Frankean Synod
Encyclopedia
The Frankean Synod was a Lutheran church body in North America in the 19th century.
The Synod was formed by Lutheran pastors in New York
who were dissatisfied with their church's position on slavery in 1837. The Synod was named in memory of the Pietist leader of the Foundation at the University of Halle, August Hermann Francke
.
The Frankean Synod was noted for its socially progressive views: it was strongly abolitionist, pro-temperance
, and pacificist. The Frankean Synod also ordained the first black Lutheran pastor, Daniel Payne
, who later became a bishop of the African Methodist Episcopal Church
and the president of Wilberforce University
.
The Synod also was known for its indifference to the Lutheran Confessions, and lack of emphasis on Lutheran identity. It was the admission of the Frankean Synod into the General Synod
in 1864 that caused the Pennsylvania Ministerium
to withdraw from that organization and form the General Council
.
Along with the other churches of the General Synod, the Frankean Synod ceased to exist when the General Synod, General Council, and the General Synod-South merged to form the United Lutheran Church in America
, a predecessor of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
.
The Synod was formed by Lutheran pastors in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
who were dissatisfied with their church's position on slavery in 1837. The Synod was named in memory of the Pietist leader of the Foundation at the University of Halle, August Hermann Francke
August Hermann Francke
August Hermann Francke was a German Lutheran churchman.-Biography:Born at the German city Lübeck, Francke was educated at the gymnasium in Gotha before he studied at the universities of Erfurt and Kiel - where he came under the influence of the pietist Christian Kortholt - and finally Leipzig...
.
The Frankean Synod was noted for its socially progressive views: it was strongly abolitionist, pro-temperance
Temperance movement
A temperance movement is a social movement urging reduced use of alcoholic beverages. Temperance movements may criticize excessive alcohol use, promote complete abstinence , or pressure the government to enact anti-alcohol legislation or complete prohibition of alcohol.-Temperance movement by...
, and pacificist. The Frankean Synod also ordained the first black Lutheran pastor, Daniel Payne
Daniel Payne
Daniel Alexander Payne was an American bishop, educator, college administrator and author. He became a bishop in the African Methodist Episcopal Church and was a major shaper of it in the 19th century. He was one of the founders of Wilberforce University in Ohio...
, who later became a bishop of the African Methodist Episcopal Church
African Methodist Episcopal Church
The African Methodist Episcopal Church, usually called the A.M.E. Church, is a predominantly African American Methodist denomination based in the United States. It was founded by the Rev. Richard Allen in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in 1816 from several black Methodist congregations in the...
and the president of Wilberforce University
Wilberforce University
Wilberforce University is a private, coed, liberal arts historically black university located in Wilberforce, Ohio. Affiliated with the African Methodist Episcopal Church, it was the first college to be owned and operated by African Americans...
.
The Synod also was known for its indifference to the Lutheran Confessions, and lack of emphasis on Lutheran identity. It was the admission of the Frankean Synod into the General Synod
General Synod (Lutheran)
The General Synod was an association of Lutheran church bodies in America....
in 1864 that caused the Pennsylvania Ministerium
Pennsylvania Ministerium
The Pennsylvania Ministerium was the first Lutheran church body in North America. With the encouragement of Henry Melchior Muhlenberg, the Ministerium was founded at a meeting of German-American Lutheran clergy on August 26, 1748...
to withdraw from that organization and form the General Council
General Council (Lutheran)
The General Council of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in North America was a conservative Lutheran church body, formed as a reaction against the new "Americanized Lutheranism" of Samuel Simon Schmucker and the General Synod....
.
Along with the other churches of the General Synod, the Frankean Synod ceased to exist when the General Synod, General Council, and the General Synod-South merged to form the United Lutheran Church in America
United Lutheran Church in America
The United Lutheran Church in America was established in 1918 with the merger of three independent German-language synods: the General Synod , the General Council and the United Synod of the South . The Slovak Zion Synod joined the United Lutheran Church in America in 1920...
, a predecessor of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America is a mainline Protestant denomination headquartered in Chicago, Illinois. The ELCA officially came into existence on January 1, 1988, by the merging of three churches. As of December 31, 2009, it had 4,543,037 baptized members, with 2,527,941 of them...
.
Sources
- Wolf, Edmund Jacob. The Lutherans in America; a story of struggle, progress, influence and marvelous growth (New York: J.A. Hill. 1889)
- Bente, F. American Lutheranism Volume II (St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House. 1919)
- Nichol, Todd W. All These Lutherans (Minneapolis: Augsburg Publishers. 1986)