Forster's Zion on the Mississippi is more than 50 years old, but most facts have not emerged in the mytho-poetic retelling of the Missouri Synod's history.
Close reading explains many characteristics of the LCMS, past and present.
The theology students were influenced by rationalism (university and state church) and by Pietism. There was not a third alternative. However, Stephan did insist on the Confessions, so that distinguished him from other Pietists. Doubtless it provided a foundation for positive influences once Walther took over.
Pietism and Unionistic Protestantism amalgamated to some extent. Zion, p. 15. The main opponent was rationalism, so they had a common cause together. Zion, p. 21.
CFW's connection with Stephan began with his brother, who was first connected with the harsh Pietist, Kuehn.
For the theology students, the Pietistic circle was their alternative to the rationalism of their studies and their future careers. However, the harsh Pietist Kuehn was not a healthy alternative. Kuehn led the Bible study (philobiblicum) that Lindner started in imitation of Halle methods. Kuehn remained the leader of the Leipzig Pietists until he took a parish in 1831 and died in 1832. Zion, p. 37.
Favorite authors of the Kuehn group included Rambach (Webber's favorite), A. H. Franke, Spener, and Fresenius. Zion, p. 38.
Walther and Buenger became deeply afflicted in trying to atone for their sins through works of the Law. When Kuehn died, that opened the way for Stephan to influence the group. CFW's big brother led them to Stephan's circle, and Stephan alleviated their neurotic obsessions about paying for their sins.
Martin Stephan had not been much of a student, but he became a pastor after studying at Halle University and Leipzig. As I wrote before, he was a Bohemian (Czech) Pietist who accepted a call to a Bohemian Pietist congregation, St. John's in Dresden, after one year in another congregation.
Although the government was against Pietistic cell groups, St. John had permission to hold those meetings at the church because of its charter as a Moravian Pietistic congregation. Therefore, Stephan was a Pietist among Pietists, serving a congregation with direct connections with Zinzendorf.
Stephan was involved in the unionistic Bible Society in Dresden, quite prominent in it. Zion, p. 30. The Dresden Mission Society was another unionistic endeavor where Stephan participated. Zion, p. 30. Lutherans are used to everyone except Missouri being unionistic, but Stephan was too. That was common in Europe where rationalism was the enemy.
Stephan was quite prominent in Dresden and also controversial. Delitsch (Old Testament scholar) admired his work (Zion, p. 51), and Benjamin Kurtz (p. 57) from America came to see him. The Saxon migration was Stephan's mission, his plan - front page news in Europe, when it happened and when it blew up in scandal a few months later.
The leaders of the migration were the pastors, although a few laymen were used as leaders for their skills, too. The lawyers Marbach and Vehse were useful for all of Stephan's troubles, and the tax collector Fred Barthel (p. 57) became the first treasurer (an office that continued in the Missouri Synod).
The clergy followers of Stephan are extremely important, because they were close to one another for years before they knew Stephan, then joined Stephan and organized the migration under his leadership. They were loyal to one cult leader, then transferred loyalty to a new cult leader, Stephan, when Kuehn took a call and died soon after. These clergy (who did not all have parishes) are:
- O. H. Walther, the older brother of CFW Walther. He died in 1841, so CFW accepted the call to Trinity, his late brother's congregation.
- CFW Walther, aka the Great Walther, came into the fold via his brother Otto, first as a disciple of Kuehn.
- Ottomar Fuerbringer, who did not receive a call in Europe, but was trained as a pastor.
- Johann F. Buenger, the younger pastor in the kidnapping family. His two sisters were wives to CFW, O. H., and Ottomar Fuerbringer, who married the widow of O. H.Walther. Ottomar fathered Ludwig Fuerbringer, pastor in Frankenmuth and president of Concordia Seminary, St. Louis. Johann's mother helped with the kidnapping of the Walther niece and nephew and went to prison for a short time.
- Ernst Keyl battled with Stephan but had to submit to his authority. Zion, p. 39.
- Gotthold Loeber (Zion, p. 53) also had to submit to the authority of Stephan. Loeber was very close to CFW, since Ferdinand was a tutor at the Loeber estate for two years. That may explain the Walther-Loeber story of the adultery confession (shock!) and everyone knew about it (then why the mob, the threats, the robbery, and kidnapping?).
When the Society landed in New Orleans, Stephan had the clergy sign a statement making him bishop and pledging their obedience to him. Given the nature of their relationship over the years, it is not surprising that he formalized his relationship to them. Nor is it remarkable that they were willing to sign.
Walther cleverly rescued the cult from their bind and resumed the episcopacy without the title. Just as everyone had to submit to Stephan in the past, everyone had to submit to Walther - not to Scripture. He became the American Pope, not the American Luther. What do the shrines, statues, and outrageous lies about the Great Walther suggest? A cult.
