Theodore Graebner: Bellwether of Changes in the Missouri Synod

Abstract

Mark E. Braun’s essay, Theodore Graebner: Bellwether of Changes in the Missouri Synod, traces the theological and cultural transformation of the Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod (LCMS) through the career of Professor Theodore Graebner (1876–1950). Initially a staunch defender of Missouri’s confessional orthodoxy, Graebner later became a leading voice for moderation, doctrinal flexibility, and intersynodical cooperation. Braun documents Graebner’s prolific literary output, his evolving views on unionism, Scouting, adiaphora, and church fellowship, and his growing frustration with legalism and traditionalism within the Synod. Graebner’s shift from rigid orthodoxy to a more conciliatory stance mirrored broader changes in Missouri’s theology and practice, contributing to tensions with the Wisconsin and Norwegian Synods and the eventual dissolution of the Synodical Conference. Braun presents Graebner as both a product and a catalyst of Missouri’s transformation, whose legacy remains controversial among confessional Lutherans. —Abstract prepared by Microsoft Copilot (GPT-4)