Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod (WELS) is a United States religious denomination belonging to the Lutheran tradition within Christianity. Characterized as theologically conservative, it was founded in 1850 in Wisconsin. Currently (2004), it has congregations in all 50 states and 24 other countries. With a membership of over 400,000 in more than 1,200 congregations divided into 12 geographical districts, it is the third largest Lutheran denomination in the U.S. (see Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod). It is a member of the Confessional Evangelical Lutheran Conference (CELC) [1] (http://www.celc.info/cgi-bin/home.cgi), a worldwide organization of Lutheran church bodies.

WELS is in fellowship with the Evangelical Lutheran Synod (ELS). This fellowship began in July 1872 when WELS, ELS, and LCMS formed the Evangelical Lutheran Synodical Conference. The Synodical Conference came to an end after first ELS and then WELS broke fellowship with LCMS in 1955 and 1961 respectively.

The headquarters of the denomination is located at 2929 N. Mayfair Road, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53222.

The synod maintains four schools of ministerial education: two high schools (Michigan Lutheran Seminary (http://www.mlsem.org/) and Luther Preparatory School (http://www.lps.wels.net/)); a college (Martin Luther College (http://www.mlc-wels.edu/) in New Ulm, Minnesota), and Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary [2] (http://www.wls.wels.net/), located in Mequon, Wisconsin.

WELS teaches that the Bible is the only authoritative source for doctrine. It subscribes to the Lutheran Confessions (the Book of Concord) as accurate presentations of what Scripture teaches. It teaches 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.

Contents

1 Differences from other Lutheran Synods 1.1 Differences from LCMS (Lutheran Church Missouri Synod) 1.2 Differences from ELCA (Evangelical Lutheran Church in America) 2 Presidents 3 External link

Differences from other Lutheran Synods

Differences from LCMS (Lutheran Church Missouri Synod)

The main facets of doctrinal difference between WELS and the LCMS include:

• Fellowship -- WELS teaches that all forms of Christian fellowship require complete unity in matters of doctrine. The LCMS, meanwhile, teaches that there are different levels of fellowship among Christians, so that altar fellowship (sharing in the Eucharist together), pulpit fellowship (exchange of preaching privileges among ministers of various congregations), and other manifestations of Christian fellowship (such as fellowship in prayer), are distinct. Thus, according to LCMS doctrine, members of different church bodies can engage in greater or lesser degrees of fellowship depending on the extent of their doctrinal disagreement.
• Doctrine of the ministry -- WELS does not believe that any particular office in the church is divinely established. The LCMS teaches that the pastoral office is divinely established, while all other church offices are human institutions.
• Role of women in the church -- The LCMS and WELS agree that Scriptures reserve the pastoral office for men. Unlike WELS, however, LCMS teaches that women may take on roles of lay authority in the church, such as voting in church elections and serving in "humanly established offices" such as congregation president, reader, or member of church councils.

Differences from ELCA (Evangelical Lutheran Church in America)

• Scriptural interpretation -- WELS ascribes to a literalist interpretation of the Bible as the inspired and inerrant Word of God, while the ELCA has been open to Historical-Critical Methods of Biblical interpretation which seek to understand the scriptures with reference to historical and social context. Most other specific doctrinal differences between the two churches stem from this overarching disagreement.
• Creationism -- WELS teaches that the account of creation given in Genesis 1-3 is a factual, historical account, while the ELCA has not enforced an official position, allowing members to embrace positions ranging from strict creationism to Theistic evolution.
• Sexuality -- WELS teaches that extramarital sex and homosexual relations are sins, while the ELCA and its predecessor churches have been somewhat open to multiple viewpoints on these matters. (Although the ELCA welcomes homosexuals within its congregations, more recently it has seen sharp divisions over the ordination of homosexuals and the blessing of same-sex unions.)
• Fellowship -- WELS teaches that churches must agree on all doctrines of Scripture before they can enjoy any form of fellowship with each other, while the ELCA teaches that agreement on all aspects of doctrine is not necessarily required as a prerequisite for fellowship. It thus practices fellowship with a handful of other mainline Protestant denominations.
• Role of women in the church -- WELS holds that, according to Scripture, women may not serve as clergy nor vote within their congregations, while the ELCA’s three predecessor churches began ordaining women into the ministry in the 1970s.

Presidents

• 1850 - 1860 Johannes Muehlhaeuser
• 1860 - 1864 John Bading
• 1864 - 1865 Gottlieb Rein
• 1865 - 1867 William Streissguth
• 1867 - 1887 John Bading
• 1887 - 1908 Phillip von Rohr
• 1908 - 1933 G.E. Bergemann
• 1933 - 1953 John Brenner
• 1953 - 1979 Oscar Naumann
• 1979 - 1993 Carl Mischke
• 1993 - Karl R. Gurgel

External link

• Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod Website (http://www.wels.net/)