This Month In Lutheran History

[Monthly Index]

January 1

1855 - C.F.W. Walther published the first edition of Lehre und Wehre, a monthly journal for pastors.

January 2

1872 - Wilhelm Loehe died. Loehe was responsible for sending the missionaries to America who became the founders of the Missouri and Iowa synods.

January 3

1521 - Pope Leo X excommunicated Martin Luther for challenging abuses within the church.

January 4

1874 - Concordia Theological Seminary, Springfield, Illinois, was dedicated.

January 5

1839 - The ship Johann Georg carrying some of the Saxon Immigrants arrived in New Orleans.

January 6

1857 - The first Missouri Synod baptisms in New Guinea were performed.

January 7

1590 - Jakob Andreae died. Andreae was responsible for introducing Lutheranism to much of Germany.

January 8

1920 - J.A.O. Preus II was born. Preus was the president of the Missouri Synod from 1969 to 1981.

January 9

1523 - In a letter written on this day, Martin Luther stated: "It is unchristian, even unnatural, to derive benefit and protection from the community and not also to share in the common burden and expense; to let other people work but to harvest the fruit of their labors."

January 10

1934 - The first native Chinese pastor of the Missouri Synod was ordained.

January 11

1950 - Walter A. Maier died. Maier was the first host of the Lutheran Hour radio program.

January 12

1839 - The ship Republik carrying some of the Saxon Immigrants arrived in New Orleans.

January 13

1501 - The world's first hymnbook printed in the vernacular of the people, containing 89 hymns in the Czech language, was published in Prague for the Hussites of Bohemia.

January 14

1839 - Leaders of the Saxon Immigration on board the ship Olbers in the Gulf of Mexico signed "Investiture" document naming Martin Stephan "Bishop"

January 15

1520 - Pope Leo X issued a papal bull threatening Luther with excommunication if he would not recant his writings within sixty days.

January 16

1545 - Georg Spalatin died. Spalatin was a trusted advisor to Frederick the Wise, elector of Saxony, and served as a liaison between Frederick and his subject Martin Luther.

January 17

1463 - Frederick the Wise was born. Frederick was the elector of Saxony and Martin Luther's secular prince; it was Frederick's sense of justice that led him to protect Luther from persecution.

January 18

1562 - The Council of Trent reconvened after a ten-year suspension. The council was called by the papacy to deal with the Reformation and renewal in the Church.

January 19

1958 - The first Lutheran service in Cardiff, Wales, United Kingdom, was performed.

January 20

1518 - John Tetzel published his Countertheses, an attack on Luther's Ninety-five Theses.

January 21

1914 - The American Lutheran Publicity Bureau was organized.

January 22

1858 - G. Frederick Bente was born. Bente was president of the LCMS's Canada District and professor at Concordia Seminary, St. Louis.

January 23

1956 - The Philippine Lutheran Church began its organizational meeting.

January 24

1535 - Martin Luther published his commentary on the Book of Galatians.

January 25

1861 - C.F.W. Walther wrote: "Only the concept of the church as a fellowship, assembled in the Spirit of those who are born again and renewed, corresponds to the nature of living Christianity, whereas the mechanical concept of the church as a fellowship of the orthodox, whether converted or unconverted, will necessarily lead to a dead Christianity."

January 26

1564 - The Council of Trent released its conclusions in the Tridentinum making a clear distinction between Catholicism and Protestantism.

January 28

1521 - The Diet of Worms began. The diet was convened to question Martin Luther on his writings.

January 29

1499 - Katharine von Bora was born. Bora was a Catholic nun who escaped her convent and married Martin Luther.

January 30

1930 - The Missouri Synod began its mission work in Rio de Janiero, Brazil.

January 31

1949 - The Lutheran seminary in Obot Idim, Nigeria, opened.

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(Used by permission)

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