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On Marxsen and Wesley

There is evidently an important parallel between Marxsen and Wesley at the point of their "ecumenical passion" (NTBK, 132) and "Catholic Spirit," respectively.

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The most significant agreement, however, is that, relative to the existential reality of Christianity, all reflection, doctrine, dogma, etc. is strictly secondary and, at best, instrumental. To be sure, Marxsen no more endorses a simple doctrinal latitudinarism latitudinarianism than Wesley does (cf. NTBK, 142, where he expressly allows for doctrinal standards). His objection, rather, is to giving doctrine (= dogma) an "exclusive," church-splitting importance (NTBK, 129), which was precisely Wesley's objection. However adequate or inadequate doctrine as such may be, provided it holds fast to the event of making God happen and enables that event to happen again and again anew, it subserves its purpose and is interchangeable with every other such doctrine.

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