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“The Rev. Peter M. Prange, in his second volume, Wielding the Sword of the Spirit, Vol. Two: The Doctrine and Practice of Church Fellowship in the Synodical Conference (1868 – 1877), continues to demonstrate careful, detailed, insightful scholarship as he navigates the currents of change in the various strands of Lutheranism in the nineteenth century, up to and including the formation of the Synodical Conference (1872) and her early history. As Rev. Prange was so successful at filling out the caricatures of earlier German Lutheran leaders, that is, Walther, Grabau, and Loehe, he continues to satisfy many questions, asked or begged, with respect to the Lutheran factions in the next phase of Lutheran history in America. Especially helpful were the descriptions of leaders in the formation of the General Council and the Wisconsin Synod. This whole history is a colorful kaleidoscope of sanctification. Men exhibiting erroneous faithfulness in legalism, even to men who were the most marginal adherents to the Lutheran doctrine expressed in her confessions are splayed out here in American history for all to read. The consequent movement of faithful Lutherans from uncertainty in their position to certain and definite Biblical stances are here displayed to illustrate the life of sinners under Christ’s sanctifying cross. Necessary pain, healed only by the Gospel, proved that as every individual is in need of sanctification, so Lutheran Church bodies reel under this painful cross of sanctification, whose ongoing sin and error would only be forgiven and corrected by the Gospel and that painful and unpleasant (for sinful, fallen flesh which must die with Christ), but healing, regenerative process of repentance. The Synodical Conference’s realization that perfect unity in doctrine would be no more attainable in this Christian life than perfection of the individual, proved that these were, indeed Christian, Biblical realists, willing and able to suffer God’s ongoing sanctification of their own and others’ sins and errors, being brought from sin to righteousness, error to truth, death to life, self glory to God’s glory, by Christ in His grace alone.“
— Rev. Joel R. Baseley, Emmanuel Lutheran Church, Dearborn, Mich., and prolific translator of writings by C.F.W. Walther and Martin Luther
Volume Two covers the years from 1868-1877, during which time the Missouri Synod established formal church fellowship with the Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Ohio Synods and helped found the Synodical Conference. Chapter One details the establishment of the General Council in 1867 and the reasons why Walther and the Missourians steered clear of membership in that body. It also provides a detailed summary of Walther’s important essay on The True Visible Church, in which he thoroughly explained his doctrine and practice of church fellowship. Chapter Two provides a detailed account of the confessional maturity of the Wisconsin Synod, which finally led to its complete break with the German Union mission societies that had given it so much missionary and monetary support and its being recognized by the Missouri Synod as an orthodox church in 1868. Chapter Three highlights the important part that the Ohio Synod’s Matthias Loy played in urging Walther and the Missourians to assist in forming a united church body in America that would promote confessional Lutheranism in different languages, establish a joint seminary, and sort out the difficulty of rival Lutheran congregations within close proximity of one another. It also demonstrates the prominent role that Professor Friedrich August Schmidt played in publicly justifying the formation of the Synodical Conference through his 1871 Denkschrift and the important essay he offered on the doctrine of objective justification at the Conference’s inaugural convention in July 1872. Finally, and perhaps most important, this chapter focuses especially on the fact that the Synodical Conference was not established on the basis of absolute doctrinal unity, which can never be attained, but on the foundation of fundamental unity. Chapter Four treats some of the immediate practical issues that the Synodical Conference members faced after they were able to come together in 1872, especially the matter of congregational boundaries, establishing state synods, and founding a joint seminary.
Volume Two Book Details
Publisher: Joh. Ph. Koehler Press (2022)
Language: English
Hardcover: 296 pages
ISBN: 978-1794748125
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