St. Paul Lutheran Church of New Orleans: The First 80 Years 1840-1920
Reseña del libro "St. Paul Lutheran Church of New Orleans: The First 80 Years 1840-1920"
This publication revisits the first 80 years of St. Paul Lutheran Church, exploring the congregation's formative years in Faubourg Marigny, New Orleans. Between 1840 and 1920, the members of St. Paul endured a turbulent history of fires, language disputes, epidemics, Civil War, hurricanes, doctrinal confusion, and World War I. Yet, 80 years after its founding by German immigrants, St. Paul continued to display the energy and vitality that would distinguish it for another century. Hundreds were baptized at the ancient German-era font still in use today. Celebrating thousands of baptisms, confirmations, and marriages, their lives remained focused on the religious values and social responsibilities of this remarkable church family. St. Paul survives to this day at the corner of Port and Burgundy Streets, having found sustenance for 180 years through capable leadership, inclusive fellowship, and the inestimable bonds of love and faith. The first 50 years, 1840-1890, are recorded here by republishing Rev. G. J. Wegener's history of the congregation, Geschichte der St. Paulus Gemeinde, with its original illustrations, published in 1890. Wegener's original work is further illustrated with additional archival documents and photographs. The years 1890 through 1920, capture St. Paul's emergence into the 20th century. This period is explored through the subsequent writings and recollections of Pastor Wegener and his family, with additional details gleaned from the archives of St. Paul. The memoirs of fellow clergy, school teachers, and congregational members, create a multifaceted portrait of a congregation as a work in progress. There are also parallel historical accounts written by various church historians in order to bring a more balanced perspective to the narrative. This book reveals details about St. Paul's early pastors and teachers by way of synodical sources, family photographs, personal memoirs, and private letters, creating brief biographical portraits of the pioneering German theologians and educators who introduced Evangelical Protestantism, as well as the beginnings of Lutheranism, to New Orleans. The St. Paul archives include a vintage collection of individual confirmation portraits featuring the ancestors of many current and former St. Paul families. Their inclusion here places a human face on the historical record. They have not been seen in decades and many of them are published here for the first time. This is the beginning; an exploration of the human drama and doctrinal confusion, so evident during St. Paul's emergence in the mid-19th century. Here is also an encouraging portrait of a Lutheran congregation, blessed with steadfast leadership, determined to navigate its way into the 20th century and beyond. Kevin J. Bozant has revisited the historical writings and archives of his great-grandfather, Rev. G. J. Wegener, resulting in the following publications: Rev. G. J. Wegener: His Life and Ministry in New Orleans, St. Paul Lutheran Church of New Orleans: The First 80 Years 1840-1920, and Bethlehem Orphan Home: New Orleans Refuge.
