Publications

The WELS Historical Institute Journal and other note worthy publications

The Journal

A historical record about WELS

The WELS Historical Institute Journal is published twice a year and is a collection of well written and researched articles about WELS history for historians, congregations and general readers. The Journal exudes historical perspectives and traditions that trigger conversations about the past and today.

WHI Journal Covers

Seal of the CELC.

Current Issue

Volume 43, Number 2, Fall 2025 of the WELS Historical Institute Journal.

The WELS Historical Institute Journal, Volume 42, Number 2, Fall 2025, is complete and now available to historical society members. The cover article for the current issue is The Ministry and Context of Rev. Stanislaw Mlotkowski, by retired Pastor Allen K. Schroder. It centers on a man and ministry which was “part of a movement to bring the gospel to America’s confessional Lutheran Polonia.” According to Schroeder, the name of this Polish immigrant “doesn’t stand out on the pages of American Lutheran church history,” and “the work he did is not well-known.”  This article takes a step in remedying both.

Pastor Venus “V.H” Winter (1900-1988) was a pioneer Lutheran Spanish Missionary of the Wisconsin Synod. Prof. Joel Otto points out in the introduction to this “travelogue” that “Winter’s work was the beginning of Spanish language ministry that continues in WELS to the present.” That Hectic Trip from Flint to Tucson” is Winter’s own account the 1947 automobile journey that brought him to Arizona and the beginning of the Spanish work there. Fascinating, harrowing, and inspirational are among the descriptions that come to mind when reading this account.

Timothy R. Plichta is the author of The History of the Evangelical Lutheran Confessional Forum and Its Role in Founding the Confessional Evangelical Lutheran Conference (CELC). A WELS homeschooled high school student from Germantown, WI, young Mr. Plichta “loves Lutheran history in general and is especially enthralled with anything related to the CELC.” This well written paper is a nice addition to the story of the “formation of the ELC, its history through 1993, and its foundational role in establishing the CELC.”

Left the seal of the CELC

  • “The Ministry and Context of Rev. Stanislaw Mlotkowski,” by Allen K. Schroeder
  • “That Hectic Trip from Flint to Tucson,” by Venus Winter edited by Joel Otto
  • “The History of the Evangelical Lutheran Confessional Forum and its role in the Founding of the Confessional Evangelical Lutheran Conference (CELC),” by Timothy R. Plichta

About the Journal

Started in 1981, the purpose of the WELS Historical Institute is to preserve and present the story of God’s grace to the WELS.

Together with the WELS Archives, the Historical Institute works to preserve articles and artifacts of historical value. The Institute also promotes historical research and education through its Journal, published twice a year.

The purpose of the Journal is to provide a vehicle for articles of historical interest about the Lutheran Church with special reference to the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod. It is also hoped that the Journal will stimulate WELS members to pursue research in Lutheran history.

The interest of the Journal is not simply the past for its own sake. In authorizing the publication of the Journal, the Institute’s Board of Directors stated as one of the Journals purposes to “contribute to understanding our WELS identity and background.” Like Plato’s shadows in the cave, some things can be seen only against the proper background.

Volume 1 Issue 1 – 1983 – Foreword – Editor of the Journal – James P. Schaefer

Volume 1 Issue 1 - 1983 - Foreword - Editor of the Journal

The current editor of the Journal is Prof. John Brenner of Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary. Inquiries can be directed to him at [email protected].

Membership Benefits

WHI Journal IssueWELS Historical Institute believes it’s critically important to preserve and educate on the history of the WELS Synod. Your membership in the WELS Historical Institute will help continue this mission.

Get the Journal

As a members of WELS Historical Institute, you’ll receive:

  • Two issues of WELS Historical Institute Journal each year
  • Two Institute newsletters each year

Yes, I want to become a member now!

Back Issues

All past issues of the Journal, up through Volume 36 (2018) can be downloaded below. All files are PDF (Adobe Acrobat) format. Note that all of these journal files were re-scanned and converted to PDF files in early 2012-2014, greatly improving the quality of what had formerly been available.

Journal archive

For newer issues (2019-), please contact the editor. There will usually be about a two year wait for issues to be added to the online database.

Terms of Use

Copyright and Terms of Use

All material on the WELS Historical Institute Web Site is copyrighted by the WELS Historical Institute unless otherwise indicated. It is for the personal use only. Permission for commercial use or any publication, manipulation, display or distribution is only granted by written application to the WELS Historical Institute.  Send your requests to the Webmaster via [email protected].

Conditions of Use When Receiving Written Permission from the Wisconsin Historical Society.

  1. Credit must be given to the WELS Historical Institute and the creator of the item (e.g. the author or photographer) if known.
  2. Permission to reproduce, publish, broadcast, display, or distribute an item or text must be requested in writing. Permission is granted in writing, not orally. Possession of an item does not constitute permission to reproduce or publish it.
  3. Permission is for one-time use only. The WELS Historical Institute retains all rights to the items or text, and the requester warrants that they will not be used for any purpose other than that listed on this permission form.
  4. In some cases, the WELS Historical Institute will request that a copy of the publication be donated to the Society.
  5. The person requesting permission must secure copyright clearance from the copyright holder, if known. In requesting permission to reproduce materials from the Web Site, the requester agrees to hold harmless the WELS Historical Institute, its officers and employees from any action involving infringement of the rights of any person or heirs and descendants in common law or under statutory copyright.
  6. Images may be cropped to suit design and layout, but they may not be altered or drawn upon or manipulated in any way so that they look different from the way they appear in the historical collection.
  7. The Society reserves the right to refuse to grant permission who have not complied with our policies.

Questions that we are frequently asked

The Journal welcomes articles and essays about the history of WELS….

The Journal authors consist of ….

To submit an article for Journal consideration….

Potential authors should consider sound evidence and reference facts…

Once your submission has been received, the process…

  • Book: Jars of Clay by J Brenner
  • Book: The Wisconsin Synod Lutherans Fredrich
  • Book: The History of WELS by Koehler

Select a book cover

NEW! Christ Through Us

Books about WELS history

There are a few books about the history of WELS. These three books give insight and perspective on moments in time of the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod.

Spotlight on:

The Wisconsin Synod Lutherans

This book provides a clear understanding of the forces that have shaped the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod (WELS). —Northwestern Publishing House

In an effort to provide the most relevant and useful content, we may provide links to non-WELS resources. WELS is not responsible for the content on external websites. WELS is not officially endorsing these websites, nor does WELS endorse all content on these sites.

gb

Originals

In 1865, the Wisconsin Synod convention commissioned the establishment of a synodical journal that would help promote the synod’s new college, Northwestern University, in Watertown, Wis. It would also provide news about other synodical endeavors and serve as an outlet for theological articles and responses to outside criticism, especially from conservative Lutherans in the American Midwest. The issues through 1911 have been scanned and are available through the Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary Essay File.

Seminary archive