Gripla - 20.12.2014, Síða 202

GRIPLA202
ment taken by Lutheran theology (as well as Catholic theology), at the
same time clearly departing from the beliefs of Calvinism. nevertheless, as
we shall see, the hymn alludes to a Calvinist concept at a later point.
the third stanza refers to the Adoration of the Magi, as part of the ac-
count of the nativity of Jesus. the following thirteen stanzas, which are
not part of the Latin tradition of the hymn, deal with further aspects of
eschatology in addition to the Last judgment, and depart from the scene
of the nativity. the fourth stanza refers to the resurrection of Christ and
takes up his descent into hell mentioned in stanza two. the conquering of
the devil by Christ is described and the metaphor of war is taken up again.
As the souls of the just that were claimed by the devil after the fall were
referred to as “herfang” [war booty] (st. 2, ll. 6–7), Christ now commands
“stríð” [a war] ust. 4, l. 8), in which he gains “sigur” [victory] (st. 4, l. 1).
Stanzas five to seven then deal with the Last Judgment and stanzas
eight to ten describe the afterlife: burning in hell for the sinners, and
eternal praising of God in heaven for the good, as described in the Book
of Revelation. the stanzas discussing the souls that are doomed to burn
in hell do not clearly show Lutheran views on salvation. the doomed are
those who have performed bad deeds, rather than those who do not believe
in Christ. Also, the reference to the redeemed souls as those of “chosen
men” (st. 16, l. 4) is suggestive of Calvinism, although the notion might
still be compatible with Catholic views on redemption if one assumes the
chosen to be those who did good works.
stanzas 11 to 16 conclude the hymn by describing the longing for the af-
terlife and rejection of worldly life. Stanza 12 includes the sole identifiably
Lutheran reference in the hymn to redemption: “Everyone who believes
in Christ the Lord / receives true exaltation” (st. 12, ll. 1–2). Here, the
Lutheran concept that belief in Christ alone – and not good works – will
deliver the soul from sin is explicit.
the views expressed in the hymn appear to be those common to
most confessions of Christianity, with the exception of the one explicitly
Lutheran perspective mentioned previously (st. 12, ll. 1–2). Some views
apparent in the hymn are even clearly Catholic (the relevance of good
works and of avoiding sin), while the reference to the rapture of the cho-
sen is closer to Calvinism than to anything else. the content of the longer
Icelandic version of the hymn thus suggests that, by the time of its com-