Strangers to Sisters - Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary Library: Essays

But even the faithful few who had left to form the reorganized Norwegian Synod
were not entirely unaffected by this dogmatism when it came to their expressions
concerning the doctrines of church and ministry. There were, of course, reasons that ELS
pastors in the early days of her existence might have been more inclined to the
“Missouri” position. The reorganized Norwegian Synod had, naturally, become wary of
any synod political machinery. In those days, the high emotions wrought by the
devastating impact of the Madison Settlement caused many to see the “synod” as the root
of the problem. Rev. Christian Anderson (ELS) comments,
An institution in the Old Synod often mentioned was the
so-called Church Council (Kirkeraad). It is sometimes
spoken of as the root of all evil in the Synod…
Dr. Koren was a member of the Church Council from 1861
until his death in 1910. Through his long tenure in office he
gained a great deal of influence, which was freely made use
of also in practical matters. This caused growing
resentment in many quarters. And this dissatisfaction gave
strength to the more liberal element which was
developing…
We see this same danger asserting itself in other synods,
even if the vehicles of power may be called by different
names. 247
This fear must be coupled with the close relation that ELS had with the Missouri
Synod and its leading theologians. In the early years of the synod the majority of the new
pastors for the fledgling ELS were trained at Concordia Seminary, St. Louis. When
taking in both the practical and historical context of the early ELS, along with their
arrangement of worker training, it is easy to see how the understanding of older
terminology became muddled in the close knit ranks of the ELS. Examples of this
abound. M.K. Bleken asserted that the congregation is by divine right while the synod is
247 Anderson, Underlying Causes, 6.
131