Extract from the Transactions of the German and English Lutheran Synod for North Carolina and Adjace

Ken McGuire

As I said in introducing Shober's Luther at https://community.logos.com/forums/t/66580.aspx, schism was approaching. It is now here.

In 1819, the NC Synod was invited to send representatives to a conference for organizing a new General Synod. This conference would happen on Trinity Sunday. The regular NC Synod meeting was for Trinity Sunday. So the officers moved up their meeting a couple of weeks to allow this to happen, and informed the pastors. And so the official Synod meeting happened.

On Trinity Sunday, a minority, largely the Henkel family, showed up for the regular meeting time, and acted as they were the official 1819 meeting. They evidently had this Synod outside under some trees. Among other things, they ordained David Henkel to the pastoral office, and voted his older brother Philip as President of the body.

Since there were two different meetings that claimed to be the official meeting of 1819, when they got together in 1820 there were things to discuss. And this work is the official report of this meeting. In short, they accepted the earlier meeting, said David was no pastor, but also invited Philip back. And they voted to support the proposed General Synod. In general, it sounds like a reasonable attempt at peace making.

But they also make their theological position clear on some sacramental issues - namely, they repudiate the sacramental teaching of David. The problem was that many of the statements they condemn are basically quotes from Luther's Catechisms and the Augsburg Confession.

Rodney Phillips

Thanks!