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Das Marburger Religionsgespräch, 1529-1929 by Heinrich Hermelink

Review by: John H. Mueller
Books Abroad, Vol. 4, No. 4 (Oct., 1930), p. 342
Published by: Board of Regents of the University of Oklahoma
Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/40045850 .
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 34a German Philosophy BOOKS ABROAD GermanReligion

•Otto Weininger. Uber die letzten Dinge. 9. Christianity is credited with popularizingand
Auflage. Wien. Wilhelm Braumiiller. 1930. makingtruly effectivethe ideal of brotherhood
5.40 marks.- This volume on the "ultimates" after which the ancient world aspired. The
deals in numerology, symbolism, and char' book is especially appealing because of its
acterology. The author, a Protestant Jew, a freedom from dogmatic assertion and the
neuropath and suicide at 23, found universal sensitiveness with which moot questions are
harmony in symbolism which he utilizes to discussed.- J. S. Bixler. Smith College.
analyze the human and animal kingdoms,the • Heinrich Hermelink. Das MarburgerReli-
great literary and musical creations of Ibsen, gionsgesprdch,1529^929. Gotha. Klotz. 1930.
Wagner and Beethoven as well as the criminal 3 marks.- In September 1929 convened in
mind. Here is mysticism with the erudite Marburg the representatives of
practically
touch. This groupof essays is in manyrespects every Protestant denomination,
European
extremely interesting and occasionally even and American, to commemoratethe 400th
illuminating,though, in general, by no means anniversary of the epochal disputation be'
convincing.- John H. Mueller. University of tween Luther and Zwingli. This "ecumenical
Oregon. awakening," as it is characterizedby Arch"
•Theodor Siegfried. Das Wort und die bishop Soderblom,is pitched on the dominant
Exiftenz. Eine Auseinandersetzung mit der note of unity of all Protestant bodies of the
dialektischen Theologie. I. Die Theologiedes world. The outstanding paper in this col'
Worts bei Karl Barth. Gotha. Klotz. 1930. lection is that of ProfessorDr. Rudolf Otto,
10 marks.- This is one of the most thorough' University of Marburg, in which is proposed
going criticismsof the "theology of dialectic" a "Protestant World Senate" which would
or "theology of crisis" that has yet appeared. articulate the diverse evangelical bodies in
The author makes a searching analysis of order that Protestantism, like Catholicism,
Barth's Prolegomenazur Dogmati\, taking up would have its spokesmanon moraland social
in turn Barth's ideas concerning dogma, the questions, civil problems, such as calendar
nature of religion, the church, a Christology, reform, and provide a defense for minority
and the "Bewusstseinstheologie."The claim groups. While the papers present nothing
to offer a new basis for theological thinking that is new to anyone who is familiarwith
is examined in detail, and the conclusion is Protestant church history, they are certainly
reached that Barth actually gives no new of great interest to liberal students in the
content but merely a new form for old ideas. field. Such a rapprochementseems to be a
The indefinitenessof his use of the concept belated victory for Zwingli who, according
"Wort" is also brought out. The book closes to tradition, offeredthe right hand of fellow
with a substantial defense of Schleiermacher ship to Luther, whereas the latter refused
against the Barthian attack. Two companion to subscribeto a "unity above differences." -
volumes, dealing respectively with Friedrich John H. Mueller. University of Oregon.
Gogartenand Rudolph Bultmann,are announ' • Erwin Langner. Die Religion Gerhart
ced as following soon.- J. S. Bixler. Smith
Hauptmanns. Tubingen. J. C. B. Mohr.
College. 1928. 5.50 marks.- Within the compass of
•Walther Classen. Eintritt des ChriStentums one hundred pages Erwin Langnerposits the
in die Welt. Gotha. Klotz. 1930. 12 marks.- thesis that Gerhart Hauptmann'sreligion is
Writing in a vivid pictorialstyle, and drawing to be interpreted as an emanation from his
frequentlyon his own experiencesas a traveler inner self and must hence be discussed in
in Palestine for his illustrations,Dr. Classen immediate relationship to the totality of his
has produced a hi£ory of early Christianity spiritual life. Having in his naturalistic
which offers no startlingly new theories but works presentedman upon the firmgroundof
presents an unusually attractive and readable external reality, biologically, minutely, truth'
narrative of the main events in this very fully, however ugly, the poet could then
complex period. The story begins with the proceed to show man in his attempts to adjust
life of Jesus, continues with the spread of his mundanemicrocosmicworld to the macro*
Christianity in the Roman empire, and ends cosmos. Accordingly the real tragedy of man
with a discussion of Theodoric and Benedict. begins at the point where he is no longer
The point of view is devout yet critical. aware of the cosmologicallaws conditioning
Jesus is treated as a power animating men's his life, where he considershimselfresponsible
lives whose secret is yet to be explained,and for situations that lie outside the realmof his

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