Headlines cannot encapsulate Walther's shady career, which has been recast into sainthood by the Synodical Conference myth-making machine. Like all saints, he has his own shrine, and churches named after him.
When he and his brother kidnapped their niece and nephew from their father's parsonage, to take them away to America, that was despicable. The grandparents had legal guardianship, so the police issued arrest warrants for Walther while attorneys Marbach and Vehse hid the children. Walther's future mother-in-law was arrested for her role in the felony. Both children died in America, so their grandparents never saw them again - a cruel way for CFW to treat his mother and father.
Their bishop, Martin Stephan, a Pietist trained at Halle, was already under house arrest for his relationships with women, including Louise . Stephan left his wife and children behind, but took along Junior, who might have been a big help to his long-suffering mother.
Those who left for America did not do so for pure doctrine or religious freedom, but to follow Stephan, who wanted another kind of freedom. He took Louise along.
When two women, including Louise, confessed to adultery with Stephan, that pastor wrongly told Walther. CFW avoided Stephan in Perryville, but took away the title to Stephan's 40 acres, granted by the society. Later, he tricked Stephan's son out of another 80 acres. CFW did not confront the bishop about the adultery but told others, including his future mother-in-law and swore them to secrecy.
Like his synodical heirs, Walther had no trouble violating Matthew 18 and the Eighth Commandment, when it suited his purposes.
Walther organized a mob of supporters, who came to Perryville, threatened the bishop's life, stole all his savings and personal possessions, and drove him from his house. The Walther mob forced Stephan across the Mississippi River, allowing Walther to take over the Pietistic cult.
Walther had a severe nervous breakdown while in school at Leipzig. He was starving himself to death. He gave Stephan credit for saving his life.
Walther's second breakdown struck after he got rid of Stephan, 1841.
His third major breakdown happened in 1859.
His emotional problems do not condemn him, but his actions and teachings do. He was not the American Luther, as some proclaim, but the Midwestern Spener, blending a little Luther with a lot of Pietism.
Walther established the template for synodical officials doing whatever they wanted, violating the law to get what they wanted, covering up abuse to suit themselves, but screaming about immorality to get rid of the competition. No tactic is too low for the leaders of the Synodical Conference today, but they are only following their true master, CFW Walther.
Worst of all, Walther was able to move his sect away from justification by faith, into acceptance of world absolution followed by making a decision. He did not clone Professor Knapp's opinions from Halle University. Walther was far cruder. Nevertheless, UOJ was slowly established in the Missouri Synod by 1932, about 100 years after Knapp promoted it in his lectures, which are still in print. F. Pieper and George Stoeckhardt, both picked by Walther, got UOJ canonized.
Meanwhile, the Wauwatosa men in the Wisconsin Sect, trained at St. Louis, rescued WELS from orthodoxy, supplanting the positive influence of Bading and Hoenecke with the Walther version of Calvinism.
More links about Walther can be found below:
Walther Only Kidnapped Two Children.
Walther, Pietist and Head Case.
Walther Family Felons.
Walther the Mob Leader and Robber.
The Criminal Foundation of the Synodical Conference.