Concordia Historical Institute recognizes excellence in Lutheran history publications

Director of LCMS Church Relations Rev. Dr. Albert B. Collver III addresses the 43rd annual Concordia Historical Institute awards banquet Nov. 9 at Concordia Seminary, St. Louis. (Rev. Todd D. Zittlow)

During its 43rd annual banquet on Nov. 9 at Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, the Awards Committee of Concordia Historical Institute (CHI) presented 13 “Awards of Commendation” for works published in 2016. CHI is the Department of Archives and History of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod and the largest archive of Lutheran history in North America.

The theme of the banquet — “History – Archives – Narrative: 1517 – 1927 – 2017” — invoked both the 500th anniversary of the Reformation and the 90th anniversary of CHI.

The Rev. Dr. Albert B. Collver III, director of LCMS Church Relations, served as banquet speaker, presenting his essay “A Global Perspective on History and Archives.” The text of that essay will be published in the Winter 2017 issue of Concordia Historical Institute Quarterly.

CHI Executive Director Rev. Dr. Daniel N. Harmelink said of the speech, “Dr. Collver reminded us of the importance of taking to heart Solomon’s dictum that there is nothing new under the sun [Eccl. 1:9]. The historical archives of the Church and the faithful reporting of history help check the current notion that ‘we live in unprecedented times,’ without any historical patterns to draw from. Concordia Historical Institute commends this year’s awardees and their exemplary work to keep the history of God’s redeeming work before us.”

The following works, listed by category, were commended by CHI for their contributions to the history of the Lutheran church in North America.

Congregational History

A Communion of Saints: A History of Christ Evangelical Lutheran Church, Elizabethtown, Pennsylvania 1740-2015, Phillip P. Clark.

Family History

Charles W. Ore: An American Original, Irene Beethe, ed.

Regional History

The Norwegian–American Lutheran Experience in 1950s Japan: Stepping Up to the Cold War Challenge, Kate Allen and John E. Ingulsrud.

Book Chapter / Journal Article

“Lutherans and the Civil Rights Struggle in Selma,” Kathryn M. Galchutt, Lutheran Historical Conference Journal 2014.

“Lutheran Historical Pageants: Dramatization and Identity Formation during the Reformation Quadricentennial,” Sarah K. Nytroe, Lutheran Historical Conference Journal 2014.

“Early Printed Protestant Reformation Material in United States Collections: A Preliminary Guide for Researchers,” Joanna Reiling Lindell, Martin Luther and the Reformation, Katrin Herbst, ed.

“Lutheran Paintings in America,” Thomas E. Rassieur, Martin Luther and the Reformation, Katrin Herbst, ed.

Lutheran Mission Matters 24:1 (January 2016), Victor Raj, ed.

“North Park at 125: David Nyvall’s Enduring Impact on Christian Higher Education,” Scott Erickson, The Swedish–American Historical Quarterly 67:4.

“Deaconess Nurses in Germany, Sweden, and the United States: Transformations of a Female Model of Life and Work in the Twentieth Century,” Susanne Kreutzer, Deaconesses in Nursing Care, Susanne Kreutzer and Karen Nolte, eds.

Major Publication

Remembering the Reformation: An Inquiry into the Meanings of Protestantism, Thomas Albert Howard.

Religion, Community, and Slavery on the Colonial Southern Frontier, James Van Horn Melton.

Non-Print Media

Memories of Trinity Lutheran Church [Evansville, Ind.] on its 175th Anniversary, Martin Noland.

The CHI Awards Committee also noted 10 “Honorable Mentions.”

CHI encourages submissions published in 2017 for consideration by its Awards Committee. Please email your suggestions to tzittlow@lutheranhistory.org. The deadline for submissions is Feb. 1, 2018.

For more information about CHI, including a complete listing of 43 years of CHI awards, visit concordiahistoricalinstitute.org.

This year’s awards program was made possible by the generous support of the LCMS Foundation.

Posted Jan. 10, 2018