because the papists still wanted to kill Luther.
This anniversary of the Augsburg Confession reminds us that the Formula of Concord writers considered themselves "theologians of the Augsburg Confession."
I went to Augustana College, which was built by the Augustana Synod because the Swedish Americans wanted a school to train future pastors according to the Book of Concord. When Mrs. Ichabod and I went there in the 1960s, most students did not know the Augsburg Confession or why the college was named the way it was. One quip was that it was named after August and Anna, and some believed it.
The Augustana pioneers began as unionistic Pietists, but they were soon betrayed by American sects and religious frauds. Passavant drew the Swedes into his confessional circle in the General Council. Some key figures in the synod moved Augustana (the synod and the school) toward orthodoxy. That slipped away in time, preparing a body of 400,000 Lutherans to join the Lutheran Church in America.
The Syn Conference treats the Book of Concord as a joke. I know there is a lot of pious talk about the Confessions, but that does not translate into an actual witness to the truth. One must identify and repudiate false doctrine in order for sound doctrine to be taught and maintained. No synod does that today. They cannot even admit that most of their leadership is heavily invested in Church Growthism, with ample rewards still being given for aping Fuller, Willow Creek, Mars Hill, Granger, Northpoint, and Leonard Sweet.
The Syn Conference went Methodist a long time ago. Gimmicks replaced the Gospel and the ministers all became Rev. Friendly with the warm smile, weak handshake, and vapid sermonette. As one Fuller DMin said, if Jesus came back today, he would have a talk show. He would entertain people.
The Pietists du jour are deeply offended that I dare publish such things. Jesus would never say anything like "white-washed sepulchers full of dead men's bones." I guess he did. The Pietists want to mention Jesus while taking away the bridge to Jesus, the Means of Grace. They unleash the monster of uncertainty by parading their works, by selling works as the way to prove one's relationship to the Savior. No wonder so many turn into loud-mouthed atheists.
Today should be a day of mourning until the Syn Conference leaders start showing the faith and courage of the Augsburg Confessors. What do we risk today? Loss of money and insults? Yes, but little more than that. Why are people so fearful of false teachers yet unafraid of Almighty God?
KJV Isaiah 66:1 Thus saith the LORD, The heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool: where is the house that ye build unto me? and where is the place of my rest? 2 For all those things hath mine hand made, and all those things have been, saith the LORD: but to this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word.
NIV Isaiah 66:1 This is what the LORD says: "Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool. Where is the house you will build for me? Where will my resting place be? 2 Has not my hand made all these things, and so they came into being?" declares the LORD. "This is the one I esteem: he who is humble and contrite in spirit, and trembles at my word. [The NIV is provided for graduates of St. Louis, Ft. Wayne, Mequon, Mankato, and various portable seminaries of the mini-micro sects.]
Luther to George Major:
"It is by your silence and cloaking that you cast suspicion upon yourself. If you believe as you declare in my presence, then speak so also in the church, in public lectures, in sermons, and in private conversations, and strengthen your brethren, and lead the erring back to the right path, and contradict the contumacious spirits; otherwise your confession is sham pure and simple, and worth nothing. Whoever really regards his doctrine, faith, and confession as true, right, and certain cannot remain in the same stall with such as teach, or adhere to, false doctrine; nor can he keep on giving friendly words to Satan and his minions. A teacher who remains silent when errors are taught, and nevertheless pretends to be a true teacher, is worse than an open fanatic and by his hypocrisy does greater damage than a heretic. Nor can he be trusted. He is a wolf and a fox, a hireling and a servant of his belly, and ready to despise and to sacrifice doctrine, Word, faith, Sacrament, churches, and schools. He is either a secret bedfellow of the enemies, or a skeptic and a weathervane, waiting to see whether Christ or the devil will prove victorious; or he has no convictions of his own whatever, and is not worthy to be called a pupil, let alone a teacher; nor does he want to offend anybody, or say a word in favor of Christ, or hurt the devil and the world.” F. Bente, Concordia Triglotta, Historical Introductions to the Symbolical Books of the Evangelical Lutheran Church, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1921, p. 94.
