The
Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod (
LCMS) is a
traditionalConservative Christianity is a term applied to a number of groups or movements seen as giving priority to traditional Christian beliefs and practices...
,
confessional LutheranConfessional Lutheran is a name used by certain Lutheran Christians to designate themselves as those who accept the doctrines taught in the Book of Concord of 1580 in their entirety, because they believe them to be completely faithful to the teachings of the Bible...
denominationA Christian denomination is an identifiable religious body under a common name, structure, and doctrine within Christianity. In the Orthodox tradition, Churches are divided often along ethnic and linguistic lines, into separate churches and traditions. Technically, divisions between one group and...
in the United States. With 2.3 million members, it is both the eighth largest
ProtestantProtestantism is one of the three major groupings within Christianity. It is a movement that began in Germany in the early 16th century as a reaction against medieval Roman Catholic doctrines and practices, especially in regards to salvation, justification, and ecclesiology.The doctrines of the...
denomination and the second-largest
LutheranLutheranism is a major branch of Western Christianity that identifies with the theology of Martin Luther, a German reformer. Luther's efforts to reform the theology and practice of the church launched the Protestant Reformation...
body in the U.S. after the
Evangelical Lutheran Church in AmericaThe Evangelical Lutheran Church in America is a mainline Protestant denomination headquartered in Chicago, Illinois. The ELCA officially came into existence on January 1, 1988, by the merging of three churches. As of December 31, 2009, it had 4,543,037 baptized members, with 2,527,941 of them...
. The
SynodA synod historically is a council of a church, usually convened to decide an issue of doctrine, administration or application. In modern usage, the word often refers to the governing body of a particular church, whether its members are meeting or not...
was founded at
ChicagoChicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
, Illinois, in 1847 by
German-American immigrantsGerman Americans are citizens of the United States of German ancestry and comprise about 51 million people, or 17% of the U.S. population, the country's largest self-reported ancestral group...
. The LCMS is headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri.
Approximately half of the LCMS members are located in the
Upper MidwestThe Upper Midwest is a region in the northern portion of the U.S. Census Bureau's Midwestern United States. It is largely a sub-region of the midwest. Although there are no uniformly agreed-upon boundaries, the region is most commonly used to refer to the states of Minnesota, Wisconsin, and...
, although it is represented in all 50
U.S. stateA U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
s, and is affiliated with other Lutheran sister churches worldwide. It also has several congregations in Ontario and one in Quebec that remained with the LCMS after most of the Synod's Canadian congregations formed the autonomous Lutheran Church–Canada in 1988. The LCMS is divided into 35
districtsThe Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod is organized into 35 districts, 33 of which are defined along geographic lines. Each district has a president who oversees the congregations in his district, which are further subdivided into local circuits...
—33 geographic and two (the
English DistrictThe English District is one of the 35 districts of the Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod . It is one of the Synod's two non-geographical districts, along with the SELC District, and has its origins in the congregations of the former English Evangelical Lutheran Synod, which merged with the LCMS in...
and
SELCThe SELC District is one of the 35 districts of the Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod . It is one of the Synod's two non-geographical districts, along with the English District, and has its origins in the congregations of the former Slovak Evangelical Lutheran Church, which merged with the LCMS in...
) non-geographic districts. The current president is the Rev.
Matthew C. Harrison, who took office on September 1, 2010.
Origins
The Missouri Synod emerged from several communities of German Lutheran immigrants during the 1830s and 1840s. In Indiana, Ohio and Michigan, isolated Germans in the dense forests of the American frontier were brought together and ministered to by missionary
F. C. D. WynekenFriedrich Conrad Dietrich Wyneken was a missionary, pastor and the second president of the Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod....
. A movement of Confessional Lutherans under
Martin StephanMartin Stephan was pastor of St. John Lutheran Church in Dresden, Germany during the early 19th century. He organized the Saxon emigration to the United States in the early 19th century.- Biography :...
created a community in Perry County, Missouri, and St. Louis, Missouri. In Michigan and Ohio, missionaries sent by Wilhelm Löhe ministered to scattered congregations and founded German Lutheran communities in Frankenmuth, Michigan, and the Saginaw Valley of Michigan.
The Saxon immigration
In the 19th-century German
Kingdom of SaxonyThe Kingdom of Saxony , lasting between 1806 and 1918, was an independent member of a number of historical confederacies in Napoleonic through post-Napoleonic Germany. From 1871 it was part of the German Empire. It became a Free state in the era of Weimar Republic in 1918 after the end of World War...
, Lutheran pastor Martin Stephan and many of his followers found themselves increasingly at odds with the
rationalismIn epistemology and in its modern sense, rationalism is "any view appealing to reason as a source of knowledge or justification" . In more technical terms, it is a method or a theory "in which the criterion of the truth is not sensory but intellectual and deductive"...
and
unionismEcumenism or oecumenism mainly refers to initiatives aimed at greater Christian unity or cooperation. It is used predominantly by and with reference to Christian denominations and Christian Churches separated by doctrine, history, and practice...
of established Lutheranism. In the neighbouring
Kingdom of PrussiaThe Kingdom of Prussia was a German kingdom from 1701 to 1918. Until the defeat of Germany in World War I, it comprised almost two-thirds of the area of the German Empire...
, the
Prussian Union of 1817The Prussian Union was the merger of the Lutheran Church and the Reformed Church in Prussia, by a series of decrees – among them the Unionsurkunde – by King Frederick William III...
put in place what they considered non-Lutheran
communionThe Eucharist , also called Holy Communion, the Sacrament of the Altar, the Blessed Sacrament, the Lord's Supper, and other names, is a Christian sacrament or ordinance...
and
baptismIn Christianity, baptism is for the majority the rite of admission , almost invariably with the use of water, into the Christian Church generally and also membership of a particular church tradition...
al service. In order to freely practice their Christian faith in accordance with the Lutheran confessions outlined in the
Book of ConcordThe Book of Concord or Concordia is the historic doctrinal standard of the Lutheran Church, consisting of ten credal documents recognized as authoritative in Lutheranism since the 16th century...
, Stephan and nearly 1,100 other Saxon Lutherans left for the United States in November 1838.
Their ships arrived January 5, 1839 in New Orleans with one ship lost at sea. After spending some time waiting for that last ship, most of the remaining 750 immigrants settled in Perry County, Missouri, and in and around St. Louis. Stephan was initially the
bishopA bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...
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
C. F. W. WaltherCarl Ferdinand Wilhelm Walther was the first President of the Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod and its most influential theologian...
as the leader of the colony.
During this period, there was considerable debate within the settlement over the proper status of the church in the
New WorldThe New World is one of the names used for the Western Hemisphere, specifically America and sometimes Oceania . The term originated in the late 15th century, when America had been recently discovered by European explorers, expanding the geographical horizon of the people of the European middle...
: 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.
Founding
On April 26, 1847, twelve pastors representing 15 German Lutheran congregations met in Chicago, Illinois, and founded a new church body, the
German Evangelical Lutheran Synod of Missouri, Ohio and Other States. Walther became the fledgling denomination's first president.
In its early days, the synod was conservative on a number of issues. Following Walther's lead, it strongly opposed
humanismHumanism is an approach in study, philosophy, world view or practice that focuses on human values and concerns. In philosophy and social science, humanism is a perspective which affirms some notion of human nature, and is contrasted with anti-humanism....
and religious
syncretismSyncretism is the combining of different beliefs, often while melding practices of various schools of thought. The term means "combining", but see below for the origin of the word...
. He also advocated practicing church fellowship only with those Lutheran congregations whose synods were in complete doctrinal agreement with the Synod.
Under the leadership of its second president, F. C. D. Wyneken, the Missouri Synod poured much effort into caring for German immigrants, helping them find a home among other Germans, building churches and
parochial schoolA parochial school is a school that provides religious education in addition to conventional education. In a narrower sense, a parochial school is a Christian grammar school or high school which is part of, and run by, a parish.-United Kingdom:...
s and providing pastors and teachers to serve in them. As a result, the new synod grew quickly during the 19th century, reaching 685,000 members by 1897.
In 1872, it joined the
Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran SynodThe Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod is a North American Confessional Lutheran denomination of Christianity. Characterized as theologically conservative, it was founded in 1850 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. As of 2008, it had a baptized membership of over 389,364 in more than 1,290 congregations,...
and the Norwegian Synod, the two other large conservative Lutheran bodies, in forming the
Evangelical Lutheran Synodical Conference of North AmericaThe Evangelical Lutheran Synodical Conference of North America was a Lutheran joint fellowship organization between the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod , the Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod and the Evangelical Lutheran Synod...
.
English transition and mergers
As one scholar has explained, "The overwhelming evidence from internal documents of these [Missouri Synod] 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".
Until the United States' involvement in the
First World WarWorld War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, the older members of the synod remained overwhelmingly
GermanGerman is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
in their language, but younger members had long switched to
EnglishEnglish is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
. The anti-German sentiment during the war enabled the younger generation to "Americanize" the church's image and switch the remaining German services to English. As a result, over the next half-century the synod's membership doubled.
In 1947, the church body shortened its name from "Evangelical Lutheran Synod of Missouri, Ohio, and other States" to the present one, the Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod. On January 1, 1964, the
National Evangelical Lutheran ChurchThe National Evangelical Lutheran Church was a Finnish-American Lutheran church that was organized 1898 at Calumet, Michigan. The church was started by people who had left the Finnish Evangelical Lutheran Church of America over concerns of losing congregational freedom and autonomy...
, an historically Finnish-American Lutheran church, merged with the LCMS. In 1971, the Synod of Evangelical Lutheran Churches, an historically
Slovak-AmericanSlovak Americans are Americans of Slovak descent. In the 1990 Census Slovak Americans made up the second-largest portion of Slavic ethnic groups. There are currently about 790,000 people of Slovak descent living in the United States. -Eighteenth century:...
church, also merged with the LCMS.
Beginning in the 1950s, the LCMS became somewhat friendlier to the more liberal Lutheran bodies, much to the chagrin of the other Synodical Conference members. This culminated in the Synodical Conference breaking up in 1963. Six years later, the LCMS formed the Lutheran Council in the United States with several other moderate-to-liberal Lutheran bodies. However, the election of
Jacob PreusJacob Aall Ottesen Preus II was a Lutheran pastor, professor, author, and church president. He served as the president of the Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod from 1969-1981. He was a major figure in the Seminex affair which resulted in a schism in the Missouri Synod.Preus attended Luther Seminary...
as LCMS president began a turn in a more conservative direction. Finally, in 1976, the more liberal congregations broke away to form the
Association of Evangelical Lutheran ChurchesThe Association of Evangelical Lutheran Churches was a U.S. church body that existed from 1976 through the end of 1987. The AELC formed when approximately 250 dissident congregations withdrew from the Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod in 1976, and ended as an independent body when it became part...
, now part of the
Evangelical Lutheran Church in AmericaThe Evangelical Lutheran Church in America is a mainline Protestant denomination headquartered in Chicago, Illinois. The ELCA officially came into existence on January 1, 1988, by the merging of three churches. As of December 31, 2009, it had 4,543,037 baptized members, with 2,527,941 of them...
. The LCMS pulled out of the Lutheran Council shortly afterward, and remains conservative to this day.
Doctrinal sources
One of the signature teachings of the
Lutheran ReformationThe Protestant Reformation was a 16th-century split within Western Christianity initiated by Martin Luther, John Calvin and other early Protestants. The efforts of the self-described "reformers", who objected to the doctrines, rituals and ecclesiastical structure of the Roman Catholic Church, led...
is the teaching named
Sola scripturaSola scriptura is the doctrine that the Bible contains all knowledge necessary for salvation and holiness. Consequently, sola scriptura demands that only those doctrines are to be admitted or confessed that are found directly within or indirectly by using valid logical deduction or valid...
—"Scripture alone." The Missouri Synod believes that the
BibleThe Bible refers to any one of the collections of the primary religious texts of Judaism and Christianity. There is no common version of the Bible, as the individual books , their contents and their order vary among denominations...
is the only standard by which church teachings can be judged. It also holds that scripture is explained and interpreted by the
Book of ConcordThe Book of Concord or Concordia is the historic doctrinal standard of the Lutheran Church, consisting of ten credal documents recognized as authoritative in Lutheranism since the 16th century...
—a series of confessions of faith composed by Lutherans in the 16th century. Missouri Synod pastors and congregations agree to teach in harmony with the Book of Concord
because it teaches and faithfully explains the word of God. The Missouri Synod also teaches
biblical inerrancyBiblical inerrancy is the doctrinal position that the Bible is accurate and totally free of error, that "Scripture in the original manuscripts does not affirm anything that is contrary to fact." Some equate inerrancy with infallibility; others do not.Conservative Christians generally believe that...
, the teaching that Bible is inspired by God and is without error. For this reason, they reject much—if not all—of modern
liberalLiberal Christianity, sometimes called liberal theology, is an umbrella term covering diverse, philosophically and biblically informed religious movements and ideas within Christianity from the late 18th century and onward...
scholarship.
Franz August Otto PieperFranz August Otto Pieper was a Confessional Lutheran theologian; born at Carwitz , Pomerania and died in St. Louis, Missouri. After studying at the gymnasium of Colberg, Pomerania, he emigrated to the United States in 1870...
's
Brief Statement of the Doctrinal Position of the Missouri Synod provides a summary of the major beliefs of the LCMS.
Salvation
The Missouri Synod believes that
justificationRising out of the Protestant Reformation, Justification is the chief article of faith describing God's act of declaring or making a sinner righteous through Christ's atoning sacrifice....
comes from God "by
divine graceIn Christian theology, grace is God’s gift of God’s self to humankind. It is understood by Christians to be a spontaneous gift from God to man - "generous, free and totally unexpected and undeserved" - that takes the form of divine favour, love and clemency. It is an attribute of God that is most...
alone, through faith alone, for
ChristChrist is the English term for the Greek meaning "the anointed one". It is a translation of the Hebrew , usually transliterated into English as Messiah or Mashiach...
's sake alone." It teaches that
JesusJesus of Nazareth , commonly referred to as Jesus Christ or simply as Jesus or Christ, is the central figure of Christianity...
is the focus of the entire Bible and that
faithFaith is confidence or trust in a person or thing, or a belief that is not based on proof. In religion, faith is a belief in a transcendent reality, a religious teacher, a set of teachings or a Supreme Being. Generally speaking, it is offered as a means by which the truth of the proposition,...
in him alone is the way to eternal
salvationWithin religion salvation is the phenomenon of being saved from the undesirable condition of bondage or suffering experienced by the psyche or soul that has arisen as a result of unskillful or immoral actions generically referred to as sins. Salvation may also be called "deliverance" or...
. The synod rejects any attempt to attribute salvation to anything other than Christ's
death and resurrectionThe Christian belief in the resurrection of Jesus states that Jesus returned to bodily life on the third day following his death by crucifixion. It is a key element of Christian faith and theology and part of the Nicene Creed: "On the third day he rose again in fulfillment of the Scriptures"...
.
The means of grace
The Synod teaches that the Word of God, both written and preached, and the
SacramentA sacrament is a sacred rite recognized as of particular importance and significance. There are various views on the existence and meaning of such rites.-General definitions and terms:...
s are
means of graceThe Means of Grace in Christian theology are those things through which God gives grace. Just what this grace entails is interpreted in various ways: generally speaking, some see it as God blessing humankind so as to sustain and empower the Christian life; others see it as forgiveness, life, and...
through which the
Holy SpiritHoly Spirit is a term introduced in English translations of the Hebrew Bible, but understood differently in the main Abrahamic religions.While the general concept of a "Spirit" that permeates the cosmos has been used in various religions Holy Spirit is a term introduced in English translations of...
gives the gift of God's grace, creates faith in hearts of individuals, forgives sins for the sake of Christ's death on the
crossThe Christian cross, seen as a representation of the instrument of the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, is the best-known religious symbol of Christianity...
, and grants eternal life and salvation. For Missouri Synod Lutherans, sacraments are actions instituted by Jesus and combine a promise in God's Word with a physical element. All agree that
baptismIn Christianity, baptism is for the majority the rite of admission , almost invariably with the use of water, into the Christian Church generally and also membership of a particular church tradition...
and
communionThe Eucharist , also called Holy Communion, the Sacrament of the Altar, the Blessed Sacrament, the Lord's Supper, and other names, is a Christian sacrament or ordinance...
are sacraments. Confession and absolution is called a sacrament in the
Apology of the Augsburg ConfessionThe Apology of the Augsburg Confession was written by Philipp Melanchthon during and after the 1530 Diet of Augsburg as a response to the Pontifical Confutation of the Augsburg Confession, Charles V's commissioned official Roman Catholic response to the Lutheran Augsburg Confession of June 25, 1530...
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.
Unlike
CalvinistsCalvinism is a Protestant theological system and an approach to the Christian life...
, Lutherans agree that the means of grace are resistible; this belief is based on numerous biblical references as discussed in the
Book of Concord.
Sacramental Union and the Eucharist
Regarding the
EucharistThe Eucharist , also called Holy Communion, the Sacrament of the Altar, the Blessed Sacrament, the Lord's Supper, and other names, is a Christian sacrament or ordinance...
, the LCMS rejects the
Roman CatholicThe Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
doctrine of
transubstantiationIn Roman Catholic theology, transubstantiation means the change, in the Eucharist, of the substance of wheat bread and grape wine into the substance of the Body and Blood, respectively, of Jesus, while all that is accessible to the senses remains as before.The Eastern Orthodox...
and the
ReformedThe Reformed churches are a group of Protestant denominations characterized by Calvinist doctrines. They are descended from the Swiss Reformation inaugurated by Huldrych Zwingli but developed more coherently by Martin Bucer, Heinrich Bullinger and especially John Calvin...
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
sacramental unionSacramental union is the Lutheran theological doctrine of the Real Presence of the body and blood of Christ in the Christian Eucharist....
,
Real PresenceReal Presence is a term used in various Christian traditions to express belief that in the Eucharist, Jesus Christ is really present in what was previously just bread and wine, and not merely present in symbol, a figure of speech , or by his power .Not all Christian traditions accept this dogma...
, that the Body and Blood of Christ are truly present "in, with, and under" the elements of bread and wine. Or, as the
Smalcald ArticlesThe Smalcald Articles or Schmalkald Articles are a summary of Lutheran doctrine, written by Martin Luther in 1537 for a meeting of the Schmalkaldic League in preparation for an intended ecumenical Council of the Church.-History:...
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." It is occasionally reported that the LCMS and other Lutherans teach the doctrine of
consubstantiationConsubstantiation is a theological doctrine that attempts to describe the nature of the Christian Eucharist in concrete metaphysical terms. It holds that during the sacrament, the fundamental "substance" of the body and blood of Christ are present alongside the substance of the bread and wine,...
. Consubstantiation is generally rejected by Lutherans and is explicitly rejected by the LCMS as an attempt to define the holy mystery of Christ's presence.
Eschatology
The Missouri Synod flatly rejects
millennialismMillennialism , or chiliasm in Greek, is a belief held by some Christian denominations that there will be a Golden Age or Paradise on Earth in which "Christ will reign" for 1000 years prior to the final judgment and future eternal state...
and considers itself
amillennialist.Amillennialism is a view in Christian end-times theology named for its rejection of the theory that Jesus Christ will have a thousand-year long, physical reign on the earth...
This means that they believe there will be no literal 1000-year visible earthly kingdom of Jesus — a view termed as “realized millennialism”, where 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 millennium is a present reality (Christ’s heavenly reign), not a future hope for a rule of Christ on earth after his return (the
parousiaParousia is an ancient Greek word meaning presence, arrival, or official visit.-Classical usage:# Physical presence, arrival – The main use is the physical presence of a person, which where that person is not already present refers to the prospect of the physical arrival of that person, especially...
) (cf. Mt 13:41-42; Mt 28:18; Eph 2:6; Col 3:1–3).
Law and Gospel
The LCMS, along with certain other Lutheran church bodies, also teaches the doctrine of the distinction between God's "Law" and God's "
GospelA gospel is an account, often written, that describes the life of Jesus of Nazareth. In a more general sense the term "gospel" may refer to the good news message of the New Testament. It is primarily used in reference to the four canonical gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John...
". The Missouri Synod believes that the holy scriptures contain only two teachings—the Law and the Gospel. The Law is all those parts of the Bible that provide commands and instructions, which the LCMS believes are impossible to completely obey. Therefore, the Law through this stated relationship with God, implies an inevitable consequence of God's wrath, judgment and damnation. The Gospel, on the other hand, is the portions of Scripture that promise free salvation from God, even to
sinIn religion, sin is the violation or deviation of an eternal divine law or standard. The term sin may also refer to the state of having committed such a violation. Christians believe the moral code of conduct is decreed by God In religion, sin (also called peccancy) is the violation or deviation...
ners. 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 a person their sinful nature and drive (draw) them to the Gospel, where the forgiveness of sin is promised for the sake of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
The LCMS insists that both the
OldThe Old Testament, of which Christians hold different views, is a Christian term for the religious writings of ancient Israel held sacred and inspired by Christians which overlaps with the 24-book canon of the Masoretic Text of Judaism...
and the
New TestamentThe New Testament is the second major division of the Christian biblical canon, the first such division being the much longer Old Testament....
teach both Law and Gospel. 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. This Lutheran doctrine was summarized by C. F. W. Walther in
The Proper Distinction Between Law and Gospel.
The Papacy as Antichrist
In 1932 the LCMS adopted
A Brief Statement of the Doctrinal Position of the Missouri Synod. Statement 43,
Of the Antichrist, as found on the synod website, is as follows:
As to the Antichrist we teach that the prophecies of the Holy Scriptures concerning the Antichrist, 2 Thess. 2:3–12; 1 John 2:18, have been fulfilled in the Pope of Rome and his dominion. All the features of the Antichrist as drawn in these prophecies, including the most abominable and horrible ones, for example, that the Antichrist "as God sitteth in the temple of God," 2 Thess. 2:4; that he anathematizes the very heart of the Gospel of Christ, that is, the doctrine of the forgiveness of sins by grace alone, for Christ's sake alone, through faith alone, without any merit or worthiness in man (Rom. 3:20-28; Gal. 2:16); that he recognizes only those as members of the Christian Church who bow to his authority; and that, like a deluge, he had inundated the whole Church with his antichristian doctrines till God revealed him through the Reformation – these very features are the outstanding characteristics of the Papacy. (Cf. Smalcald Articles, Triglot, p. 515, Paragraphs 39-41; p. 401, Paragraph 45; M. pp. 336, 258.) Hence we subscribe to the statement of our Confessions that the Pope is "the very Antichrist."(Smalcald Articles, Triglot, p. 475, Paragraph 10; M., p. 308.)
A frequently asked question page on the LCMS website further explains:
The LCMS does not teach, nor has it ever taught, that any individual Pope as a person, is to be identified with the Antichrist. The historic view of LCMS on the Antichrist is summarized as follows by the Synod's Theological Commission:
The New Testament predicts that the church throughout its history will witness many antichrists (Matt. 24:5,23-24; Mark 13:6,21-22; Luke 21:8; 1 John 2:18,22; 4:3; 2 John 7). All false teachers who teach contrary to Christ's Word are opponents of Christ and, insofar as they do so, are anti-Christ.
However, the Scriptures also teach that there is one climactic "Anti-Christ" (Dan. 7:8,11,20-21,24-25; 11:36-45; 2 Thessalonians 2; 1 John 2:18; 4:3; Revelation 17-18)... Concerning the historical identity of the Antichrist, we affirm the Lutheran Confessions' identification of the Antichrist with the office of the papacy whose official claims continue to correspond to the Scriptural marks listed above. It is important, however, that we observe the distinction which the Lutheran Confessors made between the office of the pope (papacy) and the individual men who fill that office. The latter could be Christians themselves. We do not presume to judge any person's heart. Also, we acknowledge the possibility that the historical form of the Antichrist could change. Of course, in that case another identified by these marks would rise. To the extent that the papacy continues to claim as official dogma the canons and decrees of the Council of Trent which expressly anathematizes, for instance, the doctrine "that justifying faith is nothing else than trust in divine mercy which remits sins for Christ's sake, or that it is that trust alone by which we are justified," the judgment of the Lutheran confessional writings that the papacy is the Antichrist holds.
Creationism
The LCMS is officially
creationistCreationism is the religious beliefthat humanity, life, the Earth, and the universe are the creation of a supernatural being, most often referring to the Abrahamic god. As science developed from the 18th century onwards, various views developed which aimed to reconcile science with the Genesis...
. According to the recent 2004 LCMS 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."
Worship
The Missouri Synod's original Constitution indicates that one of its purposes is to strive toward uniformity in practice, while also encouraging responsible and doctrinally-sound diversity. The synod requires that
hymnA hymn is a type of song, usually religious, specifically written for the purpose of praise, adoration or prayer, and typically addressed to a deity or deities, or to a prominent figure or personification...
s, songs,
liturgiesLiturgy is either the customary public worship done by a specific religious group, according to its particular traditions or a more precise term that distinguishes between those religious groups who believe their ritual requires the "people" to do the "work" of responding to the priest, and those...
, and practices be in harmony with the
BibleThe Bible refers to any one of the collections of the primary religious texts of Judaism and Christianity. There is no common version of the Bible, as the individual books , their contents and their order vary among denominations...
and
Book of ConcordThe Book of Concord or Concordia is the historic doctrinal standard of the Lutheran Church, consisting of ten credal documents recognized as authoritative in Lutheranism since the 16th century...
. Historically, worship in Missouri Synod congregations is orthodox and liturgical, utilizing a printed order of service and hymnal, accompanied by a
pipe organThe pipe organ is a musical instrument that produces sound by driving pressurized air through pipes selected via a keyboard. Because each organ pipe produces a single pitch, the pipes are provided in sets called ranks, each of which has a common timbre and volume throughout the keyboard compass...
or other classical instrumentation. In recent years, some congregations have adopted a variety of less-formal worship styles, employing
contemporary Christian musicContemporary Christian music is a genre of modern popular music which is lyrically focused on matters concerned with the Christian faith...
, in a folk mass or rock band setting. This has caused a great deal of contention in the church body since it has a decidedly liturgical heritage. The recent publication of
Lutheran Service BookLutheran Service Book is the newest official hymnal of the Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod and the Lutheran Church–Canada . It was prepared by the LCMS Commission on Worship and published by Concordia Publishing House, the official publisher of the LCMS...
and its widespread reception shows the strength of liturgical life in the parishes of the Synod. More traditional LCMS Lutherans point to the Lutheran Confessions in their defense of liturgical worship.
Eucharist
The LCMS endorses the doctrine of close or
closed communionClosed communion is the practice of restricting the serving of the elements of Holy Communion to those who are members of a particular church, denomination, sect, or congregation...
— the policy of sharing the Eucharist ordinarily only with those who are baptized and confirmed members of one of the congregations of the Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod or of a congregation of one of her sister churches with whom she 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 before coming to that congregation's altar for the first time. Some congregations, however, do not implement Synod's policy, celebrating open communion and welcoming all to their altars. The existence of such divergent practice of doctrine challenges the monolithic unity of the LCMS.
Ordination
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 ministry. The
Treatise on the Power and Primacy of the PopeThe Treatise on the Power and Primacy of the Pope , The Tractate for short, is the seventh Lutheran credal document of the Book of Concord...
agrees that "ordination was nothing else than such a ratification" of local elections by the people. The LCMS does not believe ordination is divinely instituted or an extension of an episcopal form of
apostolic successionApostolic succession is a doctrine, held by some Christian denominations, which asserts that the chosen successors of the Twelve Apostles, from the first century to the present day, have inherited the spiritual, ecclesiastical and sacramental authority, power, and responsibility that were...
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
Treatise on the Power and Primacy of the PopeThe Treatise on the Power and Primacy of the Pope , The Tractate for short, is the seventh Lutheran credal document of the Book of Concord...
, paragraphs 63,64, citing St.
JeromeSaint Jerome was a Roman Christian priest, confessor, theologian and historian, and who became a Doctor of the Church. He was the son of Eusebius, of the city of Stridon, which was on the border of Dalmatia and Pannonia...
). The
Augsburg ConfessionThe Augsburg Confession, also known as the "Augustana" from its Latin name, Confessio Augustana, is the primary confession of faith of the Lutheran Church and one of the most important documents of the Lutheran reformation...
(Article XIV) holds that no one is to preach, teach, or administer the sacraments without a regular call.
LCMS pastors are generally required to have a four-year bachelor's degree (in any discipline), as well as a four-year
Master of DivinityIn the academic study of theology, the Master of Divinity is the first professional degree of the pastoral profession in North America...
degree which is usually obtained from one of these institutions:
Concordia SeminaryConcordia Seminary is located in Clayton, Missouri, an inner-ring suburb on the western border of St. Louis, Missouri. The institution's primary mission is to train pastors, deaconesses, missionaries, chaplains, and church leaders for the Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod . The current president of...
in St. Louis or the
Concordia Theological SeminaryThe Concordia Theological Seminary is an institution of theological higher education of The Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod , located in Fort Wayne, Indiana, dedicated primarily to the preparation of pastors for the congregations and missions of the LCMS...
in
Fort Wayne, IndianaFort Wayne is a city in the US state of Indiana and the county seat of Allen County. The population was 253,691 at the 2010 Census making it the 74th largest city in the United States and the second largest in Indiana...
or at the two seminaries run by the Lutheran Church—Canada. 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 (Biblical Greek and
HebrewHebrew is a Semitic language of the Afroasiatic language family. Culturally, is it considered by Jews and other religious groups as the language of the Jewish people, though other Jewish languages had originated among diaspora Jews, and the Hebrew language is also used by non-Jewish groups, such...
), practical application (education, preaching, and mission), and doctrine (the basic teachings and beliefs of the synod).
The Missouri Synod teaches that the
ordination of womenOrdination in general religious usage is the process by which a person is consecrated . The ordination of women is a regular practice among some major religious groups, as it was of several religions of antiquity...
as clergy is contrary to scripture. The issue of women's roles in the church body has continued to be a subject of great debate within the Synod. Congregations were permitted to enact female suffrage 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 many congregations of the LCMS, women 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 male suffrage, similar to the Wisconsin Synod.
LCMS National Youth Gathering
The National Youth Gathering is held every 3 years. The next gathering will take place in 2013 in San Antonio,
TexasTexas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
. 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
Orange County Convention CenterThe Orange County Convention Center is the primary public convention center for the Central Florida region. The center currently ranks as the second largest convention center in the United States . The OCCC offers of total space, of which is exhibit space...
in
Orlando, FloridaOrlando is a city in the central region of the U.S. state of Florida. It is the county seat of Orange County, and the center of the Greater Orlando metropolitan area. According to the 2010 US Census, the city had a population of 238,300, making Orlando the 79th largest city in the United States...
. The gathering's theme in 2007 was "Chosen." The gathering in 2007 was originally planned to be held in New Orleans,
LouisianaLouisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
, but due to
Hurricane KatrinaHurricane Katrina of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season was a powerful Atlantic hurricane. It is the costliest natural disaster, as well as one of the five deadliest hurricanes, in the history of the United States. Among recorded Atlantic hurricanes, it was the sixth strongest overall...
, the location was changed to
Orlando, FloridaOrlando is a city in the central region of the U.S. state of Florida. It is the county seat of Orange County, and the center of the Greater Orlando metropolitan area. According to the 2010 US Census, the city had a population of 238,300, making Orlando the 79th largest city in the United States...
. Around 35,000 youth attend each gathering. Many Christian bands and artists perform at gatherings.
Church structure
The LCMS has a form of
congregationalCongregationalist polity, often known as congregationalism, is a system of church governance in which every local church congregation is independent, ecclesiastically sovereign, or "autonomous"...
polity. This is different than some other Lutheran bodies which have maintained
episcopal polityEpiscopal polity is a form of church governance that is hierarchical in structure with the chief authority over a local Christian church resting in a bishop...
; however, this is not considered to be a point of doctrine, as the Synod is in fellowship with some Lutheran church bodies in Europe that have an episcopal structure.
The corporate LCMS is formally constituted of two types of members: autonomous 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 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 far too large for even a local consortium of congregations to accomplish, such as foreign mission work.
Synod
The LCMS as a whole is led by an ordained Synodical President and CEO, currently
Matthew C. Harrison. The President is chosen at a Synodical convention, a gathering of the two membership groups (professional clergymen, and
lay representativesIn religious organizations, the laity comprises all people who are not in the clergy. A person who is a member of a religious order who is not ordained legitimate clergy is considered as a member of the laity, even though they are members of a religious order .In the past in Christian cultures, the...
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 Synodical positions. The next Synodical convention will be in 2013. Local conventions within each circuit and district are held in the intervening years.
Districts
The entire synod is divided into
districtsThe Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod is organized into 35 districts, 33 of which are defined along geographic lines. Each district has a president who oversees the congregations in his district, which are further subdivided into local circuits...
, usually corresponding to a specific geographic area, as well as two non-geographical districts, the
EnglishThe English District is one of the 35 districts of the Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod . It is one of the Synod's two non-geographical districts, along with the SELC District, and has its origins in the congregations of the former English Evangelical Lutheran Synod, which merged with the LCMS in...
and the
SELCThe SELC District is one of the 35 districts of the Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod . It is one of the Synod's two non-geographical districts, along with the English District, and has its origins in the congregations of the former Slovak Evangelical Lutheran Church, which merged with the LCMS in...
, which were formed when the formerly separate 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
circuitsA circuit, in the Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod , is a local grouping of congregations within one of the Synod's 35 districts. Circuits typically include 8 to 12 congregations...
, each of which is led by a circuit counselor, who is an ordained pastor from one of the member congregations.
Congregations
Congregations are served by full-time professional clergy. The LCMS is congregationalist with regard to polity.
Organizations
In addition to its two seminaries, the LCMS operates ten universities known as the
Concordia University SystemThe Concordia University System is an organization of ten colleges and universities throughout the United States operated by the Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod . All ten institutions are named "Concordia" and all include professional church work programs as part of their curricula. The CUS was...
. Among the LCMS's other auxiliary organizations are the Lutheran Laymen's League (now known as
Lutheran Hour MinistriesLutheran Hour Ministries is a Christian outreach ministry affiliated with the Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod, Lutheran Church - Canada and Lutheran Women in Mission...
), which conducts outreach ministries including
The Lutheran HourThe Lutheran Hour is a U.S. religious radio program that proclaims the message of Jesus Christ on nearly 800 stations throughout North American, as well as by weekly audiences on the American Forces Network and XM Satellite Radio FamilyTalk 170...
radio program; and the
Lutheran Women's Missionary LeagueThe Lutheran Women’s Missionary League is the official women’s auxiliary of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod. For over 65 years, the LWML has focused on affirming each woman’s relationship with Christ, encouraging and equipping women to live out their Christian lives in active mission ministries...
. The synod also operates
Concordia Publishing HouseConcordia Publishing House , founded in 1869, is the official publishing arm of The Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod. Headquartered in St Louis, Missouri at 3558 S. Jefferson St. Louis, MO, CPH publishes the Synod's official magazine, The Lutheran Witness and the Synod's hymnals, including...
, through which it publishes the official periodical of the LCMS,
The Lutheran Witness.
Relationship with other Lutheran bodies
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
National Council of ChurchesThe National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA is an ecumenical partnership of 37 Christian faith groups in the United States. Its member denominations, churches, conventions, and archdioceses include Mainline Protestant, Orthodox, African American, Evangelical, and historic peace...
, the
National Association of EvangelicalsThe National Association of Evangelicals is a fellowship of member denominations, churches, organizations, and individuals. Its goal is to honor God by connecting and representing evangelicals in the United States. Today it works in four main areas: Church & Faith Partners, Government Relations,...
, the
World Council of ChurchesThe World Council of Churches is a worldwide fellowship of 349 global, regional and sub-regional, national and local churches seeking unity, a common witness and Christian service. It is a Christian ecumenical organization that is based in the Ecumenical Centre in Geneva, Switzerland...
or the
Lutheran World FederationThe Lutheran World Federation is a global communion of national and regional Lutheran churches headquartered in the Ecumenical Centre in Geneva, Switzerland. The federation was founded in the Swedish city of Lund in the aftermath of the Second World War in 1947 to coordinate the activities of the...
. It is, however, a member of the
International Lutheran CouncilThe International Lutheran Council is a worldwide association of confessional Lutheran denominations. It is to be distinguished from the larger Lutheran World Federation, which is an association of the more theologically moderate to liberal Lutheran churches, all of which are in full communion with...
, made up of over 30 Lutheran Churches worldwide that support the confessional doctrines of the Bible and the Book of Concord. At the 2007 convention, the delegates voted to establish altar and pulpit fellowship with the
American Association of Lutheran ChurchesThe American Association of Lutheran Churches was formed on November 7, 1987 as an alternative choice for churches in The American Lutheran Church denomination who did not want to be part of the merger with two other Lutheran church bodies, Lutheran Church in America , & American Evangelical...
(AALC).
Although its strongly conservative views on theology and ethics might seem to make the LCMS politically compatible with Protestant
evangelicalsEvangelicalism is a Protestant Christian movement which began in Great Britain in the 1730s and gained popularity in the United States during the series of Great Awakenings of the 18th and 19th century.Its key commitments are:...
and
fundamentalistsFundamentalism is strict adherence to specific theological doctrines usually understood as a reaction against Modernist theology. The term "fundamentalism" was originally coined by its supporters to describe a specific package of theological beliefs that developed into a movement within the...
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
Two KingdomsMartin Luther's doctrine of the two kingdoms of God teaches that God is the ruler of the whole world and that he rules in two ways....
(see above), which repudiates the primarily
CalvinistCalvinism is a Protestant theological system and an approach to the Christian life...
presuppositions about the totalizing rule of God that informs much, if not most, of U.S. evangelical understanding of politics and Christianity. However, both LCMS and Evangelicals share the common belief that life begins and should be protected by law since conception.
The LCMS is distinguished from the
Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran SynodThe Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod is a North American Confessional Lutheran denomination of Christianity. Characterized as theologically conservative, it was founded in 1850 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. As of 2008, it had a baptized membership of over 389,364 in more than 1,290 congregations,...
(WELS) by three main theological beliefs:
- The biblical understanding of fellowship: the LCMS believes in a distinction between the altar, pulpit fellowship, and other manifestations of Christian fellowship (i.e., a prayer fellowship). The WELS does not.
- 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 other offices, such as teachers, are also divinely established.
- 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.
Additionally, some LCMS congregations are somewhat more tolerant of the
charismatic movementThe term charismatic movement is used in varying senses to describe 20th century developments in various Christian denominations. It describes an ongoing international, cross-denominational/non-denominational Christian movement in which individual, historically mainstream congregations adopt...
than the WELS; some of the more prominent charismatic Lutheran congregations are members of the LCMS.
Respondents to the
Pew Research CenterThe Pew Research Center is an American think tank organization based in Washington, D.C. that provides information on issues, attitudes and trends shaping the United States and the world. The Center and its projects receive funding from The Pew Charitable Trusts. In 1990, Donald S...
's U.S. Religious Landscape Survey of 2008 included members of LCMS and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) These results do not follow the official doctrinal statements of the respective church bodies.
| Pew Survey Results by Denomination | LCMS | ELCA |
| Number of adults surveyed out of total of 35,556: |
588 |
869 |
| Percent of adults in the United States: |
1.4% |
2.0% |
| Percent of adult Protestants in the United States: |
2.7% |
3.8% |
| Do you believe in God or a universal spirit? |
Absolutely Certain: |
84% |
77% |
| Fairly Certain: |
12% |
19% |
| Do not believe in God: |
1% |
0% |
| Don't Know/Refused/Other: |
1% |
1% |
| The Bible |
Word of God to be taken literally word for word: |
42% |
23% |
| Word of God, but not literally true word for word/Unsure if literally true: |
39% |
48% |
| Book written by men, not the word of God: |
15% |
20% |
| Don't Know/Refused/Other: |
4% |
9% |
| Abortion |
Abortion should be legal in all cases: |
16% |
18% |
| Abortion should be legal in most cases: |
35% |
42% |
| Abortion should be illegal in most cases: |
32% |
26% |
| Abortion should be illegal in all cases: |
13% |
6% |
| Don't know/Refused: |
5% |
7% |
| Interpretation of Religious Teachings |
There is only ONE true way to interpret the teachings of my religion: |
28% |
15% |
| There is MORE than one true way to interpret the teachings of my religion: |
68% |
82% |
| Neither/Both Equally: |
1% |
1% |
| Don't Know/Refused: |
3% |
2% |
| Homosexuality |
Homosexuality should be accepted: |
44% |
56% |
| Homosexuality should be discouraged: |
47% |
33% |
| Neither/Both Equally: |
4% |
3% |
| Don't Know/Refused: |
5% |
3% |
Membership and demographics
Membership growth was substantial in the first half of the twentieth century. According to the
Yearbook of American & Canadian Churches, 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 2011 the LCMS reported 2,278,586 members and 6,158 churches, with 5,999 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.
Results from the
Pew Research CenterThe Pew Research Center is an American think tank organization based in Washington, D.C. that provides information on issues, attitudes and trends shaping the United States and the world. The Center and its projects receive funding from The Pew Charitable Trusts. In 1990, Donald S...
U.S. Religious Landscape Survey of 2008:
| Demographic Results for 2008 | ELCA | LCMS | Total Population |
| Age |
18-29 |
8% |
11% |
20% |
| 30-49 |
36% |
32% |
39% |
| 50-64 |
29% |
31% |
25% |
| 65+ |
27% |
26% |
16% |
| Marital Status |
Never Married |
11% |
11% |
19% |
| Married |
63% |
60% |
54% |
| Living with Partner |
3% |
5% |
6% |
| Divorced/Separated |
10% |
11% |
12% |
| Widowed |
13% |
13% |
8% |
| Children at home under 18 |
No Children |
70% |
72% |
65% |
| One Child |
11% |
11% |
13% |
| Two Children |
13% |
10% |
13% |
| Three Children |
5% |
5% |
6% |
| Four or more Children |
1% |
2% |
3% |
| Race |
White (non-Hispanic) |
97% |
95% |
71% |
| Black (non-Hispanic) |
1% |
2% |
11% |
| Asian (non-Hispanic) |
1% |
1% |
3% |
| Other/Mixed (non-Hispanic) |
1% |
1% |
3% |
| Hispanic |
1% |
1% |
12% |
| Region |
Northeast |
19% |
7% |
19% |
| Midwest |
51% |
64% |
23% |
| South |
16% |
16% |
36% |
| West |
14% |
13% |
22% |
| Gender |
Male |
44% |
47% |
48% |
| Female |
56% |
53% |
52% |
| Level of Education |
Less than High School |
6% |
9% |
14% |
| Graduated High School |
38% |
38% |
36% |
| Some College |
26% |
25% |
23% |
| Graduated College |
19% |
18% |
16% |
| Post-graduate |
11% |
9% |
11% |
| Family Income |
Less than $30,000 |
24% |
24% |
31% |
| $30,000-$49,999 |
24% |
20% |
22% |
| $50,000-$74,999 |
21% |
20% |
17% |
| $75,000-$99,999 |
15% |
18% |
13% |
| $100,000 or more |
17% |
17% |
18% |
Presidents
- 1847–1850 Carl Ferdinand Wilhelm Walther
Carl Ferdinand Wilhelm Walther was the first President of the Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod and its most influential theologian...
- 1850–1864 Friedrich Conrad Dietrich Wyneken
Friedrich Conrad Dietrich Wyneken was a missionary, pastor and the second president of the Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod....
- 1864–1878 Carl Ferdinand Wilhelm Walther
Carl Ferdinand Wilhelm Walther was the first President of the Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod and its most influential theologian...
- 1878–1899 Heinrich Christian Schwan
Heinrich Christian Schwan , a German Lutheran pastor, served as a missionary in Brazil, a pastor in Cleveland, Ohio, and Central District President and General President in the Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod...
- 1899–1911 Franz August Otto Pieper
Franz August Otto Pieper was a Confessional Lutheran theologian; born at Carwitz , Pomerania and died in St. Louis, Missouri. After studying at the gymnasium of Colberg, Pomerania, he emigrated to the United States in 1870...
- 1911–1935 Friedrich Pfotenhauer
Friedrich Pfotenhauer was president of the Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod from 1911-1935.-External links:*...
- 1935–1962 John William Behnken
John William Behnken was president of the Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod from 1935 to 1962. He previously served as president of the Synod's Texas District from 1926 to 1929.-External links:*...
- 1962–1969 Oliver Raymond Harms
Oliver Raymond Harms was President of the Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod from 1962 to 1969....
- 1969–1981 J. A. O. Preus II
Jacob Aall Ottesen Preus II was a Lutheran pastor, professor, author, and church president. He served as the president of the Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod from 1969-1981. He was a major figure in the Seminex affair which resulted in a schism in the Missouri Synod.Preus attended Luther Seminary...
- 1981–1992 Ralph Arthur Bohlmann
Ralph Arthur Bohlmann graduated from Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, in 1956. He was ordained on 29 June 1958 in Des Moines, Iowa, by his father, the Rev. Arthur E. Bohlmann. He later received his Ph.D. from Yale University....
- 1992–2001 Alvin L. Barry
Alvin L. Barry was president of the Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod from 1992 until his death. He is the only president of the LCMS to die in office. He previously served as president of the Synod's Iowa District East from 1982 to 1992.-External links:*...
- 2001–2001 Robert T. Kuhn
Robert T. Kuhn is the former president of the Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod, having held that office from March to August 2001. He currently serves on the LCMS Board of Directors.-External links:*...
- 2001–2010 Gerald B. Kieschnick
Gerald Bryan Kieschnick was the 12th president of the Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod. He served 3 terms starting in 2001, re-elected in 2004, and again in 2007. He was defeated in his bid for a fourth term by the Rev. Matthew C...
- 2010–Present Matthew C. Harrison
See also
- Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
- Confessional Lutheran
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 of 1580 in their entirety, because they believe them to be completely faithful to the teachings of the Bible...
- Conservative Christianity
Conservative Christianity is a term applied to a number of groups or movements seen as giving priority to traditional Christian beliefs and practices...
- International Lutheran Council
The International Lutheran Council is a worldwide association of confessional Lutheran denominations. It is to be distinguished from the larger Lutheran World Federation, which is an association of the more theologically moderate to liberal Lutheran churches, all of which are in full communion with...
- Lutheran Women's Missionary League
The Lutheran Women’s Missionary League is the official women’s auxiliary of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod. For over 65 years, the LWML has focused on affirming each woman’s relationship with Christ, encouraging and equipping women to live out their Christian lives in active mission ministries...
- The Wartburg Adult Care Community
The Wartburg Adult Care Community is a non-profit, Lutheran organization located in Mount Vernon, New York that provides a continuum of care to older adults through residential and community-based programs and services. The Wartburg was originally founded in 1866 as an orphanage and farm school and...
Historical documents and accounts
- Synodal-Handbuch der deutschen ev.-luth. Synode von Missouri, Ohio u. a. St.. St. Louis: Lutherischer Concordia-Verlag, 1879.
- Synodal-Handbuch der deutschen ev.-luth. Synode von Missouri, Ohio u. a. St.. St. Louis: Luth. Concordia-Verlag, 1888.
- Kirchen-gesangbuch für Evang-lutherische Gemeinden ungeänderter augsburgischer Confession. St. Louis: Verlag der ev.-luth. Synode von Missouri, Ohio u.a. Staaten, 1868.
- The Doctrinal Resolutions of the National Conventions of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod 1847–2004
- Dau, W.T.H. Ebenezer: Reviews of the Work of the Missouri Synod During Three Quarters of a Century. St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1922.
- Forster, Walter O. Zion on the Mississippi: The Settlement of the Saxon Lutherans in Missouri 1839–1841. St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1953.
- Graebner, August Lawrence. Half a Century of Sound Lutheranism in America: A Brief Sketch of the History of the Missouri Synod. St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1893.
- Janzow, W. Theophil. Thy Kingdom Come: A History of the Nebraska District of the Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod. Seward, NE: The Nebraska District of the Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod, 1983.
- Meyer, Carl S. Moving Frontiers: Readings in the History of the Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod. St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1964. LOC 63-21161
- Rudnick, Milton L. Fundamentalism and the Missouri Synod: A historical study of their interaction and mutual influence. St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1966. LOC 66-28229
- Schieferdecker, G.A. History of the First German Lutheran Settlement in Altenburg, Perry County, Missouri with Special Emphasis on its Ecclesiastic Movements. Clayton, Iowa: Wartburg Seminary, 1865.
- Schiffman, Harold. "Language loyalty in the German-American Church: the Case of an Over-confident Minority" (1987) online
- Schmidtz, F. The Destinies and Adventures of the Stephanists who emigrated from Saxony to America Dresden: C. Heinrich, 1839.
- Suelflow, August R. Heritage in Motion: Readings in the History of the Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod 1962–1995. St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1998. ISBN 0-570-04266-6
- Todd, Mary. Authority Vested: A Story of Identity and Change in the Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod. Grand Rapids, MI: William B. Eerdmans, 2000. ISBN 0-8028-4457-X
- Vehse, Carl Eduard. Die Stephan'sche Auswanderung nach Amerika. Dresden: Verlagsexpedition des Dresdner Wochenblattes, 1840.
- Wolf, Edmund Jacob. The Lutherans in America; a story of struggle, progress, influence and marvelous growth. New York: J.A. Hill, 1889.
The Seminex controversy
- Adams, James E. Preus of Missouri and the Great Lutheran Civil War. New York: Harper and Row, 1977.
- Board of Control, Concordia Seminary. Exodus From Concordia: A Report on the 1974 Walkout. St. Louis: Concordia Seminary, 1977.
- Danker, Frederick W. No Room in the Brotherhood: The Preus-Otten Purge of Missouri. St. Louis: Clayton Publishing House, 1977. ISBN 0-915644-10-X
- Marquart, Kurt E. Anatomy of an Explosion: Missouri in Lutheran Perspective. Fort Wayne, IN: Concordia Theological Seminary Press, 1977.
- Tietjen, John. Memoirs in Exile: Confessional Hope and Institutional Conflict. Minneapolis: Augsburg Fortress Press, 1990.
- Zimmerman, Paul. A Seminary in Crisis. St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 2006. ISBN 0-7586-1102-1
Missions
Lutheran Witness
Theological Monthly/Quarterly
General
- Cimino, Richard. Lutherans Today: American Lutheran Identity in the Twenty-First Century. Grand Rapids, MI: William B. Eerdmans, 2003. ISBN 0-8028-1365-8
- Nelson, E. Clifford et al. The Lutherans in North America. Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 1975. ISBN 0-8006-0409-1
- Strommen, Merton P., Milo L. Brekke, Ralph C. Underwager, and Arthur L. Johnson. 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. Minneapolis: Augsburg Publishing House, 1972. ISBN 0-8066-1207-X
Official LCMS websites
Additional resource websites