CONCORDIA HISTORICAL INSTITUTE CELEBRATES THEIR 40TH ANNUAL AWARDS BANQUET WORKS ON LUTHERAN HISTORY COMMENDED BY CHI

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1 Article for immediate release. Today s Date: November 11, 2014 CONCORDIA HISTORICAL INSTITUTE CELEBRATES THEIR 40TH ANNUAL AWARDS BANQUET WORKS ON LUTHERAN HISTORY COMMENDED BY CHI SAINT LOUIS, MISSOURI Concordia Historical Institute (CHI) held its annual awards banquet, Thursday, November 6, 2014, at Koburg Dining Hall on the campus of Concordia Seminary, with 100 people in attendance. Twenty-one awards were given to Lutheran historians for exceptional work in the categories of journal articles, major publications, organizational histories, congregational histories and family histories. Rev. Dr. Ronald R. Feuerhahn of St. Louis, Missouri, received CHI s highest award, the Distinguished Service Award for his exemplary historical and archival contributions to the cause of Lutheran history in North America and beyond. Dr. Feuerhahn has been blessed by the Lord with an ongoing appreciation for the history of Christ s redeeming work in the life of the Christian church, especially the Lutheran church in North America. His skills as professor and archivist are acknowledged by church leaders on both sides of the Atlantic. Dr. Feuerhahn is the 32nd Lutheran historian to receive the Distinguished Service Award. Rev. Dr. Jon Vieker, assistant to the president of The Lutheran Church Missouri Synod, served as the banquet speaker. Vieker stated Jesus did it all for you and the hymns we sing today sing of it all, too. They are those little sermons that accompany us from cradle to grave through sorrow and suffering, to joy and exaltation. And as Lutherans, we are particularly blessed to be known as the singing church a church that unapologetically sings hymns, and lots of them! Vieker s presentation will be included in the winter issue of the Concordia Historical Institute Quarterly. Major Publications Professor John M. Brenner of Mequon, Wisconsin, and Rev. Peter M. Prange of Morton Grove, Illinois, for Jars of Clay: A History of Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary ( ), an honest, accessible, and inspiring recounting of the seminary s 150-year story. The reader is left with a vivid sense not only of the heritage of the past, but of God s mercy and sufficiency in our ongoing efforts as His feeble jars of clay. Mr. Matthew Carver of Nashville, Tennessee, for translating and editing Walther s Hymnal. Carver has made available to an entirely new group of people the original collection of hymns, prayers, and collects brought together by C. F. W. Walther for the service of The Lutheran Church Missouri Synod. This treasury of the worship materials used by the LCMS will be appreciated by those who have an interest in and respect for the historical context and firm emphasis on providing orthodox worship materials represented by this hymnal. Dr. Jack D. Ferguson of Hawks, Michigan, for Pictorial Historiography of The Lutheran Church Missouri Synod, Vol. 1, 2, 3. The importance of faith, the function (and similarity) of worshipful settings, plus the efforts of Lutherans to foster their beliefs in lives, bricks, wood, stone, and glass are marvelously interwoven in this monumental three-volume set of books. Dr. Scott M. Hyslop of Frankenmuth, Michigan, for The Precious Gift: The Hymns, Carols, and Translations of Henry L. Lettermann, an insightful monograph on the life works and contributions to Lutheran worship and hymnody of a respected American poet and faithful veteran of the cross.

2 Mrs. Marlys Taege Moberg of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, for Wherever God Sends Us: Inspiring Stories of LWML Mites in the Americas, a well-researched and well-written history of the successful impact of LWML mission grants given in the Americas. The blessing of these gifts has resulted in numerous stories of profound gratitude from recipients far and wide whose lives have been changed through the generosity of the LWML since its founding in Dr. Jon D. Vieker of St. Louis, Missouri, for August Crull and the Story of the Evangelical Lutheran Hymn-Book, Vieker does an admirable job of documenting the hymnodic landscape leading up to the first real effort by the LCMS to produce an English-language hymnal. He also provides us with a compelling portrait of August Crull, a hymnal editor and translator whose influence on American Lutheranism has been felt for well over a century. Dr. Daniel Zager of Rochester, New York, for The Gospel Preached through Music: The Purpose and Practice of Lutheran Church Music. Music is a language with meaning meaning that can promote or inhibit the preaching of the Gospel. It is not a neutral medium in the Divine Service that simply conveys a verbal message. In a mere eighty-three pages, Dr. Daniel Zager exhibits a firm command of the history, theology, and practice of church music what is appropriate and why it s appropriate, including why organ supported proclamation of Gospel teaching in hymns is central to the Divine Service. Dr. Zager s wedding of historical and musicological material to discussion of current issues and practices demonstrates that the church does not live only in the present, but builds continuously on its heritage within the chronological communion of saints. Dr. David Zersen of Austin, Texas, for Concordia on the Move, , a well-researched yet strongly personal telling of the seventy-five-year history of Concordia University Texas. This book relates the story of the men and women whose faith and unique personalities and gifts have been embodied in the development of this Lutheran school from its early days as a high school for future pastors and teachers, to its standing as a modern Lutheran university, preparing students in many disciplines to be leaders in society. Zersen has made a historical contribution not only for the constituency of Concordia University, but also for those interested in the history of Christian liberal arts colleges in America, the history of education in the LCMS, and the history of Lutheranism in Texas. Response: No significant Journal Articles Dr. Mark Braun of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, for What Our Fathers Taught Us about Lutheran Schools (Parts 1 & 2), Concordia Historical Institute Quarterly, Vol. 86, No. 1 & 2, Spring & Summer In a mere fifty pages, Dr. Mark Braun presents a comprehensive overview of parochial education in the confessional Lutheran bodies in the United States, from its roots in the Scriptures and the writings of Martin Luther, to its beginnings in the United States in the mid-nineteenth century, and the challenges it faced at the close of the twentieth century. The clearly organized article serves as a rich one-stop source for information on the theology and practice of and people involved in Lutheran parish education during the past two centuries in this country. Nearly two hundred footnotes provide a treasure trove of resources for more detailed investigation into this signature activity of Lutherans in the United States. Dr. Mark Braun of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, for The Reception of Walther s Theology in the Wisconsin Synod, Concordia Theological Quarterly, Vol. 77, No. 1 2, January & April This thoroughly researched article by Dr. Mark Braun explores the debt of the Wisconsin Synod to the founding father of the Missouri Synod. Braun s explication throughout is precise, and his final judgment that the two synods enjoyed their unique fellowship in large part because of Walther s profound influence on both synods is sound. Dr. Maria Erling of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, for Danish Lutheran Pietists and the Cherokee, Lutheran Quarterly,Vol. XXVII, No. 4, Winter 2013, a well documented essay tracing adaptations Danish Pietists made in

3 order to ensure the survival of their mission efforts among the Cherokee people as both approached the challenges of changing times. Mr. Kirk D. Farney of Hinsdale, Illinois, for Bringing Christ to the Nations: Walter A. Maier, The Lutheran Hour and Global Christian Broadcasting (Parts 1 & 2), Concordia Historical Institute Quarterly, Vol. 86, No. 2 & 3, Summer & Fall 2013, an informative and enlightening account of a man and a mission through which God brought the gift of salvation to millions around the world in an effort that continues to this day. Dr. Jack D. Ferguson of Hawks, Michigan, for The Furnace of Dreams: An Account of Soldiers, Pastors, and Chaplains during the American Civil War ( ), Concordia Historical Institute Quarterly, Vol. 86, No. 4, Winter 2013, an interesting and moving account of those who were confronted with the devastating horrors of the Civil War in America, whose dreams were broken in the Furnace of Dreams, but restored through the work of Lutheran chaplains and pastors who ministered to them by proclaiming the glorious Gospel of Jesus Christ. Dr. Roland M. Mueller of Winfield, Kansas, for The Lutheran Children s Home in Winfield, Concordia Historical Institute Quarterly, Vol. 86, No. 1, Spring 2013, a well documented journal article bringing together many resources to tell the story of the Lutheran Children s Home from its beginnings in 1902 to its unfortunate end in This well-written article details the Synod s care for the poor and needy through humanitarian aid to children and others over a full century of Christian service. Rev. Peter M. Prange of Morton Grove, Illinois, for The Wauwatosa Spring: The Flowering of the Historical Discipline at Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary ( ), Wisconsin Lutheran Quarterly, Vol. 110, Nos. 1 4, This valuable article (in four installments) offers a clear but appropriately nuanced overview of the development of the most distinctive characteristics of the Wauwatosa Theology (e.g., its emphases on history, scriptural exegesis, art and music, and ecclesiastical self-criticism) within a restricted historical framework, the first two decades of the twentieth century. Rev. William A. Wangelin of Hudsonville, Michigan, for The History of the FELSISA and the Missouri Synod, Concordia Historical Institute Quarterly, Vol. 86, No. 3, Fall 2013, a well-researched and effectively presented article tracing the relationship between nineteenth-century confessional Lutherans in Germany and two emerging church bodies and their leaders in two very different parts of the world South Africa and North America. Congregational Histories Rev. James Lawton Haney, Jr., of Vale, North Carolina, for Treasure in Earthen Vessels: Historical Reflections on Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church, Vale, North Carolina, a well-planned and expertly written congregational history. The author has brought to life the rich history, challenges, and triumphs of this congregation since its founding in 1822, bearing testimony to almost two centuries of the church s continuing witness to God s grace in Word and Sacrament. St. John s 150th Anniversary Committee, St. John s Evangelical Lutheran Church and School, Maple Grove/Corcoran, Minnesota, 150 Years, 1864 to 2014, for the well-written and beautifully produced account of their congregation s life and history, prepared for their 150th anniversary. From the stained-glass Good Shepherd on the cover to the index at the end, this anniversary history recounts Christ s work in their midst with clarity.

4 St. Paul Evangelical Lutheran Church and School, Fort Dodge, Iowa, 150th Anniversary, , for their wellconceived, well-edited, and attractively arranged 150th anniversary history booklet. With its congregational history, significant photographs, and members memories, it nicely captures their anniversary theme, Generation to Generation, Sharing Jesus. Theatrical Productions Mr. Michael G. Lilienthal of Iola, Wisconsin, for The Oak Trees Still Stand. Centered around a court case in Worth County, Iowa, in 1919, this dramatic production by Michael G. Lilienthal recreates a decisive moment in Norwegian American Lutheran church history, against the backdrop of the Election Controversy. It represents a creative alternative to traditional ecclesiastical historiography, presented in a way that should appeal to all ages. About CHI As the official Department of Archives and History of The Lutheran Church Missouri Synod (LCMS), Concordia Historical Institute serves as general advisory for historical interests within synodical offices, departments, education institutions and congregations. CHI is charged with preserving and promoting Lutheran history, especially the history surrounding the LCMS. This is done through actively collecting, organizing, cataloguing and preserving relevant documents, photographs, books, artifacts and fine art and making these historical items available to inform and inspire the church and community. Concordia Historical Institute is a recognized 501(c)3 nonprofit and relies upon the generous donations of friends and members to forward its mission of trumpeting the redeeming work of Christ in the life of the Lutheran church. Your prayers and financial support are deeply appreciated. Concordia Historical Institute, 804 Seminary Place, St. Louis, MO telephone: ; chi@lutheranhistory.org; web site:

5 Ronald A. Feuerhahn receives the CHI Distinguished Service Award Matthew Harrison and Daniel Harmelink

6 Jon Vieker, award recipient and banquet speaker Harold and Helen Feuerhahn, Ronald and Carol Feuerhahn, Matthew Harrison