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| Walther divided Lutherans and worked to create his own myth. |
I keep reading early LCMS history. I have a pile of books I am sending to another researcher. The official LCMS books remind me of Mormon and Roman Catholic devotionals. Nevertheless, history has a way of leaving behind crucial details.
One detail is the incredible closeness of the pioneers and how they protected themselves from scandal and prison by keeping the secrets. C. F. W. Walther's brother married one Buenger sister and Ferdinand married another one. Walther's brother died and Ferdinand took his call in St. Louis. Ludwig Fuerbringer's father married the Walther widow, which made Ferdinand his uncle. The Buenger family was directly involved in the kidnapping of Walther's niece and nephew, which was illegal. The mother was kept in prison for a time, thanks to the Walther brothers. She is the mother of the Walther/Fuerbringer brides.
Walther left early to escape arrest warrants for the kidnapping. Mrs. Buenger was also involved in the Walther-led riot against Bishop Stephan. The Missouri devotionals lie about Stephan's adultery being discovered suddenly in a confession and acted up with great haste and bravery by Ferdinand. Zion on the Mississippi concedes that everyone knew Stephan was an adulterer in Europe. The bishop brought his mistress over, but not his wife and children (except his healthy son). The big riot was not caused by adultery exposed but by an outbreak of syphilis in the Saxon group.
Ludwig wrote two books about the origins of the LCMS, but skipped over the first years. He did reveal that the valuable chalice used at Uncle Ferdinand's congregation was a personal gift to Bishop Stephan. That means Walther gloried in using a stolen chalice for Holy Communion. Of course, Missouri denies this fact, but there it is in Fuerbringer's book.
On the basis of a four-year degree from Leipzig, Walther made himself the one and only theologian of Synodical Conference, the Field Marshal of the Lutheran Church of North America. Everyone had to agree with his rationalistic-Pietistic opinions. America was so far gone into the Olde Church Growth Movement (revivalism) that Walther seemed Lutheran to many, in comparison. Many good things were done by the Missouri Synod to advance Luther and Lutheran theology, but it was not as glorious as people pretend.
Walther kept Lutherans apart by denouncing everyone outside his franchise as false teachers. He broke up the Old Synodical Conference, driving away many different groups instead of allowing unifying discussions.
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LPC has left a new comment on your post "Walther the Divider":
Walther kept Lutherans apart by denouncing everyone outside his franchise as false teachers. He broke up the Old Synodical Conference, driving away many different groups instead of allowing unifying discussions
This is typical of a cultic person. He persecuted those who did not agree with him and bad mouthed them. People did not agree with him because he was wrong but rather than admitting and receiving the correction, he branded those who corrected him as false teachers. He had prided himself as the champion of pure doctrine. This is what a cultic person does.
You know how I have believed that he was responsible for the fragmentation of American Lutheranism.
He was given too much power by his people and he was a legend in his own mind.
LPC
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GJ - Yes, Dr. Cruz. You can see the Walther template at work among the Unsteady Lutherans. An ELCA trained "Lutheran" writes from the Roman Catholic college where he teaches religion, and he declares, "Do not listen to Meyer and Jackson."
Walther was ruthless from the beginning. His unethical, bizarre behavior began with the kidnapping of his niece and nephew from his father's parsonage. He involved his future mother-in-law in the felonies, and she was put in prison. But Mrs. Buenger was not allowed to sail with the Saxons because that might have hurt their image. One can imagine their image. They were attacked in the press at home and in St. Louis.
Walther resigned his call when he left for America, but he still called himself the pastor of that parish when he pledged obedience to Bishop Stephan and again, when he forced Stephan out with a riot five months later. A man is not the pastor of that church when he has resigned his call. Walther was not a Waltherian.
Walther defrauded the bishop by stealing back the landed given to Stephan. That was another felony. He changed the title while secretly plotting to remove Stephan, using the Buenger family once again. Did he confront the bishop? No, he avoided the bishop, although the cover story was that he suddenly knew about the adultery from a confession offered up by two women. The defense of his action is even more perverted than violating the seal of the confessional. He did not violate any confidentiality because "everyone knew Stephan was an adulterer." I suppose leaving Europe with a mistress and without a wife was one clue. Perhaps Stephan's trial and house arrest in Dresden were additional clues. Living with his mistress at the spa, in the same room? Late night walks with young ladies? Cell group meetings in odd places? Groups in Dresden and in St. Louis?
Walther took over leadership of the Saxons at the Altenburg debate and by accepting his brother's congregational call after his co-felon died. Both happened at about the same time.
Walther's ruthlessness and dishonesty have been duplicated many times over by Synodical Conference leaders. Lying is considered good management. Bullying people and threatening pastors is considered good form, especially when overlooking the gross immorality of special pals and big donors.
