Strangers to Sisters - Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary Library: Essays

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while increasingly other Lutherans, even those with whom they had shared long and blessed fellowships, spoke with a different spirit and a different language. The years 1917-1955 saw the conscious reaffirmation of the Sola Scriptura hermeneutic in both the WELS and the ELS. In the WELS, it was era of the Wauwatosa Theology. In the ELS, it was the era of “the Norwegian Hermeneutic.” Through a series of practical problems, educational endeavors, and doctrinal controversies, the Lord of the Church brought the WELS and ELS to recognize each other as kindred spirits in their approach to the Holy Scriptures. The call to defend and cling to the teachings of Scripture caused them to stand closer and closer together throughout these years, making strangers into sisters. This thesis will document the steps of that journey from 1917 to 1955, examining the development of the fraternal and confessional relations of the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod and the Evangelical Lutheran Synod. 12
Part I: Getting to know the Scriptures: the Norwegian Hermeneutic and the Wauwatosa Theology Chapter 1: The Norwegian Hermeneutic The Norwegian hermeneutical method that found active expression in the Norwegian Synod in America was born as a reaction to the rationalism of the Norwegian State Church on the one hand and the pietistic preaching of Haugean revival on the other. The method brought back the true confessional principle of Sola Scriptura to the Norwegian State Church, along with a deep appreciation for the Lutheran symbols and the historic practices of the Lutheran Church. This hermeneutical method would be deeply instilled in the founders of the Norwegian Synod; men like Herman Amberg Preus, Jakob Aal Ottesen, Ulrik Vilhelm Koren, who guided the Norwegian Synod through various doctrinal battles, especially the Election Controversy, with their clear, persistent call to the authority of Scripture. After the demise of the Norwegian Synod to the Madison Settlement of 1917 the leaders of the ELS began a careful re-examining of the events that led to the fall of their beloved church. 11 During this time, men like H.M. Tjernagel, J.E. Thoen, Bjug Harstad, Norman A. Madson, C.A. Moldstad, Christian Anderson and S.C. Ylvisaker would not only show that they stayed faithful to the sound Lutheran hermeneutical principle Sola Scriptura, but they would also zealously bring it to the fore in sermons, theological essays, and personal correspondence. The Norwegian Hermeneutic became all the more 11 The Madison Settlement brought together the United Norwegian Lutheran Church and the Norwegian Synod, which had been historically separated over a number of issues, but most glaring, was the doctrine of election. The United Norwegian Lutheran Church taught that man is elected intuitu fidei, in view of faith, that is that God saw those who would believe and elected those. The Norwegian Synod strongly rejected this because it undermines Sola Gratia and makes man in some way responsible for part of his salvation, which is a subtle form of synergism. The Madison Settlement glossed over this difference with the explanation that both synods really held to the same doctrine, but in different forms. Only the minority that went on to form the Evangelical Lutheran Synod insisted that the merger was against the Scripture because it tolerated false doctrine. 13
Page 1 and 2: WISCONSIN LUTHERAN SEMINARY STRANGE
Page 3 and 4: ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I would like to gra
Page 5 and 6: Yet, the Norwegian Synod suffered h
Page 7 and 8: constitution, the reference to the
Page 9 and 10: Minnesota had reservations about th
Page 11: these two synods into closer contac
Page 15 and 16: strengthening and encouraging the f
Page 17 and 18: University of Leipzig. 18 His main
Page 19 and 20: voice, as in an ecstasy, breathed t
Page 21 and 22: unbelief, in recent times such men
Page 23 and 24: So will we cling fast to the Lord m
Page 25 and 26: Koren sees Kierkegaard as a one who
Page 27 and 28: We acknowledge with gratitude towar
Page 29 and 30: Of the founders of the Norwegian Sy
Page 31 and 32: The Election Controversy was really
Page 33 and 34: ule or judge in matters of faith, n
Page 35 and 36: The Norwegian Synod lived its motto
Page 37 and 38: are sitting, like ourselves, theore
Page 39 and 40: we do? Why stand aloof against a cu
Page 41 and 42: that poor, unscriptural hermeneutic
Page 43 and 44: congregation, not us listeners.”
Page 45 and 46: elieve for them, such as is the cas
Page 47 and 48: Chapter 2 The Wauwatosa Theology Th
Page 49 and 50: Hoenecke developed and passed on to
Page 51 and 52: Third, one dare not limit this auth
Page 53 and 54: For Hoenecke, the way we let Script
Page 55 and 56: It may never be forgotten, that the
Page 57 and 58: inging unity to the various Luthera
Page 59 and 60: A fuller analysis of the Wauwatosa
Page 61 and 62: One of the chief terms used by orth
Page 63 and 64:
None of this is to say the Wauwatos
Page 65 and 66:
the church unperverted. It thus has
Page 67 and 68:
synods over the years. But as will
Page 69 and 70:
We believe it best to wait until 19
Page 71 and 72:
Finally, the doctrinal controversie
Page 73 and 74:
E.B. Schluetter, and delivered the
Page 75 and 76:
students. Ylvisaker had resigned hi
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teaching English, Norse, Latin, Alg
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Waltonite, and scare ‘em into ret
Page 81 and 82:
DMLC were fraternal visitors at the
Page 83 and 84:
accepted a call to serve his sister
Page 85 and 86:
experiment never really took off, p
Page 87 and 88:
point. Bethany had not been entrust
Page 89 and 90:
the internal shake-up at Bethany an
Page 91 and 92:
growing tense, not only among those
Page 93 and 94:
ehind the back of the Wisconsin Syn
Page 95 and 96:
With such deep sentiments and histo
Page 97 and 98:
weight around, intruded upon a very
Page 99 and 100:
Tjernagel contends vehemently that
Page 101 and 102:
of the ELS, as well as her wariness
Page 103 and 104:
Paul, MN the possibility Ohio and I
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Take for instance the procedure ado
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meeting has lapsed, I am forced in
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Dear Gullixson! I had just sat down
Page 111 and 112:
to them what they should speak and
Page 113 and 114:
conferences. By entering into a rel
Page 115 and 116:
Chapter 2 Relations confirmed and s
Page 117 and 118:
sent out by a Chicago group, I shal
Page 119 and 120:
have good reasons to refrain for ex
Page 121 and 122:
Tjernagel: Today conditions have be
Page 123 and 124:
At the Synodical Conference convent
Page 125 and 126:
The ELS, in her desire to mediate a
Page 127 and 128:
Such remarks are telling not only o
Page 129 and 130:
America, Elling Eielsen. Eielsen in
Page 131 and 132:
But even the faithful few who had l
Page 133 and 134:
establishes all functions of the mi
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2.) By virtue of the work they do,
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Scripture. 257 The ELS, due to its
Page 139 and 140:
Wisconsin, ELS and the faithful of
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Lillegard was the foremost exegete
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“congregation” has a much narro
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this is definitely a Lutheran princ
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What makes the testimony and defens
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terms. He is persuaded now that the
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III. The Fehner Case (1949-1953) Th
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Immanuel during a difficult time. B
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there would not be any scouting at
Page 157 and 158:
Bethany Lutheran College and the Ev
Page 159 and 160:
The trouble makers had then proceed
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pro and some con. To make matters w
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congregation, and that our privileg
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cease such offensive practice.” 3
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teachings of these revered teachers
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pastor’s point of view, that both
Page 171 and 172:
How much of this can be attributed
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alarming rate. The water of controv
Page 175 and 176:
where the one advocating them refus
Page 177 and 178:
Reim: challenges Harms’ limitatio
Page 179 and 180:
gave public testimony to the interc
Page 181 and 182:
efusing to accept the Brief Stateme
Page 183 and 184:
Yet, there does remain a present va
Page 185 and 186:
ecclesiastical details or the weigh
Page 187 and 188:
The study of this era shows that th
Page 189 and 190:
BIBLIOGRAPHY Books Aaberg, Theodore
Page 191 and 192:
Schroeder, Morton A Time to Remembe
Page 193 and 194:
http://www.blts.edu/essays/korenUV/
Page 195 and 196:
Ylvisaker, S.C. “The National Lut
Page 197 and 198:
Harstad, Bjug. “Sermon of Genesis
Page 199 and 200:
Zimmermann, Paul. “Scripture Inte
Page 201 and 202:
C.M. Gullerud to Hugo Gamber, lette
Page 203 and 204:
Gervasius Fischer to C.M. Gullerud,
Page 205 and 206:
John Brenner to Norman Madson, lett
Page 207 and 208:
Minutes of the Meeting of The Commi
Page 209 and 210:
Oscar Naumann to C.M. Gullerud, let
Page 211:
Stuart Dorr to the pastors of the N
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