04 Comparative Theology — Ephesians (German)

Tradition	Existing framework	Divergence from Ephesians’ actual claim	Rendering implication	Reference
Lutheran/Protestant	Sola gratia, sola fide, continuing directly from Romans/Galatians	Low divergence — Ephesians 2:8-10 is a natural extension of already-established vocabulary. Risk: the 2:9/2:10 works distinction can be flattened by readers expecting a purely anti-works polemic from the Reformation tradition, missing 2:10’s positive affirmation.	Teach 2:9-10 as one unified statement (grace excludes works as ground, includes them as fruit), not two competing emphases.	salvation_by_grace_through_faith
Catholic	Grace as transformative, cooperating with human freedom; the 1999 Joint Declaration’s shared ground	Low divergence, since Ephesians 2:10’s “created… for good works” is itself compatible with a transformative-grace reading, more so than Galatians’ sharper anti-works-of-the-law polemic.	Ephesians can serve as a natural bridge text between the traditions on the grace/works question, more so than Galatians.	good_works
Reformed (German-speaking Switzerland)	Predestination as double (to salvation and to reprobation), following Calvin	Moderate divergence from the Lutheran tradition’s more cautious single-predestination emphasis; Ephesians 1:4-5, 11 is the primary biblical proof-text both traditions engage, from different angles.	Flag election/predestination language for theologian review so the receiving confessional context can supply appropriate framing rather than this package silently favoring one tradition.	election_and_predestination
Secular / konfessionslos	No inherited theological framework for “Geheimnis” (mystery) as revealed plan, or for household submission language	Significant framing gap for the mystery doctrine (risk of a vague spiritual-secret reading) and significant contemporary friction for the household code, especially 5:22-24, given secular Germany’s strong cultural commitment to marital equality.	Mystery requires explicit unpacking as a disclosed divine plan; the household code requires explicit framing of mutual submission (5:21) and Christ’s self-giving love (5:25-30) as co-equal with, not subordinate to, the submission instruction.	mystery_of_christ, household_code_marriage
Contemporary German feminist and egalitarian Christian movements	Widespread and organized (e.g., within both the EKD Protestant church body and lay Catholic reform movements) critique of hierarchical household-code readings	Direct engagement point: Ephesians 5:21’s mutual-submission frame is itself already the textual basis many German egalitarian readings use to reinterpret 5:22-24, not an external imposition on the text.	This package should present 5:21’s mutuality as the text’s own stated frame, not as an apologetic add-on — consistent with a straightforward reading of the passage’s own structure.	household_code_marriage

Coverage confirmation

Five theological/cultural frameworks addressed, spanning Ephesians’ engagement across chapters 1 (election), 2 (grace and works), 3 (mystery), and 5 (household code). This document should be read alongside 02_cultural_context.md for the fuller discussion of German religious demographics and the Berlin Wall cultural bridge unique to Ephesians 2:14.