Lars Oftedal (born 1838)
Encyclopedia
Lars Svendsen Oftedal was a Norwegian revivalist, priest, social reformer, politician, publicist and newspaper editor.
as the son of teacher Svend Oftedahl and Gunhild Ommundsdatter Stokke. He was married to Olava Mathilde Olsen from 1865. He was the father of Lars Oftedal
, and grandfather of Sven Oftedal
and Christian Oftedal. He died in Stavanger in 1900.
in 1859, and graduated as cand.theol.
from the University of Christiania
in 1864. His first working position was as a travelling revivalist for Bergens Indremisjon. He was a seamen's priest in Cardiff
from 1866 to 1868. From 1869 he worked for the home mission of the Arendal
district. His collection of psalms, Basunrøst og Harpetoner from 1870 was met with great popularity and was printed in 200.000 copies over the years. In 1870 he was appointed priest in Kristiansands stift. From 1874 he was a priest in Hetland
outside Stavanger. His own chapel Bethania in Stavanger opened in January 1875. He founded several social institutions in Stavanger, including an orphanage
for boys in 1877, and a home for women (the Magdalena institution). He bought the Storhaug
farm Berge, renamed Emmaus, which was included in the group of institutions. He acquired the island Lindøy
, where he established an institution for the most difficult boys. The fundings for his charity work came from volunteer work, including large lotteries ("bazaar") in Bethania. The first Waisenhus bazaar was arranged in 1876, and became a tradition which lasted more than hundred years, until the 1980s. Oftedal edited the newspaper Vestlandsposten from 1878 to 1891. He was a vicar in Stavanger
from 1885 to 1891.
from 1881. He was elected to the Parliament of Norway from 1883 to 1885, representing the Liberal Party, and from 1889 to 1891, when he represented the Moderate Liberal Party
. In 1891 he was elected for the period 1892 to 1894, but did not meet due to the scandal in November 1891.
In November 1891, after a service in his church, he witnessed that he had lived in "immorality". Two weeks later he was dismissed as priest. He voluntarily withdrew from his positions in the charity institutions, and as editor of Vestlandsposten. Due to the Constitution
's paragraph 63 he also did not meet at the Parliament. After the scandal he continued his preaching activities, becoming principal of another large chapel (Salem) in Stavanger. In 1893 he founded and edited the newspaper Stavanger Aftenblad
. The newspaper editor whom he revered the most was Ola Thommessen
. Oftedal was elected to the Stavanger City Council in 1898, but died in May 1900 in Stavanger.
In 1889 he became a Knight of the Order of St. Olav.
Personal life
He was born in StavangerStavanger
Stavanger is a city and municipality in the county of Rogaland, Norway.Stavanger municipality has a population of 126,469. There are 197,852 people living in the Stavanger conurbation, making Stavanger the fourth largest city, but the third largest urban area, in Norway...
as the son of teacher Svend Oftedahl and Gunhild Ommundsdatter Stokke. He was married to Olava Mathilde Olsen from 1865. He was the father of Lars Oftedal
Lars Oftedal
Lars Oftedal was the Norwegian Minister of Social Affairs 1921-1922 and 1924-1926, and Minister of Trade 1922-1923 and 1928-1931....
, and grandfather of 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...
and Christian Oftedal. He died in Stavanger in 1900.
Career
Oftedal passed his examen artiumExamen artium
Examen artium was the name of the academic certification conferred in Denmark and Norway, qualifying the student for admission to university studies. Examen artium was originally introduced as the entrance exam of the University of Copenhagen in 1630...
in 1859, and graduated as cand.theol.
Cand.theol.
Candidatus theologiæ , Candidata theologiæ , abbreviated cand. theol. is an academic degree with a long tradition, awarded after a six year higher education in theology in Denmark and Norway. In Norway, the title has remained after the "Quality Reform", though it is equivalent to a Master of...
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 1864. His first working position was as a travelling revivalist for Bergens Indremisjon. He was a seamen's priest in Cardiff
Cardiff
Cardiff is the capital, largest city and most populous county of Wales and the 10th largest city in the United Kingdom. The city is Wales' chief commercial centre, the base for most national cultural and sporting institutions, the Welsh national media, and the seat of the National Assembly for...
from 1866 to 1868. From 1869 he worked for the home mission of the Arendal
Arendal
is a town and municipality in the county of Aust-Agder, Norway. Arendal belongs to the traditional region of Sørlandet.The town of Arendal is the administrative center the municipality and also of Aust-Agder county...
district. His collection of psalms, Basunrøst og Harpetoner from 1870 was met with great popularity and was printed in 200.000 copies over the years. In 1870 he was appointed priest in Kristiansands stift. From 1874 he was a priest in Hetland
Hetland
Hetland is a former municipality in Rogaland county, Norway.It was created as Hetland formannskapsdistrikt in 1837. On 1 July 1922, Randaberg was separated from Hetland to create a municipality of its own. The split left Hetland with a population of 10,167...
outside Stavanger. His own chapel Bethania in Stavanger opened in January 1875. He founded several social institutions in Stavanger, including an orphanage
Orphanage
An orphanage is a residential institution devoted to the care of orphans – children whose parents are deceased or otherwise unable or unwilling to care for them...
for boys in 1877, and a home for women (the Magdalena institution). He bought the Storhaug
Storhaug
-Neighbourhoods:Although the borders of neighbourhoods do not correspond exactly to the borough borders, Storhaug roughly consists of the following neighbourhoods : Johannes, Nylund, Varden, Bergjeland and Øyane.-Politics:...
farm Berge, renamed Emmaus, which was included in the group of institutions. He acquired the island Lindøy
Lindøy
Lindøy is an island in Byfjorden in Stavanger, Norway. The island was used as an orphanage for more than hundred years, established by Lars Oftedal in the late 1800s....
, where he established an institution for the most difficult boys. The fundings for his charity work came from volunteer work, including large lotteries ("bazaar") in Bethania. The first Waisenhus bazaar was arranged in 1876, and became a tradition which lasted more than hundred years, until the 1980s. Oftedal edited the newspaper Vestlandsposten from 1878 to 1891. He was a vicar in Stavanger
Stavanger
Stavanger is a city and municipality in the county of Rogaland, Norway.Stavanger municipality has a population of 126,469. There are 197,852 people living in the Stavanger conurbation, making Stavanger the fourth largest city, but the third largest urban area, in Norway...
from 1885 to 1891.
Politician
Oftedal was a deputy representative from Stavanger to the Parliament from 1877 to 1879. He was elected to the Stavanger City CouncilCity council
A city council or town council is the legislative body that governs a city, town, municipality or local government area.-Australia & NZ:Because of the differences in legislation between the States, the exact definition of a City Council varies...
from 1881. He was elected to the Parliament of Norway from 1883 to 1885, representing the Liberal Party, and from 1889 to 1891, when he represented the Moderate Liberal Party
Moderate Liberal Party
Moderate Liberal Party was a Norwegian political party that emerged from the conservative branch of the Liberal Party in 1888, consisting mainly of the Low Church...
. In 1891 he was elected for the period 1892 to 1894, but did not meet due to the scandal in November 1891.
In November 1891, after a service in his church, he witnessed that he had lived in "immorality". Two weeks later he was dismissed as priest. He voluntarily withdrew from his positions in the charity institutions, and as editor of Vestlandsposten. Due to the Constitution
Constitution of Norway
The Constitution of Norway was first adopted on May 16, 1814 by the Norwegian Constituent Assembly at Eidsvoll , then signed and dated May 17...
's paragraph 63 he also did not meet at the Parliament. After the scandal he continued his preaching activities, becoming principal of another large chapel (Salem) in Stavanger. In 1893 he founded and edited the newspaper Stavanger Aftenblad
Stavanger Aftenblad
Stavanger Aftenblad or simply Aftenbladet is a daily newspaper in Stavanger, Norway. It was founded in 1893 by the priest Lars Oftedal, and was for a long period a publication for the Liberal Party. It had a circulation of 68,186 copies in 2005...
. The newspaper editor whom he revered the most was Ola Thommessen
Ola Thommessen
Ola Thommessen was a Norwegian newspaper editor. He was the long-time editor of Verdens Gang and Tidens Tegn.-Early and personal life:...
. Oftedal was elected to the Stavanger City Council in 1898, but died in May 1900 in Stavanger.
In 1889 he became a Knight of the Order of St. Olav.