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The Laestadian Movement: Disputes and Divisions 1861 - 2000

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The Laestadian Movement: Disputes and Divisions 1861 - 2000 The Laestadian Movement: Disputes and Divisions 1861 - 2000 And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved . (Matthew 24:12-13) WARREN H. HEPOKOSKI First published in 1997 under the title: The Laestadian Movement: Disputes and Divisions 1861--1997 Revised and Updated Edition Culpeper, Virginia 2002 CONTENTS INTRODUCTION.............................................................................................................................1 CHAPTER 1: EARLY ISSUES.......................................................................................................3 Cold Jumping and Holy Flesh .........................................................................................................3 Confession of Sin.............................................................................................................................5 Compulsory Confession...................................................................................................................7 Public Confession............................................................................................................................8 The Three-Cubit God.......................................................................................................................9 Pastor Grape and Princess Eugénie ...............................................................................................10 The Oral and Written Word...........................................................................................................12 The Bible a Dead Letter?...............................................................................................................13 Christ’s Descent into Hell..............................................................................................................14 CHAPTER 2: THE REAWAKENING.........................................................................................16 Origin.............................................................................................................................................16 The Third Use of the Law..............................................................................................................18 The Narva Reaction .......................................................................................................................20 The Oulu Reconciliation Meeting .................................................................................................21 Issues and Schisms ........................................................................................................................25 Typpö’s Summary..........................................................................................................................26 CHAPTER 3: THE FIRSTBORN GROUP..................................................................................28 Origin.............................................................................................................................................28 Takkinen Era Begins......................................................................................................................29 The Hallites....................................................................................................................................31 Who are the Firstborn? ..................................................................................................................31 Takkinen Era Ends.........................................................................................................................32 The 1897 Lannavaara Services......................................................................................................35 Did Raattamaa Bless Purnu? .........................................................................................................36 The 1901 Gällivare Meeting..........................................................................................................38 Internal Dissension ........................................................................................................................39 Conservative Views of the Firstborn .............................................................................................41 CHAPTER 4: THE LITTLE FIRSTBORN.................................................................................43 Origin.............................................................................................................................................43 The Annual Conventions...............................................................................................................43 Evert Määttälä’s Book ...................................................................................................................45 Expulsion of the Conventionists....................................................................................................47 CHAPTER 5: THE SRK GROUP.................................................................................................50 Origin.............................................................................................................................................50 Carnality and the 1916 Discussion ................................................................................................51 The Fear of the Lord...................................................................................................................... 53 Cliques Emerge in Finland............................................................................................................ 55 Toivo Korpela ............................................................................................................................... 56 The Revised Finnish Bible ............................................................................................................ 57 The Flying Ark .............................................................................................................................. 58 Millennialism ................................................................................................................................ 60 The Kalajoki Revival .................................................................................................................... 60 Ansamaa’s Recantation................................................................................................................. 63 The 1939 Kemi Resolution ........................................................................................................... 64 The Drive Against Simppala......................................................................................................... 65 The Campaigns Against Kosonen ................................................................................................. 66 Recantations of Kosonen’s Friends............................................................................................... 67 Expulsion of the Clericalists ......................................................................................................... 69 The Authority to Forgive Sins....................................................................................................... 71 The Case of Daniel Airas .............................................................................................................. 72 Minor Groups ................................................................................................................................ 74 Sillanpää’s Group.......................................................................................................................... 75 CHAPTER 6: FRAGMENTATION IN NORWAY.................................................................... 76 Koskamo and Palovaara................................................................................................................ 76 Erik Johnsen.................................................................................................................................. 78 Vanhala vs. Brune ......................................................................................................................... 79 CHAPTER 7: DISINTEGRATION IN AMERICA.................................................................... 81 Three Legalist Preachers ............................................................................................................... 81 Paul Heideman vs. John Pollari .................................................................................................... 81 Heidemanian Accusations............................................................................................................. 83 The Reaction of the Evangelicals.................................................................................................. 84 The Törölä - AALC Schism .......................................................................................................... 85 Lamppa, Mäki and Koskela........................................................................................................... 86 Arthur Romberg ............................................................................................................................ 87 Ben Salmela................................................................................................................................... 88 Matt Reed vs. Aunes Salmela ......................................................................................................
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