Christian Cyclopedia

(Intersynodical Theses; Theses for Union). Intersynodical confs. 1903–06 at Watertown and Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Detroit, Michigan, and Fort Wayne, Indiana, failed to solve the differences on predestination and conversion. The Iowa Syn. suggested gen. and open confs. for discussion of points at issue 1913. Pastors of the disputing syns. signed the St. Paul Theses at St. Paul, Minnesota, 1916, and demanded that the matter be taken up officially. A colloquy began 1917, with representatives of the syns. concerned participating. As a result, the Chicago Thesen über die Bekehrung, Prädestination und andere Lehren were unanimously adopted April 15, 1925, at Chicago by representatives of the Buffalo, Iowa, Missouri, Ohio, and Wisconsin Syns. Agreement on the article of predestination was brought about by G. J. Fritschel,* who accepted G. K. Stöckhardt's* view. Representatives of Ohio, Iowa, and Buffalo Syns. and the NLCA adopted the Minneapolis* Theses November 18, 1925, at Minneapolis, Minnesota. An intersynodical committee revised the Chicago Theses at St. Paul, Minnesota, August 2, 1928. This revision was presented to the Mo. Syn. conv. at River Forest, Illinois, 1929. The Mo. Syn. mems. of the intersynodical committee held that fraternal relations were “at present excluded by the connections into which … these synods have entered,” but urged, at the same time, that action be taken on the Theses. An examining committee had recommended that the Theses be rejected. The floor committee on intersyn. matters recommended in its report that the Theses be not accepted “in their present form” and that the syn. instruct a committee “to formulate theses which, beginning with the status controversiae, are to present the doctrine of the Scriptures and the Lutheran Confessions in the shortest, most simple manner.” The report was adopted. See also Brief Statement; Free Lutheran Conferences, 2–5; Instuitu Fidei.

Chicago Thesen über die Bekehrung, Prädestination und andere Lehren: Angenommen von Vertretern der Synoden von Buffalo, Iowa, Missouri, und Wisconsin, 2d ed. (n. p., 1926); Chicagoer Thesen über die Bekehrung, Prädestination und andere Lehren (St. Louis, n. d.); TQS, XXVI (October 1929), 250–273; “Schlussbericht des Intersynodalen Komitees,” TQS, XXV (October 1928), 266–288; Proceedings of Mo. Syn. convs., esp. 1929 (St. Louis, 1929), pp. 110–113. EL