ICHABOD, THE GLORY HAS DEPARTED - explores the Age of Apostasy, predicted in 2 Thessalonians 2:3, to attack Objective Faithless Justification, Church Growth Clowns, and their ringmasters. The antidote to these poisons is trusting the efficacious Word in the Means of Grace. John 16:8. Isaiah 55:8ff. Romans 10. Most readers are WELS, LCMS, ELS, or ELCA. This blog also covers the Roman Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodoxy, and the Left-wing, National Council of Churches denominations.
When we went to Kitchener-Waterloo, Ontario, in 1970, I enrolled at Martin Luther University Seminary, whose legal name is still Waterloo Lutheran Seminary.
Christina soon got a job at the University of Waterloo, a short walk or bus-ride away. It was the spin-off of Waterloo Lutheran University, where John Warwick Montgomery and our brother-in-law Kermit Way (physical chemist) taught. UW called WLU "the little red schoolhouse down the street."
UnitWat, as they call it, was a collection of beautiful new buildings with underground tunnels to reduce frostbite. We loved to stop by the computer center and watch the new priesthood, mainframe computer minders, silently managing the giant IBM 360 as we watched reverently through a glass wall.
If you want to look down on UniWat, they were known for computer advances decades ago. Not knowing about a school does not remove it from advances, eh?
Christina quickly went from research librarian to graduate student in German literature. All her professors were German born, except one gentleman. Her only lady professor was Gisela Brude-Fernau, PhD Yale, who was impressed with Christina's original paper about the Wandering Jew in literature.
"Norma: I've always heard that is continuing 'constant' in prayer."
Lenski wrote this in his Romans commentary - "“As regards the
prayer (which is the great resource, refuge, source of
strength in all tribulation for every Christian) — continuing steadfast!" This is the same participle that is
used to indicate adhering with might and main to the
doctrine of the apostles (Acts 2:42), for adhering
together (Acts 2:46), and for adhering to prayer and
supplication (Acts 1:14)."
+++
KJV Acts 2:42And they continued stedfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.
KJV Acts 2:46And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart,
KJV Acts 1:14These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brethren.
GJ - I like "instant" because it suggests responding with a prayer rather than the Roman Catholic custom - and other traditions - making prayer a means of grace. For example, the great hoaxer Hort said he would have stayed to pray for hours at a Mary shrine.
"Fuller Seminary has all the answers! We need their statistics! Thrivent will help us pay with loot from our own members! Woo-Pig-Sooie!"
Readers will not be surprised to hear the pseudo-Lutheran sects admitting their colossal failures and complete lack of direction. I could toss out some statistics being released, but these are not honest leaders. Everything is far worse than they allow.
Yes, I mean all of them - the ELCA-WELS-LCMS-ELS-CLC sects. They gradually filled their executive and committee slots with veterans of Fuller Seminary, Trinity Divinity, and the Crystal Cathedral (RIP, now Roman Catholic and Schuller's dead). They reached such a total saturation point that the mildest protest against their pagan idols of growth was met with hatred and expulsion.
To revive WELS, the floundering leaders put together a national conference featuring Jim Huebner, certified Fuller Seminary veteran, a perfect Judas goat to lead the members to the slaughter house.
Is that harsh? Look at what the Fuller Seminary goats have done to shrink their denominations, pleading their studies were all examples of safe sects. Many took on quickie DMins (which sound like demons) so everyone would call them "Dr."
One thing is needful for these Bad-Bible-Boosters -the Evil Four plus One - RSV, NIV, ESV, NRSV plus the Beck. They need to return to the best and clearest Bible - the Masoretic text Old Testament and the Apostolic Text New Testament - King James Version. But they need the money for their slush funds, litigation, lawsuits, and plush vacations (joint synod meetings) near Little St. James Island.
This may be the most ironic fact of all - the catastrophic failure of ELCA, which was built into its 1987 illegitimate birth, has become the template for the rest of pseudo-Lutheran sects.
At least we don't ordain them. Oh, we do?
At least we are not shredding members and parishes. No? Really that bad?
At least we have a five-year plan. Like China's?
At least we have a new hymnal. From Fuller?
At least we spent millions on buildings. Schwan was one great saint, a giant amongst us. He what? And now the building costs are eating us alive?
1. This is a comforting Gospel, which so beautifully portrays the Lord Jesus and teaches us what manner of person he is, what kind of works he does, and how he is disposed toward men. And there is no better way to understand it than to contrast light and darkness and day and night; that is, the good shepherd with the wicked one, as the Lord himself does.
2. Now, you have often heard that God has given the world two different proclamations. One is that which is declared in the Word of God when it says: Thou shalt not kill, not commit adultery, not steal ( Exodus 20:13-15), and when it adds the threat that all who do not keep these commandments shall die. But this declaration will make no one godly at heart. For though it may compel a man outwardly to appear godly before men, inwardly it leaves the heart at enmity with the Law, and wishing that there were no such Law.
3. The other proclamation is that of the Gospel. It tells where one may obtain that which will meet the demands of the Law. It does not drive or threaten, but tenderly invites us. It does not say, Do this and do that, but rather: Come, I will show you where you may find and obtain what you need to make you godly. See, here is the Lord Jesus; he will give it to you.
Christians assert the
Word of God, especially where God promises to preserve His Word to all
generations. Luther agrees when he said, "For not to delight in
assertions is not the character of the Christian mind: nay, he must
delight in assertions, or he is not a Christian. But, (that we may not
be mistaken in terms) by assertions, I mean a constant adhering,
affirming, confessing, defending, and invincibly persevering. Nor do I
believe the term signifies anything else, either among the Latins or as
it is used by us at this day." (Dr. Martin Luther, Bondage of The Will,
Associated Publishers, 1971, pg. 11) Luther went on to boldly state:
"Take away assertions, and you take away Christianity." (Dr. Martin
Luther, Bondage of The Will, Associated Publishers, 1971, pg. 11)
Imagine
you are on safari in the African bush again. It is night and you are
hearing the haunting churls and yells of a gang of hyenas. Hyenas are
one of the most dangerous predators in Africa. Their jaws are more
powerful than a lion's.
Leaders and pastors of
LCMS, WELS, ELS, and ELCA are just like that gang of Hyenas in the
African bush yapping, and yelping their unbelief. "The original
autographs are lost forever! " Here they assert their obstinate
unbelief that God's Word is lost forever. They even assert that God's
Word has copying errors and omissions. These are blasphemous words
spoken against God the Holy Ghost who perfectly preserves every word of
God and guides his Christians into all truth. He is the Spirit of truth
not the Spirit of copying errors and omissions.
Now
imagine you are in a fishing contest on lake Michigan. You use all of
your skills and catch a huge trophy fish. Now would you be so careless
as to let this trophy fish get away and be lost forever to the vast
expanse of lake Michigan? Of course not!! So also God the Holy Ghost
who inspired the prophets and Apostles to write God's word would never
allow these words to be lost or damaged by copying errors and
omissions! God has promised to keep and preserve His words among us
forever in Psalm 12:6,7: "The Words of the Lord are pure words: as
silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times. Thou shalt
keep them, O LORD, thou shalt preserve them from this generation for
ever." Surely God's Words are much more precious than a trophy fish.
In fact they are so precious that God has forever settled them in heaven
and has magnified his word above His name. Psalm 138:2 says, "I will
worship toward thy holy temple, and praise thy name for thy loving
kindness and for thy truth: for thou hast magnified thy word above all
thy name." Psalm 119:89 says, "For ever, O Lord, thy word is settled in
heaven." Christ promised that his words would never pass away or be lost
in Matt 24:35: "Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall
not pass away."
Imagine you are living in
Jerusalem. Hezekiah is King. Sennacherib King of Assyria is threatening
to destroy Jerusalem with his vast army. He even blasphemes the one
true God of Israel by saying that the Lord could not preserve and save
Israel. So the angel of the LORD went and smote 185,000 Assyrian
soldiers so that they died. Even so God sent forth his angel to publish
his Word to all nations during the reformation. Rev. 14:6 says "And I
saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting
gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation,
and kindred, and tongue, and people, saying with a loud voice, Fear
God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgement is come:
worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains
of water."
Impossible events occurred during
the Reformation because God controls and molds the events of history.
God used Erasmus to publish the Greek TEXTUS RECEPTUS and reject the
Greek Vaticanus text and the Bibles that sprouted from it: Greek
Nestle-Aland and United Bible Society texts, and NIV, ESV, NKJV, RSV,
etc. This all occurred at the same time Gutenberg invented the printing
press so God's pure Words could be published throughout the whole world
in the language of all nations. Meanwhile Luther translated the Bible
into German and Tyndale translated the Bible into English. Tyndale was
burned at the stake by the King of England, but God heard his prayer and
opened the eyes of King James of England. In 1611 the Bible was
published in English, the language of the world.
God
did not publishing his word with copying errors and omissions. He
published His pure Word. Remember God rejected the corrupt Greek
Vaticanus and the other corrupt Greek texts it was merged into:
Nestle-Aland and United Bible Society texts. God chose the Greek TEXTUS
RECEPTUS and the exact translations from it: Luther's Bible and the King
James Bible. You need to do the same. Assert these pure Words of God.
Pastor
Gregory L Jackson, PhD has published a most valuable book on this very
subject: The King James Version: Apostolic Texts, Precise Translation
versus Fraudulent Texts and Heretical Translations, ISBN 9798429093451
Someone had the strange idea to honor Cardinal Stritch by featuring his costume as decoration on a building. ELDONUTs - take note.
The Right Reverend Bishop-for-Life Heiser published this hilarious photo and then closed off access to commoners.
Stritch is on the far right, Mundelein is next to him - two colleges named after two cardinals. Alas, Mundelein College was absorbed by Loyola Jesuit University.
Northwestern College (WELS) was merged into Dr. Martin Luther College, New Ulm. People have figured out that a dinky school with huge costs would not be beneficial. Add the problems of abuse, alcoholism, and nepotism to finish off a doomed school of the 20th century.
The LCMS is busy closing its colleges aka universities.
"Dr." Matt the Fatt has the same academic credentials as The Great Walther, BA DD, and Dr. Larry Olson, DMin.
Robins have enjoyed the front yard and warned me away from their duties. I installed a security light and they built a nest on it. They are always earnest about collecting yard debris for their nests. They prize leaves so I often spot one of them with a wad of dried leaves, frantic that I might take them. I prefer fresh spinach to dried maple leaves.
The favorite antic of birds is the group bath, so I have two in the Rose Garden and two kiddie pools in the back. Starlings and grackles love to splash in the pools, which have just a little water in them. Birds like to land on the high part and wade into the shallows. They dip their heads into the water and send it over their backs with extra wing flapping to get a good spread.
I am just starting to feed birds in the front, and they are cautious. I remember a Michigan reader constructing a large bird-feeding area. He complained that it was not getting action from the birds. I suggested waiting for a couple of weeks. Soon the birds were congregating, singing, and fussing with each other. The indoor cat took a position to watch all day long, head darting back and forth, as if selecting a future meal.
I eat two to four apples a day, so I have the cores to share, either with ants inside or critters outside. Squirrels take them immediately, though Possum Pete gets his share when delivered at night. Pineapples are too good to leave alone, so I take the leftovers to the barrel and toss the extra scraps on the ground.
Soon the hummingbirds will be reminding me to fill their feeders. Nothing is quite so entertaining as the fly-by, saluting the gardening for providing water and food. We can spot them in the trees, guarding their feeders.
I decided to put all the nutrition posts on a separate blog as well as Ichabod. People might want to dwell on the fact that good, basic foods are medicine - and most medicines do little more than aim at symptoms.
Blog links from other authors were being obscured so I reworked the list. The latest posts get the top spots, to prevent feather-bedding, lassitude, and procrastination.
Changes can be made. The software gadget picks up the latest post, with the most recent at the top. Those who want to add, drop, or improve the list are welcome to send gracious, humble, and edifying suggestions.
The Preface p. 24 The Sanctus p. 26 The Lord's Prayer p. 27 The Words of Institution The Agnus Dei p. 28 The Nunc Dimittis p. 29 The Benediction p. 31 The Hymn #199 Jesus Christ Is Risen Today
Prayers and Announcements
Medical care - Kermit Way, Pastor Jim Shrader, Chris Shrader, Doc Lito's wife Lyne, and Thea. Callie and her mother Peggy.
Pray for our country as the major trials continue. And help all those suffering from economic difficulties and emotional distress.
The Bethany Lutheran Hymnal Blog was finishing up three years ago, with many enhancements and Norma Boeckler's art since. 43,700+ views.
In our memories - Walter Boeckler, Carl Roper, Gary Meyer, Christina Jackson, Gladys Meyer, Lorie Howell's mother, Bethany Joan Marie, Erin Joy, and many others.
Caravaggio
KJV 1 John 5:4 For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. 5 Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God? 6 This is he that came by water and blood, even Jesus Christ; not by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit that beareth witness, because the Spirit is truth. 7 For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one. 8 And there are three that bear witness in earth, the Spirit, and the water, and the blood: and these three agree in one. 9 If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater: for this is the witness of God which he hath testified of his Son. 10 He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself: he that believeth not God hath made him a liar; because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son.
KJV John 20:19 Then the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you. 20 And when he had so said, he shewed unto them his hands and his side. Then were the disciples glad, when they saw the Lord. 21 Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you. 22 And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost: 23 Whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained. 24 But Thomas, one of the twelve, called Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came. 25 The other disciples therefore said unto him, We have seen the Lord. But he said unto them, Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I will not believe. 26 And after eight days again his disciples were within, and Thomas with them: then came Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, Peace be unto you. 27 Then saith he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing. 28 And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God. 29 Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed. 30 And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book: 31 But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.
First Sunday After Easter
Lord God, heavenly Father, we thank Thee, that of Thine ineffable grace, for the sake of Thy Son, Thou hast given us the holy gospel, and hast instituted the holy sacraments, that through the same we may have comfort and forgiveness of sin: We beseech Thee, grant us Thy Holy Spirit, that we may heartily believe Thy word; and through the holy sacraments day by day establish our faith, until we at last obtain salvation through Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost, one true God, world without end. Amen.
The Apostles - Mirrors
KJV John 20:19 Then the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you.
When you see a King James Version of the Bible, think of the 50 scholars who went over every word as individuals and in groups, so the best Bible could be read from the pulpits in England - eventually the world. The man who translated roughly 75% of the Old and New Testaments - William Tyndale - was burned at the stake for his heinous sin - translating the Bible into English. It was against King Henry VIII's law, and carried a death penalty.
There are two parts to the majestic simplicity of this verse. First of all, the Holy Spirit has kept the original Greek so simple that it is used to start beginning Greek lessons, easy to translate in the first week or so. The Spirit spoke through the Apostle John and drew the elements of Matthew, Mark, and Luke together with additional sermons, like the I AM sermons, and miracles like the Wedding at Canna. And yet, John is far easier to grasp in Greek and in translations than the first three Gospels.
Second, this King James Version is the product of the Age of Shakespeare (Earl of Oxford) -- the peak of the English language, not the most difficult but the clearest and most elegant.
But we should think of this every time we look at and open a KJV,
"William Tyndale died an excruciating death to give us this Bible. We should honor the man who gave his life for the Word of God. His name is not on Bibles - his faith is embedded in every KJV."
Very few people could read or write at that time, so Tyndale worked to make the Bible memorable for people to remember and repeat.
This is the Day of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ, and the same day after one week is sometimes called the Octave (counting each day). This should be remembered with awe - not with scorn - the disciples were still in hiding after the first appearance. The disciples are not objects of scorn - they are mirrors of our frailties.
The disciples used the locked room because of their fear of the Jews, even though they had already seen the risen Christ.
Luther explained this well in his sermon on this day. The disciples had enjoyed the company of Jesus, His teaching and miracles, for three years. He warned them of the cross, but their hearts were set on their future, reigning with Christ Jesus, not hearing that they would follow the Way of the Cross with Him.
All of this glory with their Teacher seemed to be taken away. How could it be any worse than arrest, beating, mocking, carrying His own cross, and additional scorn and abandonment? Jesus said Himself, quoting the Scriptures (Old Testament) - "I will strike the Shepherd and the sheep will be scattered." Zechariah 13:7.
While we look at the picture with hope, thinking of what lies ahead, at that moment all is lost anyway. They are still so crushed by the events that they are weak and helpless. General Patton would say, "Never take counsel of your fears," but that is what we often do.
20 And when he had so said, he shewed unto them his hands and his side. Then were the disciples glad, when they saw the Lord. 21 Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you.
By showing them His wounds, Jesus proved Himself to be the risen Lord, not someone imaginary or a fake. Being glad first (KJV) the verse emphasizes the change from fear and timidity to being joyful over this event, this change of perspective.
Peace in the New Testament does not primarily mean calm or a lack of warfare. The closest New Testament association with peace is forgiveness. Fear comes from a lack of faith or a wavering faith - how much worse can it get? The disciples could not face the future when all they saw was persecution and the removal of their Savior.
Now the future is being laid out before the disciples. Jesus was sent as human and divine to show people the true, gracious nature of God. Now they will be sent with His teaching and the experiences they had with Jesus the Son of God. There were groups of believers here and there also, from Jesus' teaching and miracles.
22 And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost: 23 Whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained.
I have noticed a growing body of pseudo-Lutheran pastors who want to be in charge, buy and wear expensive costumes, and carry on just the way Chemnitz described the Church of Rome priests in his Examination of the Council of Trent. The pseudo-Lutherans want their own pomp and glory but disregard the teaching of the Scriptures.
They covet the Apostolic Succession, which they do not have. They want to "lord it over" everyone, a neat phrase in Greek too, Matthew 18. The true Succession is doctrinal, not a professional certificate, a phony doctorate, and awesome robes.
Obedience to the Scriptures is not a whim, a hobby, or an elastic toy.
Those who administer the Word emphasize the forgiveness received through repentance and faith, the non-forgiveness of those who have no contrition at all.
24 But Thomas, one of the twelve, called Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came. 25 The other disciples therefore said unto him, We have seen the Lord. But he said unto them, Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I will not believe.
"Doubting Thomases" are in one song from the Rogers and Hammerstein musical, Carousel.
Some may reject the grace of God because they do not believe or insist on the proof being tangible. But faith means we trust in what is impossible because God carries out the impossible all the time.
11. Finally, we have in St. Thomas an illustration of the power of Christ’s resurrection. We just heard how firm and even stiff-necked he was in unbelief, that although the other disciples unitedly testified that they had seen the risen Lord, yet he simply will not believe it. He appears to have been a fine and brave character who had thoroughly concluded that he would not so soon believe the others. For he had seen that the Lord only three days before was put to death on the cross and the nails driven through his hands and feet and the spear pierced his side. This picture was so indelibly and deeply impressed upon him that he simply could not in the least believe what the others told him, that Christ was risen. Therefore he promptly and defiantly says: “Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.” He thus utters a hyperbole, an exaggerated statement, that he will not believe his eyes alone, but will feel and grope about Christ’s body with his hands. As if he would say: No one shall persuade me to believe, but I will stand so firmly upon no, that I will not believe even if I see him, as you say you saw him. But should I believe it, then he must come so near to me, that, if it were possible, I may touch his soul and put my hands into his eyes.
12. That is to be steeped very firmly and deeply in unbelief.
Second Appearance, One Week Later, Sunday
26 And after eight days again his disciples were within, and Thomas with them: then came Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, Peace be unto you. 27 Then saith he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing. 28 And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God.
As Lenski and Luther wrote, Jesus commanded Thomas to do what the apostle insisted upon. We could expand that to ourselves and say, "I never thought that was possible, but God proved me wrong, even when I gave up."
Faith in God through Jesus Christ, our example and Teacher, means asking and then leaving the outcome to God. There are so many ways in which God works, often through impossible people.
I had a very clear message this week - unsigned, as usual. Our views have gone down during an emphasis on the KJV and Justification by Faith. That comes from shadow-banning, paying the tech giants to reduce someone's work on the Net by blocking access to views. I said to one person, "I don't know if that is from Lutheran synods or the Bad-Bible-Boosters. He said, "Why not both at the same time?" It still means thousands of views each month, more individuals than we could hold in this "spare room in a rented house."
29 Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed. 30 And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book: 31 But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.
The beauty of this Gospel is to constantly remind the seeker, the doubter, the minister, the grieving mother and father, the minister - about faith in the Good Shepherd. The Fourth Gospel is all about believing in God the Father, God the Son, being taught by the Word through God the Holy Spirit.
This is how the LCMS portrays the Immaculate Walther's saintly arrival. He was born forgiven and saved, so his crimes against Christian doctrine and ordinary human behavior were already absolved.
Some of Walther's Crimes Listed
He kidnapped his niece and nephew from his father's parsonage.
He avoided the police and let his future mother-in-law take the rap while he hid.
He and the Walther circle, extreme Pietists, knew Pastor Martin Stephan, STD, was a serial adulterer who preyed upon young women.
He called himself a pastor even though he left his call.
He concealed Stephan's syphilis from the group until it was revealed that young women in the group were infected by his seductions. Walther and his pals created a story that a sermon made one of the young women confess Stephan's adultery, even though the key leaders must of known this earlier, since Stephan went to spas for his syphilis symptoms.
Stephan left his wife and children behind in Europe, taking his mistress (adjoining cabin) and his son on the same ship.
Walther secretly took back the property title given to Bishop Stephan, prior to the riot he organized. Later, he talked Stephan's son out of the ownership. Two felonies.
When Walther brought the rioters down from St. Louis, only those against Stephan were allowed to come. His brother did not. Check Walther's Pastoral Theology for missing insights.
The Walther rioters threatened Stephan's life, kicked him out of his house, took his entire library, stole all of the bishop's money and possessions, and forced him across the Mississippi at gunpoint.
Stephan tried to get his wealth, books, and land back in court but did not succeed. Walther used the stolen chalice for communion at his St. Louis church.
Stephan's son went back to Germany, became an architect, and returned to St. Louis to became a pastor. Walther made a point of undermining Stephan's son in the ministry.
Walther blamed Stephan's adultery on Mrs. Stephan.
The LCMS continues to deny the crimes of The Great Walther and keeps the evidence hidden away.
