What is the glue that holds WELS together?

contenderjude3 wrote: .... the glue that holds the WELS together is its view of Scripture coupled with its emphasis on dogmatics, language training and systematic theology.

The only WELS-ians trained in dogmatics, languages, and systematic theology are pastors, correct? Since there are approx 400,000 souls in WELS congregations, and less than 2,000 pastors, you're saying that part of the education of less than one half of one percent of WELS-ians is the glue that holds together all, including the other 99.5%? Perhaps. My theory is similar, albeit a little broader, in that "A-list" pastors leave home at age 14 for 12 continuous years of training in a situation where they have contact with WELS-ians only and their only friends are WELS-ians, mostly other pastor candidates. It's these close bonds of friendship in high school, college, and grad-school (where pastors are in the same "fraternity" for 12 years) that persevere for decades after ordination that bond WELS together.

contenderjude3 wrote: .... Protestant denominations have no such emphases.

Some other Protestant denominations do, in fact, require clergy to study Greek, Hebrew, and Latin, so language training is not unique to WELS, and language training did not immunize other denominations against Satan-spawned errors.

What are some examples of "ungluing" that have alarmed you?

I actually think that WELS is becoming unglued.

For as much as people would like to point to our German heritage or our Midwest presence, I hold the opinion that the glue that holds the WELS together is its view of Scripture coupled with its emphasis on dogmatics, language training and systematic theology. In my experience, our Protestant denominations have no such emphases.

What is the glue that holds WELS together?

Perhaps it's the common experience of a particular geographic location.