# Lehre und Wehre_St. Louis Missouri_September 1858_S270
# AI translation — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

270 The Church of Norway.

later be freed by the Word through a second rebirth — a view, however, that
is not shared by all members of the party. — Stavanger, on the whole, makes
a remarkable impression in religious respects. Here are found side by side
Haugians, those of Herrnhut persuasion, the aforementioned Strong Believers,
the indifferentist-minded, sober-minded Lutherans, and, outside the church,
the Quakers (perhaps still other shadings as well). It made a peculiar
impression to come into contact, in the course of a few hours, with the most
various tendencies of mind.

Nor is there any lack of theological controversies. One in particular has
stirred people's minds in wide circles of late. Pastor Wexels, in a revision
of Pontoppidan's catechism for school use that had been entrusted to him,
took up in one question the view that even after bodily death there is still
a possibility of conversion — a view which, to be sure, he wishes to limit to
those who had no opportunity for it in this life. Several clergymen reportedly
share his view; but the voice of the people spoke out sharply against it,
and W. has, unfortunately, lost a great deal of his former popularity and
favor. The aforementioned Spödervoldt for this reason even counts him among
the sectarians. Quite recently Pastor Dybdahl, a mild, warm-hearted nature
otherwise not disposed to strife, wrote against him, without this disturbing
the friendly relations otherwise subsisting between him and W.

In a narrower circle there remained a dispute over an opinion expressed by
W. — one which, incidentally, characterizes his churchly tendency —
concerning absolution. He maintained, namely, that even the impenitent and
unbelieving person really receives forgiveness, but to judgment, and sought
to support this claim by arguing that the forgiveness of sins as content
cannot be separated from the word of absolution, and sought a scriptural
ground in the parable of the wicked servant. The dispute, however, hardly
extended much beyond the confines of the Norwegian church newspaper, where
an unnamed "simple theologian" (reportedly a candidate) came out against
him and also had the last word. —

More interest was found in a liturgical dispute over the wording of the
third article. There are at present four different recensions of it current
in Norway. In the newest edition of the symbolical books (prepared by order
of the church department) the apostles' creed reads: "I believe in the Holy
Ghost, the holy universal church, the communion of saints, etc."

In the older editions and explanations of the catechism, as well as in the
newer edition of the same, revised by order of the church government, it
reads: "I believe in the Holy Ghost, a holy universal church (or
congregation), communion of the saints, etc."

In Luther's catechism, as it is also incorporated into the symbolical