5. Excellences and Defects of the Church Order

Luther's verdict was justified in fact, and the landgrave acted wisely in heeding the same. True enough, the constitution embodies many excellent ideas, nor does it by any means deserve the reproach of radicalism. In confining church disof the cipline to notorious and flagrant sins, Church without intruding upon the province Order. of faith, it betokens great moderation in comparison with other church enactments of the Reformation, while by transfer of ecclesiastical jurisdiction to a sypod it pointed out a new course for the organization of Evangelical congregations which became legally recognized as time advanced. It was none the less encumbered with grave drawbacks. The most serious objection is the one emphasized by Luther, to the effect that the constitution was not suited to the actual situation of affairs in Hesse, but that it outlined theoret ically a finished constitution for a church as yet to be founded. Along with this formal and structural blunder, the fundamental design of the Reformatio to establish the entire Church on the basis of elect congregations was at fault, since it amounted to the renouncing of a popular Church, and issued in the creation of conventicles. By the privileged status conceded to the civil ruler and the nobility, which they enjoyed without, as full members of the congregation, the responsibilities appointed for others, the constitution provided a check on its own principles, but at the same time demonstrated its impracticability.

6. Its Models and Sources

dependent connection between it and Luther has been made, and an Upper German origin is armed; the "spir- itualism" of the Franciscans has been adduced; likewise Waldensian in fluence, and certain Wyclifian and Bohemian in fluences; the tendency of Gallican Christianity has been discovered, with its emphasis on ecclesiastical discipline; and some have referred to the general consciousness of the Reformation, and to the tract by Eberlin of Günzberg, Die fünfzehn Bundesgenossen (see Eberlin, Johann). Amid all these hypotheses, which, in turn, occur in a more or less combined form, one fact appears plainly, viz., that the Reformatio was derived not merely from one quarter. In any case, the decisive instigation ema nated from Luther and from his tract Dmtsche Meaae and Ordnung des GottesdienaW. That Luther's influence, however, was not the only one at work upon the Reformatio is patent from manifold par ticulars of the church order (eg., the committee of thirteen, which has been found analogous to local arrangements at Metz, Strasburg, and among the Bohemian Brethren). Just what these influences were is the more perplexing since even in the matter of Luther's statements in the Deutwhe Messe the question arises, to what extent here also the counsel of alien (Anabaptist?) elements is demonstrable. Any systematic analysis of the sources of the Reformatio will have to reckon with the facts that it can neither be regarded as the landgrave's work nor as the exclusive work of Lambert, seeing he was attended by colaborers; that the proof of a relative dependency is not yet established; that in those days of great ferment many Biblical ideas, medieval adjuncts--and theories were commingled and were still operative in such a way that it was impossible to undertake to separate them distinctly.

Carl Mirbt.

Bibliography: Sources are: Epist. Franeisci Lamberti Aeenionensis ad Colonisnsea, Feb. 16, 1627, ed. E. C. Draud, Giessen, 1730; the Acts synodi were never published: W. Muse, in Zeitschrift des Vervains far hesaisdie Gesshiehte, vol. 1. supplement 2, pp. 123-139, Csssel. 1849; the Kirdranordnuny, not preserved in the original, was fast published from an old MS. by F. C. Schminke in Monimenta Hassioca, ii. 588-886, ib. 1748, and a second copy was edited by K. A. Credner, in Philipp du Groesmitthipen Hessiaaha KirchemWormationsordnung, Giessen, 1852, cf. KShle1, in ZHT, zaavii (1867), 217 sqq. Consult: C. von Rommel, Geschichts eon Hessen, 3 vols., Cassel, 1827; F. W. Hassencamp, Hessische Kirchsflgeschichts exit den Zeitalter der Reformation, 2 vols., Frankfort, 1864; H. Heppe, Airclurngeschichts beider Hawn, Marburg, 1876; T. Brieger, Die anpeblichs Afarburper Kirdmwrdnung, in ZKG, iv (1881), 549 sqq.; K. Rieker, Die redhtdiehe Stellung der esanpelixksn Kireha Deutschlands in Arer gsxhirhtlidhen Enhoicklung, pp. 75 sqq., Leipsic. 1893; J. Friedrich, Luther und die Kirduneerfassung der Refornwtio eccteaiarum Hessice, Darmstadt, 1894 (improvement of Credner's edition); idem, Entstehung der Wormatio aedssiarum Hesaior, Giessen, 1905; W. K�hler, Heasitdu Kirdhenewfamung im Zeifalter der Reformation, Giessen, 1894; A. Laval, Le Synods de Hombera, Paris, 1894; G. Conrad, Die Refornwtioruordnung für die Gemeinden Heaaens con 1688, Halle, 1897.