| C. F. W. Walther | |
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| Born | October 25, 1811 in Saxony |
|---|---|
| Died | May 7, 1887 in St Louis, Missouri |
| Church | Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod |
| Education | University of Leipzig |
| Ordained | January 15, 1837 |
| Writings | The Proper Distinction Between Law and Gospel |
| Congregations served | Trinity Lutheran Church, St Louis, Missouri |
| Offices held | President, LC-MS (1847-1850; 1864-1870) President, Concordia Seminary |
| Spouse | Emilie Buenger |
Carl Ferdinand Wilhelm Walther (October 25, 1811 – May 7, 1887) was the first President of the Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod and its most influential theologian. Events 1147 - The Portuguese, under Afonso I, and Crusaders from England and Flanders conquer Lisbon after a Year 1811 ( MDCCCXI) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year The Free State of Saxony (Freistaat Sachsen ˈzaksən Swobodny Stat Sakska is the easternmost federal state of Germany. Events 558 - In Constantinople, the dome of the Hagia Sophia collapses Year 1887 ( MDCCCLXXXVII) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS founded in 1847 in Missouri, is the eighth largest Protestant denomination in the United States and the second-largest The University of Leipzig (Universität Leipzig located in Leipzig in the Free State of Saxony, Germany, is one of the oldest universities Events 588 BC - Nebuchadrezzar II of Babylon lays siege to Jerusalem under Zedekiah 's reign Year 1837 ( MDCCCXXXVII) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Common Events 1147 - The Portuguese, under Afonso I, and Crusaders from England and Flanders conquer Lisbon after a Year 1811 ( MDCCCXI) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year Events 558 - In Constantinople, the dome of the Hagia Sophia collapses Year 1887 ( MDCCCLXXXVII) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS founded in 1847 in Missouri, is the eighth largest Protestant denomination in the United States and the second-largest Christian Theology is discourse concerning Christian faith Christian theologians use biblical Exegesis, rational analysis and argument He is commemorated by that church on its Calendar of Saints on May 7. The Lutheran Calendar of Saints is a listing which details the primary annual festivals and events that are celebrated liturgically by the Lutheran Church
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Walther's early life
Born a pastor's son in Langenchursdorf in the Kingdom of Saxony (part of modern-day Germany), Walther enrolled at the University of Leipzig to study theology in October of 1829. The Kingdom of Saxony (Königreich Sachsen lasting between 1806 and 1918 was an independent member of a number of historical confederacies in Napoleonic through post-Napoleonic Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany ( ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant is a Country in Central Europe. The University of Leipzig (Universität Leipzig located in Leipzig in the Free State of Saxony, Germany, is one of the oldest universities Theology is the study of a god or the gods from a religious perspective For the game see 1829 (board game. Year 1829 ( MDCCCXXIX) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display He had to take six months off from the university due to a nearly-fatal lung disease; during the time off he acquainted himself with the works of Martin Luther, and became convinced that Luther's theology clearly taught the doctrines of Holy Scripture. Martin Luther (November 10 1483 February 18 1546 was a German Monk, theologian, university professor Father of Protestantism, and church reformer After graduation, he worked for three years as a private tutor in the town of Kahla. Kahla is a town in the Saale-Holzland district in Thuringia, Germany.
On January 15, 1837, he was ordained as a pastor in the town of Bräunsdorf, Saxony. Events 588 BC - Nebuchadrezzar II of Babylon lays siege to Jerusalem under Zedekiah 's reign Year 1837 ( MDCCCXXXVII) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Common He was soon at odds with the government of Saxony, because he believed it departed from the faith and practice of historic Lutheranism and promoted false doctrine. Lutheranism is a major branch of Western Christianity that identifies with the teachings of the sixteenth-century German reformer Martin Luther Doctrine (Latin doctrina) is a codification of beliefs or "a body of teachings quot or "instructions" taught principles or positions as the
Controversy over Stephan
Walther and many others who opposed the Saxon government's religious policies came together under the leadership of a pastor holding similar views, Martin Stephan from Dresden. Martin Stephan (1777-1846 was Pastor of St John Lutheran Church in Dresden, Germany during the early 19th century Dresden (etymologically from Old Sorbian Drežďany, meaning people of the riverside forest, Drježdźany is the Capital city of the German In November 1838, 800 Saxon immigrants left for America, hoping for the freedom to practice their religious beliefs. Year 1838 ( MDCCCXXXVIII) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Common The United States of America —commonly referred to as the Freedom of religion is the freedom of an individual or community in public or private to manifest religion or belief in teaching practice worship and observance The settlers arrived in New Orleans on January 5, 1839, and the majority of immigrants settled in the area of St. Louis, Missouri. New Orleans (nʲuːˈɔrliənz nʲuːˈɔrlənz French: La Nouvelle-Orléans) is a major United States port city and the largest city in Louisiana Events 1477 - Battle of Nancy: Charles the Bold is killed and Burgundy becomes part of France. Year 1839 ( MDCCCXXXIX) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Common Stephan served initially as the Bishop of the new settlement, but, having been charged with corruption and sexual misconduct, was swiftly expelled from the settlement, leaving Walther as one of the most well-respected clergymen remaining. A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight Walther served as the minister at Dresden (later absorbed into the nearby town of Altenburg), in Perry County, Missouri until 1841, when he was called to be minister of his late brother's congregation in St. Louis, Missouri. Perry County is a County located in the US state of Missouri.
The Altenberg Debates
Following this crisis of leadership, considerable debate filled the settlement over the proper role of the church in the New World: was it a new church, or did it remain within the German Lutheran hierarchy? Walther's position, derived from his reading of Luther during a long convalescence, prevailed: this was a new church, free of prior strictures and structures. [1]
Walther's ministry
| Part of the series on Lutheranism |
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| Luther's Seal | |
| History | |
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Christianity |
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| People | |
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Martin Luther · Johann Sebastian Bach |
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| Book of Concord | |
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Augsburg Confession |
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| Theology and Sacraments | |
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Evangelical Catholic · Law and Gospel |
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| Liturgy and Worship | |
| Denominations | |
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Lutheran World Federation |
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In May 1841 Walther became Pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church in St. Martin Chemnitz ( November 9 1522 &ndash April 8 1586) was an eminent second-generation Lutheran theologian, reformer The Book of Concord or Concordia (1580 is the historic doctrinal standard of the Lutheran Church, consisting of ten credal The Augsburg Confession, also known as the "Augustana" from its Latin name Confessio Augustana is the primary confession of faith of the Lutheran The Smalcald Articles or Schmalkald Articles (Schmalkaldische Artikel are a summary of Lutheran doctrine written by Martin Luther in 1537 for a meeting The Treatise on the Power and Primacy of the Pope ( 1537) ( Latin, Tractatus de Potestate et Primatu Papae The Tractate Luther's Large Catechism consisted of works written by Martin Luther and compiled Christian canonical texts, published in April of 1529. Luther's Small Catechism was written by Martin Luther and published in 1529 for the training of children Formula of Concord ( 1577) ( Latin: Formula concordiae, " Harmony Concord " also the " Bergic Book " is an authoritative The term Evangelical Catholic is used by Christian believers who consider themselves both " Catholic " and " evangelical. The relationship between God's Law and the Gospel is a major topic in Lutheran and Reformed theology Sola scriptura ( Latin ablative, "by scripture alone" is the assertion that the Bible as God's written word is self-authenticating Sola gratia is one of the Five solas propounded to summarise the Reformers' basic beliefs during the Protestant Reformation; it is a Latin term Sola fide ( Latin: by Faith alone also historically known as the doctrine of justification by faith is a doctrine that distinguishes most In Christianity, baptism ( Greek, "immersing" "performing Ablutions " is the ritual act with the use of water by which one is admitted The confession of one's Sins is a religious practice important to many faiths e The Eucharist, also called Holy Communion or Lord's Supper and other names is a Christian Sacrament by which in a common interpretation those Sacramental union ( Latin, unio sacramentalis; German, sakramentliche Einigkeit) is the Lutheran theological Doctrine The name Agenda (“Things to be Done” Germ. Agende or Kirchenagende) is given particularly in the Lutheran Church, to the official books Divine Service is the term used in the Eastern Orthodox Church to describe the daily cycle of public services celebrated in the Temple (church building The Lutheran liturgical calendar is a listing which details the primary annual festivals and events that are celebrated liturgically by various Lutheran churches The International Lutheran Council is a worldwide association of confessional Lutheran denominations The Confessional Evangelical Lutheran Conference (CELC is the successor to the Evangelical Lutheran Synodical Conference of North America except that it is international Laestadianism is a conservative Lutheran revival movement started in the middle of the 19th century This is a list of Lutheran denominations grouped by affiliation with international Lutheran bodies For the game see 1841 (board game. Year 1841 ( MDCCCXLI) was a Common year starting on Friday (link Louis, a position he held until his death. Later that year, on September 21, he married Emilie Buenger; six children issued from this union. Events 1217 - The Estonian tribal leader Lembitu of Lehola was killed in a battle against Teutonic Knights.
On April 26, 1847, the Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod was founded. Events 1467 - The miraculous image in Our Lady of Good Counsel appear in Genazzano, Italy. Year 1847 ( MDCCCXLVII) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Common Walther served as its first president, a position he held from 1847 to 1850 and again from 1864 to 1878. Year 1847 ( MDCCCXLVII) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Common For the game see 1850 (board game. 1850 ( MDCCCL) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link Year 1864 ( MDCCCLXIV) was a Leap year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Leap year Year 1878 ( MDCCCLXXVIII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common
During his forty years of involvement in the church, Walther held several positions, including that of president of Concordia Seminary, St. Concordia Seminary is located in Clayton Missouri, an inner-ring suburb on the western border of St Louis (founded at Perry County, Missouri in 1838), President of Concordia Theological Seminary, now of Fort Wayne, Indiana (1861), and founder of the St. Perry County is a County located in the US state of Missouri. Year 1838 ( MDCCCXXXVIII) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Common The Concordia Theological Seminary is an institution of theological higher education of The Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod (LCMS located in Fort Wayne Indiana Fort Wayne is a City in northeastern Indiana, United States and the County seat of Allen Year 1861 ( MDCCCLXI) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common Louis Lutheran Bible Society (1853). Year 1853 ( MDCCCLIII) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Common He also began and edited several Lutheran periodicals, including Der Lutheraner and Lehre und Wehre. He wrote a number of theological books; perhaps the best known is The Proper Distinction Between Law and Gospel.
Walther also vigorously opposed the theologies of non-Lutheran denominations in America, the influence of the major secular philosophies and movements upon Lutheran thought and practice and defended the doctrinal and cultural heritage of the Lutheran Church. Lightmatter Hsi Lai Temple 4jpg|thumb|200px| Hsi Lai Temple (lit Secularism is generally the assertion that governmental practices or institutions should exist separately from Religion or religious beliefs
He died in St. Louis on May 7, 1887, and was buried at Concordia Cemetery, where a mausoleum was later built in his honor.
See also
Bibliography
- Bowden, Henry Warner. The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS founded in 1847 in Missouri, is the eighth largest Protestant denomination in the United States and the second-largest Neo-Lutheranism was a 19th century revival movement within Lutheranism which began as a reaction against theological rationalism and Pietism. Confessional Lutheran is a name used by certain Lutheran Christians to designate themselves as those who accept the doctrines taught in the Book of Concord Dictionary of American Religious Biography. Westport, CT:Greenwood Press, 1977. ISBN 0-8371-8906-3.
- Kolb, Robert A. and Thomas E. Manteufel, eds. Soli Deo Gloria: Essays on C. F. W. Walther. St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 2000.
- Suelflow, August Robert. Servant of the Word: The Life and Ministry of C. F. W. Walther. St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 2001.
- Walther, C. F. W. The Proper Distinction Between Law and Gospel. W. H. T. Dau, trans. St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1986.
- Walther, C. F. W. Church and Ministry. J. T. Mueller, trans. St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1987.
External links
- Concordia Historical Institute
- Finding aid for C.F.W. Walther Papers at Concordia Historical Institute, Saint Louis, Missouri
- Studium Excitare: Biography of C.F.W. Walther by Daniel W. Waldschmidt
- Graebner, August Lawrence. Half a Century of Sound Lutherianism in America: A Brief Sketch of the History of the Missouri Synod. St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1893.
- Steffens, Diedrich Henry. Doctor Carl Ferdinand Wilhelm Walther. Philadelphia: Lutheran Publication Society, 1917.
- Wolf, Edmund Jacob. The Lutherans in America; a story of struggle, progress, influence and marvelous growth. New York: J. A. Hill, 1889.
References
- Drevlow, Arthur. "Walther as Pastor" Concordia Theological Quarterly 52 (1988) no. 2-3:99-128. [2]
- Drickamer, John M. and C. George Fry. "Walther's Ecclesiology" Concordia Theological Quarterly 42 (1978) no. 2:130-138. [3]
- MacKenzie, Cameron A. "C. F. W. Walther – Pastor and Preacher" For the Life of the World 7 (2003) no. 4. [4]
- MacKenzie, Cameron A. "C. F. W. Walther and the Missouri Synod Today" Wyoming District Pastors' Conference Sept. 16, 17, 1997. [5]
- Nagel, Norman E. "The Divine Call in Die Rechte Gestalt of C. F. W. Walther" Concordia Theological Quarterly 59 (1995) no. 3:161-190. [6]
- Christian Cyclopedia s. Christian Cyclopedia (originally Lutheran Cyclopedia) is a one-volume compendium of historical and theological data ranging from ancient figures to contemporary events v. "Walther, Carl Ferdinand Wilhelm. " St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 2000.
- Walther, C. F. W. "False Arguments for the Modern Theory of Open Questions. " Concordia Theological Monthly 10 (1939) Nos. 4-11:254-262, 351-357, 415-420, 507-513, 587-595, 656-666, 752-759, 827-834.
- Walther, C. F. W. "Our Duty as Priests" Lutheran Witness (1987) No. 10:11.
- Walther, C. F. W. "The Sheep Judge Their Shepherds
- Walther, C. F. W. Works of Carl Ferdinand Wilhelm Walther, 1811-1887. Fort Wayne: Project Wittenberg, 2006.
- Walther, C. F. W. , Alexander W. C. Guebert, trans. and ed. "Why Should Our Pastors, Teachers and Professors Subscribe Unconditionally to the Symbolical Writings of our Church? Essay Delivered at the Western District Convention in 1858" Concordia Theological Monthly (1947) No. 4:241-253.
| Religious titles | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Church founded |
First President Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod 1847–1850 |
Succeeded by F. C. D. Wyneken |
| Preceded by F. C. D. Wyneken |
First President Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod 1864–1878 |
Succeeded by H. C. Schwan |
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