Old Lutherans

Prussian religious denomination

For other uses, see Old Lutheran Church.

Part of a series on

Lutheranism

Background

* Christianity
* Start of the Reformation
* Reformation
* Protestantism

Doctrine and theology

|  Bible

* Old Testament
* New Testament

Creeds

* Apostles' Creed
* Nicene Creed
* Athanasian Creed

Book of Concord

* Augsburg Confession

* Apology of the Augsburg Confession

* Luther's Small / Large Catechism

* Smalcald Articles

* Treatise on the Power and Primacy of the Pope

* Formula of Concord

Distinctive theological concepts

* Theology of Martin Luther

* Justification
* Law and Gospel

* Sola gratia
* Sola scriptura

* Christology
* Sanctification

* Two kingdoms
* catholicity

* Two states of the Church

* Priesthood of all believers

* Divine Providence
* Marian theology

* Theology of the Cross

* Sacramental Union

Other relevant topics

* Homosexuality

* Sacraments and worship

* Baptism
* Eucharist
* Confession
* Confirmation
* Matrimony
* Anointing of the Sick
* Holy Orders
* Divine Service
* Matins
* Vespers
* Liturgical calendar
* Calendar of saints
* Lutheran hymn
* Lutheran hymnwriters
* Normative principle
* Lutheran art

Organization

* Confessional Evangelical
Lutheran Conference

* Global Confessional &
Missional Lutheran Forum

* International Lutheran Council
* Lutheran World Federation
* Denominations
* Lutheranism by region

Movements

* History of Lutheranism
* Crypto-Lutherans
* Gnesio-Lutherans
* Lutheran orthodoxy
* Pietists
* Radical Pietism
* Haugeans
* Laestadians
* Finnish Awakening
* Old Lutherans
* Neo-Lutherans
* High church Lutherans
* Confessional Lutheranism

Key figures

Missionaries

* John Campanius
* Bartholomäus Ziegenbalg
* Hans Egede
* Johann Heinrich Callenberg
* Johann Phillip Fabricius
* Paul Henkel
* John Christian Frederick Heyer
* Karl Graul
* Martti Rautanen
* Wilhelm Sihler
* F. C. D. Wyneken
* Hans Paludan Smith Schreuder
* Lars Olsen Skrefsrud
* Ludwig Ingwer Nommensen
* Onesimos Nesib
* Paul Olaf Bodding
* Johann Flierl
* Christian Keyser
* Jens Christensen

Bible Translators

* Martin Luther
* Casiodoro de Reina
* Kjell Magne Yri
* Onesimos Nesib
* Aster Ganno
* Kristian Osvald Viderø
* Jákup Dahl
* Bartholomäus Ziegenbalg

* Johann Phillip Fabricius

* William Tyndale
* John Rogers
* George Constantine
* Jozef Roháček
* Johannes Avetaranian
* Guðbrandur Þorláksson
* Ludvig Olsen Fossum
* Hans Egede / Paul Egede
* Otto Fabricius
* Nils Vibe Stockfleth
* Olaus Petri / Laurentius Petri
* Martti Rautanen
* Primož Trubar
* Jurij Dalmatin
* Ludwig Ingwer Nommensen
* Sebastian Krelj
* Mikael Agricola

* Norwegian Bible Society
* Swedish Bible Society
* Samuel Ludwik Zasadius
* Stanislovas Rapolionis

* Laurentius Andreae
* Hans Tausen
* Olaf M. Norlie
* Jonas Bretkūnas
* Hans Paludan Smith Schreuder
* Antonio Brucioli
* Mikołaj Jakubica
* Matthias Bel
* Johann Ernst Glück
* William F. Beck

Theologians

* Martin Luther / Katharina von Bora
* Philip Melanchthon
* Johannes Bugenhagen
* Johannes Brenz
* Justus Jonas
* Hans Tausen
* Laurentius Petri
* Olaus Petri
* Mikael Agricola
* Matthias Flacius
* Martin Chemnitz
* Johann Gerhard
* Abraham Calovius
* Johannes Andreas Quenstedt
* Johann Wilhelm Baier
* Philipp Spener
* David Hollaz
* August Hermann Francke
* Henry Muhlenberg
* Lars Levi Laestadius
* Charles Porterfield Krauth
* C. F. W. Walther
* Søren Kierkegaard
* Albrecht Ritschl
* Wilhelm Herrmann
* F. W. Stellhorn
* Rudolf Otto
* Ernst Troeltsch
* Rudolf Bultmann
* Paul Tillich
* Hermann Sasse
* Dietrich Bonhoeffer
* Wolfhart Pannenberg
* Robert Jenson

* v
* t
* e

Old Lutherans were German Lutherans in the Kingdom of Prussia, especially in the Province of Silesia, who refused to join the Prussian Union of churches in the 1830s and 1840s. Prussia's king, Frederick William III, was determined to unify the Protestant churches, homogenize their liturgy, organization, and architecture. In a series of proclamations over several years the Church of the Prussian Union was formed, bringing together a group that was majority Lutheran and minority Reformed. As a result, the government of Prussia had full control over church affairs, with the king recognized as the leading bishop.[1][2]

Attempted suppression of the Old Lutherans led many to emigrate to Australia, Canada, and the United States, resulting in the creation of significant Lutheran denominations in those countries.

The legacy of Old Lutherans also survives in the Independent Evangelical Lutheran Church in modern Germany.

## The Prussian Union

[edit]

Main article: Prussian Union of churches § Quarrels over the union

King Frederick William III of Prussia

In 1799 King Frederick William III of Prussia issued a decree for a new common liturgical Agenda (service book) to be published, for use in both the Lutheran and Reformed congregations. To accomplish this, a commission to prepare a common agenda was formed.

After more than 20 years of effort, a common liturgical agenda was finally published in 1821. The agenda was not well received by many Lutherans, as it was seen to compromise in the wording of the Words of Institution, to the point where the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist was not proclaimed.

The Protestant congregations were directed in 1822 to use only the newly formulated agenda for worship. This met with strong objections and non-compliance from Lutheran pastors around Prussia.[3]

The liturgical agenda was subsequently modified to appease many of the objections of the dissenting Lutherans, and in 1830 Frederick William ordered all Protestant congregations in Prussia to celebrate the Lord's Supper using the new agenda.

Rather than having the unifying effect that Frederick William desired, the decree created a great deal of dissent among Lutheran congregations.[4]

In a compromise with dissenters, who had now earned the name "Old Lutherans", in 1834 Frederick William issued a decree which stated that Union would only be in the areas of governance and liturgy, but the respective congregations could retain their confessional identities. In addition to this, dissenters were forbidden from organizing sectarian groups.[3]

In defiance of this decree, a number of Lutheran pastors and congregations continued to use the old liturgical agenda and sacramental rites of the Lutheran church.

Becoming aware of this defiance, officials sought out those who acted against the decree. Pastors who were caught were suspended from their ministry. If suspended pastors were caught acting in a pastoral role, they were imprisoned.[3]

Among the leaders of the Old Lutherans was Johann Gottfried Scheibel (1783–1843). Scheibel was a professor of theology in Breslau from 1818 until 1830 when he was suspended from his post for his dissenting views.

Scheibel came to prominence as a leader of the Old Lutherans in the dissent against the Prussian Union. He spoke, preached and wrote against the Union, which consequently resulted in suspension from his post as theological professor.

Undaunted, Scheibel continued in his dissent as he moved to new cities. He was at Dresden in 1832 where he was ordered to leave that same year. He moved to Hermsdorf, where likewise he was asked to leave in 1836, then on to Glauchau and Nuremberg.[5]

He died at Nuremberg about the time that he was being restored to his post as professor at Breslau.[5]

Henrik Steffens, scientist and Old Lutheran

After Scheibel, Eduard Huschke became the leader of Old Lutherans. Other famous Old Lutherans included Henrik Steffens, H. E. F. Guericke, Kahnis and Rudolf Rocholl.

Union also caused a confessional Lutheran counter-reaction called Neo-Lutheranism.

Upon Frederick William's death in 1840, persecution of the Old Lutherans eased substantially. However, Old Lutherans continued to find themselves marginalized, especially the clergy who did not have many of the same rights and support accorded to clergy of the Union church.

Old Lutherans formed several synods (e.g. in 1841 the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Prussia, seated in Breslau, officially recognised on 23 July 1845), which through various mergers eventually resulted in the present-day Independent Evangelical-Lutheran Church (SELK).[6]

## Immigration to Australia, New Zealand and America

[edit]

By 1835 many dissenting Old Lutheran groups were looking to emigration as a means to finding religious freedom. Some groups emigrated to Australia and the United States in the years leading up to 1841.

### Australian and New Zealand migration

[edit]

Main article: History of the Lutheran Church of Australia

See also: German Australians and German settlement in Australia

The first Lutherans to come to Australia in any significant number were immigrants from Prussia, who arrived in South Australia in 1838 with Pastor August Kavel. These immigrants created three settlements at Klemzig, Hahndorf, and Glen Osmond. In 1841, a second wave of Prussian immigrants arrived, led by Pastor Gotthard Fritzsche. His group settled in Lobethal and Bethanien.[7]

The Lutherans in South Australia established the Killalpaninna Mission (Bethesda) Station at Cooper's Creek. Johann Flierl, the pioneer missionary of German New Guinea, served there for seven years (1878–1885).[8] When he left for Kaiser-Wilhelmsland in 1885, his cousin, also named Johann Flierl, replaced him at the mission.[9]

There have been five waves of migration into the Lutheran Church in New Zealand:[citation needed]

* In the 1840s people came from Germany.
* In the 1860s a second wave of migrants from Germany settled in Marton in the Rangitikei. Some had first settled in Australia.
* In the 1870s significant numbers arrived from Denmark and the rest of Scandinavia.
* In the years after World War II many came from Europe.
* In the early part of the 21st century there has been an influx of people from Africa, Asia and other parts of the world.

In January 1843, just three years after the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi, the first Lutheran missionaries arrived in Otago. They found that the Wesleyan and Anglican Mission Societies were already well established in New Zealand. They therefore took up the suggestion that they move to the Chatham Islands where they arrived on 20 February of that year. As someone said, they had "...faith in their souls and next to nothing in their pockets."[This quote needs a citation]

In June of the same year, 1843, a shipload of German migrants arrived in Nelson. They settled in what is now Upper Moutere and built a church. There is still a thriving Lutheran congregation worshipping on this site.

In the 1860s a number of German people arrived in the Rangitikei. They convinced others from German speaking communities in South Australia to join them. Most initially settled along Pukepapa Road in Marton, which is still the location of the St Martin's Lutheran Church.

In the 1870s other Lutheran migrants arrived in New Zealand including large numbers from Scandinavia who settled in the Wairarapa, Manawatu and Hawkes Bay regions. Norsewood and Dannevirke owe their origins to these settlers.

### North American migrations

[edit]

The Olbers carried some of the Saxon emigrants.

Numerous waves of Old Lutherans immigrated to the United States as well during this time period. Among them was a group from Prussia of about 1000 Old Lutherans. They were from Erfurt, Magdeburg and the surrounding area, led by J. A. A. Grabau. They emigrated to the United States in summer 1839. Grabau and his friends founded the "Synod of Lutherans immigrated from Prussia", afterward known as the Buffalo Synod.[10]

Thousands of other Old Lutherans settled in the Midwest and Upper Midwest of the United States during this period. In addition to Old Lutherans there were also Neo-Lutheran immigrants from the German Kingdom of Saxony, where there was no evangelical union. Lutheran pastor Martin Stephan and nearly 1100 other Saxon Lutherans left for the United States in November 1838, eventually settling in and around St. Louis, Missouri in the Saxon Lutheran immigration of 1838–39. These were the predecessors to the Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod.[7]

## See also

[edit]

* German Australian
* Klemzig, South Australia, a major colony
* Kulturkampf
* Persecution of Christians
* Wends of Texas

## References

[edit]

1. ^ Christopher Clark. Iron Kingdom: Of the rise and downfall of Prussia, 1600-1947. (2006) pp. 412–419.
2. ^ Christopher Clark. "Confessional policy and the limits of state action: Frederick William III and the Prussian Church Union 1817–40". Historical Journal, vol. 39, no. 4 (1996) pp. 985–1004. in JSTOR
3. ^ a b c Wilhelm, J (1909), "Evangelical Church (in Prussia)", The Catholic Encyclopedia, New York: Robert Appleton
4. ^ "Lutherans", The New Schaff-Herzog Religious Encyclopedia, 1909, p. 81.
5. ^ a b "Johann Gottfried Scheibel". New Schaff-Herzog Encyclopedia. 1914. pp. 230–231. Retrieved 14 September 2013. "In consequence of a polemical sermon, the same year, he was ordered to leave Dresden, and went to Hermsdorf, near by."
6. ^ "A little bit of history", SELK website (2007)
7. ^ a b Martin O. Westerhaus, "The Confessional Lutheran Emigrations From Prussia And Saxony Around 1839", 1989
8. ^ Proeve, H. F. W. (1969). "Auricht, Johann Christian (1832–1907)". Australian Dictionary of Biography. Vol. 3\. National Centre of Biography, Australian National University. ISBN 978-0-522-84459-7. ISSN 1833-7538. OCLC 70677943.
9. ^ Regina Ganter, Johann Flierl. Griffith University.
10. ^ "Lutherans", The New Schaff-Herzog Religious Encyclopedia, 1909, p. 89

## Further reading

[edit]

* Clark, Christopher. "Confessional policy and the limits of state action: Frederick William III and the Prussian Church Union 1817–40." Historical Journal 39.04 (1996) pp: 985–1004. in JSTOR
* Gerber, David A. "The pathos of exile: Old Lutheran refugees in the United States and South Australia." Comparative Studies in Society and History 26.03 (1984) pp: 498–522. online
* Henke, Manfred. "Toleration and Repression: German States, the Law and the ‘Sects’ in the Long Nineteenth Century." Studies in Church History 56 (2020): 338–361.
* Iwan, William, Because of their beliefs: emigration from Prussia to Australia [Uniform title: Um des Glaubens willen nach Australien (Engl.), 1931], David Schubert (trl. and ed.), Highgate, South Australia: H. Schubert, 1995. ISBN 0-646-25324-7.
* Meyer, Charles. "'What a terrible thing it is to entrust one's children to such heathen teachers': State and Church Relations Illustrated in the Early Lutheran Schools of Victoria, Australia." History of Education Quarterly 40.3 (2000): 302–319. online
* Smith, Clifford Neal. Nineteenth-century Emigration of" Old Lutherans" from Eastern Germany (mainly Pomerania and Lower Silesia) to Australia, Canada, and the United States (Genealogical Publishing Company, 2009)
* Van Abbe, Derek. "The Germans in South Australia." Australian Quarterly (1956): 69–79. in JSTOR

## External links

[edit]

* Germany, Lutheran Free Churches in from Christian Cyclopedia
* Lutherans. II Separate Lutherans. 1. In Prussia from Schaff-Herzog Encyclopedia of Religious Knowledge

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History of Lutheranism

Start of the
Reformation|

| Events|

* Ninety-five Theses
* Heidelberg Disputation
* Leipzig Debate
* Marburg Colloquy
* Diet of Speyer (1529)
* Protestation at Speyer
* Articles of Schwabach
* Presentation of the Augsburg Confession
* Nuremberg Religious Peace

Reformation in|

* Denmark–Norway and Holstein
* Finland
* Germany
* Iceland
* Sweden

Reformers|

* Martin Luther
* Katharina von Bora
* Philip Melanchthon
* Johannes Bugenhagen
* Johannes Brenz
* Justus Jonas
* Argula von Grumbach
* Petrus Särkilahti
* Mikael Agricola
* Stephan Agricola
* Nicolaus von Amsdorf
* Laurentius Andreae
* Olaus Petri
* Laurentius Petri
* Stephan Praetorius
* Johann Pfeffinger
* Frederick the Wise

Early turmoil|

| Events|

* Dissemination of the Augsburg Confession Variata
* Colloquy of Worms (1540–1541)
* Diet of Regensburg
* Regensburg Interim
* Schmalkaldic War
* Augsburg Interim
* Leipzig Interim
* Peace of Passau
* Peace of Augsburg
* Colloquy of Worms (1557)
* Counter-Reformation
* Council of Trent § Protestant response
* Publication of the Magdeburg Centuries
* Adiaphoristic controversies (first
* second)
* Controversy on the Descent into Hell
* Presentation of the Greek Augsburg Confession
* Signing of the Formula of Concord
* Liturgical struggle
* Uppsala Synod

|

People|

* Philip Melanchthon
* Matthias Flacius
* Nicolaus Gallus
* Cyriacus Spangenberg
* Joachim Westphal
* Andreas Musculus
* Victorinus Strigel
* Johannes Agricola
* Andreas Osiander
* John the Magnanimous

Factions|

* Crypto-Calvinism
* Sacramentarians
* Philippists
* Ubiquitarians
* Gnesio-Lutherans
* Crypto-Lutherans

Orthodox and
Scholastic
periods|

| Early|

* Acceptance of the Book of Concord
* Martin Chemnitz
* Colloquy of Mumpelgart
* Jakob Andreae
* Nikolaus Selnecker
* David Chytraeus
* Matthias Hafenreffer
* Leonhard Hutter
* Aegidius Hunnius
* Stephan Praetorius

|

High|

* Johann Gerhard
* J. A. Quenstedt
* Abraham Calovius
* Georg Calixtus
* Nicolaus Hunnius
* Jesper Brochmand
* Salomo Glassius
* Johann Hülsemann
* J. C. Dannhauer
* J. F. König
* Johannes Musaeus
* J. W. Baier
* Thirty Years' War

Late|

* David Hollatz
* Christian Scriver
* V. E. Löscher
* J. M. Goeze
* Salzburg Protestants
* Landlers

Speculative

or critical

theologies|

| Wolffian|

* Johann Salomo Semler
* Johann David Michaelis
* Johann Christoph Döderlein

|

Old Tübingen school|

* Gottlob Christian Storr
* Friedrich Gottlieb Süskind
* Johann Friedrich Flatt

Kantian|

* Christoph Friedrich von Ammon
* Julius Wegscheider
* Wilhelm Gesenius
* Albrecht Ritschl
* Adolf von Harnack
* Wilhelm Herrmann

Hegelian|

* Karl Daub
* Philip Marheineke
* David Strauss
* Ferdinand Christian Baur
* Richard Adelbert Lipsius
* Otto Pfleiderer

Moderate|

* Franz Volkmar Reinhard
* Karl Gottlieb Bretschneider
* Wilhelm Martin Leberecht de Wette

Transitional|

* Johann Gottfried Herder
* Friedrich Heinrich Jacobi
* Friedrich Schleiermacher

Revivals|

| Pietist|

* Martin Moller
* Johann Arndt
* Jakob Böhme
* J. V. Andreae
* P. J. Spener
* J. W. Petersen
* A. H. Francke
* J. F. Buddeus
* J. A. Bengel
* G. C. Knapp

|

Awakening|

* J. G. Hamann
* Hans Nielsen Hauge
* Haugeanism
* Paavo Ruotsalainen
* Finnish Awakening
* Claus Harms
* Lars Levi Laestadius
* Laestadianism
* Carl Olof Rosenius
* N. F. S. Grundtvig
* August Tholuck
* Zillertal Valley expulsion

Neo-Lutheran|

| Repristination|

* E. W. Hengstenberg
* F. A. Philippi
* F. G. Hedberg
* Carl Paul Caspari
* C. P. Krauth
* L .A. Gotwald

|

Erlangen|

* G. C. A. von Harless
* J. W. F. Höfling
* Gottfried Thomasius
* J. C. K. von Hofmann
* Franz Delitzsch
* K. F. A. Kahnis
* Theodosius Harnack
* C. E. Luthardt
* F. H. R. von Frank
* Paul Althaus
* Werner Elert

High Church|

* A. F. C. Vilmar
* F. J. Stahl
* A. F. O. Münchmeyer
* J. K. W. Löhe
* Theodor Kliefoth
* Heinrich Hansen

Old Lutheran|

| Germany|

* Old Lutheran schism
* Background
* J. G. Scheibel
* Eduard Huschke
* Henrik Steffens
* H. E. F. Guericke
* G. P. E. Huschke
* Free churches

|

Australia / New Guinea|

* August Kavel
* Gotthard Fritzsche
* Johann Flierl
* Lutheran Church of Australia

United States|

* Martin Stephan
* J. A. A. Grabau
* Wilhelm Sihler
* F. C. D. Wyneken
* C. F. W. Walther
* H. A. Preus
* F. W. Stellhorn
* Synodical Conference of North America

Present|

* Confessional Lutheranism
* Homosexuality

* v
* t
* e

Lutheranism

Luther's Small Catechism|

* The Ten Commandments
* Apostle's Creed
* Lord's Prayer
* Sacrament of Holy Baptism
* Confession
* Sacrament of the Eucharist

Chief articles of faith
in the Augsburg Confession|

* I. God
* II. Original Sin
* III. The Son of God
* IV. Justification By Faith
* V. The Office of Preaching
* VI. Of The New Obedience
* VII. Of The Church
* VIII. What the Church Is
* IX. Of Baptism
* X. Of the Lord's Supper
* XI. Of Confession
* XII. Of Repentance
* XIII. Of the Use of the Sacraments
* XIV.
* XV. Ecclesiastical Usages
* XVI. Of Civil Affairs
* XVII. Of Christ's Return to Judgment
* XVIII. Of Free Will
* XIX. Of the Cause of Sin
* XX. Of Good Works
* XXI. Of the Worship of the Saints

Practices|

* Divine Service
* Confirmation
* Common table prayer
* Sign of The Cross
* Matins
* Vespers
* Easter Vigil
* Liturgical Calendar
* Wreath of Christ

Movements|

* Gnesio-Lutherans
* Crypto-Calvinism
* Philippists
* Sacramentarians
* Ubiquitarians
* Lutheran orthodoxy
* Pietism
* Laestadianism
* Old Lutherans
* Neo-Lutheranism
* High Church Lutheranism
* Evangelical Catholicism
* Confessional Lutherans

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