Strangers to Sisters - Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary Library: Essays

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een mortally wounded. For whoever wants to build on something of his own in addition to the promise of God, does not have a true Christian faith which the Holy Ghost works. Because it is the essence and nature of faith to tolerate nothing alongside it in which man might trust except the Word of God alone, or the divine promise. 44 Koren is even clearer about a proper hermeneutical approach in What the Norwegian Synod Has Always Wanted. Koren marks two proper principles in scriptural interpretation which Scripture itself gives: first, Holy Scripture is the only sure and perfect rule of our faith and life; secondly, the great truth that Jesus Christ is the way to salvation for all believing souls. 45 If there is any interpretation of Scripture that does violence to either of these principles so clearly laid out in Scripture, the reader is allowing something other that the Holy Spirit to guide him in his interpretation, be it reason or tradition. Yet, Koren is quick to point out, these principles are not to be taken for granted or handled with arrogance, It is of no use to put them down on paper as a heading and still act, write, and confess contrary to them. It is of no use to pretend that these two fundamental principles are so well known and so self-evident that we do not need to dwell on them any further. The one who does this shows thereby that he has not even begun to understand and appreciate them. 46 The two easiest ways in which these principles are abused show themselves is 1) a misuse of God’s gift of reason; 2) supplanting the authority of the Scriptures with the opinions of men (“father’s theology”). Misapplied reason, Koren remarks, is shown most often when one takes issue with God and presumes to pass judgment on his Word. 47 44 U.V. Koren, “Can and Ought a Christian be Certain of His Salvation?” Lutheran Synod Quarterly 42, nos. 2, 3 (June/September 2002), 163. 45 U.V. Koren, “What the Norwegians Synod Has Always Wanted.” Lutheran Synod Quarterly 32, no. 3 (September 1992), 13. 46 Koren, What the Norwegians Synod Has Always Wanted, 14. 47 Koren, What the Norwegian Synod Has Always Wanted, 21. 30
The Election Controversy was really a fight over the proper use of reason in the interpretation of Scripture. Schmidt’s bold assertion that he had harmonized two seemingly contradictory passages had come at the cost of sola gratia. Therefore, Schmidt, with his intuitu fidei, had violated both principles of proper biblical interpretation. In the notes to his 1881 essay, Koren writes, What is important is that we do not make our reason governess of the Word of God, and we do not reject a doctrine which is plainly taught in the Word of God because we cannot make rhyme or reason out of it. We know that the Word of God does not contradict itself, even if we cannot see the agreement. 48 But does not holding to two clearly revealed doctrines that seem to contradict each other cause a problem? In Koren’s view, this is not at all a problem. Scripture is clear. The problem is not the clarity of the revealed doctrines, but our sinful self which keeps us from understanding them fully this side of eternity. That is why Koren especially calls forth the interpreter to pray to God for the enlightenment of the Holy Spirit. 49 It is a fool’s errand for sinful man to attempt to resolve what he perceives to be two mutually exclusive doctrines revealed in God’s Holy Word, Finally we must be convinced that certainty of salvation cannot be obtained by brooding over or wanting to “investigate the secret, concealed abyss of divine predestination.” Whoever makes this his beginning will fall either into arrogance or despair and will not attain to any certainty of salvation…for we must carefully distinguish between what God has revealed in His Word and what he has not revealed. God has in Christ revealed to us all that we need in order to be certain of our salvation, but much of His secret counsel He has kept hidden. We are not to brood over this- and this admonition is needful in the highest degree. In our 48 Koren, Can and Ought…, 185-186. 49 Koren, What the Norwegian Synod Has Always Wanted, 24. 31
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 and 12: these two synods into closer contac
Page 13 and 14: Part I: Getting to know the Scriptu
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: Of the founders of the Norwegian Sy
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
Page 77 and 78: teaching English, Norse, Latin, Alg
Page 79 and 80: 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
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point. Bethany had not been entrust
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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
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of the ELS, as well as her wariness
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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
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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
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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
Page 151 and 152:
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
Page 161 and 162:
pro and some con. To make matters w
Page 163 and 164:
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
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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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