CHURCH HISTORY IICHURCH HISTORY II

TOWARD A LUTHERAN TOWARD A LUTHERAN HISTORICAL TAXONOMYHISTORICAL TAXONOMY

MAY 3, 2008MAY 3, 2008

DAVID CORLISSDAVID CORLISS

OUTLINEOUTLINE

A System of ClassificationA System of Classification

Non-Synodical LutheransNon-Synodical LutheransDoctrinal Lutherans – An Doctrinal Lutherans – An

ExampleExampleDevelopment of Lutheran Development of Lutheran Synods in North America Synods in North America

Current HistoryCurrent History

Doctrinal:Accepting of the Augsburg Confession, regardless of denomination

THREE TYPES OF LUTHERANS

Congregational:Primarily association is with a congregationthat happens to be Lutheran

Synodical:Identity lies with a specifically named sub-group within the Lutheran community

Doctrinal Lutherans: An Doctrinal Lutherans: An Example Example

Justification by Faith, not Justification by Faith, not Works – Augsburg Works – Augsburg

Confessions IV, VI & XConfessions IV, VI & XRole of the Clergy – A.C. VRole of the Clergy – A.C. V

The Role of Saints – A.C. XXI The Role of Saints – A.C. XXI

Bishops as Religious, not Bishops as Religious, not Secular, Rulers – A.C. XXVIIISecular, Rulers – A.C. XXVIII

Finnish becomes a cultural touchstone, not a liturgical reality, by 1920. Cooperation with other denominations begins.

Finnish migration begins in large numbers: 1870.

Suomi Synod founded 1890

Finnish

Founding Synod of the LCA in 1963

Strong roles of women in congregations influenced later synods

Merge to form NLCA in 1917. Use of Norwegian declines, by 1920. Small, conservative “Little” Norwegian Synod separates in 1919.

Norwegian migration begins c. 1860.

Many small independent Synods 1870 - 1886

Norwegian

Founding Synod of the ALC in 1960

“Low Church” piety and the preference for small independent institutions influenced later synods

Originally conservative, became increasingly liberal under the influence of Historical Criticism in the 20th century

Swedish migration increases in 1850.

Augustana Synod founded 1860

Swedish

Founding Synod of the LCA in 1963

Strong Organization and “High Church” piety influenced later synods

LCMS absorbs other conservative German Synods, including the Illinois and Pennsylvania Synods

Conservative LCMS founded 1847, breaks with Historic Episcopacy; More liberal German Lutherans organized later under the ULCA.

German

Divides over doctrinal issues in 1974; the remaining LMCS becomes more conservative

Break away Center-Left AELC and the ULCA eventually become constituents of the ELCA

Center-Left Churches merge to form ELCA in 1988. Liberal LMCS members tend to migrate to the ELCA and conservative ELCA members to the LCMS.

LCMS merges with small, conservative denominations.

RE-ALLINGMENT

Center-Left ELCA faces dissent over liberal issues not impacting either more liberal or more conservative churches. Further division cannot be ruled out.

Martin Marty, A Short History of Christianity, Second Edition, Fortress Press, 1987

Eric W. Gritsch, A History of Lutheranism, Fortress Press, 2002

REFERENCES

A Final Thought -

“Essentially, all models are wrong, but some are useful.”

George E. P. Box

(Norman R. Draper (1987). Empirical Model-Building and Response Surfaces, p. 424, Wiley.)