenism | 125 The Law ie Word in which God teaches and alls us what we are to do ‘ad not todo, as inthe Ten Commandments Now wherever human nature fs alone, without the grace of God, the Law cannot be kept, because since Ades fal Paradise mani corrupt and has nothing but a wicked desire to.sin ... The other Word of God i not Law or commandment, nor does it require anything of us but after the first Word, that ofthe Law, has dane this ‘work and disrssful misery and poverty have beon produced inthe heart God comes and offrs His lovely, living Word and promises, pledges, and imself to give grace and help that we may ge ou ofthis misery and that alsine not oly be forgiven but also lated out... Se, thi divine _promise of Hs grace and ofthe forgvenes of sin is properly calle Gospel MARTIN LUTHER ON THE LEFT OF LUCAS CRANACH the Elders 1529 Law and Gospel ening expectations ster a helpless s (Gg, 81)2 The demands made upon him ere legitimate, promise of inevitable death and a ram-headed devil—whose stomach is a second. ‘mouth—makes fulfilling his obligations impossible. God is there, of course, but only in the distance—present via unfulfilable demands. Moses spells them out, pointing to the letter of the lav. His prophetic companions evince shock and ‘concern atthe sinner’ shortcomings—not unlike our twenty- ‘media outrage at every moral failing. Indeed, there are modern versions of the Mosaic tablets as well: Thou shalt succeed professionally, display unimpeacheble sensitivity to every subset of human culture, exhibit an ideal body fat percentage, andibe the very picture of work-life balance? These to area species of what Martin Luther called the law. Nine, 2015).126 | Matthew. naliner +, was horrified” Luther’s Reformation was about rlihood, Fortunately, however, Lather returned to Wit tenberg—ageinst the counsel ofhis protector Frederik the and partner with Cranach? The theologian and the artis, “ewashbucklers” required ofthe age? became co-conspirers i | | “The distinction between law and gospel, called the “most important pictorial subject conceived toillustrate Lutheran doctrines the visual center ofthe evangelical tradition, which has recently enjoyed much positive reassessment Distinguishing128 | stares]. Milner particularly outrageous woodcut from the mid is replaced with Martin Luther’ pure preaching, andthe law side with the roasting in hell" That the law and gospel tradition has been used inthis way cannot be ignored. (Nevertheless, perhaps these images can be read backward instead of simply forward in time, Lucas Cranach the Elder was deeply shaped by the Catholic visual culture that preceded him andl to which he continued to contribute alongside his involvement with Luther. Cranach himself, supplying "both Rome and Wittenberg, ‘with their prefered religious artworks” has been described as “ecumenical in an age that was not”® Not surprisingly, therefore, echoes ofthe law and gospel tra 11481." Here the same law-gospel distinction is laid out sacramentally, an appropri- ately feminine distillation of Crenachis formula. On the right, Eve has been given cat”), and yet she eats. As with Cranach, this is no reality, as contemporary persons—fficenth-century folk take up tion. Death, almost straddling his victims, holds them hostage asa result. But on the eft sides gospel. The tee is the no longer the tree ofthe knowledge ‘of good and evil but the tree of the cross, a made clear by the crucifix nestled in ‘jaca Cranach the Younger "The False Church and the Troe Garcit(c 1598) can be found evan and Reformation: German Att th Age of Der ed Cranach (Bein Stance Mi en, 2016), 51 inigh esluton t Google Art snd Calsresorrgoopecomicurlineite alssetthefaeand there dre S—HiD YpBCBENS. osmeat Saentand te Labs. ‘mea O'Rlly, "Th Tess of Eden n Mediaeval Icnogrphy nA Walkin he Garden: ibis! “ovpapil and rary Inge of lo Pal ars Shes Seti Adee Pe ed 195."The image can be found inthe allowing databsee: datn Aigatemmalungen ded ‘00o4fb0004si6iagesindexemlPp=13 74 98, 308seten27 dite Seals Josph Leo sine: Te Moen Porte Goma ese (Chg Cnet of Cg? Visoslcemenism | 129 its host-beating branches. The dispenser ofthe good news in this case, however is is the personified ekklesia. Bither way not only did ‘Virgin Mary she has a clea place in many well It should be evident from such pre- gery that “studied allusion to themes in Romans 5-8 does not represent an exclusively Lutheran interest, of course, but arises from, iaevel concern withthe program of justification” Moreover ifthe “cross an “Last Supper are the alpha and the omega of... Lutheran theology as a whol then Furtmey?’ Salzburg ministure—a law-gospel missal we might call itis pethaps equally “Protestant” ‘Should this be the ease then Cranach law-gospel distinction may have been less branding Lutheranism than it was catechizing people into a transconfessional ‘grammar ofthe gospel, As Cranacl’slawe-gospel panels spread in so many versions, including frontispieces to new translations of the Bible and theological treatises, ‘countless prints, and even domestic wooden chests the best of pre-existing Catholic theology was being disseminated as well. Which isto say, while verbal systems increasingly polarized the confessions, art may have been surreptitiously uniting them.2® As arthistorians have been pointing out for sometime, “The terms ‘Anabaptist! ‘Lutheran; Calvinist and ‘Catholic do not entirely hold water because the religious doctrine, a it emerges in the shetoricians’ poems and plays (and paintings, is never entirely pure!" Or, to borrow the words of Sarah Hinlicky ‘Wilson, “profound Christian at will not stay obediently within the boundaries we {impose upon it’ ‘anne Kiaaig Volley “Laer the Virgie Mary, and te Saints: Gatolic Tages sa Key to ‘Understanding the Lateran Concpt of Saveon”in Marx Lahr end th Reformation: Eye !Stheraage of sch ations eel lata in net Grobe, Di bomen Tab at rere force Darellangen on dor Usprangre ative (Breen: Geist 1836), 65-7 >Norall ar of cou. Ar mentioned shove ages were undeniably weaponzed a el. Koenraed Jones, Antrp Art Afar entcamn: Experts in Decra, 1566-1885 (New anemia 201 -ecnenie-in-the-aralsw-Baney-oconne!cannot be doubted that he would be horrified by our divisions. “See for exampl, Joh Paul Is 2003 encyclical Eelsia de Baharia where commnunton with be camp eh aia, her osmanon ws e ‘Tein ho Gs Hasna fos oberon “teratogenic pi aa ‘Br ny nS! soft hn Chan Bp ary Pee "The le hrc ef Ch fn wich ot Sey see euronews Pcs “ome igs epllogue to Pretstanson Afr 00 Year (Nee York Of Univer Press 2016), Viswalcumenism | 131 In the wake of ths failure, however, art may have fostered coy communion ‘where the sacraments have faltered. If as the Princeton Proposal for Christian ‘Unity laments, “Great divisions remain, and few see a way forward” images may offer one of those directions.* To suggest art hes b ‘that the law-gospel panels propagated the 1 background or diseppear entirely” But ike a motorcycle weaving between lanes of a traffic jam, art may have a nimbleness to outmancuver sacra~ ‘meatal and verbal theological gridlock. "And indeed, verbal theclogy—frequentiy holding the sacraments hostage within conceptual frameworks—remains a primary obstacle to unity, This accounts for the exhaustion that has marked many ecumenical discussions. Formal documents are produced but seem to have litle effect. William Abraham bluntly declares, “Ecumenism s now braindead... The best and brightest in the} Teadership of the church have abandoned the ecumenical seas and gone sailing in other ‘waters?™! As Brian Daley puts, theres “a kind of spiritual and mental exhaustion {in the fice of the difficulties that prevent real communion among the churches, and ‘willingness to setle simply for practical cooperation in extemal programs”* RLR Reno even concedes that “any progress toward Christan unity will undermine and diminish the sophisticated theological systems born in the polemical centuries that followed the Reformation” But the same essay collection intimates other strategies less encumbered by the -verbal traditions, Brian Daley explains thatthe chief way the patristic era spoke of, Sigal, Baaen and Rober We Jonson, el Ih Ona Body Tag te Goss: The Princon Proposal or Chron Uri (Gran Raps: Eetdzaas 203), 7. Daniel] Tiley Matk Husbands, and Rog Landi, The Bemuy of Godt Theology andthe Arts132 | Matthew). miliner the church is through images, houstively plumbed by a single ‘Aquinas himself acknowledged the limits of verbal constructions when he com- plained, “Ifwe take careful note of the statements of the Greeks we shall find they difer from us more in words than in meaning”? ‘To interrogate, without abandoning, logocentric systems divided Christians can share, and have been sharing, visual ‘ments will quickly encounter the plea for “visible unity What the authors intend ‘to do serious theological work. There are countless places one could go to point to this dynamic, whether the Simutankirche in Germany, where Charles V gave (Catholics the right o worship inthe same church with Lutherans; the double-nave Daley, “Reblling the Suche of Lane 9697 abi 95, De Pl a a Maras Hed Ordo ening of (ew Yorks Oxford Univeraty One ccng. cnt exception Vendo, amen oes ating anti Vo, of ety rots, Cyprus. Maca Paschal, “Blurring the Lines Deveson Igery and Calta dentin ‘Visuel Ecumenism 1133 churches of Crete where Orthodox and Catholic Christians worshiped togethers the paintings on Mt, Athos inspired by Protestant prints the works of Polish sculptor Paul Landowski, who carved both the Catholic Jesus that overlooks Rio's Guanabara Bay and the famous depiction of the Reformers in Genevas* or the ecumenical responsesto the beheading of non-Chalcedonian Coptic Christians on the beach of Libya” But to provide focus to this proliferation, my aim in this chapter, as we've seen, isto isolate a particulary cherished evangelical visual tra- dition, the law-gospel panel, revealing its non-Protestant appearances. We might call such convergences an appetizer enjoyed in anticipation ofa time when Prot- stant, Pentecostal, Catholic, and Orthodox Christians can finally dine as one, CAMOUFLAGE CRANACH CONTINUED [As the church history charts given to visitors of Orthodox monasteries or polemical ‘websites wil tell you, the Orthodox stand aloof from Western rational conflicts centering on law and gospel. But ifthe law-gospel distinction is indeed funda- ‘mental to Pauline thought, perhaps t canbe found in the Orthodox visual tradition aswell. Consider, for example, the quintessential Orthodox icon found atthe foot the Sinai Pantocrator (fig. 8.2). It was the Princeton/Michigan Sinai expe- ‘with other depictions, including the shroud of Turin. Perhaps the aw-gospel dis- tinction can be seen here aswell, tough—in a move that will please any Barthian— the distinction is grounded in the person of Christ” Tats MElicral Fong’ pape presented a he Byzatine Stdes Conference, Fordham Unie sey 205, Oign Gratton “Cretan Arhtectre an Suptrein the Veneti erg? in Anastasia Drank, Be Gre Paitin Veta Cre (Nt York: AlewanderS. Onassis Fondation, iorglorhodat-dhurch history ‘for hela overview of Bart mr fro: tonal theran takes on and gospel, Sel Jobn Helis “La and Gorpel oe Gooel and Law? Kal Bath, Matin Tater, an John Calvin? Refrmaton and Revel rn 62005): 198-7.‘On Christ left side (our right) looms the book and the severe gaze. Faced with Standards for holiness in the Sermon on the Mount, who can stand? But of lemands ae never meant to drive us away from Christ wt toward him. fal gaze the hand that was pierced for hhave kissed each other’ , a8 one recent evangelical points out, frequently employed Hebre 3 grace (én) “connotes the favor that an inferior finds inthe eyes ofa superion” and the facial and ocular aspects of grace {in Scripture (Num 6:25; Ps 80;2 Cor 4:6) are abundant As Luther puts, “Before receiving the comfort of forgiveness, sin must be recognized and the fear of God’ ‘wrath most be experienced through the preaching or apprehension ofthe Law, that ‘man may be driven to sigh for grace and may be prepared to receive the comfort of the Gospel" Al ofthis happens in the Sinai Pantocrator, but witha singlelook. ’ VisualEcumeniam | 135 Interestingly, later Pantocrators—in the domes at Lagoudera in Cyprus or Daphne in Greece for example—seem to lose this dynamic, instead choosing be- teen severity and mercy. But the Sinai law-gospel dynamic does endure, however, in Byzantine mosaics and iconostases wherever the Defsis theme appears (Gee fig. 8.2), which shows Christ flanked by Mary on his right and John the Baptist ‘om his eft Tn the famous Hagia Sophia Deéss, for example, John the Baptistis on ‘thelaw side (Mtl) near the book, and Mary, representing the incarnation is on the side of the gospel. The traditional interpretation of such imagery is that they are ‘meant to urge supplication to John the Baptist and Mary st the lst judgment. But perhaps a simpler and more straightforward reading of the motifis thatthe classic Byzantine Detsis communicates the law-gospel dynamic so pervasive in the epistles of Paul Reformed theologian Michael Hortons disagreement with Orthodox theology centers on precisely this point: "Discerning in [the] New Testament lines of thought 4 clear distinction between law and gospel—that which commands without promise or assistance and that which gives without command or judgment— {in Reformed theology aswell!) ecame polarized in the wake ofthe Reformation, however, one would think that fleeting connections between the evangelical visual tradition and other confessions ‘would decrease, Nevertheless, in the very midst of these tensions the law-gospel dynamic emerges within squarely Catholic turf. Art historians have uncovered @ “world of reforming activity in [early modern Catholicism}, some of it very sympa- thetic to Protestant postions” Moreover, such connections are discernible not only pleted by Agnolo Bronzino, artists working for Catholic patrons in the heart of “Medici Florence.” The fresco program was tragically destroyed in 1742 during an attempted restrstion ofthe Medici chapel jst behind it, but survives ina 1598 en- raving and in preparatory sketches atthe Uifi. Modern art historians have been ‘exploring the Protestant aspects ofthis lost program for nearly seventy years * Perhaps because it was crypto-Lutheran, Pontormd's program was criticized for Jacking the honesty (ones) and reverence (riverenza) demanded bythe Catholic Ref ‘ormation.® In the most well-known art historical source for this period, Giorgio ‘Vasari criticized Pontorme' “mass of dead and drowned bodies” claiming the painting, ‘ar pa Tg drome og Wor of Gol lings Visusl Ecumenism | 137 ‘as a whole lacked “the order ofthe scene, measure, time, variety... nor any rule or proportion” But what may be behind such critiques, other than rivalry between competing artists is concealment. The conceit of slistceritique—at the very birth of modern art history—may have been an attempt to suppress theological content © Pontormo, ithas been argued, was chosen for this series precisely because of his sympathies with the Italian Reform movements.* The reason was admittedly po- litical. Cosimo I de’ Medici, in direct competition with the powerful Farnesese {amily of Rome, deliberately allowed Lutheran ideas in his city, where the memory ‘of Savonarolds reform had not disappeared ® Pierfrancesco Riccio, who held the ‘uenced Pontormas program at San Lorenzo He chose to centralizeabenevolent Jesus, to eliminate purgatory and the Virgin Mary, and to offer a clear and direct law-gospel appeal in an age of distracting artistic embellishment By piecing to- gether the lst frescoes from surviving sketches, we can guin a sense of what the ‘original program revesled (fg. 83).138 | Matthew). Milner Figur 83 erative reconstruction of Portora lst Son Larento eso based on Doman In Valdés’ Catechismo (patterned after Luthers Small and Larger Catechisms) and in the Beneficio di Cristo, the flood is emphasized at length to express the hopeless state of the human condition without Christ® Not surprisingly then, the flood is a key feature on the aw side of Pontorma’s fresco series as well” Pon- tormo embrois the viewer in drowned, contorted bodies, offering a set up for the ‘marvelous uplift of ascended souls, visually imitating the law-gospel rhetoric of ‘good Lutheran sermon.” The most Cranachian moment, however, is when the eid 208 deed Lucas Cranach he dered the theme a well in ne ofhis versions ofthe panels namely Visual Eoumeniam | 139 ‘lanking walls culminate with Iw on the lef, with Moses stunned by the accusing finger of God, and the gospel onthe right, where Neve Testament writers are buoyed by trumpeting angel, corresponding nicely with the second and third chapters of the Benefcio di Cristo and Valdés Catechisma® Damiankiki even suggests that Pontormos centralized Jesus, which bears resemblance to Cranach, might be of feringa refatation of Michelangelo more severe lst judgment?” MICHELANGELO AMONG THE ‘And yet, near the time he was completing the Last Judgment, Michelangelo was being swept up in reforming currents as well, Archival breakthroughs have persua- sively established that Michelangelo was draven to Protestant idess, which came to hhim through his spiritual friendship with a powerful noble woman, Vittoria Colonna and her circle of Reformers who met outside the centers of power in Viterbo They were known as the Eclesiaviterbienss, or Spiritual (“the spiritual ‘ones") in contrast to their opponents, the Zelanti Even if this reform circle did not realize the desired formal reconciliation with Protestants, there were other ‘ways to express their sympathies for notions of grace, namely by shattering the contractual system of artistic production through free gifts of poetry and art. Al- cexander Nagel sees the poems freely given by Vittoria Colonna to Michelangelo, payment, if God granted it to you because ofthe that God accepts you as just and does not impute your sins to you through the ‘merits of Christ, which are given to you and become yours through faith?" cited in Nae, Mihelonl and he afr ofA. 172, with eign lan 0n 266140 | Matthew). liner | ‘The gift giving in the Viterbo circle directly reflected these ideas, such that “even the exchange of courtesies and the practice of gift giving were, semiplayfully, couched in the terms of the debate over grace” In a series of letters between Vit- toria and Michelangelo, dating from between 1538 and 1546, we see just such playful language at work. Presented with a gift (pethaps a poem) by Mi chelangelo struggled with a desire to offer some kind of payment, but then y “Taving recognized and seen that the grace of God cannot be bought, and that to it with discomfort ea grave sin, I say the fault s mine and willingly I accept iperated him from the sense 1elabored over along artistic Vittoria Colonna for going through an in- ‘termediary, his friend Tommaso de’ Cavalieri, to urge him to finish a drawing for her, He was in fact, preparing something even better, and her refusal to make a direct appeal to him had “spoiled” the gift® The friendship between Michelangelo and Vittoria was a kindof tutorial in unmediated grace that drew on the language of Italian reforming texts. But the Reformation influence on Michelangelo did not just appear in private correspondence and dravvings. It influenced his most famous formal commissions as well, The same notions of unmedisted grace emerged in Michelangelo frescoes in the Vaticar’s Pauline chapel" and most dramatically inthe tomb of Pope Julius IL (in office 1503-1513). Michelangelo inital plans for the tomb date to the early six- teenth century, decades before the Reformation. After an initial sketch, the tomb quickly mushroomed into a gargantuan scheme that would rival the imperial fi nerary monuments ofthe Caesars—a spectacular confluence of Michelangelo's and Julius ambitions. figure of Julius It would cap the massive structure, and below hhim would be Victories standing astride reconquered papal lands interspersed with larger-than-life male nudes, which may have symbolized the arts Julius pa~ tronized so abundantly Moses, Paul, and allegorized figures ofthe contemplative ie, whe sonaeoae gave hin somthing tht he wa pt unde permanent oli Visual camenisn | 141 and active lif, reflective of flue If spiritual and earthly interests, would be in- cluded as well. Moreover, the entire tomb was tobe placed prominently in St. Peter’ basilica, whose reconstruction—which helped ignite the Reformation—was spear- headed by Julius IL" By any account this sepulehral ambition was unrealzable. Despite Michelangelds long life, only six of the sixteen male nudes were even started, to say nothing ofthe additional figures, Which isto sa, the original tomb offal 5 the quintessence of Michelangelo’ youthfil arrogance. , however, died in 1513, which left Michelangelo inthe position of having ‘been paid handsomely for a tomb that he never created, Michelangelo attempted 9 subletthe projects to asistants to no aval. By 1532, nearly thee decades after the com- on was conceived, consequences were threatened were he not to complete the project And so Michelangelo was forced to finish. But the years 1532 through 1545, when the tomb was completed, coincided with the more mature Michelangelo’ association with the Spiritual. Michelangelo therefore fullled his obligations to ) avant Ia etre, could have done much to reconcile warring Protestants and Catholics were it heeded. Standing to the left of Michelangelo’ “Moses, moreover, was figure who stood apart from works completely: The sculpture an a "Don Benedetto, The Ben Englh eon offers em (ancoumer: Regent College Publishing, 1984), 10. This shridged te.144 | Matthew J. Miliner fe was“in all probability the ast statue made for the tomb and sculpture Michelangelo ever completed? and may also have been & portrait of Vittoria Colonna herself” It might be called Michelangelo last free gift +o hs apirtual mentor and friend. ‘Through association with the Spiritual, the greatest sculptor ofthe Renaissance had cleanly been changed by the message of grace, which he even dared insert into the radically eworked tomb of Jul I. But soon came the backlash. Cardinal Gi- ampietro Carafa—the worst enemy of the Spirituali—was elected Pope Paul IV (in office 1555-1549), cancelling Michelangelo commissions his frst day on the job." “The severity of Paul IVs persecution of Reformers meant Michelangelo had to cover histracks. Hence, in Michelangela's dictated biography the connections to I! Benficio ai Cristo in the tomb of Jaius IT were concealed with benign references to the more acceptable Dante” According to Forcellino, the election of Cardinal Carafa to the papacy mayhave even been the prompt for Michelangelo's famous at ‘deposition, which stands in Florence’ Opera del Duomo museum today. Michelan- geld prominent selé portrait as Nicodemus within this sculpture, which “revealshis guilt over not having the courage to celebrate more openly his dangerous religions ‘elie offered evidence of reforming sympathies that had to be destroyed. PERSONALIZED LAW AND GOSP' (One last version of Cranach’ law-gospel template rem: Described as the supreme image of the Reformation, the Weimar altarpiece was completed not by Lucas Cranach the Elder but by his son (fg. 8.6)" Following formula, Lucas Cranach the Younger depicted the damned sinner in ce, but the sinner saved by grace takes the form of a moving portrait of the painter’ ovn father at the foot of the cross. This portrait of Lucas (Cranach the Elder is flanked by John the Ba ints to Christ, alongside his dear friend Martin Luther. Asin the original law-gospel formula from Gotha, Jesus’ imputing blood pours from his side to fall on Lucas Cranach the Elder's forehead. His acquiescent expression conveys that he “is saved not by action but IN WEIMAR AND BEYOND 5 to be considered, Visual Ecumenism | 145 less an abstract discussion oflaw and gospel than an Ih dizect, personal realization, ‘This personal thrust causes one scholar to contrast the Weimar altarpiece to catlier crucifxions that only gestured at the possibility of salvation. “The blood splashing on Cranachis head and Luther’ text assure the viewer ‘theartisthopes for but, rather, what he is guaranteed”®* Even so, both German and, Italian reform circles ofthe sixteenth century would have agreed that to see someone clze experiencing this guarantee is inadequate. The Beneficio concludes with a per- sonal appeal to not believe in remission of sins in general, but to “apply this belief toyour own case, and believe without doubt that through Christal your iniquities are pardoned®* With such personal application in mind, one analogue to the ‘Weimac law-gospel panel ison offer in a famous piece of modern Catholic kitsch, “Michlangeot Tomb for falas I, 67. roma discern «posible pun between the Bistrefer to (fig. 8.7) can be traced to Sister Faustina Kovralska (1905— ‘many parallels with Martin Luther. She gave endless, seru- pulous confessions, such that her confessor sought to offload his burden by asking her to keep journal, which is why we know so much about her As with Lathes, \d mercy that se Sister Faustina free. At of mercy are burning Me—clamoring to fout upon souls; souls just dorft want to himself “Not in the beauty of the color, ‘image, but in My grace! which nic of sacred images." The painting survived communist occupation, spawned several versions, and after a time of suppression, emerged to promi- rence when a Polish pope made Sister Faustina the frst canonized saint of the ting righteousness are here is not a historic personage, Divine Mercy Image is not nse, an icon that helps 00 If anything, the is more evangelical than Cranach’ wonderful Weimar just a picture of Jesus for us to look at tus see with our inner eyes the way God looks a ar call urging the viewer to receive the imparted right as Lucas Cranach the Elder does in the Weimar altarpi ‘unexpected resonance with women’ ordination that surrounds ‘Ne O¥ei, Faustina Apote of Divine Mere (Hastngoa, IN: Our Sunday Visor thle confuence betwee this poplar devotional publication ad the lenoed explorations of Jean-Luc Marion in Sexng or Seeing Ones See: Nicholas of Cus Contebationn De isone ‘athout ling ft the oor wioag debates betweesimpution and infson. See "Nnety-Four Vitus Ecomeniom | 147 Figure 87. Siri of Mine ofpaining thes | Tustin You in Pasha base devotion to the image of divine mercy.® But the clearest Lutheran touchpoint all versions of the image, a indicative ofthe central rst in you"? Tn the divine mercy image, more the subject ofthis volume~grows very close indeed. Ifthe pale ray stands for the “Water which makes souls righteous [and] the red ray stands for the Blood which isthe life of souls then here is ‘of a sacramental analogue that Prot- extant, Catholic, Orthodox, Simone Weil, without orally ree ‘with her eyes in adoration, pr ‘what medieval believers called spiritual Communion!™ then perhaps the visual "Tose on Jasication? in Grong Hunaage Bron Ctl ond Rjormed (Grand Rapids Eerdmans, 205) 25-44. ThankYou to Ket Jolson fr this reference, Ser Pausaon hear these won ia her ear. “Etra] Fath {of You the Body and Blood, ‘Soul and Divinity of Your Geary Beloved Son, Our Loré Jess Christ for our sns and those ofthe ‘ole wold” Diy 45, ed in Ode, Fusing 109,183). These words ae repeated yall present “sing any Novens oe age ‘Diary 299 ited in Ode, ousting 79. ‘gas Ath Dating Bese The Bact and the Spal Arts ofthe Milde Ags (hace, NY: ‘Cornell University Pre, 2015, 6148 | Matthew J Milner ecumenism offered by images like the divine mercy can temporarily satisfy woe- {ally divided Christians as well CONCLUSION have attempted to show in this chapter that three versions of Cranachis law-gospel formula—Gotha, Prague, and Weimar—have a vibrant life within non- in late medieval manuscripts, in Orthodox ico Pontormai lost program in Florence. A less direct ‘While this may appear to be a colonizing of other traditions with Protestantism, stripping Protestantism of any sense of exclusive pos: _message, enabling us to see it elsewhere Evangelicals, therefore, can be at home with certain medieval Catholic devotional manuals, ‘Russian Orthodox Cathedrals, some monuments of Renalssance Catholicism, and ‘even modern Catholic kitsch, But nor is this to suggest thatthe Reformation was “unnecessary because evangelical insights have covertly resided in other traditions all along. Were it not for the Reformation, Pontormo and Michelangelo could not ‘Lagtimate qurions abot the compesion othe Siar can be me wah vo Sberatons Ft, Sse Faostna vas distsed wih the image—fesen nadogereplstion tn addition, awa ened by Easern Buopenne who wndersundaby ied thelr sual rms Whe he image's al proliferation among a rasety of race shoul nt be ignored, we can aso hope fr supple ‘mentary images that show diferent vers of Chis, whose cea body inlades Easter Ba ff Thine eenal gry” (Joba Huteison-Hall, Daly Payer for Orhodoe Cristian [np Sc Bad Pres, 200, 15) Vigo Ecomenism | 149 have produced their celebrated mastervorks, for in both cases Protestant influence is very difficult to contest. But even where the aw-gospel message emerges “spon ‘the vision ofa scrupulous Polish nun, there is, for this viewer at least, peculiar ‘debt to Protestantism as well. or without the Reformations recovery of the Isw- gospel dynamic for the sake ofthe whole church, for one would not have known ‘what to look for. Grateful for this retrieval, in Catholic and Orthodox regions where Protestants might expect to hear only law we might learn to see gospel instead.