The Norwegian Synod, as the predecessor body of the ELS, was concerned with preserving the doctrinal truths which God has given in the Bible. In the late 1800’s a doctrinal controversy rocked the Norwegian Synod. One-third of the congregations and pastors left the synod at that time. The synod sought to defend the teaching that eternal salvation is entirely by God’s grace and mercy on account of Jesus Christ and does not consist of any merit in sinful people.
