The Lutheran History Podcast

This is a special episode of a presentation I prepared for the Society of German American Studies symposium in April in Milwaukee.--The year 2025 marks the 175th anniversary of the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod. Originally established in the Milwaukee area as the Die erste deutsch. evang.-luth. Synode von Wisconsin, this German immigrant ecclesiastical organization, immediately needed printed materials in its native language that would serve the needs of its people in a new geographic and social setting.  The Wisconsin Synod primarily sought to preserve and transmit conservative confessional Lutheranism in the first several generations.  The motto, “Halte was du hast,” crowned the synod's first regular publication, the Gemeindeblatt.  Its message, “Hold what you have,” reflects the conservative concern of the ministers who encouraged Lutheran immigrants to preserve their faith and pass it on to future generations.  Wisconsin Synod leaders also recognized that as the synod faced new challenges and opportunities in its frontier immigrant context, it must also apply theological principles in ways that precluded simplistic repristination of the 16th century Reformation.  The resulting “Wauwatosa Theology” came to life in the German publications of the synod.  To meet the needs of its laity, pastors, and scholars, the Wisconsin Synod locally produced various printed materials in the German language to meet its high theological standards.  These German American Lutherans required many printed materials: hymnals, service agendas, synodical reports, catechisms, bibles, and devotional literature.   Regular publications: the Gemeindeblatt and the Theologische Quartalschrifft not only served to communicate to and inform laity and pastors within the Wisconsin Synod but also spread its news and theology across the nation and back to the German homeland.  The Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod required German materials for well over a century—despite the erosion of a German-speaking demographic accelerated by two world wars.  In the post-war years, the synod experienced an irreversible transition from needing German materials to holding on to them for personal comfort.  Still, the synod continued to print officially in German regularly until 1970.  Support the show Confessional Languages Scholarship Youtube ( even more behind-the-scenes videos available for certain patron tiers) Facebook Website Interview Request Form email: thelutheranhistorypodcast@gmail.com About the Host Benjamin Phelps is a 2014 graduate from Martin Luther College with a Bachelor of Arts with a German emphasis. From there went on to graduate from Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary in 2018. Ben loves all things history and enjoys traveling. A descendant of over a dozen Lutheran pastors, Ben has an interest in his family roots, especially 19th-century Lutheranism, and has written several papers and journal articles on the topic. His 2018 thesis on Wyneken won the John Harrison Ness award and the Abdel Ross Wentz prize. He is also the recipient of two awards of commendation from the Concordia Historical Institute. Ben is currently a doctoral student in historical theology through Concordia Seminary's reduced residency program in St. Louis.

In this WELS 175th episode, we talk with Joel Otto, the anniversary committee chairman, about the pictorial history book Christ Through Us, which he co-authored with John Braun.Support the show Confessional Languages Scholarship Youtube ( even more behind-the-scenes videos available for certain patron tiers) Facebook Website Interview Request Form email: thelutheranhistorypodcast@gmail.com About the Host Benjamin Phelps is a 2014 graduate from Martin Luther College with a Bachelor of Arts with a German emphasis. From there went on to graduate from Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary in 2018. Ben loves all things history and enjoys traveling. A descendant of over a dozen Lutheran pastors, Ben has an interest in his family roots, especially 19th-century Lutheranism, and has written several papers and journal articles on the topic. His 2018 thesis on Wyneken won the John Harrison Ness award and the Abdel Ross Wentz prize. He is also the recipient of two awards of commendation from the Concordia Historical Institute. Ben is currently a doctoral student in historical theology through Concordia Seminary's reduced residency program in St. Louis.

In this WELS 175th episode, we talk with Joel Otto, the anniversary committee chairman, about what WELS worship has looked like in the past and how it has changed.Support the show Confessional Languages Scholarship Youtube ( even more behind-the-scenes videos available for certain patron tiers) Facebook Website Interview Request Form email: thelutheranhistorypodcast@gmail.com About the Host Benjamin Phelps is a 2014 graduate from Martin Luther College with a Bachelor of Arts with a German emphasis. From there went on to graduate from Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary in 2018. Ben loves all things history and enjoys traveling. A descendant of over a dozen Lutheran pastors, Ben has an interest in his family roots, especially 19th-century Lutheranism, and has written several papers and journal articles on the topic. His 2018 thesis on Wyneken won the John Harrison Ness award and the Abdel Ross Wentz prize. He is also the recipient of two awards of commendation from the Concordia Historical Institute. Ben is currently a doctoral student in historical theology through Concordia Seminary's reduced residency program in St. Louis.

image: Adolph Hoenecke from the host's family photo collection.In this WELS 175th episode, we talk with Prof. James Danell who teaches German at Martin Luther College in New Ulm, MN, about Adolph Hoenecke, who taught for many decades at the Wisconsin Synod's Seminary.  Prof. Danell speaks in this episode about his significant influence on the spirit and theology of the Wisconsin Synod.Not only does Danell teach the German language, but his advanced classes read through German Lutheran materials from the Reformation through the 19th and 20th century American Lutheran theologians.  His students, therefore, get to sharpen their German skills, study theology, and learn Church History--all at the same time!You can support the Confessional Language Scholarship here.Support the show Confessional Languages Scholarship Youtube ( even more behind-the-scenes videos available for certain patron tiers) Facebook Website Interview Request Form email: thelutheranhistorypodcast@gmail.com About the Host Benjamin Phelps is a 2014 graduate from Martin Luther College with a Bachelor of Arts with a German emphasis. From there went on to graduate from Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary in 2018. Ben loves all things history and enjoys traveling. A descendant of over a dozen Lutheran pastors, Ben has an interest in his family roots, especially 19th-century Lutheranism, and has written several papers and journal articles on the topic. His 2018 thesis on Wyneken won the John Harrison Ness award and the Abdel Ross Wentz prize. He is also the recipient of two awards of commendation from the Concordia Historical Institute. Ben is currently a doctoral student in historical theology through Concordia Seminary's reduced residency program in St. Louis.

This is part of a longer conversation I had with Prof. James Danell about the imperative need for scholars who know German to do Lutheran history.You can support the Confessional Language Scholarship at MLC to encourage this endeavor here.Support the show Confessional Languages Scholarship Youtube ( even more behind-the-scenes videos available for certain patron tiers) Facebook Website Interview Request Form email: thelutheranhistorypodcast@gmail.com About the Host Benjamin Phelps is a 2014 graduate from Martin Luther College with a Bachelor of Arts with a German emphasis. From there went on to graduate from Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary in 2018. Ben loves all things history and enjoys traveling. A descendant of over a dozen Lutheran pastors, Ben has an interest in his family roots, especially 19th-century Lutheranism, and has written several papers and journal articles on the topic. His 2018 thesis on Wyneken won the John Harrison Ness award and the Abdel Ross Wentz prize. He is also the recipient of two awards of commendation from the Concordia Historical Institute. Ben is currently a doctoral student in historical theology through Concordia Seminary's reduced residency program in St. Louis.

This is a cross-over episode with The Shepherd's Study Podcast, where I was a guest of Jared Natsis and Phil Moldenhauer.  We talked about the content and merits of the book Brand Luther which came out shortly before the Reformation 500th anniversary.The Shepherd's Study podcast is produced by Grow in Grace to help pastors grow in the art and practice of pastoral ministry. Each episode features Lutheran pastors discussing a book that is salient to their work.The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed are the speakers' own and do not represent the views, thoughts, and opinions of Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary or the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod. The material and information presented here is for general information purposes only.Support the show Confessional Languages Scholarship Youtube ( even more behind-the-scenes videos available for certain patron tiers) Facebook Website Interview Request Form email: thelutheranhistorypodcast@gmail.com About the Host Benjamin Phelps is a 2014 graduate from Martin Luther College with a Bachelor of Arts with a German emphasis. From there went on to graduate from Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary in 2018. Ben loves all things history and enjoys traveling. A descendant of over a dozen Lutheran pastors, Ben has an interest in his family roots, especially 19th-century Lutheranism, and has written several papers and journal articles on the topic. His 2018 thesis on Wyneken won the John Harrison Ness award and the Abdel Ross Wentz prize. He is also the recipient of two awards of commendation from the Concordia Historical Institute. Ben is currently a doctoral student in historical theology through Concordia Seminary's reduced residency program in St. Louis.

In this WELS 175 episode, we talk with Peter Prange about the third volume in his series, Wielding the Sword of the Spirit, in which he gets into the details and nuances of the Election Controversy that rocked the Synodical Conference.Support the show Youtube ( even more behind-the-scenes videos available for certain patron tiers) Facebook Website Interview Request Form email: thelutheranhistorypodcast@gmail.com About the Host Benjamin Phelps is a 2014 graduate from Martin Luther College with a Bachelor of Arts with a German emphasis. From there went on to graduate from Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary in 2018. Ben loves all things history and enjoys traveling. A descendant of over a dozen Lutheran pastors, Ben has an interest in his family roots, especially 19th-century Lutheranism, and has written several papers and journal articles on the topic. His 2018 thesis on Wyneken won the John Harrison Ness award and the Abdel Ross Wentz prize. He is also the recipient of two awards of commendation from the Concordia Historical Institute. Ben is currently a doctoral student in historical theology through Concordia Seminary's reduced residency program in St. Louis.

In this WELS 175th episode, Tim Grundmeier and I talk about who Johannes Muehlhaeuser was, Christmas trees, and the founding of the Wisconsin Synod.Support the show Youtube ( even more behind-the-scenes videos available for certain patron tiers) Facebook Website Interview Request Form email: thelutheranhistorypodcast@gmail.com About the Host Benjamin Phelps is a 2014 graduate from Martin Luther College with a Bachelor of Arts with a German emphasis. From there went on to graduate from Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary in 2018. Ben loves all things history and enjoys traveling. A descendant of over a dozen Lutheran pastors, Ben has an interest in his family roots, especially 19th-century Lutheranism, and has written several papers and journal articles on the topic. His 2018 thesis on Wyneken won the John Harrison Ness award and the Abdel Ross Wentz prize. He is also the recipient of two awards of commendation from the Concordia Historical Institute. Ben is currently a doctoral student in historical theology through Concordia Seminary's reduced residency program in St. Louis.

Image: JP Koehler at Wauwatosa Seminary, candid photo taken by a student.While going through some old boxes in my grandfather's basement, I stumbled upon something truly remarkable: my great-grandfather's diary. He was a student at the Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary from 1910 to 1912 and had the unique opportunity to learn from the famous Wauwatosa theologians of that era. As you can imagine, this diary could be a treasure trove of insights into the life of a seminary student over a century ago.But here's the thing—the handwriting is challenging to decipher. It's very different from what we're used to today, and to do it justice, I need to hire professional transcribers who can carefully decode its contents. Only then can I start the process of translating and studying it. This project isn't just personally meaningful to me; it could also provide valuable historical insights, and I plan to use it as the basis for an article in the Wisconsin Lutheran Quarterly Journal.Here's where I'm asking for your help. The cost of professional transcription is about $1500. To make this project a reality, I've set up a crowdfunding campaign. If this story resonates with you, if you're passionate about preserving history or just love a good discovery, I'd be incredibly grateful for your support. Whether you're able to contribute or just share the campaign with others, every bit helps.https://patreon.com/tlhp?utm_medium=unknown&utm_source=join_link&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=copyLinkSupport the show Youtube ( even more behind-the-scenes videos available for certain patron tiers) Facebook Website Interview Request Form email: thelutheranhistorypodcast@gmail.com About the Host Benjamin Phelps is a 2014 graduate from Martin Luther College with a Bachelor of Arts with a German emphasis. From there went on to graduate from Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary in 2018. Ben loves all things history and enjoys traveling. A descendant of over a dozen Lutheran pastors, Ben has an interest in his family roots, especially 19th-century Lutheranism, and has written several papers and journal articles on the topic. His 2018 thesis on Wyneken won the John Harrison Ness award and the Abdel Ross Wentz prize. He is also the recipient of two awards of commendation from the Concordia Historical Institute. Ben is currently a doctoral student in historical theology through Concordia Seminary's reduced residency program in St. Louis.

Link to the service and hymns: https://trinitylutheransd.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Reformation-Hymn-Festival-2024.pdf The first evangelical hymnal—which in retrospect we can also call the first Lutheran hymnal—rolled off the presses around the middle of January 1524. But interestingly, it did not roll off the presses in Wittenberg, even though the title page gave that impression, or even at Luther's instigation. It was printed by Jobst Gutknecht in Nuremberg, well over 200 miles to the south of Wittenberg, and apparently on his own initiative. Gutknecht compiled four hymns that had been individually published in Wittenberg on broadsheets in 1523 and 1524. He also obtained the texts of three additional Luther hymns, which were already being sung in services in Wittenberg. (There were no copyright laws back then, and printers regularly copied, reprinted, and sold works they obtained from elsewhere.) To these seven hymns he added one more anonymous one, which was possibly given to him in the composer's own manuscript. He published these eight hymns under the title:Some Christian Songs, Hymns of Praise, and Psalms, Produced in Conformity with the Pure Word of God from Holy Scripture by Various Well-Educated Men for Singing in Church, Just As Is Already Being Done with Some of Them in WittenbergSupport the show Lutheran History Shop Youtube ( even more behind-the-scenes videos available for certain patron tiers) Facebook Website Interview Request Form email: thelutheranhistorypodcast@gmail.com About the Host Benjamin Phelps is a 2014 graduate from Martin Luther College with a Bachelor of Arts with a German emphasis. From there went on to graduate from Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary in 2018. Ben loves all things history and enjoys traveling. A descendant of over a dozen Lutheran pastors, Ben has an interest in his family roots, especially 19th-century Lutheranism, and has written several papers and journal articles on the topic. His 2018 thesis on Wyneken won the John Harrison Ness award and the Abdel Ross Wentz prize. He is also the recipient of two awards of commendation from the Concordia Historical Institute. Ben is currently a doctoral student in historical theology through Concordia Seminary's reduced residency program in St. Louis.

Timothy Plichta is a WELS homeschooled high school student living in Germantown, WI. He loves Lutheran history in general and is especially enthralled with anything related to the CELC.Blue Grit Podcast: The Voice of Texas Law EnforcementHost: Clint McNear and Tyler Owen discussing topics, issues, and stories within the...Listen on: Apple Podcasts SpotifySupport the show Lutheran History Shop Youtube ( even more behind-the-scenes videos available for certain patron tiers) Facebook Website Interview Request Form email: thelutheranhistorypodcast@gmail.com About the Host Benjamin Phelps is a 2014 graduate from Martin Luther College with a Bachelor of Arts with a German emphasis. From there went on to graduate from Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary in 2018. Ben loves all things history and enjoys traveling. A descendant of over a dozen Lutheran pastors, Ben has an interest in his family roots, especially 19th-century Lutheranism, and has written several papers and journal articles on the topic. His 2018 thesis on Wyneken won the John Harrison Ness award and the Abdel Ross Wentz prize. He is also the recipient of two awards of commendation from the Concordia Historical Institute. Ben is currently a doctoral student in historical theology through Concordia Seminary's reduced residency program in St. Louis.

This episode is a fuller version of my presentation given at the 2024 Lutheran Historical Conference in Baltimore. Link to the full video of this episode.One church historian observed that “ It would require pages and pages to report Wyneken's work during his pastorate [in Baltimore].”  This episode will examine one specific topic- how Wyneken contested for a genuine Lutheran identity and practice in the following arenas in Baltimore:2nd German Evangelical Lutheran ChurchEvangelical Lutheran General SynodForming the German Evangelical Lutheran Synod of Missouri, etc.The IOOF, Red Men, and other lodgeshttps://youtu.be/T9m8usSbwSESupport the show Lutheran History Shop Youtube ( even more behind-the-scenes videos available for certain patron tiers) Facebook Website Interview Request Form email: thelutheranhistorypodcast@gmail.com About the Host Benjamin Phelps is a 2014 graduate from Martin Luther College with a Bachelor of Arts with a German emphasis. From there went on to graduate from Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary in 2018. Ben loves all things history and enjoys traveling. A descendant of over a dozen Lutheran pastors, Ben has an interest in his family roots, especially 19th-century Lutheranism, and has written several papers and journal articles on the topic. His 2018 thesis on Wyneken won the John Harrison Ness award and the Abdel Ross Wentz prize. He is also the recipient of two awards of commendation from the Concordia Historical Institute. Ben is currently a doctoral student in historical theology through Concordia Seminary's reduced residency program in St. Louis.

Image: Johannes BugenhagenDuring the Reformation Martin Luther restored many Christian teachings to its proper biblical understanding. One of the men who worked with Luther in communicating those teachings was Johannes Bugenhagen. This episode explores one specific way Bugenhagen communicated the doctrine of the Two Kingdoms in The Christian Order of the Honorable City of Braunschweig. His answer to the question is especially evident in the section of this Kirchenordnung that deals with relief for the poor.Support the show Lutheran History Shop Youtube ( even more behind-the-scenes videos available for certain patron tiers) Facebook Website Interview Request Form email: thelutheranhistorypodcast@gmail.com About the Host Benjamin Phelps is a 2014 graduate from Martin Luther College with a Bachelor of Arts with a German emphasis. From there went on to graduate from Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary in 2018. Ben loves all things history and enjoys traveling. A descendant of over a dozen Lutheran pastors, Ben has an interest in his family roots, especially 19th-century Lutheranism, and has written several papers and journal articles on the topic. His 2018 thesis on Wyneken won the John Harrison Ness award and the Abdel Ross Wentz prize. He is also the recipient of two awards of commendation from the Concordia Historical Institute. Ben is currently a doctoral student in historical theology through Concordia Seminary's reduced residency program in St. Louis.

Image U.V. Koren “How is our America doing?” That is the poignant question that C.F.W. Walther (1811 1887), the President of Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, asks in his Synod's theological journal, “Lehre und Wehre” in 1863. In a series of articles written in the Spring of that year, on the eve of the Civil War, Walther addressed topics such as slavery, abolitionism, the nature of America as having been founded on “Enlightenment” principles, as well as how Lutherans can remain faithful to God's Word in the face of fiery political debates in a democratic context. Of course, Walther was grappling with a much broader question that endures to this day among Lutherans living in America, and that is, what does it mean to be both an “American” and a “Lutheran”? Rev. Andrew Soule discusses the views of Clausen, Koren, and Walther.Support the show Lutheran History Shop Youtube ( even more behind-the-scenes videos available for certain patron tiers) Facebook Website Interview Request Form email: thelutheranhistorypodcast@gmail.com About the Host Benjamin Phelps is a 2014 graduate from Martin Luther College with a Bachelor of Arts with a German emphasis. From there went on to graduate from Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary in 2018. Ben loves all things history and enjoys traveling. A descendant of over a dozen Lutheran pastors, Ben has an interest in his family roots, especially 19th-century Lutheranism, and has written several papers and journal articles on the topic. His 2018 thesis on Wyneken won the John Harrison Ness award and the Abdel Ross Wentz prize. He is also the recipient of two awards of commendation from the Concordia Historical Institute. Ben is currently a doctoral student in historical theology through Concordia Seminary's reduced residency program in St. Louis.

Image: city of Brunswick (Braunschweig) in the 16th centuryIn Becoming Lutheran, Dr. John Maxfield discusses several key aspects of Lutheran culture that shape the identity and practice of Lutherans as the Reformation grew and developed outside of the center of Wittenberg.  The story of Brunswick engages with Reformation historiography in a way that takes genuine religious convictions seriously as pamphlets and preaching spread the Gospel to every level of society.Support the show Lutheran History Shop Youtube ( even more behind-the-scenes videos available for certain patron tiers) Facebook Website Interview Request Form email: thelutheranhistorypodcast@gmail.com About the Host Benjamin Phelps is a 2014 graduate from Martin Luther College with a Bachelor of Arts with a German emphasis. From there went on to graduate from Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary in 2018. Ben loves all things history and enjoys traveling. A descendant of over a dozen Lutheran pastors, Ben has an interest in his family roots, especially 19th-century Lutheranism, and has written several papers and journal articles on the topic. His 2018 thesis on Wyneken won the John Harrison Ness award and the Abdel Ross Wentz prize. He is also the recipient of two awards of commendation from the Concordia Historical Institute. Ben is currently a doctoral student in historical theology through Concordia Seminary's reduced residency program in St. Louis.

Send us a Text Message.We welcome back Pastor Scott Henrich, a WELS pastor serving in Knoxville, Tennessee.  His experiences reading historic Lutheran sermons inspired him to research Lutheranism's homiletical heritage in a way that may challenge some contemporary assumptions about the historic perception of Lutheran preaching. (See TLHP 39)You can contact him here: scottwhenrich@gmail.comToday he offers further thoughts and research after studying Walther's Pastoral Theology."While C. F. W. Walther needs no introduction for conservative American Lutherans, his Pastoral Theology does. Originally published in 1872, it was not translated into English in its entirety until 2017. (An abridged version, found under various titles, was published in 1995.) In it, Walther condenses a tradition of over 300 years of Lutheran pastoral practice. In a purely historical sense, it is a contribution of great interest, without which the non-specialist would be cut off from centuries of his heritage. Walther's project, however, goes beyond remembrance, or even repristination. The “American” in the book's original title (Americanisch-Lutherische Pastoraltheologie) was no accident (3). His intent was to help pastors apply that heritage, mined from God's Word and initially expressed in the state churches of Europe, to their own time and place. To that end especially, this book is a gift to the Lutheran pastor." -S.H.Support the Show. Lutheran History Shop Youtube ( even more behind-the-scenes videos available for certain patron tiers) Facebook Website Interview Request Form email: thelutheranhistorypodcast@gmail.com About the Host Benjamin Phelps is a 2014 graduate from Martin Luther College with a Bachelor of Arts with a German emphasis. From there went on to graduate from Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary in 2018. Ben loves all things history and enjoys traveling. A descendant of over a dozen Lutheran pastors, Ben has an interest in his family roots, especially 19th-century Lutheranism, and has written several papers and journal articles on the topic. His 2018 thesis on Wyneken won the John Harrison Ness award and the Abdel Ross Wentz prize. He is also the recipient of two awards of commendation from the Concordia Historical Institute. Ben is currently a doctoral student in historical theology through Concordia Seminary's reduced residency program in St. Louis.

Heather R. Darsie lives in the United States. She has a Bachelor of Arts in German Languages and Literature, and a Juris Doctorate. During her time at university, she had the privilege of studying in Costa Rica and France, with visits to Germany and other countries.Ms. Darsie first became interested in the Renaissance time period when she read a biography about Elizabeth I of England. She found Elizabeth I to be very inspiring and her world to be both foreign and familiar.Ms. Darsie has spent the last ten years researching the history of the Holy Roman Empire. This has helped her gain perspective as to the political world stage during the Renaissance.As a bibliophile, she turned her attention to illuminated manuscripts. She is learning more each day and is glad to share it with you.  Today we talk about Lutheran connections to the House of Cleves.Her book:  Children of the House of Cleves: Anna and Her Siblingshttps://maidensandmanuscripts.com/Support the Show. Lutheran History Shop Youtube ( even more behind-the-scenes videos available for certain patron tiers) Facebook Website Interview Request Form email: thelutheranhistorypodcast@gmail.com About the Host Benjamin Phelps is a 2014 graduate from Martin Luther College with a Bachelor of Arts with a German emphasis. From there went on to graduate from Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary in 2018. Ben loves all things history and enjoys traveling. A descendant of over a dozen Lutheran pastors, Ben has an interest in his family roots, especially 19th-century Lutheranism, and has written several papers and journal articles on the topic. His 2018 thesis on Wyneken won the John Harrison Ness award and the Abdel Ross Wentz prize. He is also the recipient of two awards of commendation from the Concordia Historical Institute. Ben is currently a doctoral student in historical theology through Concordia Seminary's reduced residency program in St. Louis.

Image: Martin Luther by Lucas Cranach the Younger"Wittenberg Uses of Law and Gospel"Our guest today Dr. Robert A. Kolb is a professor emeritus of Systematic Theology at Concordia Seminary, St. Louis.  See the emeritus faculty page at Concordia Lutheran Seminary:Kolb retired in 2009 after 16 years of distinguished service as missions professor of Systematic Theology and Concordia Lutheran Seminary in St. Louis. Before joining the Seminary, he served as director of the Center for Reformation Research, and in various teaching roles in the religion and history departments at Concordia College in St. Paul, Minn.  He has taken much time over many years to teach abroad. He also has been involved in several boards—serving both officially on behalf of the LCMS on commissions, and a leader of 16th century and Reformation societies. There is not enough time to list everything he has written, but I included a selection today: He is the author of several books, including The Christian Faith: A Luther Exposition; The Genius of Luther's Theology: A Wittenberg Way of Thinking for the Contemporary Church with Dr. Charles Arand; Studies of the Interpretation of Holy Scripture in the Sixteenth and Seventeenth Century; Lutheran Ecclesiastical Culture, 1550-1675; Bound Choice, Election, and Wittenberg Theological Method from Martin Luther to the Formula of Concord; Sources and Contexts of the Book of Concord, co-edited with James A. Nestingen; Teaching God's Children His Teaching, a Guide to the Study of Luther's Catechism; and the list goes on. Perhaps where his name is on most Lutheran bookshelves is in the Book of Concord—he was one of the editors and translators of the most used English edition today. He also has written more than 100 articles and a collection of essays.  One of the most recent, titled Wittenberg Uses of Law and Gospel, was published in the Fall edition of the 2023 Lutheran Quarterly and is the focus of this podcast episode.Support the show Lutheran History Shop Youtube ( even more behind-the-scenes videos available for certain patron tiers) Facebook Website Interview Request Form email: thelutheranhistorypodcast@gmail.com About the Host Benjamin Phelps is a 2014 graduate from Martin Luther College with a Bachelor of Arts with a German emphasis. From there went on to graduate from Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary in 2018. Ben loves all things history and enjoys traveling. A descendant of over a dozen Lutheran pastors, Ben has an interest in his family roots, especially 19th-century Lutheranism, and has written several papers and journal articles on the topic. His 2018 thesis on Wyneken won the John Harrison Ness award and the Abdel Ross Wentz prize. He is also the recipient of two awards of commendation from the Concordia Historical Institute. Ben is currently a doctoral student in historical theology through Concordia Seminary's reduced residency program in St. Louis.

Image:  Wittenberg c. 1530 from the host's personal collection.In May 1536 several prominent Reformed reformers traveled to Wittenberg to confess their understanding of what is received in the sacrament of Holy Communion and who receives it.  Luther, Melancthon, and other Lutheran reformers readily signed on in agreement concerning this contentious doctrine.  This was seen as a significant breakthrough and a celebrated establishment of fellowship and would later directly influence the Formula of Concord.Read more about this topic here in Gordon Jensen's book.Support the show Lutheran History Shop Youtube ( even more behind-the-scenes videos available for certain patron tiers) Facebook Website Interview Request Form email: thelutheranhistorypodcast@gmail.com About the Host Benjamin Phelps is a 2014 graduate from Martin Luther College with a Bachelor of Arts with a German emphasis. From there went on to graduate from Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary in 2018. Ben loves all things history and enjoys traveling. A descendant of over a dozen Lutheran pastors, Ben has an interest in his family roots, especially 19th-century Lutheranism, and has written several papers and journal articles on the topic. His 2018 thesis on Wyneken won the John Harrison Ness award and the Abdel Ross Wentz prize. He is also the recipient of two awards of commendation from the Concordia Historical Institute. Ben is currently a doctoral student in historical theology through Concordia Seminary's reduced residency program in St. Louis.

In this episode, translator Michael Holmen takes us through J. W. F. Höfling's How the Lutheran Church is Constituted (Grundsätze evangelisch-lutherischer Kirchenverfassung).In his book Höfling describes how the Lutheran church should be constituted according to the principles given in the Lutheran Confessions and in Martin Luther's writings. Höfling sees the teachings of church and ministry in the Lutheran church as being very different from what the Roman Catholic church teaches. In the wake of the 1848 revolutions, he is also concerned about the loss of the sovereigns as the Summepiskopat of the churches in Germany. He offers his advice for how the churches should work towards structuring themselves in the wake of these new conditions.This third edition of his work has extensive endnotes, which are often more like excurses, where he elaborates on what he has said in previous editions and responds to objections from opponents.Support the show Lutheran History Shop Youtube ( even more behind-the-scenes videos available for certain patron tiers) Facebook Website Interview Request Form email: thelutheranhistorypodcast@gmail.com About the Host Benjamin Phelps is a 2014 graduate from Martin Luther College with a Bachelor of Arts with a German emphasis. From there went on to graduate from Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary in 2018. Ben loves all things history and enjoys traveling. A descendant of over a dozen Lutheran pastors, Ben has an interest in his family roots, especially 19th-century Lutheranism, and has written several papers and journal articles on the topic. His 2018 thesis on Wyneken won the John Harrison Ness award and the Abdel Ross Wentz prize. He is also the recipient of two awards of commendation from the Concordia Historical Institute. Ben is currently a doctoral student in historical theology through Concordia Seminary's reduced residency program in St. Louis.

Image: Carl and Gottlieb Damler.  These brothers immigrated to Manitowoc County, WI from the principality of Lippe-Detmold in the early 1850s.  Although confirmed Reformed, they worshiped first in a union congregation, but then joined the Lutheran church under the leadership of Pastor Koehler.  Carl is the host's g-g-g-grandfather.Our returning guest, Pastor Peter Prange, provides a detailed account of the formation and confessional maturation 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 recognition by the Missouri Synod as an orthodox church preceding the formation of the Synodical Conference.Support the show Lutheran History Shop Youtube ( even more behind-the-scenes videos available for certain patron tiers) Facebook Website Interview Request Form About the Host email:thelutheranhistorypodcast@gmail.com

Image: Right wing of the Altar Triptych in St. Peter und Paul, Weimar by Cranach - Lutheran princes of the House of Wettin in worshipWorship of the triune God has always stood at the center of the Christian life. That was certainly the case during the sixteenth-century Reformation as well. Yet amid tremendous social and theological upheaval, the church had to renew its understanding of what it means to worship God.In this episode, Reformed Reformation scholar Karin Maag takes us inside the worshiping life of the church during this era. Drawing from sources across theological traditions, she explores several aspects of the church's worship, including what it was like to attend church, reforms in preaching, the function of prayer, how Christians experienced the sacraments, and the roles of both visual art and music in worship.Support the show Lutheran History Shop Youtube ( even more behind-the-scenes videos available for certain patron tiers) Facebook Website Interview Request Form About the Host email:thelutheranhistorypodcast@gmail.com

Image: The Account of How Two Men of the Augustinian Order Were Martyred in Brussels in Brabant for the Sake of the Gospel (Erfurt, 1523)Five hundred years ago, on July 1, 1523, two observant Augustinian monks from Antwerp, Hendrik Voes and Jan van den Esschen, were degraded, condemned, and burned at the stake by Roman Catholic authorities in the Grand Plaza of Brussels, today an UNESCO World Heritage Site. These monks were adherents of Luther's Reformation doctrine, making them the first Lutheran Christian martyrs and, as Martin Luther himself noted, perhaps the first Christian martyrs ever in the Low Countries.For this episode, we welcome back Pastor Nathaniel Biebert for his mini-series, "Details Less OftenTold," where he examines fascinating hidden details of the Reformation 500 years later.Support the show Lutheran History Shop Youtube ( even more behind-the-scenes videos available for certain patron tiers) Facebook Website Interview Request Form About the Host email:thelutheranhistorypodcast@gmail.com

Image:Johann GerhardIn this episode, our guest Rev. Caauwe gives a detailed overview of various forms of Lutheran devotional piety developed in the 16th and 17th centuries as well as a discussion on how that devotional heritage has been transferred through the generations.Support the show Lutheran History Shop Youtube ( even more behind-the-scenes videos available for certain patron tiers) Facebook Website Interview Request Form About the Host email:thelutheranhistorypodcast@gmail.com

(Image: Synodical Conference founders from Lutherans in All Lands, 1896)Dr. C.F.W. Walther worked tirelessly to realize his dream of a Lutheran Zion in North America that would combine and coordinate ministry efforts of faithful Lutherans in the United States and Canada to proclaim the gospel primarily in German, English, and Norwegian. He took center stage in the history of the doctrine and practice of church fellowship among those Lutherans who organized the Evangelical Lutheran Synodical Conference of North America in 1872. With the Spirit's help, six confessional Lutheran church bodies in the American Midwest would forge a gospel ministry partnership that could and would have a profound impact on American and world Lutheranism for decades. But how did it happen? Had these synods discovered the Holy Grail of complete doctrinal agreement? No, they hadn't. Nor did they expect to find it. Instead, the Synodical Conference was founded on fundamental unity, an important fact that has been too often overlooked by subsequent generations of Lutheran church historians and church leaders. But what did these Lutheran fathers mean by fundamental unity? This volume deals with and answers that question and many more.Get the bookSupport the show Lutheran History Shop Youtube ( even more behind-the-scenes videos available for certain patron tiers) Facebook Website Interview Request Form About the Host email:thelutheranhistorypodcast@gmail.com

Listen to this tribute to Alaska's Lutheran history as I prepare to say goodbye to the wonderful 49th state with deep and unique Lutheran roots!Support the show Lutheran History Shop Youtube ( even more behind-the-scenes videos available for certain patron tiers) Facebook Website Interview Request Form About the Host email:thelutheranhistorypodcast@gmail.com

"For Midwestern Lutheran synods, the 20th century was especially dramatic and even traumatic. ..In his article, Dr. Braun describes some of the tensions within two predominantly Midwestern Lutheran bodies, the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod (WELS) and The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod (LCMS), as these Lutherans struggled to adapt to change without sacrificing eternal truths and treasured traditions. "  [Concordia Historical Institute Quarterly 79, 3 (Fall), 180-194] Dr. Mark Braun is a former professor of theology at Wisconsin Lutheran College, Milwaukee, Wisconsin.  He is most known for his Tale of Two Synods.Support the show Lutheran History Shop Youtube ( even more behind-the-scenes videos available for certain patron tiers) Facebook Website Interview Request Form About the Host email:thelutheranhistorypodcast@gmail.com

Image: Reinhold L. Pieper (1850-1920)Isaac Johnson graduated from Hillsdale College in Hillsdale, MI with a degree in Latin in 2011 and attended Concordia Theological Seminary in Fort Wayne, IN. During his time at seminary he spent two years studying at the Lutheran theological seminary (Evangelisch-Lutherische Hochschule) in Oberursel, Germany. He was ordained in 2016 and was called to serve Risen Christ Lutheran Church in Davenport, Iowa. He now serves New Hope Lutheran Church, a mission congregation in Charles City, Iowa. Isaac has a strong interest in homiletics and the German language and is currently engaged in translating Reinhold Pieper's Homiletics textbook (Evangelish-Lutherische Homiletik)Support the show Lutheran History Shop Youtube ( even more behind-the-scenes videos available for certain patron tiers) Facebook Website Interview Request Form About the Host email:thelutheranhistorypodcast@gmail.com

Image: Three generations of Franks and Kerlers in Greenfield 1889."I prefer America," one German Lutheran immigrant wrote. Letters of German Lutheran immigrants in 19th century America give under-analyzed perspectives of lay members and their views of church establishment and denominational selection.Support the show Lutheran History Shop Youtube ( even more behind-the-scenes videos available for certain patron tiers) Facebook Website Interview Request Form About the Host email:thelutheranhistorypodcast@gmail.com

Image: Regina, Veronica and Frank Kerler"I prefer America," one German Lutheran immigrant wrote. Letters of German Lutheran immigrants in 19th century America give under-analyzed perspectives of lay members and their views of church establishment and denominational selection.Support the show Lutheran History Shop Youtube ( even more behind-the-scenes videos available for certain patron tiers) Facebook Website Interview Request Form About the Host email:thelutheranhistorypodcast@gmail.com

In 1929, the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod (WELS) was a small church body serving primarily German immigrants with congregations in twelve states, mostly in the  Midwest; the only “foreign” work was a mission on the Apache reservation in Arizona. By 1961,  WELS was still only in sixteen states, but WELS missionaries were working in Japan and  Central Africa. By 1983, WELS was carrying out mission work in ten foreign nations and had a  presence in every state. This mission expansion occurred despite extensive crosses the synod had to bear: the burden of a substantial debt during the Depression years and other financial challenges, a world war, a shortage of pastors at varying times, and a lengthy doctrinal battle with the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod (LCMS) that ended in the painful severing of fellowship ties in 1961. In addition, extensive building projects on the ministerial education campuses of the Wisconsin Synod and the establishment and expansion of area Lutheran high schools and Lutheran elementary schools, as well as building programs at local congregations, were also ongoing during this time period. These various challenges and obstacles contributed to internal tensions over budget priorities and synod mission policies. Some of these crosses became catalysts for mission work. By examining primary source materials, this thesis endeavors to demonstrate that WELS had to persevere under numerous heavy crosses in order to carry out a vigorous mission expansion program at home and abroad, resulting in a nationwide and worldwide confessional church body.Read the paper hereSupport the show Lutheran History Shop Youtube ( even more behind-the-scenes videos available for certain patron tiers) Facebook Website Interview Request Form About the Host email:thelutheranhistorypodcast@gmail.com

In this episode, we welcome back Rev. Nathaniel Biebert to continue his mini-series on lesser-known details of 500th anniversaries of the Reformation.Here, we focus on the 500th anniversary of the "September Testament."  In this case,  almost any detail will be a “detail less often  told.” Most Lutherans familiar with Luther's life are aware that he translated the New  Testament into German at the Wartburg in less than eleven weeks, that it was published later that year, that he famously included the word alone in his translation of Romans  3:28, and that his translation (not just of the Testament, but eventually of the Bible as a  whole) helped to standardize the German language and to unify German-speaking peoples.Support the show Lutheran History Shop Youtube ( even more behind-the-scenes videos available for certain patron tiers) Facebook Website Interview Request Form About the Host email:thelutheranhistorypodcast@gmail.com

Today's guest is Pastor Scott Henrich, a WELS pastor serving in Knoxville, Tennessee.  His experiences reading historic Lutheran sermons inspired him to research Lutheranism's homiletical heritage in a way that may challenge some contemporary assumptions about the historic perception of Lutheran preaching.Support the show

From his earliest memories to his final legacy, Wyneken's life story can be told in connection with the catechism.  It is a story of Lutheran catechesis on both sides of the Atlantic.  It is a story of centuries of Lutheran catechesis practices in German lands.  It is a story that highlights the impact of catechesis upon those who immigrated in the 19th century.  Wyneken's ministry unfolds details on the practice of teaching children and adults.  His leadership highlighted the clear need to form individual character and congregational culture.  He took part in the transition from state to synod catechisms and formed the place of the catechism in the Missouri Synod's mission and identity.Support the show

The Lutheran History Podcast is back!Support the show

Image: Albrecht Dürer The AnnunciationToday's guest is Dr. Beth Kreitzer was raised in California and has degrees from Stanford and Duke Universities.  Her graduate study in the Program of Religion at Duke focused upon the history of the Church from the patristic era through the early modern period.  Her dissertation, upon the images of Mary in Lutheran sermons of the 16th century, was also her first book, "Reforming Mary." Kreitzer's work looks at Lutheran sermons between 1520 and 1580 and the various occasions on the church calendar where Mary is the main or at least a major focus.  While some aspects of reforming the Church's view and use of Mary focused on key concepts like salvation through faith alone through Christ alone, other aspects of reforming Mary seem less doctrinally central but were just as impactful to the life of everyday Christians.  You can purchase the book here:https://www.amazon.com/Reforming-Mary-Changing-Sixteenth-Historical/dp/019516654XSupport the show

Image:  The Wartburg Castle taken during my trip there in 2016.In this episode, we continue our series with Pastor Nathaniel Biebert where he digs into the lesser-known details of important milestones in the life of Luther and the Reformation.  Here we look at Luther's "capture" on his way back from the Diet of Worms and his time at the Wartburg Castle.  Support the show

A must-know topic for understanding 19th-century Lutheranism!Order online at www.oup.com/academic with promotion code AAFLYG6 to save 30%!Historians of modern German culture and church history refer to "the Awakening movement" (die Erweckungsbewegung) to describe a period in the history of German Protestantism between the end of the Napoleonic Wars in 1815 and the Revolution of 1848. "The Awakening" was the last major nationwide Protestant reform and revival movement to occur in Germany. This book analyzes numerous primary sources from the era of the Awakening and synthesizes the current state of German scholarship for an English-speaking audience. It examines the Awakening as a product of the larger social changes that were re-shaping German society during the early decades of the nineteenth century. Theologically, Awakened Protestants were traditionalists. They affirmed religious doctrines that orthodox Protestants had professed since the confessional statements of the Reformation-era. Awakened Protestants rejected the changes that Enlightenment thought had introduced into Protestant theology and preaching since the mid-eighteenth century. However, Awakened Protestants were also themselves distinctly modern. Their efforts to spread their religious beliefs were successful because of the new political freedoms and economic opportunities that the Enlightenment had introduced. These social conditions gave German Protestants new means and abilities to pursue their religious goals. Awakened Protestants were leaders in the German churches and in the universities. They used their influence to found many voluntary organizations for evangelism, in Germany and abroad. They also established many institutions to ameliorate the living conditions of those in poverty. Adapting Protestantism to modern society in these ways was the most original and innovative aspect of the Awakening movement.Support the show

A must-know topic for understanding 19th-century Lutheranism!Order online at www.oup.com/academic with promotion code AAFLYG6 to save 30%!Historians of modern German culture and church history refer to "the Awakening movement" (die Erweckungsbewegung) to describe a period in the history of German Protestantism between the end of the Napoleonic Wars in 1815 and the Revolution of 1848. "The Awakening" was the last major nationwide Protestant reform and revival movement to occur in Germany. This book analyzes numerous primary sources from the era of the Awakening and synthesizes the current state of German scholarship for an English-speaking audience. It examines the Awakening as a product of the larger social changes that were re-shaping German society during the early decades of the nineteenth century. Theologically, Awakened Protestants were traditionalists. They affirmed religious doctrines that orthodox Protestants had professed since the confessional statements of the Reformation-era. Awakened Protestants rejected the changes that Enlightenment thought had introduced into Protestant theology and preaching since the mid-eighteenth century. However, Awakened Protestants were also themselves distinctly modern. Their efforts to spread their religious beliefs were successful because of the new political freedoms and economic opportunities that the Enlightenment had introduced. These social conditions gave German Protestants new means and abilities to pursue their religious goals. Awakened Protestants were leaders in the German churches and in the universities. They used their influence to found many voluntary organizations for evangelism, in Germany and abroad. They also established many institutions to ameliorate the living conditions of those in poverty. Adapting Protestantism to modern society in these ways was the most original and innovative aspect of the Awakening movement.Support the show

James is the pastor of First Lutheran Church of El Cajon, CA where he lives with his wife, Kristan and their two cats. He is a graduate of Concordia University Wisconsin and Concordia Seminary, St. Louis. A writer, photographer, and independent historian, James focuses on the history of Chicago Lutheran ministry and black Lutheran ministry, hoping to leverage the lessons of ministry past to help understand current and future work in urban centers.You can check out James' work at his blog here: https://jameshuenink.wordpress.com/Support the show

James is the pastor of First Lutheran Church of El Cajon, CA where he lives with his wife, Kristan and their two cats. He is a graduate of Concordia University Wisconsin and Concordia Seminary, St. Louis. A writer, photographer, and independent historian, James focuses on the history of Chicago Lutheran ministry and black Lutheran ministry, hoping to leverage the lessons of ministry past to help understand current and future work in urban centers. You can check out James' work at his blog here: https://jameshuenink.wordpress.com/Support the show

In celebration of the commencement of plans to publish my biography of FCD Wyneken with the help of the Concordia Historical Institute, I am releasing an audio version of a presentation I prepared four years ago, covering the main points of my research as it stood then.  While I would change a few things today and add a lot more, it will hopefully serve to peak your interest in this topic before the book comes out.  Video version hereSupport the show

Today we welcome back Pastor Beibert to discuss his research and presentation on Luther at Worms in 1521, one of the most iconic and significant events in the history of the Church.Support the show

Image: Kenneth Wyatt – Circuit Rider.Today's guest author is pastor Justin Dauk. A native of northeastern Wisconsin, he is a 2011 graduate of Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary.  He has served a dual parish in northcentral South Dakota for 7-1/2 years.  Since January 2021, he has been serving as associate pastor at St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Plymouth, NE, and Christ Lutheran Church in Beatrice, NE.  He is also on the board for the WELS Historical Institute.  Lutheran History ShopSupport the showSupport the show

Stephen Gurgel is a 2011 graduate from Martin Luther College: Bachelor of Science in Education and a 2012 graduate from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee: Master of Arts in History.  His 2012 thesis, a War to End All Germans, Wisconsin Synod Lutherans and the First World War, offers a detailed account and analysis of the social and political forces that persecuted the German Lutherans of the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod during WWI.You can read the thesis hereLutheran History ShopSupport the show

Image: Haugianere by Adolph Tidemand (1852)Thomas Jacobson currently serves part-time as pastor of Good Shepherd Evangelical Lutheran Church of Lindy, Nebraska, and as an adjunct instructor of historical theology at the Institute of Lutheran theology in Brookings, South Dakota. He completed his Bachelor of Arts degree at Augustana University (SD) in 2002, his Master of Divinity degree at Luther Seminary in 2006, and his Doctor of Philosophy degree also at Luther Seminary in 2018. His main research interest is American Lutheran history, especially the Scandinavian-American church experience. He resides in Menno, South Dakota with his family.  He is delighted to share information about the inspiring and often misunderstood figure of Hans Nielsen Hauge.You can read his dissertation hereLutheran History ShopSupport the show

Image: Hans Nielsen HaugeThomas Jacobson currently serves part-time as pastor of Good Shepherd Evangelical Lutheran Church of Lindy, Nebraska, and as an adjunct instructor of historical theology at the Institute of Lutheran theology in Brookings, South Dakota. He completed his Bachelor of Arts degree at Augustana University (SD) in 2002, his Master of Divinity degree at Luther Seminary in 2006, and his Doctor of Philosophy degree also at Luther Seminary in 2018. His main research interest is American Lutheran history, especially the Scandinavian-American church experience. He resides in Menno, South Dakota with his family.  He is delighted to share information about the inspiring and often misunderstood figure of Hans Nielsen Hauge.You can read his dissertation here Lutheran History ShopSupport the show

Image FCD Wyneken in old ageWielding the Sword of the Spirit recounts the history surrounding the doctrine and practice of church fellowship in the Missouri Synod, especially under the leadership of Carl Ferdinand Wilhelm Walther.Volume One of this two-part history covers the years from the Saxon immigration to Missouri in 1838-1839 until 1867, just before the founding of the General Council. Not only does it chart the history of the Missourians' doctrine and practice of church fellowship during their first thirty years in America, it also provides an in-depth account of how they came to the positions they held on important matters of theology. It details their burgeoning fellowship relationships with the Buffalo Synod's Johannes Grabau and the patron of the Missouri and Iowa Synods, Pastor Wilhelm Loehe, in the 1840s and 1850s and their eventual split with both due to different positions on church and ministry, confessional subscription, open questions, chiliasm, and evangelical pastoral practice. It also highlights the central role Walther played in promoting a Lutheran confessional consciousness among the American Lutherans of his day--especially his single-minded emphasis on the objective nature of justification--Finally, it presents a clear recounting and analysis of why, under God, the Missouri Synod experienced an exponential growth--and developed a vigorous esprit de corps.Wielding the Sword of the Spirit highlights how these early Missourians maintained a firm grip on the teachings of Scripture and the Lutheran Confessions while also carefully distinguishing between weak Christians, who lacked proper insight and instruction, and stubborn errorists, who denied the clear teachings of Scripture against better knowledge. When carefully considered in their historical context, Walther and his colleagues modeled a faithful and evangelical doctrine and practice of church fellowship that followed in the footsteps of Jesus, St. Paul, and Martin Luther. They wielded the sword of the Spirit vigorously and evangelically, while also striving to do their very best to "keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace"Peter M. Prange serves as an associate pastor at New Life Ev. Lutheran Church in Kenosha and Somers, Wis. He is a 1998 graduate of Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary, Mequon, Wis. He has researched and written extensively on the history and doctrine of the Synodical Conference, with a special emphasis on the connection between C.F.W. Walther's theology and practice and the so-called Wauwatosa Theology. Included among his various writings are "The Wauwatosa Spring: The Flowering of the Historical Disciplines at Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary (1900-1920)," and Jars of Clay: A History of Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary (1863-2013), co-authored with Dr. John Brenner.Lutheran History ShopSupport the show

Wielding the Sword of the Spirit recounts the history surrounding the doctrine and practice of church fellowship in the Missouri Synod, especially under the leadership of Carl Ferdinand Wilhelm Walther (shown in episode thumbnail) Volume One of this two-part history covers the years from the Saxon immigration to Missouri in 1838-1839 until 1867, just before the founding of the General Council. Not only does it chart the history of the Missourians' doctrine and practice of church fellowship during their first thirty years in America, it also provides an in-depth account of how they came to the positions they held on important matters of theology. It details their burgeoning fellowship relationships with the Buffalo Synod's Johannes Grabau and the patron of the Missouri and Iowa Synods, Pastor Wilhelm Loehe, in the 1840s and 1850s and their eventual split with both due to different positions on church and ministry, confessional subscription, open questions, chiliasm, and evangelical pastoral practice. It also highlights the central role Walther played in promoting a Lutheran confessional consciousness among the American Lutherans of his day--especially his single-minded emphasis on the objective nature of justification--Finally, it presents a clear recounting and analysis of why, under God, the Missouri Synod experienced an exponential growth--and developed a vigorous esprit de corps. Wielding the Sword of the Spirit highlights how these early Missourians maintained a firm grip on the teachings of Scripture and the Lutheran Confessions while also carefully distinguishing between weak Christians, who lacked proper insight and instruction, and stubborn errorists, who denied the clear teachings of Scripture against better knowledge. When carefully considered in their historical context, Walther and his colleagues modeled a faithful and evangelical doctrine and practice of church fellowship that followed in the footsteps of Jesus, St. Paul, and Martin Luther. They wielded the sword of the Spirit vigorously and evangelically, while also striving to do their very best to "keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace" Peter M. Prange serves as an associate pastor at New Life Ev. Lutheran Church in Kenosha and Somers, Wis. He is a 1998 graduate of Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary, Mequon, Wis. He has researched and written extensively on the history and doctrine of the Synodical Conference, with a special emphasis on the connection between C.F.W. Walther's theology and practice and the so-called Wauwatosa Theology. Included among his various writings are "The Wauwatosa Spring: The Flowering of the Historical Disciplines at Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary (1900-1920)," and Jars of Clay: A History of Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary (1863-2013), Lutheran History ShopSupport the show

Anna Hoppe was born on May 7, 1889 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. She left school after the eighth grade and worked as a stenographer. She began writing patriotic verses when she was very young and by the age of 25 she was writing spiritual poetry. After some of her poems appeared in the Northwestern Lutheran, a periodical of the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod, they came to the attention of Dr. Adolf Hult of Augustana Seminary, Rock Island, Illinois. He influenced her to write her Songs for the Church Year (1928). Several hymnals include her work, which was usually set to traditional chorale melodies, although she also made a number of translations. She died on August 2, 1941 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.https://hymnary.org/person/Hoppe_ABhttps://www.fortresspress.com/store/product/9781942304333/Anna-B-Hoppehttps://www.amazon.com/Hoppe-Shaping-American-Lutheran-Church/dp/1942304331Today's guest is Elisabeth Urtel. After graduating from Bethany Lutheran College, where she studied church music and religion, Elisabeth received her Master of Arts in Lutheran Theological Studies from Bethany LutheranTheological Seminary in 2016. Her recent publication Anna B. Hoppe: Her Life and Hymnody draws upon her thesis for this program. In December 2016, she earned her Master of Church Music in organ from Concordia University Wisconsin. Currently, she is a PhD candidate in Historical Theology at Concordia Seminary (St. Louis, MO) where her advisor is Dr. Gerhard Bode. Through Concordia, she was honored to be a guest researcher at the Herzog-August-Bibliothek in Wolfenbüttel, Germany in 2019.Her research interests include women in early-modern Germany, American-Lutheran history, and recovering a greater appreciation for the Lutheran musical heritage. Articles she has authored have been published in LOGIA and Canterbury Dictionary of Hymnology, and she has been a guest lecturer at several Lutheran institutions and conferences.She is a member of the Evangelical Lutheran Synod, and is active as a church musician and collaborative pianist in southern Minnesota. When not performing, Elisabeth enjoys reading, writing, traveling, running, languages, and history.Lutheran History ShopSupport the show

Anna Hoppe was born on May 7, 1889 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. She left school after the eighth grade and worked as a stenographer. She began writing patriotic verses when she was very young and by the age of 25 she was writing spiritual poetry. After some of her poems appeared in the Northwestern Lutheran, a periodical of the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod, they came to the attention of Dr. Adolf Hult of Augustana Seminary, Rock Island, Illinois. He influenced her to write her Songs for the Church Year (1928). Several hymnals include her work, which was usually set to traditional chorale melodies, although she also made a number of translations. She died on August 2, 1941 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.https://hymnary.org/person/Hoppe_ABhttps://www.fortresspress.com/store/product/9781942304333/Anna-B-Hoppehttps://www.amazon.com/Hoppe-Shaping-American-Lutheran-Church/dp/1942304331Today's guest is Elisabeth Urtel. After graduating from Bethany Lutheran College, where she studied church music and religion, Elisabeth received her Master of Arts in Lutheran Theological Studies from Bethany LutheranTheological Seminary in 2016. Her recent publication Anna B. Hoppe: Her Life and Hymnody draws upon her thesis for this program. In December 2016, she earned her Master of Church Music in organ from Concordia University Wisconsin. Currently, she is a PhD candidate in Historical Theology at Concordia Seminary (St. Louis, MO) where her advisor is Dr. Gerhard Bode. Through Concordia, she was honored to be a guest researcher at the Herzog-August-Bibliothek in Wolfenbüttel, Germany in 2019.Her research interests include women in early-modern Germany, American-Lutheran history, and recovering a greater appreciation for the Lutheran musical heritage. Articles she has authored have been published in LOGIA and Canterbury Dictionary of Hymnology, and she has been a guest lecturer at several Lutheran institutions and conferences.She is a member of the Evangelical Lutheran Synod, and is active as a church musician and collaborative pianist in southern Minnesota. When not performing, Elisabeth enjoys reading, writing, traveling, running, languages, and history.Lutheran History ShopSupport the show