THE GEORG SVERDRUP The Georg Sverdrup Society was organized in December 2003 and is open to any- September 2011 SOCIETY NEWSLETTER one interested in the life and work of noted Norwegian-American theologian Georg P. O. Box 400 Sverdrup (1848-1907). The society is registered in the State of Minnesota as a 501 The Georg Volume 8, Issue 2 Beulah, ND 58523-0400 (C)(3) nonprofit corporation. Its activities, which are guided by a seven-member www.georgsverdrupsociety.org board of directors, include: Sverdrup Society Promoting the study and understanding of the New Testament congregation as understood and explained by Georg Sverdrup; Endeavoring to advance the ideal of “free and living congregations” as envi- sioned by Sverdrup; NEWSLETTER Ordet Blev Kjød Seeking to foster further translation of Sverdrup’s writings into English; (The Word Became Flesh) Encouraging the study and application of the “Fundamental Principles” and Eighth Annual Meeting to be Held October 8 “Rules for Work” as used in the Lutheran Free Church and as continuing to be used in the Association of Free Lutheran Congregations; The Georg Sverdrup Society appeared in the April 5, 1911, Hans Nielsen Hauge. Enlarging the interest in Sverdrup’s works by organizing discussion groups and In this Issue: will hold its eighth annual Folkebladet. The AFLTS Seminary Directors providing speakers on request; meeting in the Hauge Chapel The main speaker for the Chorus will sing for the on the AFLC Schools cam- event will be Rev. Robert Lee Loiell Dyrud, President Eighth Annual Meeting 1 meeting. Mrs. Marian Steven Mundfrom, Vice-President Operating a Sverdrup Society website linked to <www.aflc.org> for members October 8 pus, 3120 E. Medicine Lake on the topic of “Georg Christopherson, AFLC Marian Christopherson, Secretary of the Society and others interested in the life and work of Georg Sverdrup; Blvd., Minneapolis, MN, on Sverdrup vs. Gisle Johnson— Director of Publications and Kris Nyman, Treasurer and Centennial of Oftedal’s 1 Saturday, Octoer 8. Lunch Lay Preaching and the Parish Education, will again Passing Membership Secretary Maintaining a current bibliography of Sverdrup’s translated work as well as a will begin at 12:00 p.m., fol- Augsburg Confession.” The lead us in a “Sverdrup Song- Larry Walker, Editor current bibliography of materials written about him; “Prof. Sven Oftedal 2 lowed by the program at 1:00 Sverdrup Society’s topic for fest,” and Rev. Kris Nyman Micah Hjermstad Has Gone Home” and the annual business meet- discussion this year is will be reading a recent ing at 2:30. “Sverdrup and Lay Activity,” translation on lay activity Craig Johnson Publishing a newsletter for members that provides information on the Society’s Aims and Activities of 4 Because 2011 marks the and Pastor Lee’s presentation from Sverdrup’s Samlede activities as well as general information about Georg Sverdrup; the Society th Prospective members are invited to 100 anniversary of the death should shed light on one of Skrifte i Udvalg. contact the Membership Secretary at And encouraging research and study of Sverdrup’s life and work by publishing of Sven Oftedal, co-founder the hotly debated topics of To help us get an accurate of the Lutheran Free Church, Sverdrup’s day—should lay the above address. an annual Sverdrup Journal. count for the luncheon, please the program will include Rev. preachers be allowed to notify Loiell Dyrud by Raynard Huglen reading his preach in Lutheran pulpits? September 30 at email translation of “Professor This topic had been an issue [email protected] or phone “Prof. Sven Oftedal Has Gone Home” (cont.) Oftedal’s Funeral” which dating back to the days of 218-681-6964. language, though modern Greek spe- Greek motherland. At that time he also * * * cifically, and made two trips to Greece endorsed the cause of the oppressed. The This is a short summary of this in order to study the language, the Greek colony has declared that his death is man’s life and history. It offers, how- Centennial of Oftedal’s Passing history, and culture of the country, the loss, not only of a good friend and ever, only a feeble outline of his turbu- especially with regard to the New Tes- adviser, but also of a father, and they have lent, active life. The work that he was The year 2011 marks the Oftedal’s death on March tament. (The results of this work, sent notice of his death to the Greek able to carry on for our people here in Georg Sverdrup 100th anniversary of the death 30, 1911, both the men who which he began with unabated perse- National Alliance in Athens, of which he this land, the mark he has left, the con- Born to Pastor Harold of Lutheran Free Church co- had guided Augsburg Semi- verance and strength after returning was a member. tribution he has made to the develop- Ulrich Sverdrup and founder Sven Oftedal. Ofte- nary for thirty years and the from Greece, is not, so far as we Likewise, on the recommendation of ment of the Norwegian-American his wife Caroline dal, together with his friend Lutheran Free Church for know, yet available.) the Norwegian government and the king of church, will be better told by history Metella, nee Suur, Georg Sverdrup, founded the fourteen years were gone. Through this work Oftedal became Norway, he was awarded the Order of St. than we can just now as has laid down at Balestrand, LFC in 1897. Both men had To mark the centennial intimate with the Greeks, both in Olaf by Bishop Bang during his visit to his day’s labor. It is certain that his Sogn, Norway, on come from Norway to teach at of his passing, we devote Greece and in the Twin Cities Greek America as the delegate of the Nordman’s great leadership, as well as his work December 16, 1848. Augsburg Seminary, Oftedal the rest of this issue to an colony. He delivered several speeches Alliance on May 17, 1908. and the steadfast sense of purpose he in 1873 and Sverdrup in 1874. article that appeared in in Greek to Greek gatherings here in Prof. Oftedal is survived by his wife, pursued, will be etched in sharp lines in Died on May 3, 1907, in Minneapolis, MN, Theirs was a powerful and Folkebladet shortly after his the city, attended their meetings, and Marie (Gjertsen), daughter Karoline, and history’s pages, and he will be judged, dynamic friendship. They death. This article provides not long ago participated in and ad- sons, Pastor Asmund, Rochester, Minne- by each person who is able and willing and buried in the Lakewood Cemetery complemented each other— Augsburg and the Lutheran a brief sketch of Oftedal’s dressed a mass meeting, formulating sota; Sven, Jr.; and George, Minneapolis. to judge impartially and without preju- Sverdrup the brilliant thinker life and appears on the fol- an appeal to the American people for His brother, Pastor Gustav Oftedal, also dice, as one of the greatest church pio- Free Church. and writer and Oftedal the Older than Sverdrup by lowing pages in a transla- the people of Crete, who desire free- lives in Minneapolis, while a sister, Mrs. neers of this country, and a founder and great promoter and orator. tion by Raynard Huglen. dom from Turkish oppression, and Maren Wettland, resides in Portland, pioneer of the free church work. four years, Oftedal also out- Together they were the lived him by four years. With liberation through association with the Oregon. formidable force behind Folkebladet, April 5, 1911 NEWSLETTER Volume 8, Issue 2 NEWSLETTER Volume 8, Issue 2 Page 2 Page 3 “Prof. Sven Oftedal Has Gone Home” (cont.) “Prof. Sven Oftedal Has Gone Home” Oftedal and Sverdrup as edi- then and later, taken part in credit that Scandinavian lit- Translated by Raynard Huglen tors, while Oftedal managed the mission work that congre- erature, especially that of the finances. Up to the end, he gation carried out through Norway, has been as well Prof. Sven Oftedal passed away at school where his father was a of “The Open Declaration” in was connected with the paper, establishing congregations in represented in the library as it the Norwegian Deaconess Hospital teacher, and graduated from it in January 1874. Professor [August] always one of its directors and other parts of the city. has. Over the years he has last Thursday afternoon at 3:10, 1862. The same year he took his Weenaas, the president of most often the chairman, and Besides this many-faceted been an active leader, and a following bladder surgery in the examination for the Bachelor of Arts Augsburg Seminary, had co- was one of the paper’s most work for the school and other force in the city’s daily life. morning. The operation ended a little degree in Christiania [later Oslo], and authored the Declaration with him, faithful contributors. concerns, he played his part in Prof. Oftedal was also one before noon and he seemed to have the year after he took his examination but later withdrew his name. When the Conference, in the teaching and leadership of of the pioneers in abstinence come through it well, but he never at the same place. Professor Oftedal had no retrac- 1880, decided to set its in- the school and in its develop- work. In the establishment regained full consciousness beyond, Then he travelled for several tions to make, then or later. He gathering for the school at ment and progress. He was a and organization of the South when his daughter Karoline asked years, especially in southern Europe had, as he once expressed it, come $50,000, it was Prof.