Theology of Glory

Definition and Meaning

The theology of glory (Latin theologia gloriae) is a critical term that Martin Luther used in contrast to the theology of the cross (theologia crucis). It refers to an outlook holding that human beings can know God and attain to God through reason and good works, and through visible power and success. Luther, by contrast, held that God reveals himself in suffering and weakness, that is, in the cross.

Few denominations or schools of thought claim the label "theology of glory" for themselves. The term is generally applied to other positions as a criticism. It is distinct from the doctrine of glorification, which holds that believers will ultimately share in the glory of Christ.

Biblical and Historical Background

Luther first set out this distinction systematically in April 1518, in a disputation held at Heidelberg during a meeting of the Augustinian order. The substance of Theses 19–21 is as follows:

• The one who seeks to perceive the invisible things of God through created things does not deserve to be called a theologian.
• The one who knows God as revealed through suffering and the cross is the true theologian.
• The theologian of glory calls evil good and good evil, but the theologian of the cross calls a thing what it actually is.

Scriptural texts cited in support include Romans 1:20-22; Exodus 33:23, where God allows Moses to see only his back; and 1 Corinthians 1:22-25, which speaks of the "foolishness" of the cross. In the twentieth century, as Jürgen Moltmann and others brought renewed attention to the theology of the cross, this contrast was also discussed.

In Practice in the Korean Church

In Korea the term was introduced chiefly through the Lutheran tradition. Lutherans, centered on the Lutheran Church in Korea and Luther University, teach this distinction as one of the core elements of Luther's theology.

Theologians and pastors of various denominations, including Presbyterian and Methodist churches, also borrow the concept to critique the Korean church. The targets of this critique include numerical church growth, the tendency to regard health and material blessing as evidence of God's presence and approval, and prosperity theology.

Pentecostal groups such as the Full Gospel movement respond to this critique differently. They hold that Christ's atonement includes not only the salvation of the soul but also healing and blessing in this life, often citing the threefold blessing based on 3 John 1:2. From this standpoint, they counter that emphasizing blessing does not replace the cross but is rather the fruit of the cross.