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The Christian Doctrine of Justification and Reconciliation

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Albrecht Ritschl is arguably the most important Protestant theologian of the latter part of the 19th century. In fact, many scholars deem him second only to the peerless Schleiermacher, who was, quite simply, the theologian of the 19th century. Ritschl, almost single handedly, dominated the liberal wing of the Protestant Church at the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th. His knowledge of Luther was extensive and profound and in learning he surpassed all other theologians of his day. Unfortunately for Ritschl Barth, who was usually charitable to great theologians he did not agree with, unleashed an attack on Ritschl's theology and his school that caused Ritschl's star to gradually dim during the middle of the 20th century. Lately, however, there has been a revival of interest in Ritschl. The great Church historian, Alisdair McGrath, has noted that Ritschl's own review of the history of the Christian doctrine of justification and reconcilliation (the topic of the first volume or Ritschl's magnum opus) was simply the most learned and penetrating that has ever been produced, and other theologians have recently praised the rigour and power of Ritschl's own postive theologcal system, a system that is carefully unfolded and skillfully defended in this, the third volume, of Ritschl's vast work. One might not always agree with Ritschl's positions (I do not), but no intelligent reader can come away from a careful study of this, his masterpiece, without the impression that it deserves a place on the short list of truly great works of Christian dogmatics. Make no mistake, the Christian Church (or at least the liberal wing of it) simply cannot ignore the thought and scholariship of this 19th century master. It is a very good thing that his towering work, so long out of print, is once again available for readers who have the interest and intelligence to study it with the care it deserves.