September 2024 President’s Message - Echoes of Magdeburg: Standing Firm in Troubled Times

A couple of years ago, we were fortunate to have Pastor Matthew Trewhella speak at one of our monthly meetings. Prior to that meeting, I was given a copy of Matthew’s book, The Doctrine of Lesser Magistrates, by an STN member at another monthly meeting. I carefully read and highlighted that book, digesting each insightful word. Following that, I purchased a copy of the document that inspired the book. The document was later translated and published as The Magdeburg Confession. I have to admit that the translated version takes time to digest and assimilate. And yes, as always, I highlighted and reread sections to ensure I had a full grasp of the meaning and intent of the authors.

To review briefly for those unfamiliar with either of these wonderful books, The Magdeburg Confession was written in 1550 in response to the Augsburg Interim, which was an attempt by King Charles V to block the Protestant Reformation. While the entire country of then-Protestant Germany decided to conform, one lone city decided to stand against the King and resist. That city was Magdeburg. Therefore, in 1550, the pastors of Magdeburg issued the “Confession and Defense of the Pastors and Other Ministers of the Church of Magdeburg.” Five months later, King Charles V sent his troops to enforce his edict. The people of Magdeburg, in a cohesive and unified fashion, burned everything outside the city gates and walled off the city. And so, the siege of Magdeburg began.

A novel revelation was exposed for the first time in this document: that “lesser Magistrates” have an obligation to those they represent to stand up to tyrannical edicts, which we are so often challenged to live under. These doctrines often run counter to biblical teachings and, therefore, are not morally congruent with our philosophy.

I would like to quote one section of the translation of The Magdeburg Confession for you. Please take a moment to contemplate this statement relative to the edicts and doctrines we have recently seen coming forth from magistrates in our own federal government, as well as from other world leaders. Understand that I am not suggesting the specifics of this particular quote are what we are currently dealing with; rather, it is the concept of upper-level edicts and directives that we may disagree with but are forced to comply with. Add to this the fact that many of our “lesser magistrates” should be interceding in an effort to protect us from such edicts but simply are not.

I was inspired to write this President’s Message after reading a statement from the Superintendent of the Quakertown School District, which was published in the local newspaper. My quote is directly from the article in the newspaper. As noted in the article, he stated that in his outline of the future education of students and the incorporation of AI teachings, “The student would share this vision with the greater community and focus on”—and this is what caught my eye—“global citizenship.” I have my own interpretation of the meaning of that statement, and I will allow you to formulate your own.

However, the quote I would like to share with you from The Magdeburg Confession is as follows:

“Therefore, if now the leader or Caesar proceeds to such a height of insanity only in that order of natural knowledge which governs the society of civil life and uprightness, that he abolishes the law concerning marriages and all chastity, and himself sets up a contrary law of roving unclean lusts, to the effect that the wives and daughters of all men are to be prostituted; and if he himself defends and prosecutes this law with force and arms, so that certain death is laid down as the penalty for those who resist or fail to conform – in such a case, doubtless, no clear-thinking person would have any hesitation about divine right and commandment that such a leader or monarch ought to be curbed by everyone in his most wicked attempt, even by the lowest of the lesser magistrates with whatever power they have.”

As you can see, the authors of the Confession knew, as we do, that some of the edicts and laws sent down by upper-level magistrates must be stopped or at least fought by the lesser—and even lowest of the lesser—magistrates.

This month, we will be hosting some of these “lesser magistrates” at our “Meet the Candidates Night” during our September monthly meeting. These individuals are sacrificing a lot to represent us in Harrisburg and Washington. We are giving you an opportunity not only to hear their thoughts but to share yours as well. We hope you will come out and challenge them with your well-thought-out and respectfully insightful questions. I hope you will do this not only to demonstrate to them that you expect the same oversight that was exposed for the first time in Magdeburg, Germany, but to let them know that you will be watching them to Ensure that the power and confidence you instill in them by supporting and voting for them is justified.