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History of American Lutheranism, Vol. 2, by F. Bente

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History of American Lutheranism, Vol. 2, by F. Bente 133640 CONCORD1A SERIES OF MODERN LITERATURE THEOLOGICAL AND RELIGIOUS VOLUME II The United Lutheran Church (General Synod, General Council, United Synod in the South) By F. BENTE ST. Louis, Mo. CJONCORDIA PUBLISHING HOUSE 1010 PREFACE. AMERICAN LUTHERANTSM will appear in four volumes, this present second volume to be followed by the first, dealing with the early history of Lutheranism in America. The third volume will present the history of the Ohio, Iowa, Buffalo, and the Scandinavian synods. The fourth volume will contain the history and doc- trinal position of the Missouri, Wisconsin, and other synods connected with the Synodical Conference. As appears from this second volume, our chief object is to record the facts as to tho theological attitude of the various Lutheran bodies in America, with such comment only as we deemed necessary. As to the quotations from the Lutheran Observer and other English periodicals, wo frequently had to content ourselves with retranslations from the German in I/ehre und WcJire, Lutheraner* etc. Brackets found in passages cited contain additions, comments, corrections, etc., of our own, not of the respective periodicals quoted. If errors, no matter of whatever nature they may be, should have crept in anywhere, we here express our grati- tude for corrections made. Further prefatory and introductory remarks will accompany Vol. I, which, Deo volento, will go to the printers forthwith. F. BENTB, Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, Mo. May 28, 1019. TABLE OF CONTENTS. PAGE THE UNITED LUTHERAN CHURCH . 1 11 Merger . 1 Constitution 5 Character . 9 THE GENEBAL SYNOD 12175 Oiganization .... 12 Character 10 Constitution 22 Evaluation 25 Doctrinal Basis 82 Basis Intel pi eted 40 Unionism 48 Union Loiter of 1845 58 Chi istian Union 63 Theology Reformed 68 Revivalism 76 "American Luthoranism" 80 Definite Platform Controversy 101 Position of District Synods toward Platform ... Ill Oenvrul Synod'H Attitude toward Platform . .. 117 York Convention 123 Weeessionw and Separations 130 Influential Theologians 136 Missouri'** Influence 153 Explanatory Statements of Doctrinal Basin .... 158 Restatement of Basis 161 Actual Conditions 166 Un-Uitheran Practise 170 VIII TABT4E OP CONTENTS. PAGE THE GENERAL COUNCIL ....... 170 227 Synods Composing the Council ....... I7l> Chailes Porterfield Krauth . 181 Other Representative Theologians . 187 Constitution ... 1M) Subtile Unionism . 11)5 The Four Points ... ... .11)8 Akron-Galesburg Rulo . 202 Interdenominational Fellowbhip . 204 Attitude toward Lodges 207 Chihasm ...... ................... 210 Other Alienations ........ .. ...212 Romanism ........................... 2 U Synergism . .......... ...... 217 Liberahwtic Trends ......... ..... 220 Equivocal Doctrinal Attitude . ..... 224 THE UNITED SYNOD SOUTH ....... ..... 22S2i;t Giganimation . ...... ... 22S Doctrinal Basin ........ 22i) 4 Un-1-iiitheran Practise ......... ..... i,W Tennewaee and Ilolston Synods ..... 2,'JtJ Common Service . ... .241 The United Lutheran Church. 1. Origin of the New Body. On April 18, 1917, at Philadelphia, the Joint Quadricentennial Committee, appointed by the General Synod, the General Council, and the United Synod in the South to arrange for a union celebration of the Reformation, decided that the merging of the three affiliated general bodies would be "the fittest commemoration and noblest memorial of the four-hundredth Reformation Jubilee." Ac- cordingly, the presidents of these bodies, being present, were requested to form a joint committee, which should prepare a constitution for a united Church and present the same to the three general bodies for their consideration, and, if approved, for submission to the District Synods. The constitution, framed by the committee, was in the same year adopted by all of the three general bodies, the General Synod, which, in 1820, had been founded for the express purpose of uniting all Lutheran synods in America, being the first to assent to the Merger dm ing its session at Chicago, June 20 to 27, 1917. The various District Synods also having approved of the union and having ratified the constitution, the Merger was consum- mated at New York City, November 15, 1918. Dr. F. H. Knubel, a member of the General Synod, was elected President of the now body "The United Lutheran Church in America." Of the total number of Lutherans in America (63 synods, 15,243 congregations, 9,790 pastors, 2,450,000 confirmed and 3,780,000 baptized members) the United Church embraces 45 synods, 10 theological seminaries with 46 professors and 267 students, 17 colleges, C academies, 3,747 congregations and mission-posts, 2,754 pastors, almost 1,000,000 baptized members, and 758,000 confirmed members, the General Synod contributing 364,000, the General Council 340,000, and the United Synod in the Bente, American Lutheranisna, IX. 1 2 THE UNITED LUTHERAN CHURCH. South 53,000. The United Church is the second largest Lutheran body in America, tho Synodical Conference out- numbering it by only about 50,000 confirmed mcmbeis. The merged bodies will continue to exist legally until no property to rights are impeiiled. In 1919 it was decided consolidate the Lutheran, the Lutheran Church Woik and Observer, and the Lutheran Church Visitor The new church-paper will be The Luth&ran, with Dr. G. W. Sandt as editor-in-chief 2. Refusing to Enter the Merger. The United Lutheran <fc Church, according to the Lutheran, has inaugurated a new era of progress for our beloved Lutheran Church. Three names have gone down, but a new and gi eater name has aii Hen from their ashes." This, however, was not the view of the Iowa and Augustana synods, though both indirectly, through their connection with the General Council, had for years been in church-fellowship also with tho General Synod, hence, con- sistently might have entertained scruples to join the Merger no more than the Council, When, at Philadelphia, October 25, 1917, the General Council passed on the Merger, Dr.M. Kou, the representative of the Iowa Synod, wan the only delegate1 (advisory) who voted against it. Pointing especially to the fact that the General Synod, at its last convention In Chicago, had elected as president a man [Dr. Goo. Trawler) who was publicly known to be a Mason of a high degree, Dr. Ren warned against the union, as it would practically mean tho abandon- ment of the Council's position on pulpit- and altar-fcUoWHhip, as well as on the lodge-question. The KireJionllatt of the Iowa Synod: "It is apparent that the influence of the General Synod on the General Council has paralyzed the practical prin- ciples of tho fathers, and that the contemplated Merger it) tantamount to an anulment of these principle^ as far an tho official practise of this new church-body will come into ques- tion. And yet, just this life, the ccclcHiastical life and prac* tise of the ministers and congregations, is tho mirror in winch the real confessional attitude may be won. Wo llowal owe* much to the General Council, and will always remember this gratefully, but now our roads separate and wo muwt part, American [?] Lutheranism [?], which the General Hynod ha always stood for, and which has had its adherents also in the THE UNITED LUTHERAN CHURCH. 3 General Council, especially among its nativistic representa- tives, will control also the new church-body. This, according to our understanding, means that a far-reaching influence of a Reformed nature will manifest itself, especially with respect to church-practise and the attitude toward all manner of societies and antichristian lodges.*' (Lehre und Wehre, 1917, 521. 572.) 3. Withdrawal of the Augustana Synod. For more than a decade prior to the Merger the current within the Swedish Augustana Synod had been running against the Gen- eral Council. Accordingly, to the Augustana Synod the con- templated union was an occasion rather than a cause for refusing to join the movement and for severing her connec- tions also with the Council. Indeed, at the convention of the General Council at Philadelphia, October 25, 1917, all of the Augustana representatives had cast their votes for the new organization. At her last convention, June 8, 1918, however, the Synod, in spite of the most strenuous efforts on the part of the delegates of the General Council to draw her into the union, passed the resolution: "Resolved, That the Augustana Synod does not at this time see its way clear to enter the proposed merger of the United Lutheran Church in America, but declares itself in favor of a federation of Lutheran church- bodies in North America." A subsequent resolution severed her connection with the Council. The reasons advanced by the Augustana Synod for her action were not of a doctrinal or confessional nature, but rather pertained to the interest of her peculiar work among the Swedish population of our country. Yot the course eliosen by the Augustana Synod was, at least in part, the result also of the secret fear that the new body would rapidly sink to the level of the doctrinal and practical laxism of the General Synod. Warning against the Merger, the LutJicran Companion, of the Augustana Synod, wrote: "We must hold oursclvcH aloof from spiritual fellowship with such churches or denominations, some of whose factors advocate and defend lodgisin, dancing as a pantime for the young people under the auspices and sanction of the church, etc." (L. u. W., 1017, 522.) Disappointed on account of the withdrawal of the Augustana Synod, the Lutheran, of the General Council) 4 THE OTITED LUTHERAN OHUBGH. commented: "The Augustana Synod has subordinated unity of faith to unity of race. This is as un-American as it is un- Lutheran, and the day of its real Lutheran union is thereby . are that this indefinitely postponed. We persuaded sepa- ration was willed by man and not by God, though we also believe that He will, in the end, overrule it for good . The Augustana Synod has missed its opportunity; it has limited the sphere of its influence; it has placed synodical and social interests as a clog in the wheel of the Lutheran Church's progress as a whole, and set the Church back a generation or more to start afresh on the pathway to its ultimate goal.
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