Servant of the Word

Suelflow dedicated a life to the history of the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod. He is now also is the author of the definite biography of one of (if not the greatest) Lutheran of America's short history.Walther was such a leader of Lutheranism in America. While other capitualte to the new spirit of American Christianity and give into all kinds of cultural pressures, Walther maintained his faith. As he did in Germany, he came to this country to be able to freely worship and preach without governmental pressure.Suelflow gives many insights into this man used so highly by God to Serve His Word. Remarkable in its entirey is the sermon Walther preached at the dedication of the Seminary in St. Louis in 1883, here for the first time translated into English. Much is still so pertinent and applcable for today: "In this house the doctrine of the Reformation is not to be reformed again, but guarded and defended." "In short, the so-called Lutheran church in our land was at that time dead, the laughing-stock of the sects who, similarly to hungry birds of the night, dividied the carcass among themselves." "When our Synod took to the field at that time with the unheard of watchword "God's Word and Luther's doctrine pure shall to eternity endure," it was not only the anti-Christian papacy, not only the syncretistic, unionistic evangelical fellowship, not only the fanactical sects but especially all the elements of the so-called Lutheran church in this country which attacked our Synod with the greatest bitterness as a new "old Lutheran" sect, which would lead to ruin."Wonderful section on (as Suelflow describes it) "a favorite myth in synodical history is that the so-called "autoonomu" paragraph has been a part of the Synod's consititution ever since the founding of the Synod in 1847" he shows to be just that, a myth. Also, is Walther's continual efforts for concord among Christians, especially American Lutherans and his output of work, especially publications.Destined to be the classic on this great American Lutheran.