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March 2013 The Georg Volume 10, Issue 1 Sverdrup Society NEWSLETTER 2012 GSS Annual Meeting Honors Dr. James S. Hamre The Ninth Annual Meeting of member at AFLC Schools, led In This Issue: the Georg Sverdrup Society the “Sverdrup Songfest,” in- was held October 13, 2012, at cluding “Jeg har en ven” (“I the Radisson Hotel in Fargo, Have a Friend”) and “Den 2012 GSS Annual 1 North Dakota, the site of the Himmelske Lovsang” (“The Meeting Honors Hamre Georg Sverdrup Society’s Heavenly Hymn”). The latter “Sven Oftedal” Study 1 organization in December came to Madagascar with Choice for 2013 2003. The first annual meet- Norwegian missionaries and ing was also held there in is still sung by Malagasy car- “Sverdrup and 3 Controversy October 2004. olers each Easter Sunday Discussion Forum This year’s program was morning at sunrise. After the organized as a tribute to Dr. audience had sung a verse in Photos 4 James S. Hamre, an inspira- Norwegian, Pastor Lee asked Dr. James S. Hamre (left) tion and guide to the society Mrs. Karen Knudsvig, who receives a plaque from GSS “It Is Finished” 4 for the past decade. Rev. served on the mission field in Pres. Loiell Dyrud, “For a Life- Translation Terry Olson of Grand Forks, Madagascar, to sing a verse in time Devoted to Preserving the Legacy of Georg Sverdrup” at North Dakota, gave the Invo- Malagasy. It was a reminder cation. to everyone of Sverdrup’s the Annual Meeting in Fargo. Rev. Robert Lee, faculty (continued on page 2) “Sven Oftedal” Choice for Study in 2013 Georg Sverdrup Georg Sverdrup and Sven Prof. Oftedal taught Oftedal were lifelong church history and perhaps Born to Pastor Harold friends—inseparable during New Testament, as he could Ulrich Sverdrup and their tenure at Augsburg Sem- preach in Greek. his wife Caroline inary and collaborators in the Soon he prevailed on his Metella, nee Suur, founding of the Lutheran Free friend Georg Sverdrup to at Balestrand, Church. Their friendship be- join him at Augsburg, and Sogn, Norway, on December 16, 1848. gan years before coming to Sverdrup arrived in 1874. America, as N. N. Rønning Oftedal was an adherent of Died on May 3, 1907, explains: “I remember Oftedal the “new school,” promot- in Minneapolis, MN, telling me that he and philosophy, and theology in ing the concept that “the and buried in the ‘Georg’ [Sverdrup] had dis- Norway and on the continent. individual congregation is Lakewood Cemetery. cussed their common aims He arrived at Augsburg on ‘the church,’ and should act and plans in Paris while November 4, 1873, at age 29. with other congregations for 1 cracking nuts.” The young school had 30 common purposes only, and Born in 1844 in Stavang- students and had recently reserve to itself control re- er, Oftedal studied languages, moved from Wisconsin. (continued on page 2) NEWSLETTER Volume 10, Issue 1 Page 2 Annual Meeting Honors “Sven Oftedal” Dr. James S. Hamre (cont.) (cont.) interest in missions and particularly Sverdrup—Presented by the Georg specting questions pertaining to the his devotion to the early Madagascar Sverdrup Society October 13, 2012.” administration of its own affairs and those mission. In response, Dr. Hamre shared also bearing upon ‘purity of doctrine,’ as these words are understood among theolo- Rev. Martin Horn of Kenyon, how, as an undergraduate at Augs- 2 Minnesota, past president of the GSS, burg College, he had crossed the riv- gians.” and Dr. Francis Monseth, Dean of er to the University of Minnesota Oftedal began publication of the Nor- Association Free Lutheran Seminary, campus one Saturday. There in a wegian language paper Folkebladet (“The spoke in tribute to Dr. Hamre. used bookstore he discovered a six- People’s Paper”) to pay the debts of Pastor Horn told how his father, a volume set written by a man named Augsburg Seminary. Later he was instru- Norwegian immigrant, loved “Georg Sverdrup,” a name he recog- mental in keeping the school out of the Sverdrup’s work greatly and translat- nized from the Augsburg campus. He United [Lutheran] Church. ed articles from Samlede Skrifte i bought the set for $1.00, and “The Rev. H. C. Caspersen, who studied Udvalg. Horn also shared that after rest is history.” It became the source under both men, said that Oftedal “was seminary he discovered Dr. Hamre’s for his PhD dissertation, several arti- the equal of his colleague [Sverdrup]” in dissertation on Sverdrup and was cles, and a biography—the basis of learning, “but his temperament was of a captivated by Sverdrup’s views on much of his academic work for the more practical bent. He reminds one very the congregation, explained in rest of his life. He thanked the society much of Luther.” He described Oftedal as Hamre’s 150 pages of translations. for continuing to keep the work of a larger man than Sverdrup physically and Through the years, Horn has actively Georg Sverdrup alive. wrote that “as a speaker he was perhaps in his best years without a peer among Nor- shared Hamre’s work with others, Rev. Dennis Gray, Newfolden, 3 finally resulting in the organization Minnesota, closed the program with wegian-Americans.” of the GSS. Horn cited the value of the benediction. Both Oftedal and Sverdrup were on Hamre’s articles about Sverdrup, After a break, the 2012 GSS An- the committee that drafted the especially his 1986 biography Georg nual Meeting began. Treasurer and “Fundamental Principles” of the Lutheran Sverdrup: Educator, Theologian, Membership Secretary Kris Nyman Free Church. Churchman. stated that we have 103 active mem- Each evening Oftedal would come to Dr. Monseth shared how im- bers and nine institutional members. Sverdrup’s home on the Augsburg cam- portant Hamre’s work was to him Items discussed included a critique of pus at 9:00. The men would fellowship while studying at Concordia Semi- The Sverdrup Journal and promotion together, and promptly at 10:00 Oftedal nary in St. Louis. There in the 1970s of the GSS. An attempt is being made would leave, knowing that his friend he had discovered Hamre’s disserta- to make the journal available online. wished to retire at that time. tion on microfilm in the library and Suggested topics for 2013 were At Sverdrup’s funeral, Oftedal said as spent hours reading, studying, and “Sven Oftedal,” “Sverdrup and he laid a memorial wreath on his coffin, “ . thou soul of my soul, thou spirit of taking notes on “Georg Sverdrup’s Grace,” and “Sverdrup and Ecumen- 4 Concept of the Role and Calling of ism.” The final decision was deferred my spirit, half of my life, my last friend.” the Norwegian-American Lutherans: to the board. Members elected to two —Raynard O. J. Huglen An Annotated Translation of Selected -year terms on the board were Mr. Writings.” (This dissertation can now Loiell Dyrud, Rev. Wesley Langaas, be accessed online, georgsverdrupso- Rev. Stephen Mundfrom, and Rev. NOTES ciety.org.) Monseth said that through Kris Nyman. 1N. N. Rønning, Fifty Years in America work like Hamre’s, Sverdrup remains The board met briefly after the (Minneapolis: The Friend Publishing accessible and vital to understanding annual meeting and reorganized with Company, 1938), 147. and perpetuating the principles and Loiell Dyrud elected President; Steve practices of the Lutheran Free Mundfrom, Vice President; Tim Lar- 2Sven Oftedal, “Affadavit,” in Augsburg Church. son, Secretary; and Kris Nyman, Seminary and the Lutheran Free Church, Loiell Dyrud, President of the Treasurer/Membership Secretary. ed. L. Lillehei (Minneapolis: 1928), 81. GSS, presented Dr. Hamre with a The date and meeting place for the 3 plaque featuring an engraved picture 2013 GSS Annual Meeting was set H. C. Casperson, “Augsburg Seminary,” of Georg Sverdrup and the inscrip- for Saturday, October 5, in Minneap- in Augsburg Seminary and the Lutheran tion: “In Recognition of Dr. James S. olis. The board later chose “Sven Free Church, ed. L. Lillehei, Hamre for a Lifetime Devoted to Pre- Oftedal” as the 2013 topic for study. (Minneapolis: 1928), 49-50. serving the Legacy of Georg 4Rønning, 147. NEWSLETTER Volume 10, Issue 1 Page 3 “Sverdrup and Controversy” Discussion Forum Held The Georg Sverdrup Society Know Who Are the Believ- “living” if it includes unbe- Dr. Monseth closed the held its seventh annual Semi- ers?” lievers in its membership. event with prayer. Lunch nary Discussion Forum on Two papers were present- Ultimately, it came down to and fellowship followed. February 1 at the Hauge ed: “Sverdrup and the Mis- this: “Can We Know Who Papers and translations Chapel on Medicine Lake, sourians” by Dr. Francis Are the Believers?” Can they shared at this forum will be Plymouth, Minnesota. About Monseth; and “The Free Con- be identified? Many pastors published later this spring in 50 people were in attendance. gregation and the ‘Pure’ Con- agreed that Sverdrup and the 2012 Georg Sverdrup Throughout his lifetime in gregation,” written by Rev. Oftedal were correct to work Journal. America, Georg Sverdrup was Stephen Mundfrom and pre- for the living congregation, —Loiell Dyrud involved in theological con- sented by Rev. Terry Olson in but some, like Rev. K. O. troversies. Church historians his absence. Lundeberg, believed that a note that the last half of the In “Sverdrup and the Mis- living congregation could 19th century was noted for sourians,” Dr. Monseth ex- only come about if its mem- “theological warfare” among plained how the Norwegian bership was limited to true Norwegian Lutheran theologi- Synod, the largest Norwegian believers. Sverdrup, on the ans in America. Shortly after Lutheran group in America at other hand, believed that only his arrival in America in the time, sent most of its pas- God, not man, is able to 1874, Sverdrup entered the toral candidates to Concordia, know who the “true believ- fray.