Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod

5754:"Since, therefore, the Mass among us is supported by the example of the church as seen from the Scriptures and the Fathers, we are confident that it cannot be disapproved, especially since the customary public ceremonies are for the most part retained." (Augsburg Confession XXIV:40) Also, "We on our part also retain many ceremonies and traditions (such as the liturgy of the Mass and various canticles, festivals, and the like) which serve to preserve order in the church." (Augburg Confession Article XXVI:40) And, "We gladly keep the old traditions set up in the church because they are useful and promote tranquility...Our enemies falsely accuse us of abolishing good ordinances and church discipline...the public liturgy is more decent than in theirs." (Apology to the Augsburg Confession, Article XV:38–39) And, "...we do not abolish the Mass but religiously keep and defend it." (Apology to the Augsburg Confession Article XXIV:1)And, "We on our part also retain many ceremonies and traditions (such as the liturgy of the Mass and various canticles, festivals, and the like) which serve to preserve order in the church." (Augburg Confession, Article XXVI:40) 1162:. As one scholar has explained, "The overwhelming evidence from internal documents of these churches, and particularly their schools ... indicates that the German-American school was a bilingual one much (perhaps a whole generation or more) earlier than 1917, and that the majority of the pupils may have been English-dominant bilinguals from the early 1880s on." The anti-German sentiment during the wars hastened the "Americanization" of the church and caused many churches to add English services and in some cases, drop German services entirely. During the years of language transition, the synod's membership continued to grow, until by 1947, the synod had grown to over 1.5 million members. 986: 1233:(historically) and therefore a sin, as those leaving the synod contended. Concerns about the LCMS becoming more open to less conservative Lutheran bodies caused problems in the Synodical Conference. In 1955, the Evangelical Lutheran Synod (ELS) broke fellowship with the LCMS, and in 1957, the WELS publicly admonished the LCMS, and, in 1961, it finally broke fellowship with the LCMS. Both the ELS and the WELS withdrew from the Synodical Conference in 1963, leaving only the LCMS and the 1260:, in which that church's pastor, Herman Otten, presented a book of documentation of the various controversies that had arisen in the LCMS since 1950 and before. Several additional conferences were held, with the one in Milwaukee on May 15–16, 1961, attracting over 400 people. Plans were made at that conference for actions they wanted the 1962 synodical convention to take. The failure of the convention to do so led a dozen or so congregations and pastors to form the 978: 922:—inspired by appeals for aid to the German immigrants in North America, began to solicit funds for missionary work among them. He also began training men to become pastors and teachers, sending his first two students—Adam Ernst and Georg Burger—to America on August 5, 1842. Löhe ultimately sent over 80 pastors and students of theology to America; these pastors founded and served congregations throughout Ohio, Michigan, and Indiana. 2116:, are non-geographic and were formed when the English Missouri Synod and the Slovak Synod, respectively, merged with the formerly German-speaking Missouri Synod. Each district is led by an elected district president, who must be an ordained clergyman. Most district presidencies are full-time positions, but there are a few exceptions in which the district president also serves as a parish pastor. The districts are subdivided into 2579:, the LCMS had 628,695 members in 1925. By 1950 the number of members had grown to over 1.6 million. Membership peaked in 1970 at just under 2.8 million. In 2020,the LCMS reported 1,861,129 members and 5,976 churches, with 5,938 active clergy. LCMS membership continues to be concentrated in the Upper Midwest. The five states with the highest rates of adherence are Nebraska, Wisconsin, South Dakota, Minnesota, and Iowa. 1590:, it is impossible for people to completely obey the Law. Therefore, the Law implies an inevitable consequence of God's wrath, judgment, and damnation. The Gospel, on the other hand, is the promise of free salvation from God to sinners. The Law condemns; the Gospel saves. Both the Law and the Gospel are gifts from God; both are necessary. The function of the law is to show people their sinful nature and drive them to 483: 1166: 1311:

ALC exhibited closer ties to the more liberal LCA. The 1981 convention terminated the fellowship agreement. A number of pastors and others did not think that Preus's method of dealing with false doctrine would be successful. On November 1–2, 1971, members of the Conference for Authentic Lutheranism in California and the Free Association for Authentic Lutheranism in the Midwest met in

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synodical resolution 2-08A "To commend preaching and teaching Creation", all LCMS churches and educational institutions—including preschool through 12th grade, universities, and seminaries—are "to teach creation from the Biblical perspective." The LCMS web site says that an individual's personal views regarding creation do not disqualify a person from being a member of the LCMS.

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Missouri." This conference was reorganized in 1888 as an independent church body, the English Evangelical Lutheran Synod of Missouri and Other States, which subsequently merged into the LCMS as the English District in 1911. In its first twenty years, the English Synod founded two colleges, organized dozens of congregations and parochial schools, took over the publication of

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now serve as congregation president or chairperson, etc. This is the cause of contention within the LCMS, with some congregations utilizing women in public worship to read lessons and assist in the distribution of holy communion. Other traditional Lutherans reject such practices as unbiblical, with a minority of congregations continuing the historic practice of

4926:(Philadelphia: Lutheran Publication Society, 1889), 20–21. Note that this is the first year the LCMS was larger than all of the constituent synods of the General Council combined. If comparing the LCMS to individual synods within the General Synod or General Council, it had been the largest American Lutheran synod since around the year 1870. 2004: 1970:

property, and call (hire) and dismiss their own clergy. Much of the practical work of the LCMS structure is as a free employment brokerage to bring the two together; it also allows the congregations to work together on projects too large for even a local consortium of congregations to accomplish, such as foreign mission work.

1482:, and grants eternal life and salvation. Many Missouri Synod Lutherans define a sacrament as an action instituted by Jesus that combines a promise in God's Word with a physical element, although the synod holds no official definition for sacrament. This means that some may disagree on the number of sacraments. All agree that 1410:. Its ordained and commissioned ministers of religion are asked to honor and uphold other official teachings of the synod, meaning "to abide by, act, and teach in accordance with," but are not sworn to believe, confess and teach them as correct interpretations of the Sacred Scriptures. The Missouri Synod also teaches 1200:

In 1945, a group of 44 leaders and theologians in the synod issued a statement criticizing the synod's approach toward other Lutheran bodies. The document, known as 'A Statement of the Forty-four",. was signed by Theodore Graebner and four other professors at Concordia Seminary and by H. B. Hemmeter,

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Due to Löhe's great zeal and indefatigable labors, LCMS' first president, C. F. W. Walther, said of him, "Next to God, it is Pastor Loehe to whom our Synod is indebted for its happy beginning and rapid growth in which it rejoices; it may well honor him as its spiritual father. It would fill the pages

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with guitars and praise bands and often project song lyrics onto screens instead of using hymnals. While this shift in style challenges the traditionalism of hymnody that the LCMS holds strongly, the LCMS has released a statement on worship stating that, "The best of musical traditions, both ancient

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This means that it believes there will be no literal 1000-year visible earthly kingdom of Jesus, a view termed as "realized millennialism" in which the "thousand years" of Rev 20:1–10 is taken figuratively as a reference to the time of Christ's reign as king from the day of his ascension. Hence, the

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within Missouri Synod congregations in 1969, and it was affirmed at the synod's 2004 convention that women may also "serve in humanly established offices" as long as those offices do not include any of the "distinctive functions of the pastoral office". Thus in some congregations of the LCMS, women

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north of Chicago, to form a new church body, the Federation for Authentic Lutheranism (FAL). They expected 50 to 60 congregations to join, but in the end, only six did as the conservative wing continued to gain strength in the LCMS. FAL declared fellowship with the WELS in 1973, but did not survive

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The same convention which elected Preus as president also established altar and pulpit fellowship with the ALC. This was seen by many as a gesture toward Harms, who had supported the declaration of fellowship. Eight years later, the 1977 convention declared a state of "fellowship in protest" as the

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The LCMS bars its clergy from worshiping with other faiths, holding "that church fellowship or merger between church bodies in doctrinal disagreement with one another is not in keeping with what the Bible teaches about church fellowship." In practice of this, a Connecticut LCMS pastor was asked to

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with which it has formally declared altar and pulpit fellowship (i.e., agreement in all articles of doctrine). Missouri Synod congregations implement closed communion in various ways, requiring conformity to official doctrine in various degrees. Usually, visitors are asked to speak with the pastor

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church body. As a result of the discussions, the Löhe missionaries and Wyneken and his assistant (F. W. Husmann) decided to leave their synods. Two planning meetings were held in St. Louis and Fort Wayne, Indiana, in May and July 1846. On April 26, 1847, twelve pastors representing fourteen German

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as clergy is contrary to scripture. The issue of women's roles in the church body has continued to be a subject of debate within the synod. During the Cooperative Clergy Study Project in 2000, 10% out of 652 LCMS pastors surveyed stated that all clergy positions should be open to women, while 82%

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In 1900, the LCMS began sending missionaries to Brazil to minister to German-speaking immigrants in that country, and in 1904 created the Brazil District for the administration of the resulting congregations. Work was begun in Argentina in 1905 as part of the Brazil District. A separate Argentina

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as one document in two parts that is a statement "in harmony with the Sacred Scriptures and the Lutheran Confessions"; however, it also declared that the document should not be "regarded or employed as a functioning basic document toward the establishment of altar and pulpit fellowship with other

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Löhe also led an early and largely abortive effort to send missionaries to convert the Native Americans. In 1844 and 1845, he solicited colonists to form a German Lutheran settlement in Michigan, with the thought that this settlement would also serve as the base for missionary activity among the

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The doctrine of the ministry: the LCMS believes that the Pastoral office is divinely established, but all other offices are human institutions and hence are not divinely established. The WELS believes that the Ministry of the Word is divinely established and that congregations and the synod may

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of 1932, states under the heading "Of Creation": "We teach that God has created heaven and earth, and that in the manner and in the space of time recorded in the Holy Scriptures, especially Gen. 1 and 2, namely, by His almighty creative word, and in six days." According to the recent 2004 LCMS

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of every kind, to use only doctrinally pure books in both church and school, and to provide for the Christian education of their children. Among other things, these requirements meant that altar and pulpit fellowship was usually restricted to those Lutheran congregations and synods who were in

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The corporate LCMS is formally constituted of two types of members: self-governing local congregations that qualify for membership by mutual agreement to adhere to stated principles, and clergymen who qualify by similar means. Congregations hold legal title to their church buildings and other

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used in other church traditions. However, resolutions passed by the synod and the respective districts are not binding on a congregation if they are not according to Scripture or are inexpedient as far as the condition of a congregation is concerned. That is somewhat different from some other

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In 1947, its centennial year, the church body shortened its name from "The Evangelical Lutheran Synod of Missouri, Ohio, and other States" to the present one, "The Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod". The 1947 convention also directed the Committee on Doctrinal Unity to meet with the Fellowship

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and Ohio synods. In 1872, members of the Tennessee Synod invited representatives from the Missouri, Holston, and Norwegian synods to discuss the promotion of English work among the more "Americanized" Lutherans, resulting in the organization of the "English Evangelical Lutheran Conference of

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In 1876, the constituent synods of the Synodical Conference considered a plan to reorganize into a single unified church body with a single seminary. Some preliminary moves were made in this direction (including the 1880 absorption of the Illinois Synod into the LCMS' Illinois District), but

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Between 1856 and 1859, the Missouri Synod hosted a series of four free conferences in order to explore the possibility of entering into fellowship agreements with other conservative Lutheran synods. As a result of these conferences, the LCMS entered into fellowship with the

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with one ship lost at sea. Most of the remaining immigrants left almost immediately, with the first group arriving in St. Louis on January 19, 1839. The final group, led by Stephan, remained in New Orleans for ten days, possibly to wait for the passengers of the lost ship

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The LCMS practices infant baptism, based on Acts 2:38–39 and other passages of Scripture. It subscribes to the statement of faith found in the Apostles' Creed, the Ten Commandments, and the Lord's Prayer being applicable to daily life. The doctrines are emphasized in

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agrees that "ordination was nothing else than such a ratification" of local elections by the people. The LCMS does not believe that the rite of ordination, though an accepted and praiseworthy ceremony, is divinely mandated or an extension of an episcopal form of

1039:(Central, Eastern, Northern, and Western) in 1854. This growth was due largely to the synod's efforts, under the leadership of its second president, F. C. D. Wyneken, to care for German immigrants, help them find a home among other Germans, build churches and 1043:, and train pastors and teachers. The synod continued these outreach efforts throughout the 19th century, becoming the largest Lutheran church body in the United States by 1888. By the synod's fiftieth anniversary in 1897, it had grown to 687,000 members. 1608:. The Old Testament, therefore, is valuable to Christians. Its teachings point forward in time to the Cross of Christ in the same way that the New Testament points backward in time to the Cross. That Lutheran doctrine is summarized by C. F. W. Walther in 2128:

Most congregations are served by full-time clergy. Some congregations, usually in rural areas, are served by ordained bi-vocational ministers (worker-priests) who maintain secular employment for sustenance and receive a small stipend or none at all.

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The original constitution of the LCMS stated that one of its purposes is to strive toward uniformity in practice, while more recent changes to those documents also encourage responsible and doctrinally sound diversity. The synod requires that

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from the member congregations). The convention is held every three years; discussions of doctrine and policy take place at these events, and elections are held to fill various synod positions. The latest LCMS convention took place in 2023 in

1833:. Candidates may earn their Master of Divinity degree at other seminaries but may then be required to take colloquy classes at either St. Louis or Ft. Wayne. Seminary training includes classwork in historical theology, Biblical languages ( 1132:

For the first thirty years of its existence, the Missouri Synod focused almost exclusively on meeting the spiritual needs of German-speaking Lutherans, leaving work among English-speaking Lutherans to other synods, particularly the

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before coming to that congregation's altar for the first time. Most congregations invite those uneducated on the subject of the Eucharist to join in the fellowship and receive a blessing instead of the body and blood of Christ.

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in the U.S., the LCMS largely eschews political activity, partly out of concerns to keep the denomination untainted with potential heresies and also because of its strict understanding of the Lutheran distinction between the

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The biblical understanding of fellowship: the LCMS believes in a distinction between the altar, pulpit fellowship, and other manifestations of Christian fellowship (in other words, a prayer fellowship). The WELS does

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The LCMS holds that all "false teachers who teach contrary to Christ's Word are opponents of Christ" and, insofar as they do so, are anti-Christ. The LCMS does not teach, nor has it ever taught, that any individual

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from July 1–5, 2013. It was based on the theme, "Live Love(d)." The 2010 gathering in New Orleans was based on the theme "We Believe". In both 2007 and 2004, The LCMS National Youth Gatherings were held at the

1323:(AELC). The LCMS restricted its participation with LCUSA shortly after the AELC schism and announced that it would not participate in any merger discussions. In 1988, the AELC, ALC, and LCA merged to form the 7528: 2261:

The role of women in the church: Although both the LCMS and WELS agree that Scripture reserves the pastoral office for men, the WELS also believes that Scripture forbids women's suffrage in the congregation.

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of the 1880s scuttled the plan entirely. As a result of the controversy, several pastors and congregations withdrew from the Ohio Synod to form the Concordia Synod; this synod merged with the LCMS in 1886.

7711: 7282: 7266: 1744:, highlight the synod's unwavering stance towards more traditional styles of hymnody and liturgy. More traditional LCMS Lutherans point to the Lutheran Confessions in their defense of liturgical worship. 2198:

Maintaining its position as a confessional church body emphasizing the importance of full agreement in the teachings of the Bible, the LCMS is not associated with ecumenical organizations such as the

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Lutheran congregations met in Chicago and officially founded the German Evangelical Lutheran Synod of Missouri, Ohio and Other States. Walther became the fledgling denomination's first president.

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When the 1959 synodical convention did not take any action against the liberal movement, a number of pastors and laymen met in a State of the Church Conference at Trinity Lutheran Church in

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The renewed interest in the ALC led a number of parties to fear that the synod was losing its doctrinal basis. In 1951, a small group of pastors and congregations left the synod to form the

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The synod was quickly noted for its conservatism and self-professed orthodoxy. The synod's constitution required all members (both pastors and congregations) to pledge fealty to the entire

1209:, Part I, was approved by the two committees on December 5–6, 1949. Both the ALC and the LCMS accepted the document in 1950. The two committees continued meeting to develop Part II of the 8016: 7399: 1264:

on April 28–29, 1964, at Emmaus Lutheran Church in Chicago. However, many of those opposed to the direction of the LCMS decided to remain in the synod, hoping to influence its direction.

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of an entire book to recount even briefly what for many years this man, with tireless zeal in the noblest unselfish spirit, has done for our Lutheran Church and our Synod in particular."

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Gronberg, Erik K.J. "Adaptive Leadership in Crisis: John Tietjen, Concordia Seminary, and the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod Crisis of 1969-1975" (Dallas Baptist University, 2017)

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Towards the later parts of the twentieth century and up until present day, some congregations have adopted a more progressive style of worship, employing different styles such as

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and so is also considered by many Lutherans to be a sacrament, because it was instituted by Christ and has His promise of grace, even though it is not tied to a physical element.

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of the new settlement, but he soon became embroiled in charges of corruption and sexual misconduct with members of the congregation and was expelled from the settlement, leaving

9014: 2120:, each of which is led by a circuit visitor, who is an ordained pastor from one of the member congregations. Districts are analogous to dioceses in other Christian communities. 1789:

Ordination is seen as a public ceremony of recognition that a man has received and accepted a divine call, and hence is considered to be in the office of the Holy Ministry. The

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express this mystery: "Of the Sacrament of the Altar, we hold that the bread and wine in the Supper are Christ's true body and blood." This is commonly known as the doctrine of

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body, its ordained and commissioned ministers of religion are sworn by their oaths of ordination or installation, or both, to interpret the Sacred Scriptures according to the

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The Missouri Synod emerged from several communities of German Lutheran immigrants during the 1830s and 1840s. Isolated Germans in dense forests of the American frontier in

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but sees the office grounded in the Word and Sacrament ministry of the Gospel, arguing that Scripture makes no distinction between a presbyter (priest) and a bishop (see

900:: whether it was a new church or whether it remained within the Lutheran hierarchy in Germany. Walther's view that they could consider themselves a new church prevailed. 7452: 996:

In 1844 and 1845, two groups listed above (the Saxons and the Löhe men) as well as Wyneken and one of his assistants began discussing the possibility of forming a new,

1718:. Worship in LCMS congregations is generally thought of as orthodox and liturgical, utilizing a printed order of service and hymnal, and is typically accompanied by a 1127: 1075: 1052: 746: 538: 7436: 1154:

English work became more widespread in the LCMS during the first two decades of the twentieth century, with older members of the synod continuing to speak primarily

454: 1966:; however, this is not a point of doctrine, as the LCMS is in fellowship with some Lutheran church bodies in Europe and elsewhere that have an episcopal structure. 946:)—and worked to convert the Native Americans. They had limited success, however, and the villages became nearly exclusively German settlements within a few years. 1537:

teaching that the true body and blood of Christ are not consumed with the consecrated bread and wine in the Eucharist. Rather, it believes in the doctrine of the

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as a person is to be identified with the Antichrist. However, to the extent that the papacy continues to claim as official dogma the canons and decrees of the

961:, raising funds for the new institution and sending eleven theological students and a professor from Germany to help found it. The seminary's first president, 1396:—a series of confessions of faith adopted by Lutherans in the 16th century. LCMS pastors and congregations agree to teach in harmony with the Book of Concord 7218: 1398: 446: 9009: 1553:, though the term is generally rejected by Lutherans and is explicitly rejected by the LCMS as an attempt to define the holy mystery of Christ's presence. 1201:

who had recently retired as president of Concordia Theological Seminary, among others. The statement provoked immediate response from others in the synod.

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Walz, Jeff, and Steve Montreal. "The Political Attitudes and Activities of Missouri Synod Lutheran (LCMS) Clergy in 2001 and 2009: A Research Note."

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Despite these conflicts, the Missouri Synod experienced fairly rapid growth in its early years, leading to the subdivision of the synod into four

9024: 8279: 7727: 1355:. However, this was an administrative and not theological division and the two groups still share close ties. A small number of congregations in 4523: 739: 514: 7085: 5855: 2586:'s U.S. Religious Landscape Survey in 2014 found that the LCMS was the third-least racially diverse major religious group in the country. The 8989: 6288: 1799: 1790: 850: 711: 545: 7092:

A Study of Generations: Report of a Two-Year Study of 5,000 Lutherans Between the Ages of 15–65: Their Beliefs, Values, Attitudes, Behavior.

6139: 1032:. Within a few years, this conflict led to a separation between the Missouri Synod and Löhe, as Löhe's views were close to those of Grabau. 1016:

The LCMS' conservatism soon drew it into conflict with other Lutheran synods, the majority of which were then experimenting with so-called "

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the location was changed to Orlando. About 25,000 youth attend each gathering. Many Christian bands and artists perform at the gatherings.

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apologize by the president of the denomination, and did so, for participating in an interfaith prayer vigil for the 26 children and adults

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as a for agreement, but the 1929 LCMS synodical convention did not accept them and instead created a committee that, in 1932, produced the

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for trust and benefit purposes and the Lutheran Church Extension Fund to provide loans to LCMS congregations, organizations, and workers.

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District was established in 1926/1927. Both districts became independent church bodies that retain close relationships with the LCMS: the

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History of the First German Lutheran Settlement in Altenburg, Perry County, Missouri with Special Emphasis on its Ecclesiastic Movements

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Commission of the ALC to develop a set of doctrinal theses. The first meeting was on May 17, 1948, and, after additional meetings, the

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and modern, are embraced by the Lutheran church in its worship, with an emphasis on congregational singing, reinforced by the choir."

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In addition to sending pastors, theological students, and colonists to America, Löhe played an instrumental role in the formation of

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Although its strongly conservative views on theology and ethics might seem to make the LCMS politically compatible with Protestant

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Constitution of the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod, 2010 edition, Article II Confession, p. 13, and Article V Membership, p. 14.

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The entire synod is divided into 35 districts. Of these, 33 have jurisdiction over specific geographic areas. The other two, the

1925:. The gathering's theme in 2007 was "Chosen." The gathering in 2007 was originally planned to be held in New Orleans, but due to 1570:

millennium is a present reality (Christ's heavenly reign), not a future hope for a rule of Christ on earth after his return (the

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they believe that it teaches and faithfully explains the Word of God, not based on its own authority alone. Since the LCMS is a

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is the only standard by which church teachings can be judged, and holds that Scripture is best explained and interpreted by the

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gives the gift of God's grace, creates faith in the hearts of individuals, forgives sins for the sake of Christ's death on the

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Native Americans. The colonists left Germany on April 20, 1845, under the leadership of Pastor August Crämer, and arrived in

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The LCMS has congregations in all 50 U.S. states and two Canadian provinces, but over half of its members are located in the

252: 121: 5530:, 1953), 3:326–27 and John Theodore Mueller, Christian Dogmatics (St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1934), 519–20, 528. 8892: 8343: 8302: 7833: 7314: 7298: 2246: 2203: 1841:), practical application (education, preaching, and mission), and doctrine (the basic teachings and beliefs of the synod). 1261: 1246: 1134: 1063: 666: 595: 575: 242: 221: 6316:"U.S. Religious Landscape Survey: Religious Beliefs and Practices, Diverse and Politically Relevant: Detailed Data Tables" 8231: 7849: 5467: 590: 7149: 6627: 5438:

The Bylaws of the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod, 2010 edition, Doctrinal Resolutions and Statements, 1.6.2. (7), p. 39.

5320: 9004: 7656: 7640: 5171:"The Splintering of Missouri: How Our American Context Gave Rise to Micro-Synods as a Solution to Theological Conflict" 4494: 1545:, that the Body and Blood of Christ are truly present "in, with, and under" the elements of bread and wine. Or, as the 1495: 1279:(LCUSA), but only on the assurance that a program of theological discussion would be implemented. With the election of 194: 5851:

Adopted at Synod Convention, 1849 1, 97 Ordination, though an accepted, praiseworthy ceremony, has no command of God.

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The National Youth Gathering is held every three years. The most recent gathering took place from July 9–13, 2022, in

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LCMS pastors are generally required to have a four-year bachelor's degree (in any discipline), as well as a four-year

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During that period, there was considerable debate within the settlement over the proper status of the church in the

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Schiffman, Harold. "Language loyalty in the German-American Church: the Case of an Over-confident Minority" (1987)

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Lueker, Erwin L.; Poellot, Luther; Jackson, Paul, eds. (2000). "Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod, Districts of The".

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the Gospel, in which the forgiveness of sin is promised for the sake of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

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but does not have an official position on the precise age of the Earth. An official publication of the synod, the

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covering additional topics. The ALC accepted Part II in 1954. The 1956 convention of the LCMS recognized the

684: 555: 6699: 4539: 1287:, in 1969, the LCMS began a sharp turn towards a more conservative direction. A dispute over the use of the 919: 8791: 8619: 8491: 8103: 7491: 5872:"Summary - The Cooperative Clergy Study Project - Data Archive - The Association of Religion Data Archives" 4974: 4489: 2239: 2199: 1748: 1222: 1188: 939: 565: 472: 237: 1810:(Article XIV) holds that no one is to preach, teach, or administer the sacraments without a regular call. 8882: 8358: 8254: 5218: 2143: 1682: 1176:

During this time, the LCMS expanded its missionary efforts through the creation of its own radio station—

434: 112: 6653: 5133: 5069: 8907: 8715: 8593: 8514: 6042: 5973: 5889: 5800: 5632: 5595: 5527: 5511: 5359: 5330: 5278: 5143: 5036: 4984: 4905: 4859: 4828: 4809: 4745: 4681: 4664: 4614: 2169: 1830: 1272: 1225:, but the main impetus for the move was not church fellowship, but the question of whether breaking an 992:

free church leader Friedrich August Brünn sent about 235 men to serve as pastors in the Missouri Synod.

943: 678: 560: 504: 262: 6547: 5796: 833:, Lutheran pastor Martin Stephan and many of his followers found themselves increasingly at odds with 8826: 8654: 8353: 8187: 7791: 7086:

The Doctrinal Resolutions of the National Conventions of The Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod 1847–2004

5003: 4922: 4646: 2211: 2207: 2091: 2031: 1304: 1021: 909: 869:, Stephan and between 600 and 700 other Saxon Lutherans left for the United States in November 1838. 585: 6845:

Fundamentalism and the Missouri Synod: A historical study of their interaction and mutual influence.

6176:"U.S. Religious Landscape Survey: Religious Beliefs and Practices, Diverse and Politically Relevant" 8948: 8831: 8801: 8000: 7608: 7346: 6785:

Half a Century of Sound Lutheranism in America: A Brief Sketch of the History of the Missouri Synod

5852: 5170: 5093: 2155: 2037: 1946: 1435: 1423: 1268: 997: 927: 613: 426: 313: 6872:

Lutherans and the Longest War: Adrift on a Sea of Doubt about the Cold and Vietnam Wars, 1964–1975

8200: 7624: 7592: 7203: 6678: 6244: 6150: 5990: 5871: 5297: 4561: 2109: 1426:, was adopted by the synodical convention in 1932 as a summary of the major beliefs of the LCMS. 1029: 698: 211: 2222:. At the 2007 convention, the delegates voted to establish altar and pulpit fellowship with the 1506: 8928: 8841: 8581: 8564: 8422: 8269: 1957:, each of which has a president who oversees the parishes in his district, akin to the role of 1377: 1352: 1312: 1017: 882: 800: 391: 316: 4758: 2154:

Among the LCMS's other auxiliary organizations are the Lutheran Laymen's League (now known as

8887: 8836: 8576: 8559: 8432: 8363: 8338: 7576: 6858: 2067: 2043: 1740: 1526: 931: 812: 388: 80: 73: 6879:

Heritage in Motion: Readings in the History of the Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod 1962–1995.

6761: 4900: 4740: 422:), a name which partially reflected the geographic locations of the founding congregations. 8796: 8710: 8689: 8669: 8624: 8534: 8447: 6601: 5968: 5792: 5623: 5618: 5325: 5273: 5138: 5031: 4979: 4619: 2174: 2113: 2085: 2055: 2049: 1881: 1834: 1795: 1415: 1288: 1242: 1139: 609: 352: 6783: 2575:

Membership growth was substantial in the first half of the 20th century. According to the

8: 8821: 8639: 8629: 8264: 8259: 7080:

Kirchen-gesangbuch für Evang-lutherische Gemeinden ungeänderter augsburgischer Confession

6315: 6293: 4923:

The Lutheran Almanac and Year-Book for the Year of Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ 1889

2583: 2266: 2007: 1979: 1850: 1826: 1807: 1728: 1403: 1257: 954: 838: 497: 493: 458: 298: 105: 7027:, 2nd rev. ed. Edited by Alfred W. Koehler. St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1952. 5993:. Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod. 2019. Article VII Relation of the Synod to Its Members 5070:"Language loyalty in the German-American Church: the Case of an Over-confident Minority" 4998:

Lueker, Erwin E. (1965). "Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod". In Bodensieck, Julius (ed.).

4784: 4641:

Lueker, Erwin L. (1965). "Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod". In Bodensieck, Julius (ed.).

1082:

opposition from some synods postponed the complete implementation of this plan, and the

8862: 8749: 8722: 8644: 8634: 8569: 8381: 6893:

Authority Vested: A Story of Identity and Change in the Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod.

5666: 5588: 5559: 1818: 1814: 1530: 1454:. The synod rejects any attempt to attribute salvation to anything other than Christ's 1411: 1351:

until 1988, when the Canadian component became a separate and autonomous organization,

1296: 846: 842: 438: 156: 6935:

Power, Politics, and the Missouri Synod: A Conflict That Changed American Christianity

6762:

Ebenezer: Reviews of the Work of the Missouri Synod during Three Quarters of a Century

5050: 4901:

Ebenezer: Reviews of the Work of the Missouri Synod during Three Quarters of a Century

4741:

Ebenezer: Reviews of the Work of the Missouri Synod during Three Quarters of a Century

2142:

In addition to its two seminaries, the LCMS operates seven universities, known as the

8664: 8659: 8414: 8396: 8348: 8274: 7865: 7095: 7025:

A Summary of Christian Doctrine: A Popular Presentation of the Teachings of the Bible

6948: 6896: 6882: 6827: 6796: 6770:

Zion on the Mississippi: The Settlement of the Saxon Lutherans in Missouri 1839–1841.

6750: 6654:"The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod - Rosters and Statistics (updated November 2018)" 5636: 5007: 2160: 2061: 1926: 1550: 1546: 1538: 1534: 1319:

In 1976, about 250 of the congregations supporting Seminex left the LCMS to form the

1280: 1182: 830: 407: 288: 94: 6865:

The Destinies and Adventures of the Stephanists who emigrated from Saxony to America

5764: 5708: 5679: 4898:

D. H. Steffens, "The Doctrine of the Church and the Ministry" in H. W. T. Dau, ed.,

1363:

that are in the non-geographical English and SELC districts remain within the LCMS.

8912: 8806: 8679: 6864: 6777:

The Career of Andrew Schulze, 1924–1968: Lutherans and Race in the Civil Rights Era

6064: 5838: 5539: 5491: 5447: 2022: 2016: 1963: 1950: 1922: 1776:

members of one of the congregations of the LCMS or of a congregation of one of its

1761: 1734: 1631: 1250: 1159: 1040: 890: 788: 323: 166: 7079: 6576: 5698:, A Brief Statement of the Doctrinal Position of the Missouri Synod, Adopted 1932. 1667:

are in direct conflict with the Gospel and instructs its pastors and laypeople to

659: 8958: 8953: 8902: 8732: 8614: 8598: 8588: 8554: 8427: 8312: 7090:

Strommen, Merton P., Milo L. Brekke, Ralph C. Underwager, and Arthur L. Johnson.

7073: 7067: 6851: 6838:

The Building of a Great Church: A Brief History of the Lutheran Church in America

6258: 5859: 5695: 5546: 5498: 5468:"Brief Statement of LCMS Doctrinal Position - The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod" 5454: 5211:"Trumpet with a Certain Sound: The Synodical Conferences Confessional Commitment" 2219: 2187: 2003: 1864: 1855: 1838: 1714: 1479: 1392: 1238: 1155: 1005: 866: 811:

ministered to scattered congregations and founded German Lutheran communities in

420:

Die Deutsche Evangelisch-Lutherische Synode von Missouri, Ohio und andern Staaten

415: 341:

Die Deutsche Evangelisch-Lutherische Synode von Missouri, Ohio und andern Staaten

336: 7057:. Translated by Christian C. Tiews. St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 2010. 6814:

Moving Frontiers: Readings in the History of the Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod.

808: 8943: 8816: 8727: 8373: 8330: 7082:. St. Louis: Verlag der ev.-luth. Synode von Missouri, Ohio u.a. Staaten, 1868. 6938: 5683: 5523: 2234: 2230: 2117: 2079: 2073: 1992: 1605: 1583: 1566: 1471: 1382: 962: 915: 796: 5727:"LCMS Views - Frequently Asked Questions - The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod" 985: 8983: 8963: 8775: 5709:"The Bible - Frequently Asked Questions - The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod" 5640: 4759:"Wilhelm Loehe and the Missouri Synod: Forgotten Paternity or Living Legacy?" 1601: 1597: 1562: 1542: 1299:. In response, many of the faculty and students left the seminary and formed 1095: 1020:". In addition, the LCMS also quickly became embroiled in a dispute with the 989: 981:

St. Paul's in Chicago, where the first meeting of the Missouri Synod was held

395: 145: 141: 7074:

Synodal-Handbuch der deutschen ev.-luth. Synode von Missouri, Ohio u. a. St.

7068:

Synodal-Handbuch der deutschen ev.-luth. Synode von Missouri, Ohio u. a. St.

6265: 5726: 2269:'s U.S. Religious Landscape Survey of 2008 included members of LCMS and the 1904:, with a theme of "Real. Present. God." The theme for the 2016 gathering in 1106:. After the Ohio, Iowa, and Buffalo synods merged in 1930 to form the first 209:

Evangelical Lutheran Concordia Synod of Pennsylvania and Other States (1886)

8938: 8933: 8811: 8765: 8742: 8737: 8539: 7186:

Scholarly articles on the LCMS from the Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary Library

7105: 6012: 4824:

Denkstein zum fünfundsiebzigjährigen Jubiläum der Missourisynode, 1847–1922

2384:

Word of God, but not literally true word for word/Unsure if literally true:

1773: 1668: 1509:; this belief is based on numerous biblical references as discussed in the 1466:

The synod teaches that the Word of God, both written and preached, and the

1439: 1292: 1284: 1186:(1930). Several years later, the synod began broadcasting its own TV drama— 1169: 958: 862: 7198: 6494: 6218: 2489:

There is MORE than one true way to interpret the teachings of my religion:

1110:(ALC), representatives from the ALC and the LCMS came to agreement on the 8674: 8289: 7002: 1978:

The LCMS as a whole is led by an ordained synodical president, currently

1909: 1905: 1897: 1664: 1647: 1582:

The LCMS believes that the Holy Scriptures contain two crucial teachings—

1475: 1442:

alone, through faith alone, on account of Christ alone." It teaches that

873: 834: 399: 7199:

Profile of the LCMS on the Association of Religion Data Archives website

6747:

Lutherans Today: American Lutheran Identity in the Twenty-First Century.

5885: 1241:

church, as members. In 1971, the SELC merged with the LCMS, forming the

841:, and the prospect of a forced unionism of the Lutheran church with the 8770: 8705: 8684: 8649: 6199:. Washington D.C.: Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life. November 2015 5912:"Pastor apologizes for role in prayer vigil after Connecticut massacre" 5242: 1719: 1226: 1091: 1009: 977: 872:

Their ships arrived between December 31, 1838 and January 20, 1839, in

63: 7031: 5094:"Concordia Springfield as the "Conservative" Alternative to St. Louis" 5027:"Missouri and Other States, The English Evangelical Lutheran Synod of" 1937: 1587: 1253:

Lutheran church, had already merged with the LCMS on January 1, 1964.

1090:

Efforts were made in the 1920s to establish fellowship with the Ohio,

41: 8483: 8465: 7154: 2478:

There is only ONE true way to interpret the teachings of my religion:

1988: 1901: 1765: 1522: 1502: 1487: 1467: 1451: 1303:(Concordia Seminary in Exile), which took up residence at the nearby 1230: 1177: 1148: 1074:

Synods, which were other conservative Lutheran bodies in forming the

897: 854: 804: 442: 412:

German Evangelical Lutheran Synod of Missouri, Ohio, and Other States

344:

German Evangelical Lutheran Synod of Missouri, Ohio, and Other States

6318:. Washington D.C.: Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life. June 2008. 1945:

The LCMS has a synodical polity, which can be described as modified

1908:

was "In Christ Alone." The previous gathering took place in 2013 in

8246: 7137: 7007:

Men and Missions VIII. St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1930.

6181:. Washington D.C.: Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life. June 2008 5510:

Smalcald Articles, Concordia: The Lutheran Confessions (St. Louis:

1571: 784: 182: 8230: 7233: 7195:; A collection of synodical documents from the 1950s to the 1960s. 6089: 4738:

Graebner, Theodore, "The Loehe Foundations" in H. W. T. Dau, ed.,

1817:

degree, which is usually obtained from one of these institutions:

865:

faith in accordance with the Lutheran confessions outlined in the

633:

Evangelical Lutheran Conference & Ministerium of North America

7190: 7013:

Men and Missions IV. St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1926.

6996:

Men and Missions IX. St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1930.

5886:"Brief Statement of the Doctrinal Position of the Missouri Synod" 5839:"Treatise on the Power and Primacy of the Pope - Book of Concord" 4761:(paper presented to the International Loehe Society assembled at 1893: 1769: 1705: 1483: 1356: 1300: 858: 776: 178: 7179: 7175:

Meanings of the LCMS Seal & Logo, Crosses, and Other Symbols

5937: 5011: 1896:

with a theme of "In All Things." The 2019 gathering was held in

437:

with most of that group's members. The LCMS is headquartered in

6966:

Memoirs in Exile: Confessional Hope and Institutional Conflict.

6730:

A Century of Grace: A History of the Missouri Synod, 1847–1947.

6602:"(Commentary) Annual statistical reporting: beyond the numbers" 5991:"Handbook : Constitution Bylaws Articles of Incorporation" 5962: