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 Nine On the resurrection of the dead. 1. That the soul of a human remains living after death, thus also the body, which is destroyed through death, rises up again and thus turns back to life, is most clear from Scripture; however by natural reason it is not possible to know this certainly, but it is not allowed to oppose this. 2. However the resurrection of the dead consists in this, that the body, destroyed through death, from matter, in which it was constructed, is reproduced and reunited to the soul or, by one word, rises and thus becomes one with the soul. 3. The principal efficient cause of the resurrection is the triune God and Christ the God-man. 4. The impulsive internal cause of the resurrection of the dead in general is divine justice and especially, in respect to the pious, rewarding justice, in respect to the impious, punishing justice. 5. The impulsive external cause in respect to the resurrection of the pious is the merit of Christ apprehended by final faith, in respect to the resurrection of the impious it is final impenitence. 6. The subject Which of the resurrection are all dead humans, not only the pious and faithful, but also the impious and unfaithful. 7. The subject by Which is the body itself exactly, which everyone had in this life. 8. The nearer goal of the resurrection of the dead in respect to the faithful is the full participation in blessedness; as far as the unfaithful it is the completion of damnation. The ultimate goal is the glory of the rewarding and punishing divine justice. 9. The resurrection of the dead is described as a work of the triune God and of Christ the God-man, proceeding out of the divine rewarding and punishing justice, by which all humans, and indeed to the faithful or pious on account of the merits of Christ, received by final faith, however to the unfaithful and impious according to the number of their own sins, the bodies, which they had in this life, receives a reuniting to their soul; the former to the fullness of blessedness, the latter to the final participation of damnation, both to the glory of God and divine justice. -------------------------------------------------------------- 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 --------------------------------------------------------------