Doctrinal Statements of the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod

Abstract

This volume compiles official doctrinal statements of the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod (WELS) on key theological topics: the Church and Ministry, Church Fellowship, Holy Scripture, and the Antichrist. Developed during intersynodical discussions within the Synodical Conference (1957–1960), these statements affirm WELS’s commitment to scriptural authority, verbal inspiration, and confessional Lutheran theology. The Church is defined as the invisible communion of saints, while the Ministry is treated as a divinely instituted office for proclaiming the Gospel. Church Fellowship is presented as a unit concept encompassing all joint expressions of faith, governed by principles that distinguish between weak brethren and persistent errorists. The Statement on Scripture defends its inerrancy, sufficiency, and divine origin. The Statement on the Antichrist identifies the Papacy as the fulfillment of biblical prophecy concerning the Antichrist, reaffirming the Lutheran Confessions. Together, these documents articulate WELS’s theological identity and its stance on doctrinal purity and ecclesiastical separation. —Abstract generated by Microsoft Copilot (GPT-4)