<> Ask the Pastor Pastor Walter Snyder After two wonderful weeks of vacation, I'm back to enjoy our weekly Q&A. I spent most of my time in the St. Louis area, enjoying family (in-laws and outlaws) and doing the things tourists do. I'm happy that I don't have to work ahead producing extra columns, and can focus only on what we have this week. Q: What's the difference in the Lutheran religion between the Wisconsin the Missouri Synods? A: First, please don't consider Lutheranism a "religion." We are Christians following the teaching of Martin Luther and other 16th Century reformers. Most Lutherans don't even like "denomination," since the word can have connotations of monetary value or establishes a distinction other than we care to make. "Synod" comes from two Greek words, and means "on the same road." Those in a synod "walk together" on a common path. The geographical names come from the circumstances of their founding and their current centers of operation. For example, the Missouri Synod is headquartered in St. Louis, and was founded by congregations from Missouri and elsewhere 150 years ago. The English translation of its full, original name is "The German Evangelical Lutheran Synod of Missouri, Ohio, and other States." There are many facets and factions in both the Wisconsin and the Missouri Synods. To be brief, I'll risk stereotyping. In general, Missouri and Wisconsin both confess Biblical inspiration and inerrancy. Both require their members to believe, teach, and confess the pure doctrine of their confessional statements without reservation or qualification. In general, the synods differ in few areas, but these differences are sharply defined. Concerning fellowship and cooperation, The Lutheran Church--Missouri Synod (LC-MS) officially practices close communion and rejects joint worship services or pulpit exchanges with bodies who do not agree with our teachings. The Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod (WELS) goes further, and speaks against prayer fellowship, which includes not praying with anyone who is not in full doctrinal agreement. In practice, this also means that WELS pastors will not become military chaplains, because of the mixed nature of their "congregations." The LC-MS does have military chaplains, including some who've become generals and one who is the former pastor of the churches I am now serving. The Missouri Synod also has a "higher" view of the pastoral office. This doesn't mean that the Wisconsin Synod disrespects its pastors, but the LC-MS emphasizes the divine source and the Christological foundation of the holy office much more than does WELS. In the past, these synods cooperated closely. It was the move toward liberalism and modernism in the Missouri Synod that led the Wisconsin Synod to break fellowship in the 1960s. Although modernist theology was officially repudiated in the Missouri Synod, various circumstances have kept these two bodies from resuming their formerly strong relationship. For more specifics, I recommend sitting down with a pastor from either of these bodies and asking what he preaches and teaches. In the U.S., there are also other branches of Lutheranism. Your question doesn't address the largest, which is the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). The differences between it and either the LC-MS or WELS are much greater than the differences we've discussed between Missouri and Wisconsin. ELCA was born of a merger of the Lutheran Church in America, the American Lutheran Church, and a faction of displaced theological liberals and relativists from the Missouri Synod. ELCA does not officially recognize Biblical inerrancy, allows its pastors to relativize their confession of belief, is lenient toward homosexual behavior, is officially pro-choice, ordains women into the pastoral office, and welcomes full cooperation and joint worship and celebration of the Lord's Supper among those with whom it does not have full doctrinal agreement. The Missouri and Wisconsin Synods both disagree with all these positions. Indeed, I have seen writings from ELCA theologians denying even the Virgin Birth and the physical resurrection of Jesus Christ. These are abhorrent to both WELS and LC-MS, and are by themselves grounds for our continued separation from ELCA. Remember to "Ask the Pastor" at P.O. Box 1080, Jasper, Texas, 75951; E-mail xrysostom@aol.com; or catch me around town. Pastor Snyder serves St. Paul and Faith Lutheran Churches, Jasper and Woodville, Texas and is the coauthor of "What Do Lutherans Believe? A Study Guide in Christian Teachings for Adults." Copyright (c) 1997 by Walter P. Snyder Permission is granted by author to reproduce or retransmit this by any means, provided that its content is not altered, that this notice of copyright and permission is included, and that no financial gain is realized.