Reformation 2020: Luther… Walther! Duo of Lutheranism

     As I contemplated a blog for this year's Reformation Day, I ran across an old blog that struck me.  I had already forgotten, from just 3 years ago, what I had translated of Franz Pieper's judgment of Walther's standing in relation to Martin Luther.  I have previously refuted some in the LC-MS who would give a ranking of theologians after Luther by asserting the statement: "Luther, Chemnitz, Walther, not Gerhard, in the Big 3".  But I must say that I have found Pieper's final judgment to be the correct one. Below is an encore presentation of that old blog post to drive this home:

C.F.W. Walther – 2nd only to Luther
The American Luther!

“Walther, in great humility, called himself a lowly pupil of Luther and the old Lutheran theologians. According to my knowledge of Walther and the old theologians, I must say that Walther, in regard to the clear knowledge of the Christian doctrine, and to the gift of clear representation, is to be placed immediately after Luther, and far surpassed most of the theologians of the later time.”  – Franz Pieper

Let this point not be lost on anyone – Franz Pieper clearly placed Walther above not only John Gerhard, but also Martin Chemnitz! And why? Because of the 

Lutheran Doctrine of Justification. 

Top Two 
Lutheran theologians 

of all time:

Luther — Walther 
(not Chemnitz)