Pastor Oscar J. Naumann: A Legacy of Leadership during the Break with Missouri

Abstract

John Borgwardt’s essay chronicles the pivotal leadership of Pastor Oscar J. Naumann, president of the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod (WELS) from 1953 to 1979, during the synod’s doctrinal break with the Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod (LCMS). Naumann inherited a tense situation as Missouri drifted from its historic confessional stance, prompting WELS to engage in patient admonition and theological dialogue. Borgwardt details Naumann’s pastoral character, his commitment to doctrinal purity, and his role in guiding WELS through years of controversy, culminating in the 1961 suspension of fellowship with Missouri. The essay also explores Naumann’s correspondence, his collaboration with seminary leaders, and his efforts to unify the synod amid internal divisions. Following the break, Naumann led WELS into a new era of independent mission work. Borgwardt presents Naumann as a humble, faithful shepherd whose leadership preserved confessional integrity and expanded gospel outreach. Abstract generated with the assistance of Microsoft Copilot (GPT-4).