Hobart Baumann Amstutz
Encyclopedia
Hobart Baumann Amstutz was a bishop
of the American Methodist Church and the United Methodist Church
, elected in 1956.
, Oberlin, Ohio
, and attended Baldwin-Wallace College
for two years before being drafted into the army in World War I. After the war, he earned in 1921 his A.B.
degree from Northwestern University
and in 1923 his Bachelor of Divinity
degree from Garrett Theological Seminary and M.A. from Northwestern University. In 1938, Baldwin-Wallace College awarded him an honorary D.D. Hobart had 2 brothers Clarence John "Stutz" Amstutz and Melvin Amstutz. Clarence had 3 children C. John Amstutz, Grethen (Amstutz) Timmons and Virginia (Amstutz) Wilhelm.
in South East Asia beginning in 1926. For many years, he was pastor of the Wesley Methodist Church
in Singapore
. In 1942, he was imprisoned by the Japanese, spending three and a half years in a prison camp. From 1956 to 1964, he served as elected Methodist Bishop for Southeast Asia (Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Burma) and also served as founding President of Trinity College in Singapore. Shortly after retirement, he was called to be Methodist Bishop of Pakistan from 1964 to 1968, where he succeeded in creating the Church of Pakistan, an amalgamation of four Protestant churches.
. He was survived by his wife, Celeste; a son, Bruce, who was serving as a U.S. diplomat in Afghanistan
; a daughter Beverly, and a brother, Clarence.
Bishop
A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...
of the American Methodist Church and the United Methodist Church
United Methodist Church
The United Methodist Church is a Methodist Christian denomination which is both mainline Protestant and evangelical. Founded in 1968 by the union of The Methodist Church and the Evangelical United Brethren Church, the UMC traces its roots back to the revival movement of John and Charles Wesley...
, elected in 1956.
Early years
He was born in Henrietta, Ohio, United States. He graduated in 1915 from Oberlin High SchoolHigh school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
, Oberlin, Ohio
Oberlin, Ohio
Oberlin is a city in Lorain County, Ohio, United States, to the south and west of Cleveland. Oberlin is perhaps best known for being the home of Oberlin College, a liberal arts college and music conservatory with approximately 3,000 students...
, and attended Baldwin-Wallace College
Baldwin-Wallace College
Baldwin–Wallace College is a liberal arts college in Berea, Ohio, founded in 1845. It is home to the Riemenschneider-Bach Institute and the Baldwin–Wallace Conservatory of Music, an internationally renowned music school. The college is affiliated with the United Methodist Church. Students receive a...
for two years before being drafted into the army in World War I. After the war, he earned in 1921 his A.B.
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
degree from Northwestern University
Northwestern University
Northwestern University is a private research university in Evanston and Chicago, Illinois, USA. Northwestern has eleven undergraduate, graduate, and professional schools offering 124 undergraduate degrees and 145 graduate and professional degrees....
and in 1923 his Bachelor of Divinity
Bachelor of Divinity
In Western universities, a Bachelor of Divinity is usually an undergraduate academic degree awarded for a course taken in the study of divinity or related disciplines, such as theology or, rarely, religious studies....
degree from Garrett Theological Seminary and M.A. from Northwestern University. In 1938, Baldwin-Wallace College awarded him an honorary D.D. Hobart had 2 brothers Clarence John "Stutz" Amstutz and Melvin Amstutz. Clarence had 3 children C. John Amstutz, Grethen (Amstutz) Timmons and Virginia (Amstutz) Wilhelm.
Missionary service
Rev. Amstutz served as a missionaryMissionary
A missionary is a member of a religious group sent into an area to do evangelism or ministries of service, such as education, literacy, social justice, health care and economic development. The word "mission" originates from 1598 when the Jesuits sent members abroad, derived from the Latin...
in South East Asia beginning in 1926. For many years, he was pastor of the Wesley Methodist Church
Wesley Methodist Church
Wesley Methodist Church is the oldest Methodist church with an English-speaking congregation in Singapore. It is located at 5 Fort Canning Road, Singapore 179493.-Mission:...
in Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
. In 1942, he was imprisoned by the Japanese, spending three and a half years in a prison camp. From 1956 to 1964, he served as elected Methodist Bishop for Southeast Asia (Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Burma) and also served as founding President of Trinity College in Singapore. Shortly after retirement, he was called to be Methodist Bishop of Pakistan from 1964 to 1968, where he succeeded in creating the Church of Pakistan, an amalgamation of four Protestant churches.
Death
Bishop Amstutz died on 26 February 1980, aged 83, in Claremont, CaliforniaClaremont, California
Claremont is a small affluent college town in eastern Los Angeles County, California, United States, about east of downtown Los Angeles at the base of the San Gabriel Mountains. The population as of the 2010 census is 34,926. Claremont is known for its seven higher-education institutions, its...
. He was survived by his wife, Celeste; a son, Bruce, who was serving as a U.S. diplomat in Afghanistan
Afghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
; a daughter Beverly, and a brother, Clarence.