A Brief History of the Evangelical Lutheran Synod: Part 1

Word." Though the controversy ended peacefully without serious consequences, it is important to note since it signaled the fact that the Norwegians would guard their doctrine carefully.10

Other controversies that plagued the old Norwegian Synod included lay-preaching, the Third Commandment, Slavery, Absolution and the Election controversy. These controversies would bring great heartache and many headaches to the Synod. Though divisive, by the grace of God the Synod would recover from these controversies and grow until the merger of 1917. A few comments on these controversies.

The controversy on lay-preaching was inevitable given the climate of the Norwegian immigrants in the 1800s. Elling Eielsen was a lay-preacher who travelled around and not only served the immigrants but made it his goal to be a bain to the ordained clergy coming from Norway. This outside friction was compounded by Haugeans coming from Norway and demanding that lay people be allowed to speak "as the Spirit moved them." Official action was taken as the subject was discussed at meetings in 1859 and 1862. The 1862 convention came out with the Festskrift which upheld the Augsburg Confession teaching of the public ministry with the provision that only in actual need could a layman exercise the public ministerial office. The need was defined as: The only correct definition of "need" is that there exists a need when a pastor is not at hand and cannot be secured; or when, if there is a pastor, he either does not serve the people properly but teaches false doctrine, or cannot serve them adequately but only so rarely that the people cannot thereby be brought to faith or be kept in it and be defended against errors, so that the Christian must faint for lack of care.11 The convention also stated that proper arrangements should also be made to relieve the need.

Multi-denominationalism in the United States contributed to the next controversy of the Synod. The Seventh Day Adventists worked their leaven into many of the Norwegian congregations. They were especially active in Koshkonong. Aiding in the confusion was the inadequate treatment on the Third Commandment in the widely-used Pontoppidan Catechism. Compounding this problem was the pendulum's opposite swing when some pastors insisted that Sunday must be observed as the true Christian Sabbath. This controversy encroached on Christian freedom. In the spirit of St. Paul the 1863 convention passed the theses stating that, though Christians have traditionally observed Sunday worship and

Go To Page: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Articles in this Topic    Discussions in this Topic