Pastor Wehrwein reprinted an essay by Egbert Schaller about the basic weaknesses of the Missouri Synod.
Schaller made some excellent points about Walther not being a Biblical theologian. Walther stated propositions and followed them up with "proof" from various citations, often just a list of Biblical passages. Walther and Pieper's dogmatics classes were often "repeat after me" exercises, too, something Mequon reproduced with predictable results. The ELS lets seminarians think a little bit, but smacks around those who express their confessional conclusions. Pope John the Malefactor keeps the Left Foot of Fellowship ready - his knee-jerk reaction to dissent from his infallible doctrine.
Most of the errors weighing down Lutherans today are from propositions offered up and given no Biblical support. The propositions are endlessly repeated and people soon learn not to question the theses. Therefore, Biblical passages opposed to the falsehood or not supporting the error are attached to citations, like lint to Velcro. Just try to pull them apart.
When did God "declare the entire world forgiven of its sin"? Walther declared it in his Easter absolution sermon, and the Brief Statement entered the notion into canonical law.
Valleskey promoted Fuller doctrine the same way - with propositions in his odious WLQ essay. Those who even questioned him were pushed out of the WELS ministry. Brenner was already at Mequon when the seminary published the essay as Gospel truth. When I spoke to Brenner about the seminary's published errors, since they endorsed Church Growth with the publication, he had two answers for me:
- The editor Gawrisch was sick, so that was why nothing was done. I asked if the whole faculty was also sick, since they did nothing.
- "Write a letter."
So when Brenner began chanting the slogans of Kokomo Justification, I knew Enthusiasm would not depart from Mt. Zion in the near future. Forgot the politics of how the faculty and board have been stacked with members of the Patterson-Jeske-Parlow network. There are no doctrinal standards to evict professors like Al Sorum until the Book of Concord is studied, known, and discussed.
I think there is a good start already. Politics will not win the day. The Word of God will accomplish His purpose.
Confidential to all those who kept silent and let me answer Valleskey by myself - Has WELS grown larger and stronger since 1991?
