Justus Falckner

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Justus Falckner (born November 22, 1672 in Langenreinsdorf near Crimmitschau in Saxony , † September 21, 1723 in Newburgh , New York ) was an early American Lutheran clergyman and the first Lutheran pastor to be ordained in what is now the United States of America .

Falckner's published work includes "Grondlycke Onderricht", which was first published in 1708 in Dutch. This was the first Lutheran catechism to appear in North America.

The calendar of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America commemorates Falckner on November 24th , together with Jehu Jones and William Alfred Passavant .

background

Falckner was the fourth son of Daniel Falckner, a Lutheran pastor in Langenreinsdorf. In 1693 he enrolled at the University of Halle , where he studied theology under August Hermann Francke . He graduated but decided that he wasn't really prepared for a spiritual career. He went to Rotterdam , where he and his brother Daniel accepted the authority to sell the land of William Penn in Pennsylvania .

Career

The Gloria Dei Church in Philadelphia

In 1701 10,000 acres (40 km²) of land on Manatawny Creek was sold to Swedish Lutheran pastor Andreas Rudman and other Swedish settlers. After working with Pastor Rudman, Falckner reconsidered embarking on a spiritual career. He was ordained on November 24, 1703 at the Gloria Dei Church, the Swedish Lutheran Church in Wicaco, today South Philadelphia by Andreas Rudman with the assistance of Eric Björk and Andreas Sandel . He performed his first pastoral duties for the settlers on Manatawny Creek in New Hanover Township in Pennsylvania . On February 23, 1704, King Charles XII. issued an order from Sweden that formally confirmed Andreas Rudman as superintendent of the Swedish Lutheran Church in America. Shortly thereafter, Falckner was reassigned by Rudman to pastor the Dutch Lutheran congregations in Manhattan , Albany in New York, and Hackensack , New Jersey. He learned the Dutch language and also preached in English and later in German after succeeding Joshua Kocherthal as minister for German Lutheran immigrants. In 1714 Falckner led the establishment of the Evangelical Lutheran Zion Church Congregation in Oldwick, the oldest Lutheran congregation in New Jersey . He temporarily served 14 wards in the Hudson River valley.

Falckner apparently believed that music was a very important part of missionary work. He wrote to Germany asking for an organ that he hoped would convert more Native Americans . Falckner wrote hymns like Auf! you Christians, members of Christ ; he composed this song during his studies at the University of Halle in 1697.

Private life

Justus Falckner married Gerritje Hardick in 1717. Three children were born to the couple: Anna Catharina (1718), Sara Justa (1720) and Benedictus (1723). Justus Falckner died in Orange County, New York in 1723 .

literature

  • C. Goedel: Justus Falckner: A memorial sheet for November 24, 1903 , Philadelphia, Pa.? 1903?
  • Julius Friedrich Sachse: Justis Falckner, Mystic and Scholar, Devout Pietist in Germany . (Philadelphia: Printed for the author. 1903)
  • Delber Wallace Clark: The World of Justus Falckner , Philadelphia, Pa., Muhlenberg Press 1946
  • Harry Julius Kreider; Evangelical Lutheran Synod of New York and New England: A service of thanksgiving and praise in commemoration of the two hundred and fiftieth anniversary of the ordination of Justus Falckner , New Haven, Yale U. Pr.? 1953
  • Kim-Eric Williams: The Journey of Justus Falckner. 1672-1723. (Delhi, New York: American Lutheran Publicity Bureau. 2003, ISBN 978-1-892921-05-5 )
  • Martin Kessler: Fundamental Instruction: Justus Falckner's Catechism. The First Lutheran Catechism Written and Published in North America AD 1708 (Delhi, New York: American Lutheran Publicity Bureau. 2003, ISBN 978-1-892921-04-8 )
  • Andreas Mielke, Sandra Yelton:  Falckner, Justus. In: Biographisch-Bibliographisches Kirchenlexikon (BBKL). Volume 32, Bautz, Nordhausen 2011, ISBN 978-3-88309-615-5 , Sp. 377-388.  ( Article / beginning of article in Internet archive  on 2007-06-30)

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ^ New edition in English: Justus Falckner and Martin Kessler: Fundamental instruction , Delhi, NY, ALPB Books 2003, 112 pp., ISBN 1-892921-04-9
  2. ↑ Justus Falckner Ordination Tercentenary ( Memento of November 2, 2010 in the Internet Archive ), The Swedish Colonial Society, November 23, 2003
  3. ^ Dan Graves: Justus Falckner 1st Lutheran Ordained in America. In: Christianity.com. Retrieved April 1, 2016 .
  4. ^ Bente, F. American Lutheranism, Volume I St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House. 1919, 25.
  5. ↑ Justus Falckner Biography ( Memento from April 27, 2016 in the Internet Archive ), Cyber ​​Hymnal
  6. ^ Bente, F. American Lutheranism, Volume I St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House. 1919, p. 32.
  7. ^ Alfred J. Nicolosi: Tercentenary of Justus Falckner's Ordination Celebrated at Philadelphia Cathedral. (PDF) In: Swedish Colonial News. 2003, pp. 6-7 , archived from the original on February 22, 2012 ; Retrieved May 10, 2013 .
  8. ^ Zion Lutheran Church - History. In: zionoldwick.com. Retrieved May 10, 2013 .
  9. ↑ Falckner, Justus, 1672-1723. Evangelical Lutheran Hymnary Handbook— Biographies and Sources, accessed April 1, 2016 .
  10. ^ Dave Pane-Joyce: Family of Gerritje Hardick & Rev. Justus Falckner. This Pane-Joyce Report, August 2015, accessed April 1, 2016 .
personal data
SURNAME Falckner, Justus
BRIEF DESCRIPTION first Lutheran pastor ordained in America
DATE OF BIRTH November 22, 1672
PLACE OF BIRTH Langenreinsdorf , Crimmitschau , Saxony
DATE OF DEATH September 1723
Place of death Newburgh , New York