Religion: Lutheran Heresy (Contd.)

“Mention ‘Lutheran’ anywhere in America to this day, and the commonest memory association word is ‘heresy.’ ” Thus, in a confidential letter to ministers of the United Lutheran Church in America, President Franklin Clark Fry reluctantly began to egg-walk his way last week through the issue raised by the heresy trials of three Northwest Synod members. The Rev. George Crist Jr., 31, and the Rev. Victor Wrigley, 36, had been convicted of heresy by a synod trial committee in not subscribing to certain articles of faith, e.g., the Virgin Birth, the miracles and the physical resurrection of Christ (TIME, Aug. 8 et seq.). The Rev. John Gerberding, 33, was acquitted, but later resigned.

Wrote Dr. Fry: “The synods are at the mercy of each other,” for “what would become of the United Lutheran Church” if a minister fired from one of the denomination’s 32 synods for his views should be accepted by another synod?

Last week United Lutherans’ Northwest Synod confirmed the action of their trial committee by upholding the heresy conviction of Pastors Crist and Wrigley. But in solid Protestant tradition, and despite the Fry letter, leaders of Victor Wrigley’s congregation at Gethsemane Lutheran Church in Brookfield, Wis. pledged themselves to stick with him, even if that meant possible legal action by the synod.