C F W Walther

About the Author

C. F. W. Walther, a pivotal figure in 19th-century Lutheran theology, was a German-American pastor, theologian, and educator who profoundly shaped confessional Lutheranism in the United States. Born in 1811 in Langenchursdorf, Germany, Walther immigrated to America in 1839, where he became the first president of the Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod and a founding professor of Concordia Seminary in St. Louis. His writings emphasize the distinction between law and gospel as essential for proper biblical interpretation and Christian living, offering clarity to believers navigating Scripture's demands and promises. Through his sermons, lectures, and books like Law & Gospel: How to Read & Apply the Bible, Walther provided timeless guidance on applying God's Word faithfully, influencing generations of Lutherans worldwide with his rigorous scholarship and pastoral heart.