John William Baier's _Compendium of Positive Theology_ Edited by C. F. W. Walther Published by: St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1877 [Translator's Preface. These are the major loci or topics of John William Baier's _Compendium of Positive Theology_ as edited by Dr. C. F. W. Walther. These should be seen as the broad outline of Baier-Walther's dogmatics, but please don't assume that this is all. Each locus usually includes copious explanatory notes and citations from patristics and other Lutheran dogmaticians. Part One, Chapter Six On eternal blessedness. 1. As it is, God is our highest good and the objective goal of theology, but now we consider further about the operation by which we obtain and enjoy God the highest good fully and perfectly, as by the formal ultimate end, which is seen clearly from Scripture. 2. However, a human obtains God, as the highest good, through this, that to his intellect God is restored as being intimately present through a most perfect act of knowing, occupied with God; this is commonly called the beatific vision. 3. To this operation of the intellect rightly understood a comparison is established between the knowledge which we have about God in this life, and of what sort of knowledge is expected after this life. In this life we are only able to form an inadequate concept about God through an intelligible view [lit. species] selected from created things, and out of the revealed word; after this life we will know God, and that which is formally in him, and all things, by a simple and single act, without an intelligible view. 4. And thus for this knowledge of God or beatific vision, it is necessary to bring together besides the human intellect also the light of glory and God's essence and the divine persons with his perfections. 5. Likewise this beatific vision is not a free act, but necessary, both as far as an exercise, and as far as a type of act, and so from this vision blessed humans will never cease, nor are they able to cease. 6. Although the beatific vision solely is occupied in contemplating about God, and what is formally in him; however to the intellect of the blessed in that state the knowledge of other things is also agreeable, thus that they will know perfectly and clearly their every condition or happiness, and likewise the allies of blessedness, through a kind of knowledge indeed proper, whether infused, or acquired. 7. Meanwhile that beatific vision of God is in truth also this, that it makes a human a participant of the highest good, thus it draws the same into the lot itself, so that the human is made greatly similar to God. 8. Otherwise the same vision of God, although formally it pertains to the intellect, however necessarily it draws the will of the blessed human to the most intense love of God; and thus it is done, that a human enjoys God, as the highest good. 9. And thus also the will perfectly bound to the love of God and holy, it is not able to abandon God and to sin. 10. Although through that determination of the will, constantly embracing the highest good, the liberty or indifference to good and bad is removed; however in some manner most excellently freedom has a place there in truth; because the blessed are able to do and not to do this or to begin doing that about many good things, ends and particulars. 11. Finally from the vision of God pleasure or ineffable joy is born, by which humans are affected, contemplating and loving God. 12. However that beatific vision will be one with love and joy from there by being born in all blessed humans equally perfected. 13. However beyond this, which pertains to the essence of blessedness and which further formally is formed in the soul, it was pleasing to God also to add other gifts, by which the bodies of the blessed are completed as greatly as possible and are blessed. 14. However the blessedness of the bodies of the blessed consists especially in this, that future bodies are spiritual, that is, a soul, which is a spirit, and indeed partly, that of the form being formed, partly that by a moving principle, subject in a most perfect way. 15. And thus also the bodies of the blessed are impassible, corrupted by no passion, whether from internal, or from external causes being led forth that would make them liable, and so far they might be immortal. 16. However the bodies of the blessed are able nevertheless to show themselves as being touched and seen, when they themselves might will. 17. Also clarity is added to the bodies of the blessed. 18. And because the soul, in so far as it is sensitive, by a certain part uses organs of the body, by this reason also the blessedness of the pious will increase, that the eye will contemplate the Son of God, its incarnate Savior, and blessed friend of humans, further also the ears will be able to please themselves by more elegant hymns. 19. According to these accidental gifts of blessedness, especially the clarity of the body, a certain inequality of the blessed is observed, as some more than others brought forth the virtue of Christians in this life by many examples. 20. And thus this, which we said today about eternal blessedness, is rightly held according to Scripture, and thus no one finds this full and perfect declaration in this life. 21. However the causes of blessedness are these: indeed the principal efficient cause is the triune God; the internal impulsive cause is the goodness of God; the principal external cause is the merits of Christ; the lesser principal (impulsive) cause is faith in Christ. 22. The subject Which are humans finally believing, and from this life leaving all things and alone. 23. The subject by Which of blessedness are the soul on the part of the intellect and the will, and the body and its organs. 24. The goal of human blessedness is the eternal glory of the divine goodness, wisdom, truthfulness and power. 25. It is possible to describe eternal blessedness as a complex of many supernatural perfections, apprehended by faith from pure grace from the triune God on account of the merits of Christ to finally believing humans and to those having been departed this mortal life especially on the part of the intellect and the will, however at the same time also having happened to the body itself, by which the human appetite is completely satisfied to the eternal glory of the triune God. -------------------------------------------------------------- This text was translated by Rev. Theodore Mayes and is copy- righted material, (c)1996, but is free for non-commercial use or distribution, and especially for use on Project Wittenberg. Please direct any comments or suggestions to: Rev. Robert E. Smith of the Walther Library at Concordia Theological Seminary. E-mail: smithre@mail.ctsfw.edu Surface Mail: 66000 N. Clinton St., Ft. Wayne, IN 46825 USA Phone: (260) 452-3149 Fax: (260) 452-2126 --------------------------------------------------------------