Georg Sverdrup (President of Augsburg Seminary)
Encyclopedia
Georg Sverdrup was a Norwegian-American Lutheran theologian and an educator.
, Norway
to Karoline Metella Suur and Harald Ulrik Sverdrup
, a member of the Norwegian Parliament, whose brother Johan Sverdrup
was Prime Minister of Norway
between 1884 and 1889.
He attended the Hartvig Nissens skole
in Christiania
and later graduated from the University of Christiania
in theology in the year of 1871. Moving to France
, he was educated in the subject of Semitics at the University of Paris
and befriended Sven Oftedal
before traveling to Germany
to perfect his knowledge in several other universities.
Sverdrup married Katherine Elisabet Heiberg in 1874, with whom he had five children. Three years after her death, Sverdrup married Katherine's sister, with whom he had two children. His son George Sverdrup later also served as President of Augsburg College.
, were two scholars from prominent Haugean
families in Norway who were recruited to the United States by August Weenaas
, founding president of Augsburg Seminary. They both brought with them a genuinely radical view of Christian education, centered on Scripture and the simple doctrines of Christianity. In 1874, they became professors at Augsburg. Two years later, Sverdrup was appointed as the president of the Seminary.
Emphasizing the freedom of the local congregation, together with Sven Oftedal
, he founded the Lutheran Free Church
in 1897. He also served as the President of Augsburg until his death in 1907. Apart from his teachings, Sverdrup became joint editor to the Theologisk Kvartalskrift (1875–1877; sole editor until 1881), of the weekly church magazine Lutheraneren (1885–1890), later renamed as Luthersk Kirkeblad (1890–1894) and editor of the monthly magazine Gasseren (1900-1807). Many of his writings are published in a six-volume set edited by Andreas Helland.
which existed between 1869 and 1890. Sverdrup believed that the congregation was "the right form of the kingdom of God on earth". He had been become concerned with the role and influence of the hierarchy within the church as well as their understanding of the Bible. He believed that, according to the New Testament of the Bible, the local congregation was the correct form of God's kingdom on earth. He believed in a "free church in a free land". His beliefs resulted in his participation in the formation of the Lutheran Free Church
in 1897.
Personal life
He was born in BalestrandBalestrand
Balestrand is a municipality in the county of Sogn og Fjordane, Norway. It is located in the traditional district of Sogn. The administrative center is the village of Balestrand....
, Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
to Karoline Metella Suur and Harald Ulrik Sverdrup
Harald Ulrik Sverdrup (politician)
Harald Ulrik Sverdrup was a Norwegian priest and politician.He was born at Jarlsberg Manor in Vestfold. His brother Johan Sverdrup would found the Liberal Party and become Prime Minister of Norway in 1884....
, a member of the Norwegian Parliament, whose brother Johan Sverdrup
Johan Sverdrup
Johan Sverdrup was a Norwegian politician from the Liberal Party. He was the first Prime Minister of Norway after the introduction of parliamentarism. Sverdrup was Prime Minister from 1884 to 1889.- Early years :...
was Prime Minister of Norway
Prime Minister of Norway
The Prime Minister of Norway is the political leader of Norway and the Head of His Majesty's Government. The Prime Minister and Cabinet are collectively accountable for their policies and actions to the Sovereign, to Stortinget , to their political party, and ultimately the...
between 1884 and 1889.
He attended the Hartvig Nissens skole
Henrik Nissen
Johannes Henrik Nissen was a Norwegian architect.-Biography:After his final exams in 1866, Nissen was a student at the Royal Drawing School in Christiania. He studied architecture at the Bauakademie in Berlin 1869–74...
in Christiania
Oslo
Oslo is a municipality, as well as the capital and most populous city in Norway. As a municipality , it was established on 1 January 1838. Founded around 1048 by King Harald III of Norway, the city was largely destroyed by fire in 1624. The city was moved under the reign of Denmark–Norway's King...
and later graduated from the University of Christiania
University of Oslo
The University of Oslo , formerly The Royal Frederick University , is the oldest and largest university in Norway, situated in the Norwegian capital of Oslo. The university was founded in 1811 and was modelled after the recently established University of Berlin...
in theology in the year of 1871. Moving to France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, he was educated in the subject of Semitics at the University of Paris
University of Paris
The University of Paris was a university located in Paris, France and one of the earliest to be established in Europe. It was founded in the mid 12th century, and officially recognized as a university probably between 1160 and 1250...
and befriended Sven Oftedal
Sven Oftedal
Sven Oftedal was a Norwegian American Lutheran minister who helped found the Lutheran Free Church.Oftedal was born in Stavanger, Norway and studied at the University of Oslo. He came to Minneapolis, Minnesota in 1873 to serve as a professor of the New Testament at Augsburg Seminary, predecessor...
before traveling to Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
to perfect his knowledge in several other universities.
Sverdrup married Katherine Elisabet Heiberg in 1874, with whom he had five children. Three years after her death, Sverdrup married Katherine's sister, with whom he had two children. His son George Sverdrup later also served as President of Augsburg College.
Career
Georg Sverdrup, together with Sven OftedalSven Oftedal
Sven Oftedal was a Norwegian American Lutheran minister who helped found the Lutheran Free Church.Oftedal was born in Stavanger, Norway and studied at the University of Oslo. He came to Minneapolis, Minnesota in 1873 to serve as a professor of the New Testament at Augsburg Seminary, predecessor...
, were two scholars from prominent Haugean
Haugean
Haugean was a pietistic state church reform movementintended to bring new life and vitality into a Norwegian State Church which had been often characterized by formalism and lethargy....
families in Norway who were recruited to the United States by August Weenaas
August Weenaas
August Weenaas was a Norwegian American Lutheran minister and educator. August Weenaas was the founding President of Augsburg College.-Biography:...
, founding president of Augsburg Seminary. They both brought with them a genuinely radical view of Christian education, centered on Scripture and the simple doctrines of Christianity. In 1874, they became professors at Augsburg. Two years later, Sverdrup was appointed as the president of the Seminary.
Emphasizing the freedom of the local congregation, together with Sven Oftedal
Sven Oftedal
Sven Oftedal was a Norwegian American Lutheran minister who helped found the Lutheran Free Church.Oftedal was born in Stavanger, Norway and studied at the University of Oslo. He came to Minneapolis, Minnesota in 1873 to serve as a professor of the New Testament at Augsburg Seminary, predecessor...
, he founded the Lutheran Free Church
Lutheran Free Church
The Lutheran Free Church was a Lutheran denomination that existed in the United States from 1897 to 1963 mainly in Minnesota and North Dakota...
in 1897. He also served as the President of Augsburg until his death in 1907. Apart from his teachings, Sverdrup became joint editor to the Theologisk Kvartalskrift (1875–1877; sole editor until 1881), of the weekly church magazine Lutheraneren (1885–1890), later renamed as Luthersk Kirkeblad (1890–1894) and editor of the monthly magazine Gasseren (1900-1807). Many of his writings are published in a six-volume set edited by Andreas Helland.
Views
Sverdrup was raised in the Norwegian State Church and educated in Lutheran theology. However, he declined to become a minister, serving rather as a Professor at Augsburg Seminary. He was member of the Norwegian Lutheran ConferenceThe Norwegian Lutheran Church in the United States
The Norwegian Lutheran Church in the United States is a general term to describe the Lutheran church tradition developed within the United States by immigrants from Norway.-Background:...
which existed between 1869 and 1890. Sverdrup believed that the congregation was "the right form of the kingdom of God on earth". He had been become concerned with the role and influence of the hierarchy within the church as well as their understanding of the Bible. He believed that, according to the New Testament of the Bible, the local congregation was the correct form of God's kingdom on earth. He believed in a "free church in a free land". His beliefs resulted in his participation in the formation of the Lutheran Free Church
Lutheran Free Church
The Lutheran Free Church was a Lutheran denomination that existed in the United States from 1897 to 1963 mainly in Minnesota and North Dakota...
in 1897.
Additional Sources
- Hamre, James S. Georg Sverdrup: Educator, Theologian, Churchman (Northfield, Minn: Norwegian-American Historical Association. 1986)
- Helland, Andreas. Georg Sverdrup, the Man and His Message 1848-1907 : A Biographical Sketch (Minneapolis, MN: 1947)