Timeline of the Downfall of the LCMS (Part 2)

[2019-01-29: added some hyperlinks for ref. - look for underlined blue text below]
This is a continuation of Part 1 which covered years 1921 - 1946.  This Part 2 covers years 1947 - 1995.  The sources were listed at the end of Part 1.

Timeline of the Downfall of the LCMS (Part 2)

Year	Mon/ day	Description	Document	Person	Source

1947		LC-MS Committee on Doct. Unity report: there are differences but let's KEEP GOING			pg 73- 74 Fendt
1947		Result of  '43 - '47 mtgs of theo profs- "What Lutherans are Thinking" (Fendt, Graebner, etc.)			Fendt
1947		Romoser words to Behnken after Statement withdrawn: "You have sprung the escape hatch...the destruction of the Missouri Synod as an orthodox church body."	Statement of 44	Romoser	Events OLC - pg 11
1947	1/11	Behnken informs his committee: signers of Statement withdrawing it; nothing has developed, however, which is divisive of church fellowship'; Behnken elevates some signers to higher positions	Statement 44	Behnken	HMF pg 48
1947	1/28	Lutheran Witness editorial - Polack: ALC OK - 1938 resolutions & Brief Stmt not violated		Polack	pg 80 Fendt
1947	3/04	ALC Committee meets - Fendt invited by Poppen		Fendt	pg 80 Fendt
1947	3/10	Graebner phones Fendt personally to warn of Missouri Committee report 'in conflict' with reports of 8/23/46 joint meeting - Der Lutheraner to publish - Graebner witholding from Luth. Witness; Fendt put on committee		Fendt	pg 80- 81 Fendt
1947	3/30	Graebner writes letter 'Info. Pertinent to A Penitent Jubilee': 'I do not accept opinion of Der Lutheraner that NLC membership not advisable & Brunn report is false- - Lutherans not bound by exegesis Ro 16:17 (not even Book of Concord)		Graebner	pg 82 Fendt
1947	5/03	ALC Committee: back to 1938 resolutions- Brief Stmt with Declaration is sufficient- nevermind non-fundamentals			pg 89-90 Fendt
1947	5/08	LC-MS Committee meeting - chair Fritz had Graebner's accusation letter read and requested he RETRACT (Arndt/Behnken absent); Graebner did not		Fritz, Graebner	pg 83 Fendt
1947	5/09	ALC-LC-MS joint meeting of committees: - Ludwig to Fritz: 'your alterations of Doct.Aff hurt our precious Decl.; -Matzner: we object to Obj Just as you intuiti fidei; - Fritschel: BUT Romans 5 says 'OUR justification (Christians only- denies UnivJust)	Doctrinal Affirmation	Fritz (chief editor of D.A.)	pg 96-98 Fendt; City 166
1947	7/00	LC-MS Chicago convention voted Brief Statement in Proceedings	Brief Statement		CTM 4/62 pg 204; City 167
1947	7/00	(cont'd): -dozens memorials to break neg w/ ALC; -but resolved to have another Committee; -retreated from 1938 resol. & D.A. not satisfactory; -ONE documnt (B.F. w/ others(?)); Brief Stmt removed as basis	Doct. Affirmation, Brief Statement		pg 99 Fendt
1947	7/01	Behnken says errors "are in themselves potentially divisive of fellowship"	Statement 44	Behnken	HMF pg 48; City pg 162
1948		Late 40's-early 50s : O.P.Kretzmann (at Graebner's suggest) calls conference of theology profs at Valpo and Graebner leads discussion			pg 22-23, 25 Fendt
1948		LC-MS experiencing pains of separation from Norwegian/Wisconsin : only 'hope' - keep talking with ALC.			pg 115 Fendt
1948		H.W. Romoser mimeograph: 'Notes on Rom. 16:17,18'		Romoser	CTM 4/62, pg 200
1948		P.E. Kretzmann document "Sowing the Wind - Reaping the Whirlwind": deplorable lack of discipline, Statementarians had sown wind, LCMS & Syn Conf reaping the whirlwind		P.E. Kretzmann	OLC pg 20 - 21
1948	01/01	TV- WAM on 1st program (This is The Life)		WAM
1948	10/00	ALC Convention(Fremont, OH): Committee said: 'Let's join with LC-MS and then agree on unified document'			pg 107 Fendt
1948	1/09	LC-MS Committee meets: -what about joint prayer??; -invite sister synods in on next mtg with ALC;		Fritz, Behnken	pg 101 Fendt
1948	11/17	Poppen letter to Behnken: 'I've got Fendt/Holm lined up - bring 2 of your men to make new statement'			pg 108 Fendt
1948	4/08	F.H. Brunn writes circular letter to Committee members; 'Ludwig's writing is unionistic - avoiding doctrine	Brief Statement defended	Brunn	pg 102 Fendt
1948	4/28	Ludwig letter to Arndt: 'Why not joint prayer?';			pg 103 Fendt
1948	5/17	ALC- LC-MS joint meeting: 'manifest lack of doctrinal unity ; ALC: 'Who, us??'			pg 104- 105 Fendt
1948	5/21	Australian pastoral conference @ Jindera: prayer fellowship allowed and new interpretation of Ro. 16		Hamann Sr.	HMF pg 60
1948	6/00	Synodical Conf Proceedings: Norwegians joyous over LC-MS reaffirming Br. Stmt in 1947, but Missouri violated 'spirit and letter of Br. Stmt' by various acts of unionism			CTM 4/62 pg 206
1948	6/00	ELS Convention: joy over 1947 LCMS re-affirming Brief Statement and dis-avowing 1938 resolutions, however unionistic practices rampant in LCMS; J.A.O. Preus addresses (just left ELC in '47)- false doctrines rampant in ELC (proves Luth Witness wrong)		JAO Preus	City 167ff
1948	6/11	ALC- LC-MS joint SUB-committee meeting: Fendt/Ludwig & Arndt/Fritz; JOINT PRAYER was made (including Fritz); Ludwig agrees to Doct. Affirmation again		Fritz (Joint Prayer)	pg 106- 107 Fendt
1948	6/30	P.E. Kretzmann Open Letter to Pres & members of Synod: liberalism at Sem, lack of discipline, Statementarians allowed		P.E. Kretzmann	OLC pg 21- 22
1949		ALC- LC-MS subcommittees meet: -we ate together; -only what fully revealed in Scripture, leave out 'synodical bias'; - NO ANTITHESES; -		Fritz	pg 137 Fendt
1949		ELS states 1) free conferences are NOW unionism 2) cooperation in specific externals unionism 3) prayer fellowship is fellowship			City 170f
1949	1/06	LC-MS Committee appoints Fritz/Jurgens to meet ALC Fendt/Holm for 'a single statement' (to be Common Confession)	Common Confession	Fritz	pg 136 Fendt; City 172
1949	12/05	ALC- LC-MS joint Committees meet: -Arndt tells Fendt to offer joint prayer (but of course no fellowship); -Common Confession (Part I) seems OK	Common Confession- Part I	Fritz, Brunn	pg 137- 138 Fendt
1949	4/26	A.L. Conf. subcommittee (Bodensieck chair of Wartburg): Poppen reports O.P. Kretzmann letter on LC-MS district pres.(32) meeting- passed resolution on unity & fellowship - goes much further  (federation mentioned)		O.P. Kretzmann	pg 130- 132 Fendt
1950		Wisconsin's E.C. Reim Northwestern's publication 'Where Do We Stand?': Common Confession doesn't measure up to Brief Stmt; (but see pg 189- Fendt - Arndt introduces Reim to Fendt - 'left out')	Common Confession, Brief Stmt	E.C. Reim	CTM 4/62 pg 207;(Fendt 189)
1950	11/16	ELS Pastoral Conf and Lillegard review: Common Confession "the least pertinent to the real questions at issue"	Common Confession		City 173f
1950	6/00	Synodical Conf Proceedings pg 128-130: unionism fully explained by Brief Statement, section 28			CTM 4/62 pg 206
1950	7/00	LC-MS Reports & Memorials: Wisconson bases protest against unionism on stand of Brief Statement			CTM 4/62 pg 203
1950	7/00	LC-MS Proceedings pg 655-658, esp 656: reaffirm Ro 16:17 as in ....Brief Statement			CTM 4/62 pg 205
1950	7/01	LC-MS Convention(Milwaukee): we accept 'Common Confession' but maybe not (anyway we don't repudiate BRIEF STATEMENT, we don't think); -we must now put before Synodical Conf. sisters	Common Conf.,  Brief Statement		pg 144f Fendt; pg 3 Frat. Word; HMF pg 49
1950	7/01	(cont'd) we acknowledge letters of Wisc and ELS- Behnken, you answer them; Behnken: free confs ok, no response on externals, joint prayer is fellowship, except when it's not (1944)		Behnken	City 171
1950	8/00	ALC convention- Schuh elected president 1950 - 1960; Comm. Conf Part I adopted	Part I	Schuh	pg 121, 151 Fendt
1950	9/06	O.P. Kretzmannn letter to Yochum/Fendt: -from the beginning the Missouri Synod had made up mind to adopt Common Confession; -small group opposing- JUST A FEW SCATTERED NO'S IN BACK; -we of course don't know what plans of God are in present situation			pg 186-187 Fendt
1950	11/14	Theo. Graebner dies
1951		Common Confession Part I joint meeting- Arndt asks Fendt to pray JOINTLY for FIRST TIME - you will know what to pray for; -Behnken- from now on we pray together - one of LC-MS stayed in hall	Common Confession Part I	Arndt, Behnken, Fendt	pg 194 Fendt
1951	1//01	Synodical Conference reps meet  Committee on Unity: -'some need for clarification'			pg 147 Fendt
1951	6/00	Norwegian Convention: NO to Common Confession- -no rejection ALC errors (verbal inspir.); -no stmt full objective justification; conversion left; -intuiti fidei; -last things; -MISSOURI - COME HOME to BRIEF STMT!!!; But, no also to i'n statu confessionis	Common Confession (Part I); Brief Statement		pg 147- 149 Fendt; City 174f
1951	8/00	Wisconsin Convention (New Ulm) - several Committee on Unity (LCMS) members present; Common Confession- serious omissions- Justif., Convers., Election, Means of Grace, Church, Last Things, also Sunday, and Scripture; untruthful - NOT settled!			pg 147, 149 Fendt
1951	9/25	OLC formed @ St. John's Lutheran Church Okabena MN; PE Kretzmann respected in ELS		McLaughlin, Kretzmann, Strumpler	OLC pg 28- 30; HMF pg49; City 176
1952		Slovak Church Convention: Common Confession OK- go ahead Missouri (but go ahead with Part II)	Common Confession		pg 150 Fendt; City 176
1952	1/15	Sasse reports in CTM pg 221 on his Theses (Austral.) on Scripture & Inspiration: "We tried to overcome the old scheme of the Orthodox fathers and to build the doctrine on Scripture on Luther's understanding of the Word of God"		Sasse	HMF pg 94
1952	2/11	Behnken press release to LC-MS clergy: OLC doctrines same as ours, they should withdraw avoidance based on Ro 16:17		Behnken	OLC pg 46- 47
1952	3/13	ALC-ULCA Committees joint mtg: Holm- ALC trying to 'thaw' Missouri as part of whole Lutheran picture; -ULCA Fry asks ALC - prefer Comm Conf or Joint Testimony??		Holm, Fry	pg 204 Fendt
1952	4/00	Synodical Conf. Convenition groups meet: Part II discussed			pg 150 Fendt
1952	6/00	Synodical Conf Proceedings pg 157: Wisconsin - Missouri should conform to these resolutions and to position of Brief Statement			CTM 4/62 pg 206
1952	6/00	LC-MS Reports & Memorials: Norwegians reject Part I, tell LC-MS ONLY Brief Statement			CTM 4/62 pg 207
1952	7/00	OLC - LCMS court case: congregation in Minn split - who gets property			OLC pg 42
1952	8/12	Synodical Conference Convention (St. Paul): Not all brethren persuaded that Common Confession is adequate; even though 2 synods reject it, STRIKE preamble and WAIT until Part II is finished; WELS states 'in statu confessionis'			pg 150 Fendt; City 177f
1953		Fendt/Holm also participate in United Testimony (along with Common Confession)		Fendt, Holm	pg 160 Fendt
1953		Sister synods remained unchange in opposition to Common Confession (even after Behnken plea); 'hostility' led to breakup in Synodical Conference			pg 189 Fendt
1953		Arndt arranges for E. Reim of Wisc. Seminary to meet Fendt; Reim- 'just sour grapes' on Wisc. side - Reu didn't invite us to meetings - we were 'left out' (sob)		E.C. Reim/Fendt	pg 189 Fendt;CTM 4/62 pg 207
1953		(thru S.C. break) Franzmann suffers pain (one of chief writers of Part II) - out of fellowship with son who went to Wisconsin Sem; -no Scripture to warrant doctrine "God from eternity ordained certain # of indiv to be saved"; -more Script against separat	Part II	Martin Franzmann, Behnken	pg 191- 193 Fendt
1953		Fraternal Word- LC-MS defense did NOT use Brief Statement- 'Scripture passages'			CTM 4/62 pg 208
1953	1/00	Synodical Conf. reps meet (Milwaukee), Norwegian Synod NOT represented			pg 151 Fendt
1953	2/00	70 men of ALC-LC-MS meet: union movement & Common Confession reviewed			pg 151 Fendt
1953	4/00	Common Confession Part II finished final draft	Common Confession		pg 151 Fendt
1953	7/00	LC-MS Conv. (Houston) Committee rpt: -sister synods don't seem to agree with us (they should); -adopt Part II; -we ask LC-MS to remind sisters of Art. 4 of S.C. Constit: 'give...expression to unity of spirit among constituent synods...unity in doctrine			pg 146, 152 Fendt
1953	7/01	LC-MS Convention (cont'd): -many memorials not to approve Part II and reconsider Part I; -postpone action on Part II; continue Committee on Unity			pg 153- 155 Fendt
1953	8/31	Missouri writes 'A Fraternal Word' to Wisconsin Synod: not to worry, everything is OK	A Fraternal Word
1954		'A Fraternal Reply' by Theodore F. Nickel and Arnold H. Grumm (St. Louis: LC-MS): 'inaccuracies' of Wisconsin charged in use of Brief Statement	Brief Stmt	Theo. Nickel, Grumm	CTM 4/62 pg 208
1954	6/00	Synodical Conf. Convention (&Proceedings): -E.H. Wendland (Wisconsin) "Inadequacy of Common Confession As Settlement of Past Differences"; - Norwegian (Norman Madson) - Comm Conf does opposite of define and amplify Br. Stmt	Common Confession, Brief Stmt	Wendland, Madson	CTM 4/62 pg 207
1954	8/00	ALC Convention approves Part II, Common Confession			pg 179 Fendt
1955	6/00	WELS Convention-Saginaw:  LC-MS has created divisions but postpone action on terminating fellowship			CLC 'Mark and Avoid
1956		O.P. Kretzmann- laughs at exegesis of Ro. 16: 17-18		O.P. Kretzmann	pg 199 Fendt
1956		LC-MS Convention: concerted efforts to set aside Common Confession & reinstate Brief Statement; -resolved only not use Comm Conf as functioning union doc; -another resolution did reject interpretation in disagreement with Holy Script., Confessions, Br St	Brief Stmt		CTM 4/62 pg 208
1956		OLC split-up: Kretzmann & MclLaughlin and others(Strumpler) form Luth Churches of Reformation			OLC pg 49
1956	6/00	WELS recessed convention: hold '55 Saginaw resolution in abeyance			CLC 'Mark and Avoid
1956	7/00	LC-MS Conv.: Behnken rpts (w/o Arndt) - ALC to join with ELC & UELC - Comm Conf. history - 'God in grace has blessed us with purity doctrine; -Common Conf. in harmony with Script & Confessions -> 'end of bitter controversies since 1880's' (election,etc)	Common Confession; Part II		pg 194-195 Fendt
1957	2/09	Bodiensieck of Wartburg letter to Joint Union Committee: -some passages Exodus, Psalms, Job, Luke NOT inspired!  Inerrancy NOT true of Bible!		J. Bodiensieck- Wartburg	pg 233- 239 Fendt
1957	2/25	Arndt dies; -'leadership' praised by Fendt; -has 'ear' of Behnken		Arndt, Behnken	pg 193 Fendt
1958	1/26	Herman Otten/Marquart inform Behnken of St. Louis profs teaching errors in Bible, no Adam/Eve, Brief Statement doesn't have to be accepted- Behnken can't believe this (see his speech of 1926 at St Louis dedication- Meyer 'Hist. of Brief Stmt' pg 423		Otten/ Marquart, Behnken	Christian News 5/8/95 pg 10
1958	2/13	Otten gives 1-hour report at seminary’s Board of Control at Behnken’s request; “Preus, Rehwinkel, Spitz, Mueller, Sohns, Wunderlich, Franzmann, Schroeder and som other conservative profs were in sympathy with my position”; sem profs responded: ‘Who gave you the right to speak to Dr. Behnken?’		Otten, Behnken	CN 11/18/02 pg 21
1958	3/01	Presidium pamphlet (early 1958) for discussion of LWF- did not repeat reasons why decision of not joining LWF in St. Paul			Inter Nos pg 47
1959		William F. Beck tries to publish memorial warning of error of Isaiah 7:14 almah; Behnken told Beck "No" and said "Almah can be translated 'young woman'"; Beck said Behnken took side of errors		Beck, Behnken	CN 7/10/95 pg 17
1959	6/00	LC-MS Reports & Memorials pg 507: all pastors mandatory subscribe to Br. Stmt, as well as Symbols	BRIEF STMT		CTM 4/62 pg 208
1959	7/00	LC-MS Conv (San Fran): re-affirmed Brief Statement			CN 5/8/95 pg 10; Proceedings p 191
1959	7/00	LC-MS Proceedings pg 83 resolution binding force for Brief Stmt; pg 191 every doctrinal statement of confessing nature by Synod - public doctrine-- RESOLUTION 9	Resolution 9		CTM 4/62 pg 208
1960	7/08	NLC - LC-MS mtg: Behnken opens w/ prayer; -Franzmann essay Augustana(?) Conf. Art VII - enough to agree on Doctrine of Gospel; -Scripture discussed; -'some believe Doctrine of Gospel' doesn't coincide with Scripture		Franzmann	pg 266- 268 Fendt
1960	7/09	(cont'd) Franzmann: proclamation of Gospel as...a savor of death; -Bouman paper on Confessional Subscription; 'be mending(?)' 2 Cor 13:11		Bouman	pg 268-272
1960	9/07	LC-MS Counselors' Conf at Valparaiso, Arthur Repp read essay 'Scripture, Confessions, and Doctrinal Statements' - clarify Resolution 9 of 1959, Scriptures & Confessions, NOT STATEMENTS	Brief Stmt	Arthur Repp	CTM 4/62 pg 208- 209
1961	12/00	The Faithful Word, Harold Romoser differing from Repp's essay at Valpo 1960 conference	Brief Stmt	Harold Romoser	CTM 4/62 pg 209
1961	7/28	Wm. Oesch letter to Pres. Oscar Naumann of WELS about concern of doctrine of Church and Church Fellowship too subjective and not based on pure objective Means of Grace (NOTAE PURAE unius sanctae eccleasiae)		Oesch	CTS library File 141
1962	4/00	CTM editors (Bretscher, Franzmann, Fuerbringer, Hoyer, Piepkorn, Roehrs, Spitz, Thiele): write study guide for Brief Statement- questioning exegesis, clarity, thoroughness, agreement w/ Confessns; 'Verbal Inspiration' not in Confessions	Brief Statement	Bretscher, Franzmann, etc	CTM 4/62 pg 210- 223
1964	1/01	Behnken writes 'This I Recall': Crucible by Oesch hurt; so did Confessional Lutheran; so did sister synods charges of unionism - 'we had to admit their charges were warranted'		Behnken, Oesch	This I Recall - pgs 186 - 205
1966	6/19	Sasse letter overseas stated Australian 'Theses of Agreement' were a compromise		Sasse	HMF pg 72
1966	8/06	Behnken (after presidency according to Otten) asks St. Louis faculty in writing about historicity of events in Bible - NO answer (see speech at 1926 St Louis dedication)		Behnken	CN 5/8/95 pg 10; CN 7/10/95 pg 16
1966	8/17	Sasse and/or Hamann Jr. at last ELCA (Aust.) Pastoral Conference, Concordia Memorial College, Toowoomba Qld, Australia: Genesis 1-3 "QUITE POSSIBLY FIGURATIVE"		Sasse	HMF pg 78, 142
1986		Pastor Gavin Winter writes 'How Are The Mighty Fallen' of Australia; says of LCMS: Unless complete turning back to Bible doctrine of Church Fellowship & discipline, will "LOSE ANY LAST VESTIGES OF LUTHERANISM IT STILL RETAINS"		Winter, G.	HMF pg 50
1995	6/19	Larry Darby, a 'conservative' LC-MS member, writes 'Historical Development of "Objective Justification" denying 'old Missouri'  taught doctrine as false.		Darby	Document mailed by Darby to Xxx Xxxxx
1995	8/00	Where will today's hererodox LC-MS go?  Only away from pure Christian doctrine and deeper into errors for it has left the true Missouri Synod and is now name-only Missourian.  The pattern of whoredoms and hemorrhoids can be seen in relation to true doctrine.  All who understand God's directive for his people in Romans 16: 17 will have His peace - in His Word – the Word of His Grace.
1995	8/01	If ye continue in My Word then are ye My disciples indeed." John 8:31

This timeline showed me that if I wanted to grow spiritually, I had to go back to the old (German) Missouri Synod to get the pure teaching that would give me ultimate assurance of salvation.