Hermann Sasse was one of the leading confessional Lutheran theologians of the 20th century. John Kleinig, Sasse’s student, is one of the leading confessional Lutheran theologians of the 21st century. Below is a video of Kleinig discussing Sasse, filled with insights into them both.
Sasse (1895-1976) was a German theologian who openly opposed the Nazis in Germany and later emigrated to Australia, where he taught in the Lutheran seminary in Adelaide. One of his students was John Kleinig. i
We’ve discussed Sasse quite a bit on this blog: For example, on his book This Is My Body, his magisterial defense of Christ’s presence in the Sacrament; and on the Bethel Confession, which he wrote with Bonhoeffer to oppose Hitler, the Nazification of the German church, and anti-semitism.
We’ve also discussed quite a bit John Kleinig, the Australian theologian, Bible scholar, and author. For example, on his classic book on Christian devotion Grace Upon Grace; on his book God’s Word; on his book The Lord’s Supper; and on his magnum opus, his translation of J. G. Hamann’s The London Writings that I was privileged to work with him on.
Now the Australian confessional Lutheran pastor and Cranach subscriber Heath Pukallis has made a video of John Kleinig discussing his teacher Hermann Sasse. In his reminiscences, interspersed with documentary footage, we learn about the background and the lives of both Christian thinkers.
To give but one example, I have always wondered how Sasse, who stayed in Germany throughout World War II, avoided arrest despite his strong denunciations of Hitler. I had read that he was such a popular teacher as a professor at the University of Erlangen that his dean and past and present students protected him. But Kleinig knows of another reason that was probably more important. (Watch the video for the answer.)
Rev. Pukallis gave me permission to post the video in its entirety and also gave his fellow Cranach readers permission to use and share it however they like. (It lasts 52 minutes, 28 seconds.)
So Cranach proudly presents:
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