The first speech that C.F.W.
Walther gave as Synodical President in 1848, a year after the Synod was formed, is a
magnificent appeal to build the LCMS on pure doctrine for the priesthood of all believers.
Today 99% of the lay people have little or no idea of Walther’s original goals for
the LCMS, and little more than 10% of the LCMS clergy still hold these goals as their own.
Walther delivered this speech nearly ten years after the
Dresden immigrants attempted to establish the ideal Lutheran Church and commune in Perry
County, Missouri. Their effort met with tragic failure and disappointment under the
despotic lecherous leadership of Martin Stephan, whom they deposed. Then in 1848, as
Synodical President, an experienced and wiser Walther by the grace of God was given that
rare opportunity in life, a second chance to get it right.
His speech burns with the same fire and idealism that
brought him to America. However, now he denounces all reliance on human leadership and
organizations and redirects the Synod to rely only on the Word of God. The new Synod must
necessarily be the true visible church on earth because it would only confess and practice
according to pure Christian doctrine. Walther discarded his original participation in a
pietistic Lutheran utopia in America so that the LCMS would only be preserved with the
Gospel and the Sacraments.
It was all there in the Bible and the Lutheran Confessions.
By God’s grace Luther’s first, and at the time politically impossible, dream for
the church of Jesus Christ in Europe (published in 1523, Luther’s Works,
Vol. 39 pp. 303-314) could now be achieved in the new World.
Today Walther could not be elected President of the LCMS.
Today the changes necessary to recast Missouri into the true visible church on earth would
only be called legalism. Looking back at Walther’s vision for the Synod in 1848
through 1999 eyes, the LCMS would never tolerate full-time church bureaucrats, District
Office staff, and District Presidents. There would never be Leadership Training, a
Pastoral Leadership Institute, Seeker Services, Church Growth methodology, or toleration
of human philosophy of any kind in the LCMS. The original LCMS was intended to live and
grow alone on God’s Word and pure doctrine for the benefit of the priesthood of all
believers.
Walther explains that by God’s grace the Synod would
be united in one faith to work and do battle together, to manifest its unity in the spirit
publicly, to strengthen its unity, to confess its most holy faith jointly, to carry each
others burdens, and to pray together.
Walther’s infant church body had a global goal beyond
the Synod. The LCMS was, "...to be beneficial for us personally, but that it also
brings a blessing upon our congregations and the whole church." Again Walther states
that the Synod should work to meet congregational goals and the goals of the "church
in general." For Walther the church is identified by the marks of Word and Sacrament.
The new Synod would serve its congregations and reach out to Lutherans around the world.
The newly formed Synod had no right to regulate or rule
congregations. "We have merely the power to advise one another, that we have only the
power of the Word, and of convincing...." The Synod was not a "consistory,"
or "supreme court" over congregations. But it wasn’t a "shadow"
Synod. It was to be ruled only by the Word of God, faith, and charity.
Christ is the only power in the new Church. The Synod and
the clergy should have no more authority than the apostles had. The Synod would only
require submission to Jesus Christ. Today congregations and clergy unaware of
Walther’s position suffer under the usurpation of authority by District Presidents
who demand that congregations only use call lists approved by them. No LCMS congregation
was to be subject to the authority of any pastor that some LCMS pastors claim for
themselves today.
The new Synod wasn’t intended for everyone but only
for those wanting the " comforting refuge" of God’s Word and the utopia of
"pure doctrine." Walther wanted "pure doctrine" to be "in
vogue" in all LCMS congregations. In Missouri, Walther says, "Let us not
surrender one iota of the demands of the Word....even though for this reason things may
happen to us, as God wills".
On the basis of Acts 15 Walther makes a landmark statement
that defines the polity and doctrine of Church and Ministry for the LCMS. He shows that
there were joint meetings with apostles, elders, and congregational representatives where
votes were taken and where the lay people made decisions alongside the apostles. Walther
writes "Thus we see that the apostles did not at all claim any dominion over the
congregation. Even in the most important church councils they granted the so-called laymen
just as much right, just as much seat and deciding vote as themselves."
One gets tired of the mantra from pastors who question if
the early church really voted or not. A simple examination of history tells that the Roman
Empire was very much accustomed to elections and voting.
In this speech Walther defends his radical concept of
congregational and synodical polity, the priesthood of all believers, and lay people
"voting." He explains that the Synod and the clergy are not giving up any rights
or powers because God never gave them the authority that clergy in many other church
bodies claim for themselves. The only power in the church is the power of the Word.
"...we are not renouncing any right belonging to us...and...claim no other power than
the power of the Word for in the church...there...can be no other power to which all must
submit." God does not place any human power over congregations. The congregation
includes "pastors and hearers." Those who claim power outside the Word are
robbers who turn the church into a human organization and police state.
I love the following question Walther asks for all the
clergy who think they lost something when they came to America. Walther asks, "Can
we, therefore, my brethren, be depressed because we in our American pastorates are endowed
with no other power than the power of the Word and especially because no other power has
been granted to this assembly?" Indeed, there is a lot of depression for the pastors
who believe they have authority in the congregation over things not mentioned in Scripture
(adiaphora); and the pastors who think their ordination is a sacrament; and the pastors
who think they have the right to excommunicate members without the voters; and the pastors
who believe that God gives them the right to invent worship in the congregation like the
Michigan 102; and the pastors who think they are C.E.Os of their church; and the pastors
who think of themselves as leaders of the Church Growth/leadership training movement
instead of servants of pure doctrine.
The authority of the Word means one must act on the Word
alone and has no choice but to act on the Word alone. Any refusal or neglect to act on the
authority of the Word is a heinous usurpation of Christ’s authority. By what
authority does the current LCMS Praesidium refuse to take speedy action to remove the
certification of Pastor Nordlie of Wayzata, MN, who teaches incorrectly about the Doctrine
of Justification? The Praesidium has obfuscated the distinction between the administration
of God’s Word and ruling over God’s Word. Christ is supposed to wait patiently
while they take matters into their own hands. In matters of false doctrine Christ requires
nothing less in His church than immediate and full repentance for the sake of the sheep.
Walther observes that before the abuses the German
Consistories did great service to the Lutheran churches in Europe. Also, under the
conditions of that time, the episcopal form of church government served the Church of
Sweden. However, in America the Church finds itself unencumbered by governmental
authority. In such circumstance Walther states, "...we can hardly consider any other
constitution as the most salutary except one under which the congregations are free to
govern themselves but enter into a Synodical organization...."
What should we do for the pastors who object today? Should
we organize ourselves with a European clerical hierarchy and pretend there is no
separation of church and state in America? Should we structure our congregations like a
corporate board of directors under CEO pastors, regard members as non-voting stockholders?
Walther was more concerned about the lay people than depressing the clergy.
Walther explains that it only appears as if the Synod
"tied" its own hands. But he observes there would be far more trouble if the
Synod was structured as a hierarchy. It is to the Synod’s advantage not to impose
"any restriction beyond the limits drawn by God Himself...." Otherwise,
"Our chief battle would soon center about the execution of manufactured, external
human ordinances and institutions...."
The above quote characterizes the LCMS in 1999. The
bureaucracies created by LCMS District Offices and Synodical institutions are siphoning
off tens of millions of dollars. They create doctrinally void mega-churches for their own
job security. It took the members of the congregation in Wayzata, MN, more than three
years to learn that the Praesidium will not decertify their pastor for teaching false
doctrine about Justification. The lay people were drawn through a labyrinth of purposely
confusing and ineffective Dispute Resolution regulations designed to protect the clergy
from the authority of God’s Word.
Walther predicted that the introduction of human ordinances
in the church, "would swallow up the true blessed battle for the real treasure of the
church, for the purity and unity of doctrine." How right he was. "In a word, we
would lose sight of our beautiful aim of building the true church,..." He charges
that church bodies in America are able to employ hierarchy when their members’
"consciences are bound in favor of their form of government by false doctrine."
The Bible gives the congregation the right to choose its
own church government within the parameters of Scripture. On this point Walther borrows
some wording from the US Constitution and says in the LCMS "...we must preach to our
congregations that the choice of the form of government for a church is an inalienable
part of their Christian liberty." The following LCMS Conventions freely adopted the
structure proposed by Walther, as did the individual congregations. The first edition of
Walther’s "Church and Ministry" was published in 1852 and became the
official doctrinal position of the LCMS.
Walther said Missouri had only revived the original
structure of congregational polity and voting. In his 1852 introduction to "Church
and Ministry" Walther states that Lutherans who don’t agree that the
voters’ are supreme have abandoned the teaching of Luther and the Confessions.
Walther squarely addresses the complaint from LCMS clergy
who still object to being ruled by a Voters’ Assembly. "How can this be a papacy
of the people, if the priestly nation of Christians does not permit any man to enact laws
for them in matters which God has not prescribed and is willing to obey the preacher of
the Word unconditionally only when Christ Himself speaks through him, that is, when he
preaches His Word?" If the people agree to obey God’s Word, what further
obedience can any pastor expect? If the clergy obey God’s Word, what further service
can the Voters expect? Walther says preachers serve men if they obey the congregation
instead of God’s Word.
In the following statement Walther sets the standard for
his presidency and the LCMS: "...where the congregation, as often as it hears
Christ's Word from the mouth of the preacher, receives it as the Word of God, there the
proper relationship between pastor and congregation exists; he stands in their midst not
as a hired mercenary but as an ambassador of the Most High God; not as a servant of men
but as a servant of Christ, who in Christ's stead teaches, admonishes, and reproves."
This is the Missouri Synod into which I was called and
ordained. When I preach, I don’t have to limit the whole counsel of God. The
congregation knows that agreeing with God’s Word has nothing to do with agreeing with
me. Apart from the Word of God, everything is negotiable and under the church
constitution. They obey Christ, not His called messenger.
Walther says let the battles which must come "...not
be the mean, depressing battles for obedience to human laws, but the holy battles for
God's Word, for God's honor and kingdom."
Walther said the Missouri Synod was to stand "by the
word alone." This was Missouri’s finest hour. I can read this speech translated
into English 151 years after it was written and not have to apologize for it or make
excuses for any part of it. For those who say the times and the culture will not permit
such a Synod in 1999 Walther says "...by the Word alone the church will most
assuredly stand also in these last days of sore distress."
Why should the LCMS be attractive to Christians? The only
good thing about the Missouri Synod is the Word of God. Who wants to be in a Synod with
pastors who believe they are living sacraments or are blessed with a direct "Church
Growth" vision from God on how to invent worship like the Michigan 102?
The COP and Norbert Oesch are retraining LCMS pastors with
PLI to turn congregations into a Zwingli brothers’, Munzer and Karlstadt three ring
circus. The 1998 book titled "Church and Ministry" sent to every pastor in the
Synod by the President’s office shows how confused the writers are about C.F.W.
Walther. The Seminaries are turning out students who are confused about Church and
Ministry, don’t understand Walther, or haven’t the slightest idea how or why
they should defend Walther. I lay this at the feet of Balance, Inc., the publishers of
"Affirm."
Like an egg without a shell, Balance imagines that the
purity of the Word can continue with no particular doctrine of Church and Ministry as long
as they are in charge. Their secret society is at best neutral on Walther. They confess
the importance of justification but regard church and ministry as adiaphora. They should
remember that the Mafia began as a patriotic secret society.
The disconnect between theology and practice becomes
glaringly apparent when today’s pastors and seminary students study theology but
don’t know what is the correct form of an LCMS congregational constitution.
The Synod is now learning the second of two great lessons
from Walther. The first was that the biblical doctrine of congregational polity is God
pleasing and Christ blesses it. The second is that the absence of a doctrine of Church and
Ministry means that the Doctrine of Justification can no longer be defended in Minnesota
South and the rest of the Synod. When the Word is removed human authority must fill the
vacuum.
Yes, the Synodical President, to the surprise of many, told
us at Fort Wayne in January, 1999, that the official position of the Synod is
Walther’s "Church and Ministry". Many pastors say perhaps this is true in
theory but not in practice. Then our Synodical President also warned that we should be
tactful in how we break this news about the Synod’s position on Walther. Why
doesn’t he break the news about Walther and pure doctrine to the COP, the Michigan
District Office, the Michigan 102, the Texas District Office, and the Minnesota District
Office? Perhaps he will convince their congregations to give up their memberships in the
Willow Creek Association.
At this time does the Synod exist for the congregation or
do the congregations exist for the Synod?
The Synod has long since given up Walther’s plan to
preserve pure doctrine and correct practice based on pure doctrine at all costs as an
unattainable utopian dream. Others say it was a flawed plan from the beginning.
Walther and his LCMS served a great purpose. By the grace
of God, his books and the Synod’s legacy of theology and practice have been a great
light in the annals of church history. The accomplishments of the LCMS may not be
replicated in terms of purity, intensity, and quantity, till the second coming. However, I
still hold on to Walther’s dream. He says "...by the Word alone the church will
most assuredly stand also in these last days of sore distress."
In the future there may not be as many to carry the light
but, nevertheless, the church on earth will always possess the pure light. Walther has
convinced me that his dream must be my reality. "The grass withereth, and the flower
thereof falleth away; but the Word of the Lord endureth forever." God’s Word
will not return void. Therefore, the true visible church must continue on earth till the
end of time. God has always and will always provide an uncompromising visible witness to
His Word on earth, if not Missouri, then another.
Dear Readers:
Rick Strickert has such an excellent response to my article
"Walther's Original Structure for Missouri" that I think it is worth your
attention.
First, he is correct. My spell check changes a misspelling
of "Perry" to "Prairie" county and I missed it. Please change it in
your copy. (Note from Webmaster: I
changed it above. J )
Second, I am well aware that Walther's position on
"church and ministry" changed dramatically through a number of influences after
the immigrants arrived in America and discovered their real circumstances. I thought I had
expressed that with the words "Walther delivered this speech nearly ten years after
the Dresden immigrants attempted to establish the ideal Lutheran Church and commune in
Perry County, Missouri."
They left Germany in 1838. That is also why I said,
"Then in 1848, as Synodical President, an experienced and wiser Walther by the grace
of God was given that rare opportunity in life, a second chance to get it right." And
again I noted, "Walther discarded his original participation in a pietistic Lutheran
utopia in America so that the LCMS would only be preserved with the Gospel and the
Sacraments."
The backround for my history of the Saxon immigration is Zion
on the Mississippi by Walther Forster, published by Concordia Publishing House (CPH). It is an excellent book for people who want to know a
detailed history about the origins of the Missouri Synod. There are also other fine books.
His additional comments were excellent. I thought others
should see them. I don't think we have met. I'm impressed at how quickly he had this
information at his fingertips. I hope he doesn't stop here. Is there more information he
would like to share?
Thank you,
Pastor Cascione
Dear Rev. Cascione,
On Wed, 12 May 1999, you wrote:
"Today 99% of the lay people have little or no idea of
Walther's original goals for the LCMS, and little more than 10% of the LCMS clergy still
hold these goals as their own.
"Walther delivered this speech nearly ten years after
the Dresden immigrants attempted to establish the ideal Lutheran Church and commune in
Prairie County, Missouri. Their effort met with tragic failure and disappointment under
the despotic lecherous leadership of Martin Stephan, whom they deposed. Then in 1848, as
Synodical President, an experienced and wiser Walther by the grace of God was given that
rare opportunity in life, a second chance to get it right."
I have one minor correction and one major amplification.
First, the Missouri Saxons settled in *Perry* County. Second, while Walther certainly
should be credited with founding the Missouri Synod, the concepts which he used were
developed over the years prior to 1848, back to the Saxons' first year in America just
after the Stephanite debacle.
According to Carl S. Mundinger (Government in the
Missouri Synod, CPH, 1947):
"While the future Missourians were still in Germany,
there was no demand on the part of the pastors or laymen for participation in the
government of the Church. In their complaints against the Consistory and the
Cultusministerium one looks in vain for a request for lay participation in government....
The demand for lay participation in the government of the Church did not come until
September 19, 1839 [the date of the Protestation document]. The demand came from a group
of laymen led by Dr. Eduard Vehse... The removal of Martin Stephan on May 30, 1839, and
all the misery that followed that event gave the laymen the necessary jolt to press for
lay participation in the government of the Church. This misery drove them in to the
writings of Luther, and here the laymen found the weapons they needed to win the battle
for congregational supremacy from the power-jealous pastors." (pp.203-205)
After receiving the "Protestation", Walther and
the other clergy agreed with the laymen in abhoring the actions of Stephan but not in
abhoring the hierarchy. A Nov. 14th followup letter from Vehse's group resulted in an
acknowledgement by the clergy that "we declare that for the sake of peace among us we
have renounced any form of episcopal organization within our church, though it may be
permitted in the Word of God and is in accord with precedents of the older church, --
whatever might be said in favor of such organization." (from Carl Eduard Vehse's The
Stephanite Emigration to America, trans. Rudolph Fiehler, 1975, p.116)
Vehse commented on the clergy's statement with this
footnote:
"One can only give up that which one has... The choice
of a bishop or adoption of an episcopal form of church government is a matter for the
congregations, not for pastors... Herein we see clear evidence that the position of the
clergy has been erroneous." (p.116, Fiehler)
Later, Walther came to realize the truth of many of Vehse's
statements, and following the 1841 Altenburg debate, acknowledged his indebtedness to
Vehse:
"With deep gratitude I must here recall that document
which, now almost a year and a half ago, Doctor Vehse, Mr. Fischer, and Mr. Jaeckel
addressed to us. It was this document, in particular, which gave us a powerful impulse to
recognize the remaining corruption more and more, and to endeavor to remove it. Without
this document -- I now confess it with a living conviction -- we might have for a long
time pursued our way of error, from which we now have made our escape. I confess this with
an even greater sense of shame, because I first appeared so ungrateful toward this
precious gift of God. But although many with me handled with great unfaithfulness the
light which was granted to us, yet God did not cease to cause ever more beams of truth to
fall into our darkness; to tear us away from many a point which we, in our perverseness,
sought to hold; to uncover to us great and perilous injuries, and to lead our hearts more
and more in the way of truth." (William J. Schmelder, "Walther at
Altenburg", Concordia Historical Institute Quarterly, Vol. 34(3), October,
1961, pp. 65-81, referring to Walter A. Baepler, A Century of Grace, CPH, 1947,
pp.47,48, quoting from J.F. Koestering, Auswanderung der saechsischen Lutheraner in
Jahre 1838, ihre Niederlassung in Perry-Co., und damit zusammenhaengende interessante
Nachrichten, A Wiebusch u. Sohn, 1867, p.43-45)
And when Mundinger rhetorically asks - "Just how did
the principles which Vehse and Walther derived from the writings of Luther work out in the
day-to-day life of a Lutheran congregation? Was the Vehse-Walther-Luther principle, that
laymen have the power by majority vote to regulate financial and spiritual matters,
practicable? Did the theory of the 'supremacy' of the congregation work?" - Mundinger
answers - "Nowhere is the working of this principle better revealed than in the
minutes of Trinity Lutheran Church, St. Louis, one of the mother churches of the Missouri
Synod... [I]t can be said that by and large the principle of congregational supremacy was
applied in the early years of 'Old Trinity' and that it worked." (p.125)
Rick Strickert
Austin, TX
laystrickrg@crf.cuis.edu