Strangers to Sisters - Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary Library: Essays

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There was, of course, a serious question raised by the last point. True, Immanuel was a large congregation, but at that time there was also St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in North Mankato. In addition, the west end mission (later St. Mark’s Congregation WELS) 282 had just begun and was in need of support. In addition to that, there was the ELS congregation, Mt. Olive, located just up the hill from Immanuel. Even Pastor Palmer, the chairman of the Minnesota District Mission Board of the Wisconsin Synod, offered to build these men a chapel and support their work. 283 The Missouri Synod officials present at the meeting were also initially reluctant to open a mission in Mankato, since it would appear that they were taking advantage of been known as a very vocal opponent of military chaplaincy, scouting, and prayer fellowship and had published numerous articles in the Northwestern Lutheran explaining and emphasizing the correct Scriptural stance in regards to these issues. When Norman Madson, Dean of the ELS’ Bethany Seminary, heard Fischer had received the call to Immanuel, he personally urged Fischer accept. (David Lau, “The Church of the Lutheran Confession – Fifty Years,” Journal of Theology 49:3 (September 2009): 9) Fischer’s arrival and the timing of the petitioners requested should not be overlooked. Fischer was much more soundly orthodox in doctrine and practice that the more lax Ackermann. Eventually Fischer would lead Immanuel to suspend fellowship with the WELS in 1956, leading to the formation of the Church of the Lutheran Confession. Fischer’s solid line cost him his health and ultimately his life. He needed to take medical sabbaticals and on June 10, 1958, Fisher suffered a massive heart-attack and died. Norman Madson, preaching at Fischer’s funeral, remarked, “In the sacristy of that Lübben church you will find a life-sized painting of the faithful confessor [Paul Gerhardt], bearing this inscription in Latin: “THEOLOGUS IN CRIBRO SATANAE VERSATUS.” “A theologian who has been sifted in the sieve of Satan.” We like to think of our departed brother as one who had also been sifted. But he remained faithful to the end, faithful to the religion of the cross, than which there is none other by which you may be saved.” (Lau, 9) 282 The pastor of the St. Mark’s was Martin Birkholz. Birkholz complained to Naumann in letter about the situation in Mankato. In it he complains that Immanuel congregation and Pastor Fischer are openly violating the 8 th Commandment. He cites no proof other than Pastor Fischer’s criticism of a synod film called “Africa Still Calls” and the fact that after St. Mark’s and many of its members were flooded out by a spring swelling of the Minnesota River, the ladies of Our Savior’s were not welcomed in the charity work. Furthermore he states, “As far as I can see, it is my duty to recognize Our Savior’s congregation unless I am informed officially by you to the contrary.” (Martin Birkholz to Oscar Naumann, Letter, July 2, 1951, Minnesota District Presidential Files – General Correspondence 1948-1953, Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary Archives, Mequon, WI). Naumann responded, “I am still convinced that Pastor Fischer and his congregation are fighting for the correct biblical principles. I myself would not put as many things into print as they do, but it is a matter of human judgment and when a great deal of rumor and false report is being spread, one feels compelled to bring the correct information to one’s people. With regards to some of the other things Pastor Fischer is supposed to have said or done, I wonder whether or brethren are reliably informed…I believe that we should definitely await official action and a peaceful settlement of this matter before we can fully recognize Our Savior’s congregation as being in fellowship with us.” (Oscar Naumann to Martin Birkholz, letter, December 6, 1951, Minnesota District Presidential Files – General Correspondence 1948-1953, Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary Archives, Mequon, WI.) 283 Fischer, Mankato Case. 152
Immanuel during a difficult time. But the four men persisted. They insisted that their desire for a Missouri Synod mission had been in their minds long before the present difficulties. Mr. Malwitz in particular had already done some ground work for such a mission and gathered a number of names of people who had come to the area who were looking for a Missouri Synod congregation. 284 But the Wisconsin Synod men were not convinced this was a good idea. First, it violated the longstanding practice in the Synodical Conference to respect a given territory of a particular synod. Pastor Palmer cited a number of examples of how this keeps the synods from competing with each other. Then one of the petitioners, Mr. Meyer, bluntly asked two questions. First, is there any reason not to allow a Missouri Synod mission? Second, are there differences in practice between the Wisconsin and Missouri Synod on certain points, namely scouting and chaplaincy? Pastor Palmer answered “no” to the first and “yes” to the second. In response, Mr. Meyer made it clear that he did not agree with Wisconsin’s position and he wants his children in Boy Scouts. He further stated that he had several brothers who served in the last war and one of them was lost to the church because there was not a Lutheran chaplain to look after him. He would not belong to a church that is opposed to Lutheran chaplains. 285 Thus, the proverbial cat was out of the bag. The real reason for starting the Missouri Synod mission was so they could have scouting and be aligned with a synod that supported chaplaincy. President Naumann, along with other Wisconsin Synod and Missouri Synod officials, made it clear that if this was the real issue, then the Missouri Synod could not 284 Fischer, Mankato Case. 285 Fischer, Mankato Case. 153
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WISCONSIN LUTHERAN SEMINARY STRANGE
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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I would like to gra
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Yet, the Norwegian Synod suffered h
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constitution, the reference to the
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Minnesota had reservations about th
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these two synods into closer contac
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Part I: Getting to know the Scriptu
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strengthening and encouraging the f
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University of Leipzig. 18 His main
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voice, as in an ecstasy, breathed t
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unbelief, in recent times such men
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So will we cling fast to the Lord m
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Koren sees Kierkegaard as a one who
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We acknowledge with gratitude towar
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Of the founders of the Norwegian Sy
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The Election Controversy was really
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ule or judge in matters of faith, n
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The Norwegian Synod lived its motto
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are sitting, like ourselves, theore
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we do? Why stand aloof against a cu
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that poor, unscriptural hermeneutic
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congregation, not us listeners.”
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elieve for them, such as is the cas
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Chapter 2 The Wauwatosa Theology Th
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Hoenecke developed and passed on to
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Third, one dare not limit this auth
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For Hoenecke, the way we let Script
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It may never be forgotten, that the
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inging unity to the various Luthera
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A fuller analysis of the Wauwatosa
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One of the chief terms used by orth
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None of this is to say the Wauwatos
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the church unperverted. It thus has
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synods over the years. But as will
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We believe it best to wait until 19
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Finally, the doctrinal controversie
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E.B. Schluetter, and delivered the
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students. Ylvisaker had resigned hi
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teaching English, Norse, Latin, Alg
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Waltonite, and scare ‘em into ret
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DMLC were fraternal visitors at the
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accepted a call to serve his sister
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experiment never really took off, p
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point. Bethany had not been entrust
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the internal shake-up at Bethany an
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growing tense, not only among those
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ehind the back of the Wisconsin Syn
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With such deep sentiments and histo
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weight around, intruded upon a very
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Tjernagel contends vehemently that
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Page 105 and 106: Take for instance the procedure ado
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Page 109 and 110: Dear Gullixson! I had just sat down
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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
Page 135 and 136: 2.) By virtue of the work they do,
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Page 141 and 142: Lillegard was the foremost exegete
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Page 147 and 148: What makes the testimony and defens
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Page 151: III. The Fehner Case (1949-1953) Th
Page 155 and 156: there would not be any scouting at
Page 157 and 158: Bethany Lutheran College and the Ev
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Page 167 and 168: teachings of these revered teachers
Page 169 and 170: pastor’s point of view, that both
Page 171 and 172: How much of this can be attributed
Page 173 and 174: alarming rate. The water of controv
Page 175 and 176: where the one advocating them refus
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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
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Gervasius Fischer to C.M. Gullerud,
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John Brenner to Norman Madson, lett
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Minutes of the Meeting of The Commi
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Oscar Naumann to C.M. Gullerud, let
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Stuart Dorr to the pastors of the N
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