Rediscovering the Issues Surrounding the 1974 Concordia Seminary Walkout

by Concordia Publishing House

Explore the important doctrinal issues from a confessional Lutheran perspective that led to the split between congregations, family, a seminary, and ultimately, a church body. 12 theological scholars examine the causes and issues involved. Each chapter addresses a different doctrinal issue. Study the strong disagreements about the relationship between the Gospel and Scripture, the historicity of biblical events and persons, methods of biblical interpretation, subscription to synodical confessional statements, guidelines for church fellowship, the uses of God’s Law, and how the Christian mission is to be carried out.

The book is directed toward church workers and laypeople, for study and use in Bible studies or discussion groups. Study questions for individual or group reflection and additional suggested reading material are provided to advance your discussion of this pivotal episode in North American Christianity.

Genres: Theology

304 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 5, 2023

Reviews

[Jane · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really, 4 1/2 stars. The content was interesting and mostly well-written. The weakness was that the format, with each section being independently written, led to some repetition. But overall a good book.

[Jeremiah Lindsay · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great look back at a historic time in the Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod. Worth a look if you want to know how the Synod got to where it is today.
Very well documented.

[Dan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Goodreads app crashed and lost my initial in depth review.

Pros
Explains a handful of problematic ideas/history in a simple way.
A rogue’s gallery of authors/pastors you can email with questions

Cons
Since each chapter is written by a different author, they repeat the same history over and over, and sometimes define key terms differently
Over reliance on Wikipedia as a source.

[Kris]

Would recommend the four-part series of YouTube videos in which Ken Schurb discusses details in the book:
https://www.youtube.com/live/rw16-3L-...

[Eric Estes · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 Stars

[This review is from a feature in my congregation's monthly Newsletter featuring different books.]

From Pastor’s Bookshelf
“Rediscovering the Issues Surrounding the 1974 Concordia Seminary Walkout”, Ken Schurb, editor
A collection of essays, this volume’s title is a dead giveaway that its contents are academic. The essays lack the bombastic titles of the books and articles that followed Concordia Seminary’s “battle for the Bible,” as so many have referred to it. Some of you are old enough to remember Dr. Kurt Marquart’s “Anatomy of An Explosion” and have the firsthand experience to understand the high stakes that surrounded the controversies that led the students and faculty majority of Concordia Seminary St. Louis to walk out on a chilly day in February of 1974. The Missouri Synod was not just losing professors and students. Congregations were leaving the fold under their influence. By the end, more than 200 congregations left the LCMS, but that was only a tiny fraction of what her opponents hoped for.
What led up to the controversy and its implications for the church is the concern of this collection of scholarly essays edited by Dr. Ken Schurb. Published for the 50th anniversary of the Walkout, this book is an essential contribution to the modern LCMS. Primarily geared towards clergy and theological students, the essays contained in this book are a deep dive into the history of Biblical interpretation and the various figures who influenced the majority of the faculty at Concordia Seminary in the middle of the twentieth century. Essays are dedicated to the implications of the faculty’s false teaching on the seminary and broader church. Though information is repeated between the essays, each contributor addresses the Walkout with a different theme or concern to draw out the broader implications of the controversies of 1974.
What was the false teaching that infiltrated one of our beloved seminaries? To simplify the matter, one can ask, “Does the Bible contain the Word of God, or is the Bible the Word of God?” How you answer that question will significantly influence how you approach and read the Bible. The majority of the faculty taught that the Bible contained God’s word, but it was up to the interpreter to determine what was authoritative in the Scriptures. Influenced by German liberal scholarship, many at the seminary adopted the Historical-Critical Model of Biblical Interpretation. Also known as “Higher Criticism,” this interpretative method treats the texts of Scripture like any man-made document. Therefore, Higher Criticism’s conclusions seek to harmonize the Scriptures with a secular and non-supernatural worldview. As one theologian succinctly describes, Higher Criticism is a movement of “rationalistic anti-supernaturalism.” Using higher criticism, scholars have denied doctrines such as the existence of a historical Adam of Genesis, Moses, and the Exodus. They have rejected miracles such as the parting of the Red Sea and Jonah’s three-day journey in the belly of a fish—all of which Jesus of Nazareth affirms as historical occurrences. Practitioners of High Criticism deny the Bible’s authority and address the text skeptically rather than reverently. The Bible may contain some truth, but it's up to the interpreter to determine what it is. Higher Critics, therefore, do not believe the Bible is God’s Word, but instead, their view represents a spectrum of opinions about where the Bible has authority and where it does not. Ultimately, what is at stake is the message of the gospel of our salvation. The proclamation that Jesus of Nazareth was crucified, died, buried, and rose again from the dead on the third day requires supernatural explanation. By undermining the authority of the Scriptures, Higher Critics were undercutting the chief teaching of the Scriptures that testify to Jesus (John 5:39).
It is crucial to uphold Biblical authority. The essays include the denominations rebuttals and response to higher critical methods of interpretation. Peppered throughout the essays are reassurances that the current faculty of the LCMS’s seminaries are faithful. While upholding the Bible as God’s Word and authoritative for the doctrine and practice of the church, students at our seminaries are taught the historical-grammatical method of interpretation. The Historical Grammatical Method seeks to discover the author’s original meaning by analyzing the Biblical texts in their original languages and then coming to conclusions through careful analysis of the words and grammar. This method respects Scriptural authority and upholds the truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ.
If you desire to learn more about the history and details of the issues surrounding the 1974 Walkout, I recommend you read the February 2024 edition of The Lutheran Witness. If, after reading that issue, you want a deeper dive into the theological and philosophical movements that undergirded this critical event in our history, then I highly recommend you pick up this volume.

[Michael Heidle · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very clear and vital treatise, reminder, and application of this historical LCMS event!!

This is better than just a five star book, it is a vital reminder, warning, and reflection on the cataclysmic and watershed event in LCMS history whereby our synod did more than uniquely win its internal struggle over the Bible in face of false interpretations, our synod largely reset on its historic confession of faith thoroughly grounded on salvation by grace alone, faith alone, Scripture alone and keeping her confessional standards secure with relevance to today's issues (rather than a false notion that the confessions are merely a look at what was relevant only at the time they were written and no real application to today)! I have heard too little about this book in announcements from local congregations and synod itself! This book should be heralded as the important and relevant look at the walk out which was staged 50 years ago! It should be read by all LCMS clergy and discussed within their study groups (winkels); but it should also be read by lay people within synod and those interested in our synod or our synod's victory (very unique among mainline denominations) in its internal battle for the Bible against liberal elements! This book is very well written in clear terms and very understandable for lay people!! It also includes helpful footnotes chapter by chapter; very helpful discussion questions for each chapter; and a nice list of additional resources for digging deeper with each chapter topic!
Most highly recommended!!!

[Becky Filipek · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is helpful in understanding some of the topics of contention during the "Walkout era." It's a little repetitive, though, as each chapter is essentially a stand-alone essay.

Growing up LCMS, especially in St. Louis, the effects of the Walkout were always felt and evident. Even throughout our synod, there is a general distrust of each other even today, an attention always to seeking out the heterodox among us, the confessional-v.-missional divide is still there, and we are clearly still harboring some disagreement on the pastoral office. We are an interesting bunch in the LCMS.

[Christa Petzold · Rating 5 out of 5]

All the essays in this collection are helpful and well-written. This book provides excellent context for anyone who wants to better understand the theological controversies in the LCMS surrounding Seminex. I'm so grateful to those who stood firm on the Word of God and refused to compromise for the sake of the outer appearance of unity.

[Brent Abels · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had no idea this walkout and split had even happened, probably due to the fact that it occurred nearly a decade before I was born. This was a total eye-opener for me. As an elder in the LCMS I'm very glad I read this.

[Valerie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very good overview of the Seminary walkout. Helped me grow in a greater appreciation for the pastors/professors who stood their ground in the battle for the Bible.