Lutherans in Crisis: The Question of Identity in the American Republic

By David A. Gustafson

Book Overview

The first complete account in English of the American Lutheran controversy of 1849-1867. . . Tension between a religion's heritage and its social context forms the everpresent question of group identity. In the United States, this question has been posed in a particular way for religious traditions as the tension between "Americanization"-being assimilated into social and cultural structures of the new world-and "confessional identity"-seeking to sustain and understand a religious heritage in light of a new context and its questions. Lutherans in the midnineteenth century provide one illustration of this social and theological tension. The first part shows how, in spite of Henry Melchior Muhlenberg's efforts, early Lutheranism adopted congregational polity, democratic structures, voluntary membership, and freer liturgical forms. Then the formation of the General Synod (1820) is traced and its chief spokespersons and their theological and practical innovations highlighted. Gustafson locates the movements toward confessional revival among Lutherans in Germany-many of whom emigrated to the United States in the 1830s-in reaction to unification with the Reformed. The final chapters chart the actual controversy (1849 1867) between the less confessional Lutherans of the General Synod and the recent, more confessional Lutheran immigrants.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0800626591
• ISBN13: 9780800626594
• Release Date: September 2010
• Publisher: Augsburg Fortress Publishing
• Length: 194 Pages
• Weight: 0.55 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 5.5" x 8.5"

Customer Reviews

Excellent Example How History Repeats Itself

The warning given in 1 Cor. 10:1-13 is rarely heeded by Christians. What God gives us in examples in history of the church are shrugged off as not applicable to a people so much more enlightened and intelligent as we, right? Get ready for the fall if you're one of these.Keeping up with the trends and culture will do one in. Gustafson here gives accurate reading of early Lutheran mistakes which are now being carried out by such as David Luecke and other Lutheran Church Growth advocates who think they can bring in foreign theologies such as CG without its substance mistakes. He points out the struggle in the nineteenth century for a Lutheran identity has parallels today in the LCMS and ELCA battles for the same. Correlation is truly amazing here. Listen to this tidbit, asking if we today here this in among Lutherans: One side wants to blend more with the American religious culture, while the other wants to remain a distinctive Lutheran witness in America to Americans.Excellent work; obtain, read and inwardly digest.