July 31, 2017
Devotions: Lutherans in North America: Ordination of Lutherans in America

The colonials needed pastors – and the supporting churches in Amsterdam and Germany could not supply enough ministers to the Lutherans in colonial America. One of the first solutions was to have ministers take students of theology into their homes and do private tutoring. Obviously there were no schools of theology yet in North America. Not only did the ministers take students into their homes, but the students would observe their tutors to become acquainted with practical parish work. One of these ministers was Henry Muhlenberg. According to records, once a student passed “a brief examination in ancient languages and theology”, the candidate student would be licensed “to preach, catechize, and administer the Holy Sacraments…” for a period of one year and only in places where they were appointed. This license could be renewed annually until such a time as the student was deemed ready for ordination.

Over time the requirements were relaxed due to the demand for ministers. As long as there was evidence of “righteousness of the heart and personal experience of repentance, faith and devotion…” students were more quickly deemed prepared for the ministry. In 1749, Henry Muhlenberg purchased 49 acres of land near Philadelphia on which he hoped to establish, among other institutions, a theological seminary. Eventually he would abandon his plans due to a lack of funds. He would write his “Reverend Fathers” again and again for the need of “…at least a sort of seminary” be established in colonial America. In 1773 John C. Kunze founded an academy in Philadelphia “to furnish the preparation preliminary to the further training of young men for the office of the ministry”. When Philadelphia was occupied by British troops in 1777 this school ceased to exist. Following the revolution, in 1787 Luther and German Reformed leaders united to found Franklin (later Franklin and Marshall) College in Lancaster, PA. It will take until the early 1800’s that a school of theology would come to exist for Lutherans in America. Until then, students would be tutored privately for careers in the ministry. (Adapted and adopted from The Lutherans in North America, revised edition, E. Clifford Nelson)

Ordination would be the practice that colonial American ministers would bring from Europe for the preparation of ministers. Ordination was not seen as conferring any special powers – it was seen as a formal and public authorization of certain persons signifying they were set aside to perform ministerial functions. And the ordination would be a public, not a private event. It would be held as part of a corporate assembly and not by just an individual (which was the practice of the pretenders). Ordination today is one of the most powerful services a Lutheran can attend. I encourage you to find the time to attend an ordination service – it is a profoundly, spiritually uplifting service.

Pastor Dave

Please bring bars of soap for Trinity’s Table.