The History of WELS Fellowship Relations Since 1963

Abstract

Bruce Wietzke’s essay traces the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod’s (WELS) fellowship relations from 1963 to the early 1980s, grounded in the synod’s doctrinal principles on church fellowship. Beginning with the dissolution of the Synodical Conference and WELS’s break with the LC–MS, the paper details efforts to maintain or sever ties with global Lutheran bodies based on doctrinal alignment. Wietzke highlights the challenges of “triangular fellowship” and the distinction between “weak brothers” and “persistent errorists.” The essay documents WELS’s cautious approach to terminating fellowship, its attempts to regain unity with former partners, and its establishment of new fellowships, notably in Hong Kong, Sweden, and Nigeria. Throughout, WELS’s practice is shown to reflect its theological convictions, emphasizing patience, clarity, and fidelity to Scripture. The essay concludes with a reaffirmation of WELS’s commitment to doctrinal integrity in fellowship decisions. —Summary prepared by Microsoft Copilot (GPT-4)