Strangers to Sisters - Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary Library: Essays

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Erling Teigen concurs, component part of the decree of election. We confess with a loud voice that we teach: that God has not found anything good in the man who was to be chosen to life eternal; that He has not taken into consideration either good works, or the use of free will, or, what is more, not even faith itself in such a way that he was influenced by it, or that He elected some on account of it… (Emphasis mine) 55 …a deeper study of the biblical texts and Article XI of the Formula of Concord on election led to a sharper, more precise expression. For the Norwegians, that re-study led them to the point where they had to reject at least that page in Pontoppidan’s Catechism in which they had relied on their orthodoxy. In that sense, they did not have a “Father theology.” 56 A further demonstration that the Norwegian men were not slavishly tied to the expressions of the orthodox Lutheran fathers is found in a short treatise written by Koren concerning the concept of “mechanical inspiration.” In this article, one finds that Koren is not only mindful of what the fathers have written, but also critical when he compares it to the clear revelation of Scripture, Nothing has been revealed to us concerning the manner on which the fact of inspiration is realized. The various errors in this matter stem from the desire of many otherwise pious teachers who have had to explain how the Holy Spirit carried out this work. But we cannot understand thatanymore than we can understand the two natures in the Savior’s one person – or even the union of the soul and body in our own person… The mechanical explanation has, so far as I know, never been used to any extent by teachers of the Lutheran Church, although there are in some of them expressions which we cannot approve (e.g. Quenstedt in his Dogmatics). 57 (Emphasis mine) 55 Ylvisaker, Grace for Grace, 183,184. 56 Erling Teigen, The Legacy…, 115. 57 U.V. Koren, “Mechanical Inspiration.” Translated by G. O. Lillegard. http://www.blts.edu/essays/korenUV/Mechanical%20Inspiration.pdf. (Accessed on July 21, 2008). 34
The Norwegian Synod lived its motto “Gegraptai.” They respected the fathers, but also were critical of them. They zealously cherished the Lutheran symbols, not as a substitute for Scripture, but as weapons forged from Scripture that unmasked the enemies without and within the Lutheran Church. Yet, it was always to the Scriptures they went whenever a doctrinal battle was raging. And yet, in 1917, a mere seven years after the death of Koren, the vast majority of the Synod entered into the un-Scriptural Madison Settlement. What happened? IV. The Norwegian Hermeneutic in the re-organized Norwegian Synod (1917-1955) The story of the Madison Settlement and the demise of the old Norwegian Synod has been told ably by the ELS historians Theodore Aaberg (A City Set on a Hill) and S.C. Ylivsaker (Grace for Grace) and need not be recounted fully. 58 What is of interest is how the Norwegian Hermeneutic was it recovered and re-affirmed in the reorganized Norwegian Synod (ELS). One of the original ELS pastors, Christian Anderson, wrote a telling critique as to what he saw as the factors that led to the demise of the Norwegian Synod, …it is true that in the controversy of the eighties Dr. Koren exposed clearly the errors of the anti-Missourian…But after the complete break in 1887, the majority of our people had tired of the controversy…and neglected to continue to study the issues involved. Thus they became more and 58 There is a large amount of evidence that makes it clear the Norwegian Synod would not have gone along with the merger had it not been for the ecclesiastical chicaneries of men like H.G. Stub and Rasmus Malmin. The omission of key statements by orthodox Norwegian leaders to the assembly of the Norwegian Synod, the lack of antitheses in the formulation of the Madison Settlement, cooperation in externals and a rising tide of Norwegian nationalism at the turn of the 20 th century all led to give the impression to the rank and file pastor and parishioner of the Norwegian Synod that the key issues that had separated the Norwegians, the teaching regarding election and conversion, had indeed been resolved. However, it was nothing but smoke and mirrors, and in the end, the theology of glory won out over the theology of the cross. 35
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 and 30: Of the founders of the Norwegian Sy
Page 31 and 32: The Election Controversy was really
Page 33: ule or judge in matters of faith, n
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
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
Page 105 and 106:
Take for instance the procedure ado
Page 107 and 108:
meeting has lapsed, I am forced in
Page 109 and 110:
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
Page 135 and 136:
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
Page 141 and 142:
Lillegard was the foremost exegete
Page 143 and 144:
“congregation” has a much narro
Page 145 and 146:
this is definitely a Lutheran princ
Page 147 and 148:
What makes the testimony and defens
Page 149 and 150:
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
Page 165 and 166:
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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