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A Brief History of the Evangelical Lutheran Synod: Part 1

© John L. Hoh, Jr.

In the midst of "The War to End All Wars," three groups of Norwegian Lutherans sought to unite as one church. That one of these groups originally consisted of three smaller groups which shared a hatred of the Norwegian Synod but disagreed on doctrine did not seem to be a factor. That a third group consisted of a fellowship that looked askew at organized religion and professional clergy also was disregarded. The rallying cry and goal was to unite all Norwegian Lutherans into one church body.

That this was more or less accomplished in 1917 gives witness to the will of man to carry out the agenda of this world over against the agenda of the Kingdom of God. True, several groups (Eielsen Synod, Lutheran Brethren and Lutheran Free Church) declined to join. A minority of thirteen from the Norwegian Synod broke away to start their own church body. These thirteen pastors felt that they couldn't in a clear conscience join the merger.

E. Clifford Nelson writes: For Lutheranism as a whole the Norwegian Lutheran Church of America was a significant milestone. It marked the overcoming by one Lutheran family of doctrinal divisions which had seemed to be insurmountable. As the first large-scale merger of Lutherans it served as a stimulus and a sign of hope to many other Lutherans. By combining synods whose style of life and doctrinal emphasis varied considerably, it claimed to reflect the essential breadth of Lutheranism. The twenties were to test whether this church could find a way of accepting the diversities of Lutherans who were not Norwegian.1

In view of what Mr. Nelson writes, is the Evangelical Lutheran Synod a valid church body? Does it have a claim to the title of Lutheran? Does it reflect what is truly Lutheran? This paper, which may or may not form the basis for the centennial book on the synod's history, looks at what shaped the ELS and at its place in the world and in God's Kingdom. The proper place to start, therefore, is at the very beginning.

ROOTS OF THE ELS

"In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth."2 These ten words tell us exactly how the world and everything in it came into being. Yet there are many who claim Lutheran lineage and occupy Lutheran pulpits who do not accept these words as inspired and true. They relegate this account, as well as the account of the Flood, the Plagues and Passover, the Conquest of the Promised Land, the various Old Testament prophesies, the Virgin Birth and the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ to the status of myth and fable. They believe, teach and confess that the Scriptures are true in that they contain a message for us today. The historical veracity of the many accounts reported in God's Word is denied, or at the very least questioned.

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