AG12: Walther's Lutheran Church Alone Gives All Glory to God (11 essays in one BTL book)

      This concludes from Part AG11b (Table of Contents in Part AG1a) in a series presenting Walther's essays to the Western District that presented his theme "That Only Through the Doctrine of the Lutheran Church is All Glory Given to God Alone". — This series of essays has in many ways covered enough subjects to be considered a Dogmatics textbook that the old Missouri Synod desired so much from Walther, along with Walther's edition of Baier's Compendium. 

      While Franz Pieper did not explicitly refer to any of these essays in his Christian Dogmatics, he did refer to Walther's Baier Compendium 132 times. Since Walther worked on both writings at the same time, so the doctrines of these two teachers are essentially the same.

Download full DOCX file >> HERE <<; PDF file >> HERE <<.

(626 pages)

The advantages of this compilation have been touched on in my series of blog posts:

• All emphasis of wording is retained, while it is sometimes missing in the CPH translations.
• Omitted material has been included, though this is minimal.
• Wording sometimes follows Walther's more closely, although some errors remain.
• Hyperlinks for reference and navigation have been added, especially Luther's writings.

May the reader find as much spiritual benefit as this blogger found in reading and studying these again! Amen!

Excursus 2B: Grok's & Britannica's reports on suppression of the Jesuits by a Pope

      This continues from "Excursus 2A" (Table of Contents in Part AG1a) and follows Walther's 1886 essay in Part AG11b. The following is Walther's quote from the Jesuit Constitution that I first published 2 years ago, in his account of the defection Prof. Ed. Preuss to the Roman Catholic Church:

Thus, for example, in the constitution of the wicked Jesuit mob, [Jesuit gang] is written: “That no determination, explanation, or orders of any kind to live to a commitment can lead to a mortal sin or a venial [forgivable] sin: except when the superior commanded it in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, or in the power of obedience. (See the Constitution of the Jesuits, according to the Prague edition, which they themselves provided: Institutum societatis Jesu autoritate congregationis generalis XVIII recusum. Pragae 1757. Vol. I, fol. 414-415 [2025-12-15: "nullas Constitutiones, Declarationes, vel ordinem ullum <page 415> vivendi, posse obligationem ad peccatum mortale vel veniale inducere; nisi Superior ea in Nomine Domini Nostri JESU Christi, vel in virtute Obedientiae juberet"])  The Jesuits themselves refer to this passage in the index of this edition under the title: “Obedientia et obedire” as the determination of their principle: “The superiors can make it binding to sin in the power of obedience, if this brings many benefits”.

Now many writers, even Lutheran theologians, will largely deny Walther's reporting, certainly most of the narrative on much of the Internet defending the Order of Jesuits (or the "Society of Jesus" so-called). But I would publish what the AI tool from Elon Musk, Grok, gave as the "answer" when I gave it the following text: "Pope Clement XIV said, when he signed the Bull of Suppression: 'I am signing my death warrant.'" (with my comments inserted in red text):

Authenticity of the Quote

The quote appears in some 19th-century historical accounts [an admission that there were "historical accounts" of this], often [but not always] in anti-Jesuit or sensationalist sources, portraying the pope as reluctantly sacrificing himself for peace while fearing Jesuit retaliation [again an admission of these "historical accounts".]. However, it is likely [but possibly not] apocryphal or legendary rather than verifiable from contemporary records. Reliable modern sources (e.g., Catholic Encyclopedia, Britannica, scholarly histories) do not confirm [or deny] he uttered these exact words, though they describe his deep reluctance, remorse, and fear in his final years. [So non-papist sources "Britannica, scholarly histories" report this pope's "fear in his final years". What fear would he have from the state leaders if he followed their directions? But he would naturally fear the Jesuits because they were the ones being suppressed!]

This report by Grok is unlike Google Gemini's outright denial (see Excursus 2A) that there was such a statement made.  Here is what Britannica reports on the "suppression" Pope Clement XIV, in part (emphasis mine):

Fearing that France and Spain would resort to open schism, he finally yielded and on July 21, 1773, issued the brief Dominus ac Redemptor (“Lord and Saviour”) dissolving the Society of Jesus, which from its inception had dedicated itself to the service of the pope. Clement asserted that he did so because the Society could no longer attain its original ends and because he wanted peace within the church. The suppression lasted until 1814. Clement lived his last year in ill health, remorse, depression, and dread of assassination.

So we see that even with the "toned down" modern reporting of these events, Walther's reporting is not far from the truth. But those who understand the actual "spirituality" of the Jesuit Order (see Excursus 2A) will know that they are utterly to be condemned for their "exception clause" giving superior Jesuits the power to command others to sin if there are sufficient "benefits".

      In the concluding Part AG12, we combine all 11 essays from 1873 to 1886 into one complete book, and provide a download to another "BTL book".

Jesuit constitution in "black letter" (Walther's warning vs AI gods, Excursus 2A)

Jesuit seal (Wikipedia)

     In the previous series on Walther's essays to the Western District, Part AG11b (Table of Contents in Part AG1a) (p. 43) presented Walther's history of the Society of Jesuits. In America today, their are 28 Jesuit universities, according to their association AJCU. A US & World News article quoted one official saying: “What makes a Jesuit university distinctive, even among other Catholic universities, is the spirituality that is the spirit of the Jesuit order”. So what is this Jesuit "spirituality"?

      I asked Google's Gemini AI tool the following: "Is there a Jesuit clause where a superior can order another Jesuit to sin?", to which it answered (emphasis in the original answer): 

"No, there's no Jesuit clause allowing superiors to command sin, as it contradicts fundamental Catholic teaching and Jesuit principles".

Is this true?

      When one attempts to ask the "AI gods" about the evil actions of this group, one is faced with only charges of prejudice, or worse, and they then proceed to mitigate the dark side of the Jesuits. (Only Grok even mentioned what is to follow.) But Walther had hard evidence of their darkness, similar to what the legal profession calls "black-letter law".

      Walther quotes not from a Protestant writing against the Jesuits but from their own publication that presents their "constitution". Although I have recently updated my "Preuss7" blog post to provide the original Latin version that Walther translated, I want to give that piece it's own blog post so that it may be presented in all it's (dark) glory.

      Under the sub-section "That the Constitutions Do Not Impose the Obligation of Sin" (Quod Constitutiones peccati obligatlionem non inducunt), the Latin text states on pp. 414-415:

Um exoptet Societas universas suas Constitutiones, Declarationes, ac vivendi ordinem, omnino justa nostrum Institutum, nihil ulla in re declinando, observari; optet etiam nihilominus suos omnes securos esse, vel certe adjuvari, ne in laqueum ullius peccati, quod ex vi Constitutionum hujusimodi aut & Obedientiae, nullas Constitutiones, Declarationes, vel ordinem ullum <page 415> vivendi, posse obligationem ad peccatum mortale vel veniale inducere; nisi Superior ea in Nomine Domini Nostri JESU Christi, vel in virtute Obedientiae juberet: quod in rebus, vel personis illis, in quibus judicabitur, quod ad particulare uniuscujusque, vel ad universale bonum multum conveniet, fieri poterit: & loco timoris offensae, succedat amor & desiderium omnis perfectionis; & ut major gloria & laus Christi Creatoris, ac Domini Nostri consequatur.

Putting this through various Latin translators, this comes out reading this (my emphasis):

Therefore, may the Society desire that all its Constitutions, Declarations, and the order of living be observed in their entirety, in complete conformity with our Institute, without deviating in any matter; may also wish, nevertheless, that all its members be secure, or at least be helped, so that they may not fall into the snare of any sin, which, by the force of such Constitutions or of Obedience, no Constitutions, Declarations, or any order of living <page 415> can induce an obligation to a mortal or venial sin; unless the Superior should command it in the Name of our Lord JESUS Christ, or in virtue of Obedience: which may be done in those things, or persons, in which it shall be judged to be very convenient for the particular good of each, or for the universal good; and that in place of the fear of offense, love and desire of all perfection may succeed; and that the greater glory and praise of Christ the Creator and our Lord may be accomplished.

So while the Jesuits promote the notion that they "Do Not Impose the Obligation of Sin", yet in this very sub-section they do just that with their exception clause "unless the Superior should command it in the Name of our Lord JESUS Christ". That is their "spirituality". How did I find this out? By Walther's publishing of this exception in his essay on Ed. Preuss's apostacy from the Lutheran faith to the Roman Catholic/Papist faith! And Walther hammers home the Jesuit principle:

“The superiors can make it binding to sin in the power of obedience, if this brings many benefits”.

Let the Artificial Intelligence "gods" refute this "black letter" principle of the Jesuits. I will take Walther's warnings, and the Jesuits own publication, over AI nonsense any day. — In Part B of this Excursus 2B, we expand on Walther's history of the Jesuits that was first mentioned in Part AG11a previously.

Coming Soon: a new translation…

      To give readers more advance notice than I did in February, of an important new translation coming from this blog, I am now finished with the first two volumes of the Baier-Walther Compendium, and working on the third volume, which is the largest by far. More later, hopefully by early summer. (I never would have attempted this except for today's AI's expertise.)

AG11b: 1886: Women/Wives, Household servants (Paternal)

      This continues from Part AG11a (Table of Contents in Part AG1a) in a series presenting Walther's essays to the Western District that supported his theme "That Only Through the Doctrine of the Lutheran Church is All Glory Given to God Alone". — This segment concludes the essay from the 1886 Western District convention. Even though Walther's biblical teaching shows how far today's American society has strayed from God's Word, yet he charges his own times with the same charges that we face today! — From pages 45-58:

Notable Quotes:

[Women, wives]

45: Thesis II: "the woman 1. according to God's Word is bound in conscience to be subject to her husband"

45: "The spirit of independence, which has now taken hold of almost all peoples, is now also rampant among women" [Walther called this out even 140 years ago! Who can deny this now?]

45: "In the church, however, such women do not want to be mere listeners, as the apostle clearly and unambiguously demands, but they also seek to take control of the pulpit"

46: "Those women who are addicted to innovation now say, of course, that this Bible verse applies only to barbaric times, but not to ours"

46: "The Lutheran Church alone is so simple-minded that it submits unconditionally to the word of the apostles and prophets.…Woe, therefore, to those whom God has led into this [Lutheran] church and who leave it as apostates!" [E.g. Dr. Jaroslav Pelikan, "Father" Richard John Neuhaus, Ed. Preuss, etc.]

48: "Where can we find women today who speak of their husbands as their lords?" [Luther's Gen. 3:16]

48: "…but the parents are mostly to blame. They have experience, should know better, and should never allow marriage to such a worldly man.

49: "in this sense marriage represents a kind of kingship, not popular rule"

50: "2. the husband has neither the right nor the power to rule over the faith and conscience of his wife"

51: "One should therefore not marry an unbelieving person in the hope of converting them."

52: "A wife is not under the rod like a child, but should be her husband's helper."

[Household servants]

52: Thesis III: "household servants… 1. are bound by God's Word to honor their masters …to faithfully carry out the orders given to them in accordance with the agreement made"

53: "It is a shameful principle that the Communists put forward that all people should be equal. God's Word says the opposite. Rich and poor, high and low, masters and servants must be among themselves."

54: Genesis 31:38-41: "Jacob put up with all of Laban's injustice [unlike Communists] and waited for the day of retribution." [Genesis 31:38-41]

54: "one can also employ ungodly people, but one should not take them into the family, as one does when one makes them servants or maids"

54: "In Luther's time, slavery was already virtually abolished in Germany"

54-55: "For from the authority of parents flows and spreads all other authority."

55: "servants and maids should see to it that they… also honor them as their own fathers and mothers"

55: "Those shameful people [Communists] who engage in agitation want to eat bread, but it is against their honor to help out as farmhands."

56: "2. those who are in charge of the household have neither the right nor the power to rule over the faith and conscience of their servants."

56: "since most of the servants mentioned in Scripture were slaves, it is very difficult to cite passages that are appropriate to our circumstances." [But Walther's deep Scriptural understanding finds 2 of them!]

57: "However, a householder must ensure that his unbelieving and papist servants are instructed in the true faith…But they are not to be forced to convert"

      Now I present my English translation of the full complete essay. It includes missing portions restored, all emphasized wording retained, wording sometimes closer to Walther's, and hyperlinks for reference and navigation. All references to Luther's writings are linked to English versions:

Download text file with no highlights here; German text file here.

In the next blog posts, Excursus 2A and 2B expand on Walther's history of the Jesuits. Then Part AG12 concludes the series with an all encompassing download of all 11 essays.

AG11a: 1886: Worldly Authorities III, Household Authority (part 1, Parental); "children only toys"

      This continues from Part AG10b (Table of Contents in Part AG1a) in a series presenting Walther's essays to the Western District that supported his theme "That Only Through the Doctrine of the Lutheran Church is All Glory Given to God Alone". — At this 1886 Western District convention, the last in Walther's great series, he addresses a subject where I wondered that it might be boring. But I was greatly mistaken, for in reading the first two pages, I wondered that this was his most important one, especially for our times today. I could not stop highlighting the text as Walther speaks to the heart. Many of the points he makes may be shocking to our modern ears, but they are biblical. — From the report, pages 9-58:

Notable Quotes:

9: Theme: "…the household rule has neither the right nor the power to rule over the faith and conscience of its subordinates"

10: "If there is no return to the right leadership and sanctification of the household government, at least in Christianity, we are heading for terrible times."

10: "The Church has the calling to be the salt of the earth and to resist the encroaching moral and religious decay."

10: "the Lord has helped our small band to gain a salutary influence everywhere, including in matters of Christian morals and order."

10: "the church, its preachers, and its members will not make any friends by punishing all pervasive corruption"

10: "the Lord has helped our small flock [the Old German Missouri Synod] to gain a salutary influence everywhere, including in matters of Christian morals and order"

11: "This [Household] authority itself, however, is divided into three different authorities, namely parental, marital, and paternal."

12: "Only the Lutheran Church has the true teaching about these three estates"

[Children]

12: Thesis I: "children 1. are bound…not only to love their parents…but also to honor them and be subject and obedient"

12: "The father may be pious or godless, but a father is a father."

13: "It does not help if such a son treats other people kindly and lovingly: if he is disobedient to his father, God sees this as a sin against Himself"

13-14: "When a son has grown up, learned something, and earned a lot of money, parents are often afraid to say what they should say"

14: Americans: "We [Germans] must do things differently than the Americans; we must not follow what they consider decent. Our standard is not the fashion and customs of our country, but the Bible, and we must strictly follow it in these matters."

14: "Jesus, the Prince of Life…is subject to Joseph the carpenter, who is only his foster father, and to Mary…"

15: "The father is not obliged to give his children an account of the reasons for his commands"

16: "Because the authority of parents is divine, they cannot forgive anything of it. If they do so, they sin against God"

16: "Scripture says, “The husband is the head of the wife.” Consequently, when parents disagree, children must obey their father."

17: "Parents now have the great task of resisting and controlling the evil that is in their children"

17: "Some children have such a nature that everyone likes them; …thinks they have very good children. And yet it is all nature, an outer veneer…'Folly is bound up in the heart of a child,' says Scripture."

17: "Discipline has two meanings: first, instruction, and second, when instruction is fruitless, punishment."

18: "the apostle's admonition also expresses God's will that children must submit to their parents' discipline"

18: "A father who thinks he has no time, that he must attend to his business,…he must entrust the upbringing of his children to his wife or strangers, is a shameful father."

18: "In this country [America], the situation in this regard is sad. Many Americans say, 'I don't want to teach my children any religion'…But that is a truly satanic principle."

19: "Most people see children only as their toys, delight in them, hug and kiss them, and think that is enough."

20: "Herein lies the first duty of parents, to care for their children, not only physically, but also spiritually"

20: 2 Tim. 1:5: “I am reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice” ===>>>

20: "It is a real shame for men that one so rarely hears that they have made a special impression on their children with their Christianity" [Walther hits home!]

21: "Those who spare the rod deprive their children of salvation." [more than "spoil the child"!]

22: "For God's sake, we should make our children poor sinners at an early age"

22: "if they [wayward children] do not comply with the house rules, they should be sent out of the house." 

25: Luther's Preface to his Small Catechism, § 11: unwilling children's "parents and landlords shall deny them food and drink and inform them that the prince wants to drive such uncivilized people out of the country"

26: "children choose people [for spouses] whom their father wants nothing to do with, who speak a different language, are of a different nationality…Family happiness is ruined…"

27: "The main cause…is and remains that people no longer fear God and His holy Ten Commandments."

27: "children, in particular b. when starting their own family, must obtain their parents' consent when choosing a spouse" 

28: "Children are his [the father's] property, and are not their own masters"

29: "It is not living together that makes a couple married, but the mutual promise with the permission of both parents."

30: "It is most terrible when the parents are good Lutherans and the children marry Papists, so that the doors of the house are opened to Roman priests."

30: "this is also the case with an arbitrary promise of marriage made by the children. The father can also revoke such a promise, or rather, he can declare it null and void."

31: "young people are married as soon as they have given their vows with the consent of their parents"

32: Balduin: "In our [Lutheran] church, however, it is taught with great unanimity that the consent of the parents is necessary for the marriage to be valid"

34: "For if the father does not agree with the mother on the marriage of their children, the consent of the father will undoubtedly take precedence, because the man is the master of the woman"

35: Luther on Gen. 6:2, "they took them wives of all which they chose": "they cast aside the law of their fathers and did not keep a certain order of marriage, but followed their lust badly and took those they loved by force, against their parents' will"

35-36: "It is clear that the most godless society that has ever existed is that of the so-called 'Jesuit Order,'…In 1773, Pope Clement XIV abolished the Jesuit Order because all Catholic political powers had demanded it." [See Part AG10b.]

-----------------------

35-37: A true history of the Jesuits by C. F. W. Walther. "The Jesuits also undoubtedly killed Pope Clement XIV with a terrible poison that took effect over a long period of time. The Pope himself said, when he signed the bull of suppression: 'I am signing my death warrant.'" [Note: AI bots (Gemini,  ChatGPT) will give false narratives to defend the Jesuits!]

-----------------------

37: "2. parents have neither the right nor the power to rule over the faith and conscience of their children"

38: "When creatures presume to give commands against God's will, these commands have no validity…No father or mother can command anything that is against a child's conscience"

38: "For conscience is the voice of God within every human being, accusing and condemning him"

39: A Christian will "only be certain and satisfied when they know what God has written in His Word"

40: "There are many good Christians who think that we fight and argue too much in our magazines and sermons…The devil must be cast out, or the kingdom of God cannot come."

40: "When a Christian recognizes the truth that leads to salvation, he also speaks it out…Then no consideration for father or mother may hold him back."

41: On John 2:4: "Since she [Mary] wants to interfere with His office, His kindness ceases."

41: "Parents do not have absolute power to marry their children against their will. They must also ask their children what they want."

42: "…a qualification, as Eph. 6:1 explains: ‘Children, obey your parents in the Lord,’ that is, in those things that are pleasing to the Lord"

42: "Christ commands that parents be set aside when they demand something from their children that is contrary to God; for it means “hating father and mother” (Luke 14:26)"

42: Luther: "I call it worldly to raise children in such a way that they seek nothing more than pleasure, honor, and wealth, or the power of this world."

43: Luther: "although there is no greater authority on earth than the authority of father and mother, it is nevertheless null and void when it comes to God's Word and work"

44-45: "parents, relatives, or guardians do not always act wisely when they force their sons, or relatives, or wards to study theology, to which they are not naturally inclined."

In the next Part AG11b, we conclude this 1886 essay, on the subjects of Women/Wives and Household servants. 

Walther on Jesuit expulsion from…Catholic lands (Excursus 1)

      The following is an "Excursus" to Part AG10b (Table of Contents in Part AG1a) presenting Walther's essay to the 1885 Western District convention. — While translating Walther's essay, I ran across his reference to a most remarkable historical event, well attested even by Wikipedia. it amazed me how little is known by most people, including me. Here is how Walther reported it, after addressing "heretics" who taught as Communists:

Therefore, it was right that the Jesuits were expelled from Catholic countries in the last century (not for religious reasons, for they were the most loyal papists), and their order was solemnly abolished by Pope Clement XIV in 1773 at the insistence of Catholic powers.

The Wikipedia article admits that "The Jesuits…were not above getting involved in politics". It is shocking that this expulsion, or "suppression" was not from Protestant lands, but from Catholic lands! Why is it not better known among Protestants today? Not so with C. F. W. Walther, who holds it in front of his Lutheran people as an example that secular authorities rightly have the power to control religious groups who threaten the state.

      It is distressing how little even today's Lutherans think of the danger of the Jesuits. A well known Wisconsin Synod (retired) professor, Dr. John Brenner, obtained his PhD from Marquette University, "a Catholic, Jesuit university in the heart of Milwaukee"!

      Readers should turn to the Wikipedia article for a fuller history of this remarkable "suppression", the: "Suppression of the Society of Jesus". 

The caption to the painting shown on Wikipedia reads:

The Society of Jesus expelled from the Kingdom of Portugal by the Royal Decree of 3 September 1759; as a carrack sets sail from Portuguese shores in the background, a bolt of lightning strikes a Jesuit priest as he attempts to set a terrestrial globe, a mitre, and a royal crown on fire; a bag of gold coins and a closed book (symbols of wealth and control of education) lie at the priest's feet.

I suspect that there are strenuous efforts to remove this offending history from the Wikipedia pages! (Proof of this is the statement in the article on the papal brief Dominus ac Redemptor: "Despite being portrayed as a threat to the peace, the Society is suppressed but not explicitly condemned by the papal brief.") I have created an archived copy today to capture this history for all time. — In the next "Excursus 2B", we present Walther's publication from the Jesuit constitution that condemns them for all time, their exception clause permitting sin. — To continue Walther's "All Glory to God" series, see the next Part AG11a. on his essay the next year which contains even more history of the Jesuits.

AG10b: Secular Authorities, part 2 (Jesuits, French Dragonnades)

      This continues from Part AG10a (Table of Contents in Part AG1a) in a series presenting Walther's essays to the Western District that supported his theme "That Only Through the Doctrine of the Lutheran Church is All Glory Given to God Alone". — This concludes the essay from the 1885 Western District. This segment overlaps with some of the material in Prof. Lindemann's essays on "Religious Freedom" and ""Religious Intolerance in America". — 

Notable Quotes:

42: Thesis VII, 3: "a. the secular authorities have the right to neutralize…those heretics who…are dangerous to the state, but that, b. outside of this case, the secular authorities have neither the right nor the power to use coercive force against false beliefs and false worship"

43: "Truly, the secular authorities would therefore have sufficient reason to take action against the Pope as a heretic with principles dangerous to the state; but because they fear him, they bow down before him."

43: Luther on Communists of his time: "…that one should have no property of one's own, but should leave one's wife and children, house and farm, or hold and have all things in common: these are to be punished immediately and without any doubt by the authorities"

43: "it was right that the Jesuits were expelled from Catholic countries in the last century" [Suppression of the Society of Jesus, See following Excursus 1.]

43: "In America, this category includes the Mormons, who were expelled from Missouri and Illinois because of their thievery and settled in Utah" [This is glossed over in today's America.]

44: "b. the secular authorities have neither the right nor the power…to use their coercive power against false beliefs"

44: "Without external force, through the Word alone, the 'deception' of the Antichrist should therefore be destroyed."

44: Luther: "what raving people we have been for so long, wanting to force the Turks to believe with the sword, the heretics with fire, the Jews with death…"

46: Luther: "I am truly sorry that such miserable people are so pitifully murdered, burned, and horribly killed; everyone should be allowed to believe what he wants" [Luther for Freedom of Religion!]

46-47: "History tells of many bloody atrocities committed by Roman Catholic authorities…A second example of deliberate cruelty…against the Huguenots…is the infamous [French] Dragonnades." [See also this blog post.]

48: Dragonnades: “Die or become Catholic!” [Wikipedia: "The dragonnades caused Protestants to flee France"]

49: "Calvin forced the Council of Geneva in 1553 to burn Servetus, who denied the Trinity"

49: "Even the Reformed Max Göbel must admit: the Reformed… were far more the persecutors than the persecuted in preventing Lutherans from worshiping…so too did they commit many injustices with the help of their Reformed state government'

50: "We Lutherans in America cannot therefore thank God enough that the federal constitution makes it impossible for our authorities to give preference to one religion over another."

50: "here [in America], to the shame of those fears [in Germany], religious freedom has proven to be the highest and richest blessing for both the state and the church."

51: Western District: "With thanks to God for the freedom enjoyed by the Church in this country, the synod concluded its doctrinal deliberations"

      Now I present my English translation of the full complete essay. It includes missing portions restored, all emphasized wording retained, wording sometimes closer to Walther's, and hyperlinks for reference and navigation. All references to Luther's writings are linked to English versions:

Download text file with no highlights here; German text file here.

Immediately following is an Excursus 1 on the expulsion of the Jesuits from Catholic lands by the Catholic authorities. Then follows the next Part 11a…

AG10a: 1885, Worldly Authorities II: Secular Authorities (part 1): obey, and disobey

      This continues from Part AG9b (Table of Contents in Part AG1a) in a series presenting Walther's essays to the Western District that supported his theme "That Only Through the Doctrine of the Lutheran Church is All Glory Given to God Alone". — At the 1885 Western District convention, Walther first addressed the remaining Theses left from the 1883 convention on Churchly Authorities, then moved on to the Theses on Secular Authorities. For this Thesis Walther provides much historical evidence that goes along with Prof. Lindemann's essay on Religious Freedom. Also this subject matter will be of great interest to readers in today's world, and especially in America today where the political situation has changed dramatically from Walther's day. But Walther's counsel is still appropriate for he covers historical situations that were even worse than America's political climate today. — From the 1885 report, pp. 13-66:

Notable Quotes:

14: Thesis VII: "…even secular authorities have neither the right nor the power to rule over the faith and conscience of their subjects"

15: "the authorities may not demand anything that violates the commandment of the one who is also their Lord. In such cases, obedience must be refused. In all other matters, however, their commandment is divinely binding."

15: "Romans 13:1–7 is the basis for the doctrine of authority."

15-16: "…at the very time when the Apostle Paul wrote this to the Romans, the bloodhound Nero sat on the Roman imperial throne and used his power to cruelly torture Christians."

16: "we read much in the pages of history about revolts against the authorities in Catholic and Reformed countries."

17: "…we must not resist tyrannical authorities with violence. But the Lord gives us one permission in Matthew 10:23: 'When they persecute you in one city, flee to another.'" [Counsel for today!]

19: "nevertheless, Christ submits to the Roman governor Pilate"

20: "But what if the authorities demand that we do something that is sin? Then our church teaches that we must refuse to obey"

21: "the secular authorities b. have no right to command their subjects to do what God has forbidden, or to forbid what God has commanded, or to compel them to do anything against their conscience"

21: "There is a King above all kings; therefore, His commandments are far above the commandments of all human kings."

21: The apostles "therefore establish the rule in Acts 5:29: 'We must obey God rather than men.'"

22: "What is the work of the Lutheran Reformation other than obedience to the words: 'One must obey God rather than men'?"

23: "a Christian soldier should rather give up his life than go to war at the behest of his king in an unjust war."

24: Luther: "if you do not know, or cannot find out, whether your master is unjust, you should not weaken your uncertain obedience for the sake of uncertain justice, but rather do your best for your master"

24: "no man should allow himself to be used for this purpose, nor be obedient to the emperor [for the Pope], but be certain that it is strictly forbidden by God to obey the emperor in such a case"

27: Thesis VII, 2: "a. the secular authorities are indeed obliged to protect the church in its freedom against injustice and… b. have neither the right nor the power to usurp the government of the church and to compel it to adhere to the true faith."

28: "We therefore highly praise our local [American] authorities for not only refraining from interfering in the government of the church themselves, but also for not tolerating others interfering in it"

29: Treatise: "it is incumbent upon kings and princes…to ensure that the Church's power to judge is not taken away, and that everything is judged according to the Holy Scriptures and the Word of God."

30: In Reformation times: "Far from considering the so-called ecclesial acts of the princes to be princely official acts, they were rather seen as burdens that the princes bore only provisionally…"

31: "It is therefore contrary to Christ's kingdom and spirit to try to force people to the true faith by external force."

31: "our [Lutheran] church…teaches and professes that the secular authorities as such have nothing to do with spiritual and soul matters, that is, with matters of religion and the church."

32: ""A bishop [and prince] as bishop has no power to impose any statutes or ceremonies on his church without the consent of the church"

32: "We Lutherans also celebrate the so-called National Day of Thanksgiving every year, which our governors and presidents recommend that we celebrate; but we would not do so if they ordered it by virtue of their office."

34: "Luther fought earnestly against the consistories as soon as he saw that they wanted to become 'spiritual authorities.'"

35: "Luther finally declared: 'We must tear apart the consistory, for we want, in short, to have neither the lawyers nor the pope'"

35: "Emperor Constantine the Great…in reality the decline of the Church began with him"

37: It is "far from the true Lutheran Church to call upon the help of secular authorities to compel those outside to embrace its faith."

37: "the so-called Paris Blood Wedding [or “St. Bartholomew's Day massacre”] of 1572, celebrated by the Papists…Without doubt, it is with reference to this that the princes of the Augsburg Confession wrote a few years later [1580] in the Preface to the Book of Concord…"

38: "many martyrs were also found among the  Sacramentarians …were not killed because of the doctrine of Holy Communion, but because they did not want to worship the papal abomination, as Lutherans"

39: Luther against violence: "so that no harm comes to the secular authorities, they should also be satisfied and attend to their own business… and no one should be forced by violence. For faith is a free work…"

This portion on Worldly Authorities was an eye opener for me. — In the next Part AG10b we conclude Secular Authorities, part 2, with full downloads of the files.

AG9b: 1883, Churchly Authorities: governing bodies, preachers; with download

      This continues from Part AG9a (Table of Contents in Part AG1a) in a series presenting Walther's essays to the Western District that supported his theme "That Only Through the Doctrine of the Lutheran Church is All Glory Given to God Alone". — Walther now finishes his "Churchly Authorities" heading with the topics of the limitations of the powers of a congregational governing body and of preachers. — From pp. 46-66: 

Notable Quotes:

46: Thesis V: "Nor does any governing body of an individual congregation, whether it be called a council, elders, church council, presbytery, or the like" (Walther first gives biblical teaching on the "governing body".)

47: "We do not find any account of the establishment of the lay presbyterate in the New Testament.…certain proof that it is not an office in the church specially instituted by God"

49: "Among them [Presbyterians], the presbytery rules the congregation so completely that everything they decree is law for the congregation."

50: "It was therefore apostolic practice that not the presbytery stood above the congregation, but the congregation above the presbytery."

50: Thesis VI: "But can't the preacher, who is a servant of Christ, rule over Christians in God's stead? The sixth thesis answers this question: No preacher can…"

50: "Nor should he think that [he is lord over congregation] because he is more educated and knowledgeable"

51: "the office of a preacher is the highest…of all offices…nevertheless, it is…only a diakonia, a service"

52: "Through the Lutheran Reformation, we were not saved from the papacy in order to establish another form of rule…" [Also not synodical rule.]

52: Smalcald Articles: "In 1 Corinthians 3:6, Paul makes all church ministers equal and teaches that the Church is above the ministers" [Tr 11]

54: "The preacher must have his doctrine examined and judged by the congregation."

55: "one should not read bad or suspicious books or listen to such preachers, unless one has a special calling to do so (Acts 19:19, Matthew 7:15)." [Acts 19:19: "Many of them also which used curious (or magic) arts brought their books together, and burned them before all men"]

56: "The present Romanizing Lutherans now admit that ”the church" has the power to test doctrine, but they deny this right to individual Christians."

57: Luther: "For Christ immediately sets up the opposite, taking away from the bishops, scholars, and councils both the right and the power to judge doctrine, and giving it to everyone and to all Christians in general"

58: "C. The preacher must not command anything that Christ has not commanded."

59: "…Hebrews 13:17 and Matthew 23:2-3, which are …often misinterpreted by Romanizing Lutherans and used to whitewash their priestly rule"

61: "the Jesuits, these satellites of the Antichrist"

61: "D. A preacher has no power to determine or act arbitrarily on matters that concern the entire congregation."

61: "As regards excommunication…the Apostle (1 Corinthians 5) rebukes not so much the bishop as the entire congregation of Corinth for not taking action against the adulterer…A preacher therefore has neither the right to impose excommunication nor to release anyone from it without the congregation."

63: Luther: "I call it the devil's ban and not God's ban, since people are banned for wicked deeds before they are publicly convicted before the congregation, contrary to Christ's order.…the pastor only has to carry out the excommunication publicly in the name of the congregation" [On excommunication]

66: "which of the various good orders and ceremonies are to be chosen, the preacher cannot determine in the slightest without the consent of the congregation" [Pastors do not chose the church order, only the congregation.]

      Now I present my English translation of the full complete essay. It includes missing portions restored, all emphasized wording retained, wording sometimes closer to Walther's, and hyperlinks for reference and navigation:

Download text file with no highlights here; German text file here.

May readers, like me, gain an increased Biblical understanding of Christian freedom and the limitations of Churchly Authority over congregations. Amen! — In the next Part 10a…