The Protes'tant Conference is a loose association of

Lutheran Lutheranism is a major branch of Protestantism that emerged under the work of Martin Luther, the 16th-century German friar and Protestant Reformers, reformer whose efforts to reform the theology and practices of the Catholic Church launched ...

churches and churchworkers in the

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. It was organized in 1927 by former members of the

Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod The Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod (WELS), also referred to simply as the Wisconsin Synod, is an American Confessional Lutheran denomination of Christianity. Characterized as Christian theology, theologically conservative, it was founded ...

(WELS) who had been suspended following an intrasynodical controversy. At its height, the Protes'tant Conference comprised twenty-two local congregations, but it had declined to just six by the early 2000s. It is a

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confessional Lutheran Confessional Lutheranism is a name used by Lutherans to designate those who believe in the doctrines taught in the '' Book of Concord'' of 1580 (the Lutheran confessional documents) in their entirety. Confessional Lutherans maintain that faithfuln ...

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group with

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immigrant roots. It published the periodical ''Faith-Life'' as a conference, and operates the Protes'tant Conference website. It does not consider itself as a denomination or a church body, but a loose association of churchworkers and independent congregations.

Orthography

The organization's name includes a single typewriter quotation mark after the second syllable of the word “Protestant,” indicating an accent thereon.

History

The Protes'tant Conference arose out of a controversy in the WELS over a document known as the ''Beitz Paper'' (written by then Wisconsin Synod pastor W. F. Beitz) in 1926–1927. In his paper, Pastor Beitz discussed the doctrinal philosophy then prevalent in the synod. Debate arose over the theological nature of the document and about 40 supporters of Pastor Beitz were subsequently suspended from the Wisconsin Synod as a result. These pastors, teachers, and some congregations organized into the non-centralized Protes'tant Conference''.'' It has undergone three

schism A schism ( , , or, less commonly, ) is a division between people, usually belonging to an organization, movement, or religious denomination. The word is most frequently applied to a split in what had previously been a single religious body, suc ...

s, in 1930, 1952, and 1964. Internally, the Protes'tant Conference sometimes referred to itself as The Protes'tant Conference of the Wisconsin Synod''.'' The name "Protes'tant" was adopted in 1929, on the 400th anniversary of the Second Diet of Speyer. That diet of the

Holy Roman Empire The Holy Roman Empire, also known as the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation after 1512, was a polity in Central and Western Europe, usually headed by the Holy Roman Emperor. It developed in the Early Middle Ages, and lasted for a millennium ...

had outlawed Lutheranism and resulted in the reformers adopting the name "Protestant" . The name "Protes'tant" was chosen to signify their protest against "synodicalism" on the part of both the Wisconsin and Missouri Synods. While the Missouri Synod did not expel the Protes'tants, it synodically ratified the expulsions in 1927. Hensel, Ph.: "A Brief History of the Protes'tant Controversy", ''Faith-Life'', 73(6):5.

Core beliefs

The Protes'tant Conference taught that the Bible is the only authoritative and error-free source for doctrine. It subscribed to the Lutheran Confessions (the

Book of Concord ''The Book of Concord'' (1580) or ''Concordia'' (often referred to as the ''Lutheran Confessions'') is the historic doctrinal standard recognized as authoritative by many Lutheran church bodies since the 16th century. It consists of ten creeda ...

) not in-so-far-as but because it is an accurate presentation of what Scripture teaches. It taught that Jesus is the center of Scripture and the only way to eternal salvation, and that the Holy Spirit uses the gospel alone in Word and Sacraments (Baptism and Holy Communion) to bring people to faith in Jesus as Savior and keep them in that faith, strengthening them in their daily life of sanctification.

Notes

External links

Official website

The Beitz Paper

Prof. Fredrich's analysis of the controversy

J.P. Koehler's Rebuttal & Defense
Lutheranism in Wisconsin Lutheran denominations in North America Lutheranism in California Lutheranism in Michigan Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod Christian denominations founded in the United States