Part Two: Election without
Faith, Walther Usurping the Book of Concord
Walther’s final move toward Calvinism also expressed his
domineering personality, not unlike Stephan’s. Just as Stephan insisted he was
the only Means of Grace in Germany, which was thus entirely lacking grace when
he was gone, so Walther became the ultimate authority in his synod and those he
could control. The Missouri Synod continues to treat Walther as the one who “answers
all questions.” But they also partake in the crafts and assaults of modern
apostate Biblical criticism and theology. Seminex won their battle because the
foundation of the synod was poor in the beginning, like the creaking and
leaning Millennial Tower in San Francisco.
Some indications of this trait are when Walther:
1.
Became the enforcer for
Stephan, so he meted out punishment when the other pastors and teachers
offended the future bishop.
2.
Decided a woman should
divorce her husband, causing a lot of conflict in the parish.
3.
Kidnapped his niece and
nephew from his father’s parsonage, to take them along to America, “because
they wanted to go.”
4.
Used Stephan’s lawyers
and Walther’s future mother-in-law to hide the children, letting the
mother-in-law go to jail while he evaded the police warrant. She was not
allowed on the ship by Stephan, who made her come with the later group.
5.
Signed the paper to make
Stephan the bishop.
6.
Organized the St. Louis
mob to arrive in Perryville to drive away Bishop Stephan.
7.
Used the real estate
agent to conduct the kangaroo court dismissing Stephan.
8.
Robbed the bishop of all
his land (120 acres), books, personal possessions, and gold, which gave the
sect a library and a small fortune to avoid bankruptcy.
9.
Created division with
his Calvinistic Election without Faith on the topic of Election, against the
expressed statement written by Martin Chemnitz and supported by the editors and
signers of the Book of Concord.[1]
[1]
Walther’s Easter Absolution of the World is supported by the Pietist Rambach
and Jay Webber, by opposed by Martin Chemnitz exegesis of 1 Timoth 3:16.
Walther is consist in his error of going against Chemnitz – and the Scriptures –
here.
