How the Military Chaplaincy Led the Missouri Synod into Unionism and Thus Was a Major Factor in Her Downfall

Abstract

In this 1977 essay, John M. Brenner examines how the Missouri Synod’s involvement in the U.S. military chaplaincy contributed to its doctrinal decline and eventual break in fellowship with the Wisconsin Synod. Brenner traces Missouri’s early opposition to the chaplaincy, citing concerns over church-state separation and unionism. He then details Missouri’s shift in the 1930s toward government-appointed chaplains, which led to cooperation with non-Lutheran clergy and the National Lutheran Council. Brenner argues that chaplains were placed in unionistic situations, conducting services for mixed denominations and participating in joint worship and communion. He highlights how this practice eroded confessional boundaries and influenced both clergy and laity. The essay concludes with a warning to confessional Lutherans about compromising scriptural principles for pragmatic or emotional reasons, urging caution and doctrinal fidelity in all church practices. —Abstract generated by Microsoft Copilot (GPT-4)