Strangers to Sisters - Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary Library: Essays

J.P. Meyer makes note of this development in the 1926 Quartalschrift. Meyer
asks, “Can it be possible that the Iowa Synod, by demanding the change, is trying to give
shelter to the opinion which, though accepting in a general way the canonical books of
both Testaments as the Word of God and as the infallible source, norm, and guide in all
matters pertaining to Christian faith and conduct, yet…dares to doubt the absolute
inerrancy of the Scriptures in all its statements.” 202 Meyer asks the right questions, but
then prevents any suspicion from falling on the soundness of the Intersynodical Theses
statement on Scripture,
Unless we are convinced by irrefutable proof, we will not
believe it (Iowa not holding to the same definition of verbal
inspiration), especially in view of the following thesis on
the authority of the Scriptures adopted by the
Intersynodical Committee of the Synodical Conference and
the Synods of Ohio, Iowa, and Buffalo: “Der Modernen
Theologie gegenueber halten wir nach wie vor fest an der
Lehre von der Verbalinspiration. Wir glauben und
bekennen, das die Schrift nicht bloss keinerlei Irrtuemer
oder Widersprueche darin finden.” This thesis was
subscribed to wholeheartedly and without any reservation
by the Iowa delegation to the Intersynodical committee. 203
Why does Meyer bend over backwards to defend Iowa? Could it be that laboring
for 6 years with representatives had caused him to feel fraternal warmth to the
representatives of these synods, thus losing critical perspective? Meyer himself admits as
much a decade later when reviewing a book entitles Historical Open Questions among
American Lutherans,
The undersigned, as stated before, shares the responsibility
for the formulation of the Chicago Theses, and it is not a
pleasant thing to admit that they are unsatisfactory, or
worse. But on rereading them after eight years since the last
202 John P. Meyer, “Ohio-Iowa-Buffalo Merger Postponed” Theologishe Quartalschrift 23, 4 (Fall 1926),
281-282.
203 John P. Meyer, Ohio-Iowa-Buffalo Merger Postponed 282.
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