LHC Meeting in the Year 2000!
Bibliography for 1996 Being Assembled
LHC LEadership Update
Welcome! New Member
LHC Home Page
News By/For/About Members
New Resources
Sittler Archive to Be Inaugurated
From the Membership Secretary
News Notes
Dr. James Kieker of the Wisconsin Evangelical LutheranSynod (WELS) has informed us that an official invitation willbe forthcoming to host the LHC biennial conference in the year2000 in Milwaukee. The WELS will also be celebrating the 150thanniversary of its founding. The board will consider invitationsfor the year 2000 at its board meeting October 22, 1997. Whilethe board is not obligated to decide on this matter in October,it would be well to know of other possible invitations as soonas possible.
The annual American Lutheran Bibliography is in theprocess of being compiled. Although a variety of data bases willbe searched, there are always books, articles and even videoswhich somehow do not make it into these databases. If you knowof items, particularly congregational and organizational histories,that are privately published, they are not likely to be in databases. Therefore pass the information along to any of the following:Robert Smith, C.F.W. Walther Library; Concordia Theological Seminary;Fort Wayne, IN 46825 (CFWLibrary@Crf.Cuis.edu) or James Albers;Valparaiso University; Valparaiso, IN, 46383 (Jalbers@exodus.valpo.edu).
Norman J. Threinen, Secretary, E-mail: threinen@istar.ca
1998 LHC Program Committee Chair: Robert F. Scholz, Vice President
The LHC is pleased to welcome the following new member: James Brandt, St. Paul School of Theology, 5123 Truman Rd., KansasCity, MO 64127
Just a reminder that the home page for the LutheranHistorical Conference is http://www.chi.lcms.org/lhc/ MarvinHuggins is the Webmaster and new pages are being added all thetime. Check it out!
Betty A. DeBerg, Dept. of Theology, Valparaiso University,Valparaiso, IN, 46383-6493, has accepted the position of chairof the Dept. of Religious Studies at Northern Iowa University.
Robert H. Fischer, 5324 Central Ave., Western Springs,IL 60558, has just completed, A Servant of All People, The Legacyof William Alfred Passavant (1821-1894) Pioneer in the Church'sMinistry of Mercy. Bob has published this 40 page work, illustrating,in both words and many photographs and reproductions of documents,the many organizations and institutions related to Passavant'swork around the U.S. The booklet is available for $10, plus shippingand handling from: Lutheran School of Theology, 1100 E. 55th St.,Chicago, IL 60615, 1-800-486-1483, tbooth@LSTC.edu
Mark Granquist, St. Olaf College, Dept. of Religion,1520 St. Olaf Ave., Northfield, MN 55057-1098, e-mail: granquis@stolaf.edu,is currently researching the life of Dr. Conrad Bergendoff. Hewill be visiting several relevant archives collections, but wouldalso appreciate receiving any further tips or advice on sourcesknown to LHC members regarding Dr. Bergendoff. Mark plans to writea biography of Bergendoff.
Ross F. Hidy, 5242 Park Highlands, Concord, CA 94521-3706,has just completed, The Story of St. Mark's Square, a history/memoirof the years that Ross served St. Mark's Lutheran Church, SanFrancisco, 1957-1969. It was during that time, that in conjunctionwith the congregation, under Ross' leadership, that a complexwas built to provide senior citizen and low-income housing andspace as a community meeting center, helping to revitalize thesurrounding neighborhood. Published by Lutheran Pioneer Press,Concord, the book is available from: St. Mark's Lutheran Church,1111 O'Farrell St., San Francisco, CA 94109.
Jeffrey S. Nelson, Midland Lutheran College, 900N. Clarkson St., Fremont, NE 68025, will be publishing his dissertationlater this year by University Press of America. The work is: "TheTheology of Inexpedience: Two Case Studies in Moderate CongregationalDissent in the Lutheran Church--Missouri Synod," Thd. diss.,Luther Seminary, St. Paul, Minnesota, 1997.
Lewis W. Spitz, Stanford University, History Dept.,Stanford, CA 94305, recently published the second volume of hiscollected studies, this one entitled The Reformation: Educationand History (Aldershot, Hampshire GU11 3HR, England: Ashgate PublishingLtd., 1997), following upon Luther and German Humanism (Aldershot:Ashgate Publishing Ltd., 1996); The Protestant Reformation - MajorDocuments (St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1997); an article"Professor William Sihler: A Founding Father of Lutheranismin America," Concordia Theological Quarterly, 1997; and reviewssuch as on Erika Rummel, The Humanist-Scholastic Debate in theRenaissance and Reformation in Speculum, 1996. He delivered oneof The Distinguished Lecture Series at Montana State University,Billings, October 15, 1996, on "Luther and German Humanism"and a lecture on William Sihler in the "Founding Fathers"series at Concordia Theological Seminary, Fort Wayne, Indianaon October 30, 1996. He continues to serve on the boards of variousscholarly foundations such as the Center for Reformation Research,St. Louis. In August, 1997, he will present a paper and participatein a seminar at the Ninth International Congress for Luther Researchat Heidelberg University, Germany.
R.E. Wehrwein, Faith Lutheran Church, P.O. Box 251,Sanborn, MN 56083, has translated and excerpted writings by AugustPieper: "The Resolution of the Missouri Synod Against Lodgery,"Theologische Quartalschrift, October 1926 (Vol. 23 #4), p. 240-255;and "That Lodge Brethren are Under Absolutely No Circumstancesto be Admitted to the Sacrament," Theologische Quartalschrift,January 1927 (Vol. 27 #1), p. 60-83, plus excerpts from Pieper'sfollow-up articles. Anyone who would like a copy of these twopublications may obtain them for $3.50 for the set or $1.50 forPart 1 and $2 for Part 2 from Pastor Wehrwein.
Frederick S. Weiser, 55 Kohler School Rd., New Oxford,PA, 17350, lectured on "Hatched, Matched and Dispatched,"about Pennsylvania Germans at the National Genealogical Society'sconference at Valley Forge in May 1997. 2,500 people attendedthe conference. Fred has also been busy with several publications:in April, Dover Publications issued a picture book, PennsylvaniaDutch Postcards, which he edited; his translation of the ChristLutheran Church, Stouchsburg, Pennsylvania account book 1747-1809,from Picton Press, appeared in May; the two-volume work of 2,000pages and 83,000 names of Weiser Families in America which heedited was published in June; and he will soon add a twelfth volumeto his series of translations of Maryland German Church Recordsin the near future. Fred also notes that he has been supplyingat one of the York County, Pennsylvania congregations foundedbefore the American Revolution. A tombstone of an infant thereannounces, "Ich bin der aersten an diesem Ort," (I amthe first one at this place).
As their 50th anniversary is being celebrated in1997, From Federation to Communion, The History of the LutheranWorld Federation, has been published. The work was edited by JensHolger Schjorring, Prasanna Kumari and Norman A. Hjelm, from Denmark,India and the U.S.A respectively. The majority of the 552 pagebook is the history, but it also contains a section called, "Handbookof the LWF," which includes brief summaries of each of theLWF conventions 1947-1990 and brief biographies of each of theLWF presidents and general secretaries. It also has as appendices,the LWF constitution, list of current member churches and a reviewof finances from the beginning to the present. The book was publishedby Fortress Press, Minneapolis (code: 1-3110), and is availablefor $39, plus shipping and handling by calling: 1-800-328-4648or FAX: 1-800-722-7766.
Lowell G. Almen, secretary of the Evangelical LutheranChurch in America, has just written, One Great Cloud of Witnesses!You and Your Congregation of the Evangelical Lutheran Church inAmerica, A Guide to Our Life Together and Mission. The book isintended for pastors and members of ELCA congregations, and includesa brief overview of Lutheran history since the Reformation, especiallyin the North American context. The book was published by AugsburgFortress, Minneapolis (code: 10-3622-X), and is available for$8.99, plus shipping and handling by calling: 1-800-328-4648 orFAX: 1-800-722-7766.
John W. Nielsen, has just edited Many Danes, SomeNorwegians, Karen Miller's Diary 1894, with photographs and commentaryadded. The story is of immigrant life in the rural Northfield,Minnesota area, where an active enclave of Danish settlers wereministered to by a Norwegian pastor, Elias Aas until they establishedtheir own Danish congregation, Immanuel Lutheran Church of Hazelwood,and served by Pastor Klaus Schmidt. The publication may be obtainedfor $14.95 ($.75 tax for Nebraska residents), plus $3.50 for shippingand handling from Lur Publications, Danish Immigrant Archives,Dana College, Blair, NE 68008.
Volume 13, Spring 1997, of the Journal of the NewEngland Lutheran Historical Society, contains, "Religion,Contention, and Community Among New England Swedish Immigrants,"by Dr. Maria Erling. The annual publication of the society isoffered as part of society membership, which is $10 for individualsand $25 for institutions. For further information, contact: NELHS,c/o Norma Sandberg, 24 Paxton Rd., West Hartford, CT 06107.
If you haven't seen it, the Winter 1996 Volume 10#4 issue of Lutheran Quarterly is entirely devoted to Lutheranismin the Delaware Valley, including articles by several LHC members:George E. Handley, L.DeAne Lagerquist and John E. Peterson. Articleshighlight the Muhlenberg era and beyond. The issue is being sentto each voting member who will attend the Evangelical Lutheran Churchin America's 1997 Assembly in Philadelphia. The ELCA and all AmericanLutherans will celebrate the 250th anniversary of Muhlenberg'sMinisterium of Pennsylvania in 1998, the first American Lutheranchurch organization in North America.
History and Heritage, Volume 3 of the Region 9 EvangelicalLutheran Church in America, Congregational Heritage Workshop series,contains 1996 Presentations, Mission on a Changing Frontier. Thetitle paper is by LHC member Susan Wilds McArver, with presentationsby LHC member Russell C. Kleckley on "Mission in the CaribbeanSynod," and others on "Mission in the Florida Synod,"by Royall A. Yount and "Mission in the Southeastern Synod,"by James R. Crumley, Jr., among others. The volume is availablefor a nominal charge from: ELCA Region 9, 4201 N. Main St., Columbia,SC 29203-5898, e-mail: Region 9.ELCA@ecunet.org
On October 24-26, 1997, "The Ecology of Faith:A Celebration of the Life and Work of Dr. Joseph Sittler, 1904-1987,"will be held at the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago. Theevent will include a keynote address, panel discussions, smallgroup sessions, recording of memories of Joe Sittler and "openmike" time. This gathering to honor and remember the theologian,preacher, teacher, mentor and friend, will also inaugurate theSittler Archive at LSTC which is gathering materials for thatcollection. For further information on the October event or donationsto the archives, contact: Chicago Center for Religion and Science,LSTC, 1100 E. 55th St., Chicago, IL 60615, 773-256-0670; FAX:773-256-0682; e-mail: ccrs@lstc.edu
Thanks to the many members who have paid their 1997dues! Several members have not yet sent in their payment. If youhave not received your reminder notice and new brochure withinthe past month, please contact me right away and I will send youanother:
Ray Kibler, Membership SecretaryProfessor Dean W. Kohlhoff, a member os the HistoryDepartment at Valparaiso University and formerly associate deanof the College of Arts and Sciences, died in June at the age of64. His unpublished doctoral dissertation at the University ofChicago was on the role of Germanness within American Lutheranism,primarily in the Missouri Synod, in the 1930's and 1940's. Hismost recently published book was When the Wind Was a River: AleutEvacuation in World War II. Professor Kohlhoff was an LHC presenter.
Dr. Richard Baepler, a member of the Theology Departmentat Valparaiso University is engaged in writing a new history ofValparaiso University in connection with its 75th anniversaryas a Lutheran Institution in the year 2000.
Dr. L. C. Rudolf has published an extensive and encyclopedichistory of religious groups in Indiana. There is an interestingand significant section on Lutherans in it. Readers of the Newsletterwho know of similar recent state based religious histories areasked to contact James Albers at Valparaiso University, Valparaiso,IN, 46383 (jalbers@exodus.valpo.edu), 800-348-2611 x 4.
The Lutheran Historical Society of Eastern Pennsylvaniawill hold its Summer Pilgrimage Saturday, August 23, 1997, 10am, at Grace Lutheran Church, Norristown. The meeting will featurea talk by Evangelical Lutheran Church in America SoutheasternSynod Bishop Roy G. Almquist on the current ministry of the synod,which now has offices at Grace Church. Also featured will be Mrs.Lydia Taxis, who will discuss the history of Lutheranism in Norristown.Reservations will be needed for the lunch ($12), following themorning program. For further information on the LHSEP or thismeeting, contact: Carl Shankweiler, P.O. Box 744, Valley View,PA 17983. The next meeting of the LHSEP is the annual meeting,October 18, 1997, which will be at Jerusalem Lutheran Church (RedChurch), Kempton, Pennsylvania.