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American Lutheranism, by Friedrich Bente 1 American Lutheranism, by Friedrich Bente 1 Part II was not to be individually Part I expresses the same thought, stating that the Part II of the Platform, the Part I</em>, was American Lutheranism, by Friedrich Bente The Project Gutenberg EBook of American Lutheranism, by Friedrich Bente This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org Title: American Lutheranism Volume 2: The United Lutheran Church (General Synod, General Council, United Synod in the South) Author: Friedrich Bente American Lutheranism, by Friedrich Bente 2 Release Date: January 15, 2008 [EBook #24304] Language: English Character set encoding: ASCII *** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK AMERICAN LUTHERANISM *** Produced by one of Myra Eve Bodling's grandfathers. Readers should note that, despite remarks in the Preface, the planned vols. 3 and 4 never appeared in print. Volume 1 is Project Gutenberg EBook #20941. American Lutheranism VOLUME II The United Lutheran Church (General Synod, General Council, United Synod in the South) By F. BENTE St. Louis, Mo. CONCORDIA PUBLISHING HOUSE 1919 PREFACE. American Lutheranism 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 doctrinal 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 the 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, we frequently had to content ourselves with retranslations from American Lutheranism, by Friedrich Bente 3 the German in Lehre und Wehre, 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 gratitude for corrections made. Further prefatory and introductory remarks will accompany Vol. I, which, Deo volente, will go to the printers forthwith. F. Bente, Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, Mo. May 28, 1919. TABLE OF CONTENTS. THE UNITED LUTHYERAN CHURCH.................1-11 Merger.........................................1 Constitution...................................5 Character......................................9 THE GENERAL SYNOD.........................12-175 Organization..................................12 Character.....................................19 Constitution..................................22 Evaluation....................................25 Doctrinal Basis...............................32 American Lutheranism, by Friedrich Bente 4 Basis Interpreted.............................40 Unionism......................................48 Union Letter of 1845..........................58 Christian Union...............................63 Theology Reformed.............................68 Revivalism....................................76 "American Lutheranism"........................89 Definite Platform Controversy................101 Position of District Synods toward Platform..111 General Synod's Attitude toward Platform.....117 York Convention..............................123 Secessions and Separations...................130 Influential Theologians......................136 Missouri's Influence.........................153 Explanatory Statements of Doctrinal Basis....158 Restatement of Basis.........................161 Actual Conditions............................166 Un-Lutheran Practise.........................170 American Lutheranism, by Friedrich Bente 5 THE GENERAL COUNCIL......................176-227 Synods Composing the Council.................176 Charles Porterfield Krauth...................181 Other Representative Theologians.............187 Constitution.................................190 Subtile Unionism.............................195 The Four Points..............................198 Akron-Galesburg Rule.........................202 Interdenominational Fellowship...............204 Attitude toward Lodges.......................207 Chiliasm.....................................210 Other Aberrations............................212 Romanism.....................................214 Synergism....................................217 Liberalistic Trends..........................220 Equivocal Doctrinal Attitude.................224 THE UNITED SYNOD SOUTH...................228-243 Organization.................................228 American Lutheranism, by Friedrich Bente 6 Doctrinal Basis..............................229 Indifferentism...............................232 Un-Lutheran Practise.........................234 Tennessee and Holston Synods.................236 Common Service...............................241 The United Lutheran Church. MERGER. 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." Accordingly, 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 during 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 consummated at New York City, November 15, 1918. Dr. F. H. Knubel, a member of the General Synod, was elected President of the new 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, 6 academies, American Lutheranism, by Friedrich Bente 7 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 South 53,000. The United Church is the second largest Lutheran body in America, the Synodical Conference outnumbering it by only about 50,000 confirmed members. The merged bodies will continue to exist legally until no property rights are imperiled. In 1919 it was decided to consolidate the Lutheran, the Lutheran Church Work and Observer, and the Lutheran Church Visitor. The new church-paper will be The Lutheran, with Dr. G. W. Sandt as editor-in-chief. 2. Refusing to Enter the Merger.--The United Lutheran 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 greater name has arisen 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 the General Synod, hence, consistently 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. Reu, the representative of the Iowa Synod, was the only delegate (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. Geo. Tressler] who was publicly known to be a Mason of a high degree, Dr. Reu warned against the union, as it would practically mean the abandonment of the Council's position on pulpit- and altar-fellowship, as well as on the lodge-question. The Kirchenblatt of the Iowa Synod: "It is apparent that the influence of the General Synod on the General Council has paralyzed the practical principles of the fathers, and that the contemplated Merger is tantamount to an anulment of these principles, as far as the official practise of this new church-body will come into question. And yet, just this life, the ecclesiastical life and practise of the ministers and congregations, is the mirror in which the real confessional attitude may be seen. We [Iowa] owe much to the General Council, and will always remember this gratefully, but now our roads separate and we must part. American [?] Lutheranism [?], [tr. note: sic] which the General American Lutheranism, by Friedrich Bente 8 Synod has always stood for, and which has had its adherents also in the General Council, especially among its nativistic representatives, will control also the new church-body. This, according
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