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Hauge’s Norwegian Evangelical Lutheran Synod in America and the Continuation of the Haugean Spirit in Twentieth-Century American Lutheranism
Get PDFThis thesis explores the history and enduring legacy of Haugeanism in American Lutheranism, a tradition that has been overlooked in the scholarship of recent decades. Originally, this lay-led Norwegian movement sought to enhance the spiritual life of Norwegian Lutherans within the established church and was fueled by the revival activity of Hans Nielsen Hauge in Norway. It became transplanted on American soil with the immigration of the nineteenth century. The interaction in America between the low-church Haugeans and their more formal counterparts rooted in the state church of Norway reveals that a sense of friction existed between the two emphases from early on. In time, the Haugean-based church body known as Hauge’s Synod participated in merger negotiations with the larger Norwegian-American Lutheran organizations that had greater emphasis on formality and ecclesiastical order, leading to the merger of 1917 that produced the NLCA. Though some scholars of the second half of the twentieth century provided a positive assessment of the coexistence of these two traditions within the NLCA, this assessment was incorrect and overlooked the struggle of the Haugeans for maintaining their tradition. The sense of friction that characterized the relationship between the theological subjectivism of the Haugeans and the theological objectivism of the others continued within the new church body. Even prior to the merger, many of the Haugean iii minority expressed reservations about the merger, yet in the end agreed to participate, sensing a call to influence the spiritual life of the organization. Yet the Haugeans, with their lack of focus on institutional life, often felt disenfranchised, especially in reaction to the closure of their educational institutions. At the same time, one observes that many Haugeans participated in a number of independent movements for mission and evangelism at this time, perhaps in reaction to this disenfranchisement. Because Haugeanism within the NLCA was not centrally organized, different pieties influenced its expression over the years, which can be observed at present. Today, the tradition of American Haugeanism lives on in these independent movements that supplement the work of established church bodies, similar to how Haugeanism functioned within the Church of Norway
Living the American Dream: Faith Formation and the Missio Dei Dilemma among Seventh Day Adventist African American Immigrant Families
Get PDFFaith formation of children in a post-Christian America and balancing chasing American dream and obeying the Missio Dei poses insurmountable challenges to African immigrant families. This study analyzes works of scholars Karen-Marie Yust, Marva J. Dawn and Marjorie J. Thompson on faith formation and the family, and Andrew Kirk, Athyal and Nyce, Christopher J. Wright regarding Missio Dei. Bible texts on mission and faith formation are discussed. Through an exploratory study of focus group discussions and observation and document analysis, this study argues that the family, church and community need to unite and work together as interrelated systems to advance the mission of God. While parents still want to form the faith of their children amidst living in a post Christian environment, a myriad of challenges still hamper their efforts in faith formation of their children. Parents therefore need to become intentional in developing the faith of their children in the home, church, community and schools
Bringing the Kingdom: Religious Women\u27s Engagement in Social Reform in Minnesota From 1880 to 1920
Get PDFThe turn of the twentieth century was a time of great civic engagement in the United States. Women, in particular, were engaged in a variety of benevolent organizations. Much of the previous historical investigation on women’s reform activity has focused on the actions of white, affluent, mainline Protestant women in older and larger cities. Because of this focus on affluent Protestant women, historians have largely ignored other groups of women who were also engaged in reform efforts all over the country.
This dissertation examines four groups of religiously engaged women in Minnesota between the years 1880 and 1920 (immigrants, Roman Catholics, Jews, and African Americans) who have tended to be marginalized and left out of the historical record, especially in Minnesota.
Using a combination of primary and secondary sources, it will be argued that these women were indeed involved in a variety of benevolent organizations and were religiously inspired. Religious engagement gave credence to their activities and a level of respectability. There was a general progression of organization from small church-related charities to larger and more influential organizations. In many cases, this religious engagement led to further public involvement as women began to participate in politics, particularly in the areas of temperance and suffrage
Table, Food, Waiter: Preaching the Eucharist to Today’s Popular Food Culture
Get PDFThe centrality of the Eucharist to the Church cannot be underestimated. In the late 20th and early 21st centuries, decreased frequency of shared meals, a growing distrust of food, and a disregard for the obligations and responsibilities that accompany eating have resulted in a disconnection between the Eucharist and daily life. This thesis will demonstrate the loci method derived from Philip Melanchthon’s Loci Communes as a tool for gathering scripture and non-scriptural sources around loci suggested by Catherine of Siena: Table, Food, and Waiter. The aim of this thesis is that it will aid preachers preparing sermons that address today’s popular food culture
God’s Beautiful Mission: Missional Church and Leadership in the Light of Theological Aesthetics
Get PDFThis project seeks to ascertain how pastoral leaders who have been trained in missional theology have led in a way that has been influenced by theological aesthetics. The view of missional leadership here is built upon a re-imagination of missio Dei and missional church that is informed by theological aesthetics. This theology of beauty is based upon the work of Gregory A. Boyd, Jonathan Edwards, Hans Urs von Balthasar, and Dietrich Bonhoeffer. This proposal seeks to advance the views of the missional church rooted in the work of Lesslie Newbigin and advanced by Craig Van Gelder, Alan Roxburgh, and Pat Keifert
Seeing Salvation: The Effectiveness of Preaching on the Sacramental Life in a Salvation Army Context
Get PDFThis thesis begins by acknowledging that The Salvation Army is a non-practicing sacramental church. The Army abandoned the practice of the sacraments of Baptism and the Lord’s Supper officially in 1883 and its focus since then has been on developing holiness through sacramental living. The sacraments have been a topic of theological conversation in Army since the 1883 decision. In recent years, in Canada, this conversation has become increasingly divisive with questions being raised as to the soundness of the Army’s position. To bring opposing positions into a place of dialogue this thesis project engages in a five part biblical preaching series on sacramental living. Quantifiable surveys were administered before and after the series to determine if this biblical preaching series impacted the worshipping congregation. A further goal is that both practicing and non-practicing sacramentalists will view sacramental living as “seeing salvation.” It is from this foundation that productive dialogue between the differing perspectives can take place