Episodes

  • TLHP 70 The Wisconsin Synod Prints in German
    Jun 6 2025

    This is a special episode of a presentation I prepared for the Society of German American Studies symposium in April in Milwaukee.

    --

    The year 2025 marks the 175th anniversary of the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod. Originally established in the Milwaukee area as the Die erste deutsch. evang.-luth. Synode von Wisconsin, this German immigrant ecclesiastical organization, immediately needed printed materials in its native language that would serve the needs of its people in a new geographic and social setting. The Wisconsin Synod primarily sought to preserve and transmit conservative confessional Lutheranism in the first several generations. The motto, “Halte was du hast,” crowned the synod’s first regular publication, the Gemeindeblatt. Its message, “Hold what you have,” reflects the conservative concern of the ministers who encouraged Lutheran immigrants to preserve their faith and pass it on to future generations. Wisconsin Synod leaders also recognized that as the synod faced new challenges and opportunities in its frontier immigrant context, it must also apply theological principles in ways that precluded simplistic repristination of the 16th century Reformation. The resulting “Wauwatosa Theology” came to life in the German publications of the synod.

    To meet the needs of its laity, pastors, and scholars, the Wisconsin Synod locally produced various printed materials in the German language to meet its high theological standards. These German American Lutherans required many printed materials: hymnals, service agendas, synodical reports, catechisms, bibles, and devotional literature. Regular publications: the Gemeindeblatt and the Theologische Quartalschrifft not only served to communicate to and inform laity and pastors within the Wisconsin Synod but also spread its news and theology across the nation and back to the German homeland.

    The Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod required German materials for well over a century—despite the erosion of a German-speaking demographic accelerated by two world wars. In the post-war years, the synod experienced an irreversible transition from needing German materials to holding on to them for personal comfort. Still, the synod continued to print officially in German regularly until 1970.

    Support the show

    • Confessional Languages Scholarship
    • Youtube ( even more behind-the-scenes videos available for certain patron tiers)
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    • Interview Request Form
    • email: thelutheranhistorypodcast@gmail.com
    • About the Host
      • Benjamin Phelps is a 2014 graduate from Martin Luther College with a Bachelor of Arts with a German emphasis. From there went on to graduate from Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary in 2018.
        Ben loves all things history and enjoys traveling. A descendant of over a dozen Lutheran pastors, Ben has an interest in his family roots, especially 19th-century Lutheranism, and has written several papers and journal articles on the topic. His 2018 thesis on Wyneken won the John Harrison Ness award and the Abdel Ross Wentz prize. He is also the recipient of two awards of commendation from the Concordia Historical Institute.
        Ben is currently a doctoral student in historical theology through Concordia Seminary's reduced residency program in St. Louis.
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    36 mins
  • TLHP 69 Christ Through Us- WELS 175th Pictorial History with Joel Otto
    May 2 2025

    In this WELS 175th episode, we talk with Joel Otto, the anniversary committee chairman, about the pictorial history book Christ Through Us, which he co-authored with John Braun.

    Support the show

    • Confessional Languages Scholarship
    • Youtube ( even more behind-the-scenes videos available for certain patron tiers)
    • Facebook
    • Website
    • Interview Request Form
    • email: thelutheranhistorypodcast@gmail.com
    • About the Host
      • Benjamin Phelps is a 2014 graduate from Martin Luther College with a Bachelor of Arts with a German emphasis. From there went on to graduate from Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary in 2018.
        Ben loves all things history and enjoys traveling. A descendant of over a dozen Lutheran pastors, Ben has an interest in his family roots, especially 19th-century Lutheranism, and has written several papers and journal articles on the topic. His 2018 thesis on Wyneken won the John Harrison Ness award and the Abdel Ross Wentz prize. He is also the recipient of two awards of commendation from the Concordia Historical Institute.
        Ben is currently a doctoral student in historical theology through Concordia Seminary's reduced residency program in St. Louis.
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    23 mins
  • TLHP 68 - 175 Years of Change in WELS Worship with Joel Otto
    Apr 5 2025

    In this WELS 175th episode, we talk with Joel Otto, the anniversary committee chairman, about what WELS worship has looked like in the past and how it has changed.

    Support the show

    • Confessional Languages Scholarship
    • Youtube ( even more behind-the-scenes videos available for certain patron tiers)
    • Facebook
    • Website
    • Interview Request Form
    • email: thelutheranhistorypodcast@gmail.com
    • About the Host
      • Benjamin Phelps is a 2014 graduate from Martin Luther College with a Bachelor of Arts with a German emphasis. From there went on to graduate from Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary in 2018.
        Ben loves all things history and enjoys traveling. A descendant of over a dozen Lutheran pastors, Ben has an interest in his family roots, especially 19th-century Lutheranism, and has written several papers and journal articles on the topic. His 2018 thesis on Wyneken won the John Harrison Ness award and the Abdel Ross Wentz prize. He is also the recipient of two awards of commendation from the Concordia Historical Institute.
        Ben is currently a doctoral student in historical theology through Concordia Seminary's reduced residency program in St. Louis.
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    40 mins
  • TLHP 67 Who was Adolf Hoenecke? with James Danell
    Mar 7 2025

    image: Adolph Hoenecke from the host's family photo collection.

    In this WELS 175th episode, we talk with Prof. James Danell who teaches German at Martin Luther College in New Ulm, MN, about Adolph Hoenecke, who taught for many decades at the Wisconsin Synod's Seminary. Prof. Danell speaks in this episode about his significant influence on the spirit and theology of the Wisconsin Synod.

    Not only does Danell teach the German language, but his advanced classes read through German Lutheran materials from the Reformation through the 19th and 20th century American Lutheran theologians. His students, therefore, get to sharpen their German skills, study theology, and learn Church History--all at the same time!

    You can support the Confessional Language Scholarship here.

    Support the show

    • Confessional Languages Scholarship
    • Youtube ( even more behind-the-scenes videos available for certain patron tiers)
    • Facebook
    • Website
    • Interview Request Form
    • email: thelutheranhistorypodcast@gmail.com
    • About the Host
      • Benjamin Phelps is a 2014 graduate from Martin Luther College with a Bachelor of Arts with a German emphasis. From there went on to graduate from Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary in 2018.
        Ben loves all things history and enjoys traveling. A descendant of over a dozen Lutheran pastors, Ben has an interest in his family roots, especially 19th-century Lutheranism, and has written several papers and journal articles on the topic. His 2018 thesis on Wyneken won the John Harrison Ness award and the Abdel Ross Wentz prize. He is also the recipient of two awards of commendation from the Concordia Historical Institute.
        Ben is currently a doctoral student in historical theology through Concordia Seminary's reduced residency program in St. Louis.
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    1 hr and 15 mins
  • TLHP 66 The Importance of Learning German for Lutheran History with James Danell
    Feb 7 2025

    This is part of a longer conversation I had with Prof. James Danell about the imperative need for scholars who know German to do Lutheran history.

    You can support the Confessional Language Scholarship at MLC to encourage this endeavor here.

    Support the show

    • Confessional Languages Scholarship
    • Youtube ( even more behind-the-scenes videos available for certain patron tiers)
    • Facebook
    • Website
    • Interview Request Form
    • email: thelutheranhistorypodcast@gmail.com
    • About the Host
      • Benjamin Phelps is a 2014 graduate from Martin Luther College with a Bachelor of Arts with a German emphasis. From there went on to graduate from Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary in 2018.
        Ben loves all things history and enjoys traveling. A descendant of over a dozen Lutheran pastors, Ben has an interest in his family roots, especially 19th-century Lutheranism, and has written several papers and journal articles on the topic. His 2018 thesis on Wyneken won the John Harrison Ness award and the Abdel Ross Wentz prize. He is also the recipient of two awards of commendation from the Concordia Historical Institute.
        Ben is currently a doctoral student in historical theology through Concordia Seminary's reduced residency program in St. Louis.
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    23 mins
  • TLHP 65 Brand Luther with Jared Natsis and Phil Moldenhauer
    Jan 28 2025

    This is a cross-over episode with The Shepherd's Study Podcast, where I was a guest of Jared Natsis and Phil Moldenhauer. We talked about the content and merits of the book Brand Luther which came out shortly before the Reformation 500th anniversary.

    The Shepherd’s Study podcast is produced by Grow in Grace to help pastors grow in the art and practice of pastoral ministry. Each episode features Lutheran pastors discussing a book that is salient to their work.

    The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed are the speakers’ own and do not represent the views, thoughts, and opinions of Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary or the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod. The material and information presented here is for general information purposes only.

    Support the show

    • Confessional Languages Scholarship
    • Youtube ( even more behind-the-scenes videos available for certain patron tiers)
    • Facebook
    • Website
    • Interview Request Form
    • email: thelutheranhistorypodcast@gmail.com
    • About the Host
      • Benjamin Phelps is a 2014 graduate from Martin Luther College with a Bachelor of Arts with a German emphasis. From there went on to graduate from Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary in 2018.
        Ben loves all things history and enjoys traveling. A descendant of over a dozen Lutheran pastors, Ben has an interest in his family roots, especially 19th-century Lutheranism, and has written several papers and journal articles on the topic. His 2018 thesis on Wyneken won the John Harrison Ness award and the Abdel Ross Wentz prize. He is also the recipient of two awards of commendation from the Concordia Historical Institute.
        Ben is currently a doctoral student in historical theology through Concordia Seminary's reduced residency program in St. Louis.
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    43 mins
  • TLHP 64 The Election Controversy Revisited with Peter Prange
    Jan 10 2025

    In this episode, we talk with Peter Prange about the third volume in his series, Wielding the Sword of the Spirit, in which he gets into the details and nuances of the Election Controversy that rocked the Synodical Conference.

    Support the show

    • Confessional Languages Scholarship
    • Youtube ( even more behind-the-scenes videos available for certain patron tiers)
    • Facebook
    • Website
    • Interview Request Form
    • email: thelutheranhistorypodcast@gmail.com
    • About the Host
      • Benjamin Phelps is a 2014 graduate from Martin Luther College with a Bachelor of Arts with a German emphasis. From there went on to graduate from Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary in 2018.
        Ben loves all things history and enjoys traveling. A descendant of over a dozen Lutheran pastors, Ben has an interest in his family roots, especially 19th-century Lutheranism, and has written several papers and journal articles on the topic. His 2018 thesis on Wyneken won the John Harrison Ness award and the Abdel Ross Wentz prize. He is also the recipient of two awards of commendation from the Concordia Historical Institute.
        Ben is currently a doctoral student in historical theology through Concordia Seminary's reduced residency program in St. Louis.
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    1 hr and 8 mins
  • TLHP 63 Who was Johannes Muehlhaeuser? with Tim Grundmeier
    Dec 20 2024

    In this WELS 175th episode, Tim Grundmeier and I talk about who Johannes Muehlhaeuser was, Christmas trees, and the founding of the Wisconsin Synod.

    Support the show

    • Confessional Languages Scholarship
    • Youtube ( even more behind-the-scenes videos available for certain patron tiers)
    • Facebook
    • Website
    • Interview Request Form
    • email: thelutheranhistorypodcast@gmail.com
    • About the Host
      • Benjamin Phelps is a 2014 graduate from Martin Luther College with a Bachelor of Arts with a German emphasis. From there went on to graduate from Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary in 2018.
        Ben loves all things history and enjoys traveling. A descendant of over a dozen Lutheran pastors, Ben has an interest in his family roots, especially 19th-century Lutheranism, and has written several papers and journal articles on the topic. His 2018 thesis on Wyneken won the John Harrison Ness award and the Abdel Ross Wentz prize. He is also the recipient of two awards of commendation from the Concordia Historical Institute.
        Ben is currently a doctoral student in historical theology through Concordia Seminary's reduced residency program in St. Louis.
    Show more Show less
    48 mins