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NEWSLETTER Volume 45, No. 4 CALL FOR PAPERS FOR 2008 MEETING November 2007 2008 Biennial Meeting, Wagner College, October 11-14, 2008 ISSN 0460-0274 http://luthhist.org "American Lutherans Engage the World" North American Lutherans have maintained many ties to communities outside themselves: through continuing engagement with Lutheran homelands in Europe; through engagement Inside this issue: with other religious groups on this continent; and through engagement in mission and ecu- menical contacts outside of North America. These forms of engagement might also include the ministries of social service outreach, disaster relief, and work with newer immigrant communities. Paper proposals for this conference should examine some aspect of North Book review 2 American Lutheran history as it pertains to one or more of these three kinds of engage- ment. The focus will be on the interaction between North American Lutherans and the wider world, and how these interactions strengthened, challenged, diversified, or directed 2006 Bibliography 3- the development of North American Lutheran communities. Paper proposers should in- 13 clude a brief statement of how they envision their papers fitting into the conference theme. Louis Voigt 14 Younger scholars or first-time presenters who have an interest in some aspect of North American Lutheranism are particularly encouraged to submit proposals. LHC Board cont’d 15 Deadline for paper proposals: April 20, 2008. To propose papers, or for additional information, please contact the program chair: New Resource 15 Mark Granquist Luther Seminary 2481 Como Avenue St Paul, MN 55108 [email protected] 651-641-3489 LHC BOARD MEETS IN CHICAGO By Susan W. McArver, LHC president The Lutheran Historical Conference board met at the Lutheran Center of the ELCA on October 12, 2007. At its meeting, the board discussed several issues related to the future of LHC and how it can best fulfill the four stated purposes of the organization outlined in its constitution. The board is currently exploring ways to raise LHC visibility in the profession and to encourage the next generation of scholars to enter the study of Lutheran history. Plans discussed included placing more articles and information in an online format, organiz- (Continued on page 15) Page 2 LHC Newsletter, February 2007 BOOK REVIEW: LUTHERANS AND THE LONGEST WAR Lutherans and the Longest War: Adrift America left, it on a Sea of Doubt about the Cold and was not sup- Vietnam Wars, 1964 – 1975. By David porting the E. Settje. Rowman & Littlefield Publish- troops and un- ers, 2007. 219 pp. Paper, $29.95 ISBN dermining the 978-07391-1532-9. plight of U.S. soldiers held captive by By Kim Efird North Vietnam as prisoners of war. David E. Settje examines many aspects of Lutheran involvement and discussion in the Cold and Vietnam Wars. He cov- The anti-war ers historical background including that movement was of the Lutheran Church. He also in- another topic in cludes the various shades of Lutheran this book. opinion. Those who Pete Seeger and Jim Collier performed at the 1970 convention of the Lu- were against ther League of The American Lutheran Church, held in Madison Square the war did not Garden, New York, N.Y. The author begins by discussing the believe that Lutheran view of the Soviet Union and withdrawing from South Vietnam would conservatives are portrayed as believ- China. Early on Lutherans considered cause Communism to spread. Persons ing that there were some differences in these countries to be a monolith. All classified as liberals believed the war Communism. Also, Settje stated that agreed that Christians were denied their was unjust, with many lives being lost. most liberals or moderates felt that the freedom and tortured in these Commu- They also believed it was a civil war in war was wrong. But, he shows some nist countries and their satellites. Lu- that it was a war between the domestic cases of liberals seeing justification for therans accepted the belief that Com- National Front for the Liberation of the war. The author neglects to mention munist states were totalitarian, but later South Vietnam (NLF) and the Republic that in many ways the Vietnam War was that view would change. of South Vietnam. Person against the a liberal’s war -- some pro-war liberals war saw its end as supporting the refused to see the NLF and North Viet- troops in that its cessation would ensure namese as a positive force, a democ- The author discusses domestic Com- more soldiers’ lives would be spared ratic movement, or as advocating self munists, including holdovers from the and soldiers being held as prisoners of determination. These liberals saw the McCarthy era. Some persons thought war would be released. war as a positive force promoting de- Pete Seeger encouraged the Commu- mocracy. Many liberals and moderates nists and that the National Council of were conflicted about the war, but con- Churches was infiltrated. The book addresses topics tinued to support it until the end. Many Later, people believed less such as evading the draft, pro-war people respected their anti-war in internal Communist sub- conscientious objection, counterparts and continued to believe version. and the alliance between that they were merely exercising their the civil rights and antiwar rights. They respected those who fled to movements. Those fleeing Canada. Those liberals did emphasize The book next addresses to Canada to evade the that Chinese and Soviets were not a the topic of pro-Vietnam War draft believed it was the monolith. The author labeled some pro- views. Lutherans were con- only way to avoid service, war views as propaganda, but did not cerned with Communist ex- since they were not given classify anti-war opinions as such. pansion. They accepted the selective conscientious domino theory, that if South objection status. Conscien- Vietnam fell, Communism tious objectors had the In all, this book still has some good would expand to the rest of support of the liberals, yet points. Settje consulted nearly every Indo-China, Southeast Asia, many of the conservatives possible source. He spent much time and beyond. Lutherans were demoniz- thought they were cowards. The civil thoroughly researching this material in ing North Vietnam, according to Settje. rights movement connected with the the archives of Lutheran church bodies. Conservatives talked about totalitarian- anti-war movement in that Dr. Martin He examined many of the Lutheran ism, torture, and atheism in North Viet- Luther King, Jr. opposed the war and church periodicals as well as those of nam. Conservatives believed in obeying both movements discussed the morality independent Lutheran groups. He ex- the government. They felt that since of the war. plained his writing by informative foot- John F. Kennedy, Lyndon Baines John- notes. The author does show that the son, and Richard M. Nixon thought the Lutherans views on the Cold and Viet- war was necessary, the U.S. should be Despite Settje's good coverage, there nam Wars were similar to those of the in Vietnam. Conservatives held the were some inconsistencies in the book. country as a whole. With this book, Set- opinion that it was a just war. They were In particular, the idea that conservatives tje has added much information to Lu- fighting an evil and it honored America’s believed Communism was a monolith. theran literature. soldiers if the U.S. stayed in Vietnam. If In other sections of the book, some Volume 45, No. 1 Page 3 2006 INDEX of WRITINGS IN THE FIELD OF AMERICAN LUTHERANISM Compiled by Journals Reviewed Archives Advocate Dr. James W. Albers, Canadian Lutheran http://www.lutheranchurch-canada.ca/can/luth/ Mr. John N. Dickmeyer and Church History http://www.churchhistory.org/journal Rev. Robert E. Smith Consensus: A Canadian Lutheran Journal of Theology Concordia Historical Institute Quarterly This is the latest installment of the bibliography of items related Concordia Journal http://www.csl.edu/Publications.htm to the history of Lutheranism in Concordia Student Journal America. It covers items pub- lished in the calendar year 2006 Concordia Theological Quarterly http://www.ctsfw.edu/ctq and items from prior years which Cresset http://www.valpo.edu/cresset/ were missed in previous indexes. The 2006 and previous bibliogra- Currents in Theology and Mission phies are also available on the http://www.lstc.edu/resources/publications.currents/ LHC Web Page: Dialog http://luthhist.org. Faith and Fellowship Faith-Life As in previous years, we once again appeal to LHC members First Things for help in compiling next year’s For the Record: The Newsletter of the Canadian Lutheran Historical Association index. Although the tools of mod- Forward in Christ: Northwestern Lutheran http://www.wels.net/sab/nl-page.html ern library research are excellent, such as searching World Cat, JEPD such searches are not, nor are Journal of the New England Lutheran Historical Society they likely to become, exhaus- tive. Please send us citations of Logia your own work as well as those Lutheran Ambassador of your colleagues. We are espe- cially interested in local, private Lutheran Education and unindexed theses of note. Lutheran Forum Send relevant citations to: Lutheran Partners The Rev. Robert E. Smith Lutheran Quarterly http://www.lutheranquarterly.com Concordia Theol. Seminary Lutheran Synod Quarterly http://www.blts.edu/Publications/publctn.html 6600 N. Clinton St. Lutheran Witness http://www.lcms.org/witness/ Fort Wayne, IN 46825 FAX: 260-452-2126 Missio Apostolica http://www.lsfmissiology.org/MissioApostolica.htm [email protected] Seminary Ridge Review http://www.ltsg.edu/srr/index.htm Theologia (Mequon, Wis.) http://www.wlstheologia.net The Periodical: Lutheran Historical Society of Eastern Pennsylvania Trinity Seminary Review WELS Historical Institute Journal Wisconsin Lutheran Quarterly http://www.wls.net/Publications/WLQ/wlqindex.htm Word and World http://www.luthersem.edu/word&world/authorindex.shtm Page 4 LHC Newsletter, February 2007 2006 INDEX of WRITINGS IN THE FIELD OF AMERICAN LUTHERANISM Articles St.

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