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Karg, Georg

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(the "Parsimonious"), a German theologian, was born at Heroldingen in 1512. In 1538 he was ordained for the ministry by Melancthon, and became pastor first at Oettingen, later at Schwabach; and finally, in 1553, settled at Anspach, and became general superintendent of the churches of the duchy of Baireuth. He died in 1576. Karg acquired great notoriety during the difficulties concerning the Formula Concordice by maintaining that it was only by passive obedience that Christ made atonement for us: for active obedience (obedientia activa) he was bound to give as man; the law binds - us either to obedience or to punishment, but not to both together. Christ, while suffering the punishment for us, rendered obedience on his own account. What he has paid remains no longer for us to pay (i.e. the punishment); obedience, however, we are bound to render, as he rendered his, in order to be a pure and perfect offering unto God. (See IMPUTATION). He defended these opinions in 1563, but, as they provoked a great controversy, he finally retracted them in 1570. The same opinions were afterwards maintained by John Piscator, professor at Herborn, and by John Camero of Saumur. See Walch, Streitigkeiten innerh. d. luth. Kirche, 14:360; Schrockh, Kirchengesch. seit d. Reformation, 5:358; Dollinger, D. Reformation, 3:564; Schweizer, Centraldogmen, ii, 16,17; Herzog, Real- Encyklop. 7:379.