German Protestantism and the Spirit of God. From Luther to Moltmann

Document from the year 2010 in the subject Theology - Systematic Theology grade: none course: Namibia Evangelical Theological Seminary language: English abstract: In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. For regular worshippers in German-speaking Lutheran and Reformed churches these words spoken by the pastor are very familiar as they mark the beginning of every Sunday service. With these words the pastor reminds the congregation in whose name they are gathered and whom they are called to worship. Later on in the service the congregation is asked to stand and confess their faith with the words of the Apostle's Creed or on special occasions the Nicene Creed. Again the third person of the Trinity is mentioned. However in many German-speaking Lutheran and Reformed churches God often is not really worshipped as Trinity. God is presented and understood as God the Father and God the Son. In other words there is an inadequate understanding of the triune God in mainstream German Protestant churches and a lack of emphasis on the work of the Holy Spirit. This phenomenon is rooted in German Protestant theology and can be traced back through the ages and the theological schools to Reformation times.