The Thiensville Theses: A Failed Attempt at Agreement in Church and Ministry

Abstract

David M. Boettcher examines the historical context and theological tensions surrounding the 1932 Thiensville Theses, a failed attempt at doctrinal agreement between the Wisconsin and Missouri Synods on church and ministry. Tracing the roots of disagreement to the 1899 Cincinnati case, Boettcher highlights contrasting views on the divine institution of church forms and the public ministry. Wisconsin’s Wauwatosa theologians emphasized the freedom of church forms and the universal priesthood, while Missouri maintained that the local congregation and pastoral office were divinely ordained. The Thiensville Theses, intended as a preliminary step toward unity, ultimately masked unresolved doctrinal differences and failed to produce lasting agreement. Boettcher critiques the Theses as vague and legalistic, noting their limited impact and eventual irrelevance amid broader doctrinal disputes. The essay underscores the importance of clarity and precision in theological confession and the enduring challenge of maintaining unity without compromising truth. Abstract generated with the assistance of Microsoft Copilot (GPT-4).