The Two Pillars: Walther’s Enduring Principles for the Church Today

Many theologians and historians consider C.F.W. Walther (1811-1887) to be the godfather of confessional Lutheranism in America. He was an LCMS founder, a Synod and Seminary President, and a professor and pastor. During my sabbatical, I am reading many books on the life and times of C.F.W. Walther, as well as his teaching on church fellowship, Law and Gospel, and his teachings on sola scriptura and sola gratia. 

Currently, I am reading Walther and the Church by WM Dallmann, W.H.T. Dau and TH. Engelder, forward by long-time Synod President F. Pfotenhauer. My book was published by Concordia Publishing House in 1938. I like old books. Somehow, I have an original copy in great shape. (Way to go, CPH!)

The authors spend a lot of time talking about how Walther never started controversies, but he was constantly speaking into them, most often against brothers in his own church body. This was a heavy burden for Walther. He confronted the Romanist tendencies of heavy pastoral control taught by Wilhelm Loehe, a pastor and friend of Walther who helped supply the early years of the LCMS with pastors from Germany before we had our seminaries. 

He challenged the immorality and dictatorial pastoral leadership of Martin Stephan.

He debated and defeated Johannes Grabau who confused Luther’s teachings on the two kingdoms in the Altenberg Debates.

He confronted LCMS pastors who wanted to compromise doctrine in the name of unity with the Reformed. 

He challenged LCMS pastors and professors who were prone toward enlightenment rationalism, questioning the inerrancy of Scripture. 

He confronted false eschatalogical millennialist teachings invading every church body in America in the 19th century. 

He challenged LCMS pastors who struggled to balance Law and Gospel, leading toward sola gratia proclamation. 

And he had to deal with being a “lone wolf” theologian. Dallmann wrote that it hurt Walther when during a public discussion a speaker remarked, “When Walther has spoken, there is no use of anyone else’s speaking.” Dallmann said, “Walther traveled somewhat alone on his high plane. He had many devoted followers, many sincere admirers, but he had no equal. In the whole sierra of Lutheran confessors he stands out like Mount Whitney or Mount Shasta.” (Walther and the Church, page 7) 

Wow. That is high praise. Maybe too high. I believe Walther would be uncomfortable if he knew such words were written about him fifty years after his death. Nonetheless, the truth remains—the LCMS (and much of confessional Lutheranism in America) stands on the shoulders of C.F.W. Walther. 

What does this mean for us today as the LCMS in 2025? I will offer three brief comments. 

1. Our church body was formed and grew tremendously while engaged in theological controversy and conversation. Theological debate did not slow down the growth of the LCMS—in some sense, it may have propelled it. We stood for something. We would not cower to secular pressures. The Word of God alone was our guide. May the same be true today. 

   
   

2. We became a church body that was heavily informed not just by what we believed, but by what we did not believe. Walther worked hard and persisted toward unity of doctrine (see Walther’s Works: Church Fellowship published by CPH). He did not want a flimsy unity. He wanted a firm unity based on the plain written truths of Holy Scripture. May the same be true today. 

   
   

3. Engelder said that Walther’s theology was characterized by two formal principles. The “supreme principle” was sola scriptura, “that the canonical books of the Old and the New Testament are, from the first to the last letter, the inspired Word of the great God, the only rule and norm of faith and life, of all doctrine and all teachers, and the supreme judge of all religious controversies.” Amen. 

Engelder then stated that Walther’s second “supreme principle”  built on the first—was contingent upon the first—sola gratia, “that the article of the justification of the poor sinner before God by grace alone, for the sake of Christ alone, and therefore through faith alone, is the chief fundamental article of the whole Christian religion, with which the church stands and falls.” Amen. (Walther and the Church, page 10) 

The doctrinal controversies in which Walther engaged were due to disrespect or disregard to these two Lutheran/Christian supreme principles. And, it grieved Walther that he had to address them. He did not delight in controversy. He longed for true biblical unity for the sake of presenting a united Church eager to reach the lost. 

I don’t hear any controversy over these two supreme doctrinal principles today in the LCMS. To God be praised!

We do have controversy over adiaphora-filled pastoral formation routes and prior approval processes, and the Synod bylaws that address both of these concerns. These are not doctrinal concerns, though some may try and call them such. The truth remains. God’s Word does not tell us directly about the best path for leadership (including pastoral) formation in these times—only that it is necessary for those who learn to learn our true Lutheran doctrine. God’s Word does not tell us directly how to choose faithful leaders for leadership positions in our institutions—only that we should do so with eagerness, integrity, and transparency for the sake of Gospel advancement.  

These are strategic concerns for the health of our Synod into the future. I pray those who have varying perspectives on these topics can humbly “come to the table” seeking collaborative solutions for the good of the entire church body and to praise Jesus that we’re united on Walther’s two supreme principles!

Sola scriptura. Sola gratia.

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