The True Visible Church And the Form of a Christian Congregation

by C.F.W. Walther

This book contains two works. The first is a paraphrase translation of the Evangelical Lutheran Church--The True Visible Church of God on Earth, adopted by the Missouri Synod at the session of its general synod in 1866. The second is a paraphrase translation of The Proper Form of an Evangelical Lutheran Local Congregation Independent of the State.

Both works, with Church and Ministry, stemming from Walther's 1841 Altenburg Theses, form the core of the LCMS doctrine of church and ministry, demonstrating how a congregation should operate when calling a pastor, in matters of church discipline, providing spiritual and earthly care, and handling ecumenical issues.

368 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1989

About the author

Carl Ferdinand Wilhelm Walther was the first President of the Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod and its most influential theologian. He is commemorated by that church on its Calendar of Saints on May 7.