American Lutheranism | Page 2

the unique, thorough, and reliable work of our
sainted colleague Dr. A. Graebner: "Geschichte der Lutherischen
Kirche in Amerika. Erster Teil. St. Louis, Mo. Concordia Publishing
House, 1892."
While, as stated, the immediate object of our presentation is simply to
state the facts concerning the questions, theologians, and synods
involved, it self-evidently was an ulterior end of ours also, by the grace
of God, to be of some service in furthering and maintaining the unity of
the Spirit, an interest always and everywhere essential to the Lutheran
Church.
"May the almighty God and Father of our Lord Jesus grant the grace of
His Holy Spirit that we all may be One in Him and constantly abide in
such Christian unity, which is well-pleasing to Him! Amen." (Form, of
Conc., Epit., 11, § 23.)
F. Bente, Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, Mo. July 28, 1919.
TABLE OF CONTENTS.
AMERICAN LUTHERANISM............................page
Introduction....................................1-10 EARLY HISTORY OF
AMERICAN LUTHERANISM.........11-147 Lutheran Swedes in
Delaware....................11-16 Salzburg Lutherans in
Georgia..................16-20 Lutherans in New York..........................20-24
Justus Falckner................................24-29 Joshua
Kocherthal..............................29-32 William Christopher
Berkenmeyer................32-35 Deterioration in New
York......................35-39 New York Ministerium...........................39-42
John Christopher Hartwick......................42-46 Germantown,
Pennsylvania.......................46-50 Slavery of
Redemptioners.......................50-55 Lutherans in
Pennsylvania......................55-59 Henry Melchior
Muhlenberg......................59-64 Further Activity and Death of
Muhlenberg.......64-70 Muhlenberg's Confessionalism...................70-73
Muhlenberg's Pietism...........................73-77 Muhlenberg's Hierarchical

Tendencies...........77-83 Muhlenberg's Unionism..........................84-91
Training of Ministers and Teachers Neglected...91-99 Deterioration of
Mother Synod.................99-103 Unionism in the
Ascendency...................103-110 Typical Representatives of
Synod.............110-113 Synod's Unlutheran Attitude
Continued........113-116 Lutherans in South
Carolina..................116-119 The North Carolina
Synod.....................119-122 Critical
Conventions.........................122-128 Gottlieb
Shober..............................129-131 North Carolina
Rupture.......................131-134 Lutherans in
Virginia........................134-140 Special Conference in
Virginia...............140-144 Synod of Maryland and
Virginia...............144-147 TENNESSEE
SYNOD..............................148-237
Organization.................................148-158 Objections to General
Synod..................158-167 Attitude as to
Church-fellowship.............167-173 Efforts at Unity and
Peace...................174-184 Tennessee Justifying Her
Procedure...........184-191 Doctrinal Basis..............................192-195
Confession Enforced..........................195-198 Anti-Romanistic
Attitude.....................198-207 Anti-Methodistic
Attitude....................207-213 Anti-Unionistic
Attitude.....................213-217 Tennessee and
Missouri.......................217-221 Peculiarities of Tennessee
Synod.............221-232 The Henkels..................................232-237
American Lutheranism.
INTRODUCTION.
1. Christianity the Only Real and True Religion.--Religion is man's
filial relation to, and union with, God. Natural religion is the concreated
relation of Adam and Eve in their state of innocence toward their
Creator. Fallen man, though he still lives, and moves, and has his being
in God, is, in consequence of his sinful nature, atheos, without God,
and hence without true and real religion. His attitude toward God is not

that of a child to his father. Heathen religions are products of the futile
efforts of men at reconciling God and restoring union with Him by their
own penances and works. They are religions invented and made by
men. As such they are counterfeit religions, because they persuade men
to trust either in fictitious merits of their own or in God's alleged
indifference toward sin. Christianity is the divine restoration of religion,
i. e., of the true spiritual and filial relation of fallen man toward God.
Essentially, Christianity is the divine trust and assurance that God,
according to His own merciful promise in the Gospel, is, for the sake of
Christ and His merits, my pardoning and loving Father. It is the religion
of justification, restoration, and salvation, not by human efforts and
works, but by divine grace only. Paganism believes in man and his
capacity for self-redemption; Christianity believes in the God-man and
in salvation by His name and none other. From Mohammedanism,
Buddhism, and all other religions of the world Christianity differs
essentially, just as Jehovah differs from idols, as divine grace differs
from human works. Christianity is not one of many species of generic
religion, but the only true and real religion. Nor is Christianity related
to other religions as the highest stage of an evolutionary process is to
its antecedent lower stages. Christianity is divine revelation from above,
not human evolution from below. Based, as it is, on special divine
interposition, revelation, and operation, Christianity is the supernatural
religion. And for fallen man it is the only availing and saving religion,
because it alone imparts real pardon, and engenders real and divine
assurance of such pardon; because it alone really pacifies the
conscience and fully satisfies the heart; and because it alone bestows
new spiritual powers of sanctification. Christianity is absolute and final,
it is the non plus ultra, the Alpha and Omega, of religion, because its
God is the only true God, its Mediator is the only-begotten Son of God,
its ransom is the blood of God, and its gift is perfect union with God.
Compare John 8, 24; Acts 4, 12; John 14, 6; 3, 36; Gal. 1, 8. 9.
Romanism, Rationalism, Arminianism, Synergism, etc., are heathen
remnants within, and corruptions of, Christianity, elements absolutely
foreign to, and per se subversive of, the religion of divine grace and
revelation.
2. The Church and Its Manifestations.--The Christian Church is the sum

total of all Christians, all true believers in the Gospel of salvation by
Christ and His merits alone. Faith always, and it alone, makes one