The reason why Article XI was embodied in the _Formula of Concord_ is
stated in the opening paragraph of this article: "Although among the
theologians of the _Augsburg Confession_ there has not occurred as yet
any public dissension whatever concerning the eternal election of the
children of God that has caused offense, and has become wide-spread, yet
since this article has been brought into very painful controversy in
other places, and even among our theologians there has been some
agitation concerning it; moreover, since the same expressions were not
always employed concerning it by the theologians: therefore in order, by
the aid of divine grace, to prevent disagreement and separation on its
account in the future among our successors, we, as much as in us lies,
have desired also to present an explanation of the same here, so that
every one may know what is our unanimous doctrine, faith, and confession
also concerning this article." (1063, 1.)
The statements contained in these introductory remarks are in agreement
with the historical facts. For, while serious dissensions pertaining to
election did occur in Reformed countries, the Lutheran Church, ever
since the great conflict with Erasmus on free will, in 1525 had not been
disturbed by any general, public, and offensive controversy on this
question, neither _ad intra_ among themselves, nor _ad extra_ with the
Calvinists. Hence the chief purpose for embodying Article XI in the
_Formula_ was not to settle past or present disputes, but rather, as
stated in the paragraph quoted, to be of service in avoiding future
differences and conflicts.
This earnest concern for the future peace of our Church, as well as for
the maintenance of its doctrinal purity, was partly due to
apprehensions, which, indeed, were not without foundation. As a matter
of fact, long before the _Formula_ was drafted, the theological
atmosphere was surcharged with polemical possibilities and probabilities
regarding predestination,--a doctrine which is simple enough as long as
faith adheres to the plain Word of God, without making rationalistic and
sophistical inferences, but which in public controversies has always
proved to be a most intricate, crucial, and dangerous question.
Calvin and his adherents boldly rejected the universality of God's
grace, of Christ's redemption, and of the Spirit's efficacious operation
through the means of grace, and taught that, in the last analysis, also
the eternal doom of the damned was solely due to an absolute decree of
divine reprobation (in their estimation the logical complement of
election), and this at the very time when they pretended adherence to
the _Augsburg Confession_ and were making heavy inroads into Lutheran
territory with their doctrine concerning the Lord's Supper and the
person of Christ,--which in itself was sufficient reason for a public
discussion and determined resentment of their absolute
predestinarianism. The Synergists, on the other hand, had long ago been
busy explaining that the only way to escape the Stoic dogma of
Calvinism, and to account for the difference why some are accepted and
elected, while the rest are rejected, was to assume a different conduct
in man--_aliqua actio dissimilis in homine_. And as for their Lutheran
opponents, it cannot be denied that some of their statements were not
always sufficiently guarded to preclude all misapprehensions and false
inferences.
Thus controversial material had been everywhere heaped up in
considerable quantities. Considering these factors, which for decades
had been making for a theological storm, one may feel rather surprised
that a controversy on predestination had not arisen long ago. Tschackert
says: "They [the Lutheran theologians] evidently feared an endless
debate if the intricate question concerning predestination were made a
subject of discussion." (559.) Sooner or later, however, the conflict
was bound to come with dire results for the Church, unless provisions
were made to escape it, or to meet it in the proper way. Well aware of
this entire critical situation and the imminent dangers lurking therein,
the framers of the _Formula of Concord_ wisely resolved to embody in it
also an article on election in order to clear the theological
atmosphere, maintain the divine truth, ward off a future controversy,
and insure the peace of our Church.