Fredrik A. Schiotz
Encyclopedia
Rev. Dr. Fredrik Axel Schiotz (15 June 1901 – 25 February 1989) was an American
Lutheran Church leader, president of the Evangelical Lutheran Church
, President of the Lutheran World Federation
and Presiding Bishop of The American Lutheran Church
.
. He graduated from St. Olaf College
in Northfield, Minnesota
(class of 1924) and earned a master's degree at Luther Theological Seminary in Saint Paul, Minnesota
.
In 1954 Schiotz was elected president of the historically Norwegian-American Evangelical Lutheran Church
. In 1960, the Evangelical Lutheran Church along with the United Evangelical Lutheran Church
and American Lutheran Church merged to form The American Lutheran Church. Schiotz was elected president of the new body and served as the church's president until the end of 1970. He was the president of the Lutheran World Federation
from 1963 to 1970 and the central committee of World Council of Churches
from 1961 to 1971.
During the 450th anniversary of the Reformation
, he stated that in the past, commemorations were viewed almost as a triumph, and that the Reformation should be celebrated as a thanksgiving to God, his truth and his renewed life. He welcomed the announcement of Pope Paul VI to celebrate the 1900th anniversary of the death of the Apostle Peter and Apostle Paul, and promised the participation and cooperation in the festivities.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Lutheran Church leader, president of the Evangelical Lutheran Church
Evangelical Lutheran Church (United States)
The Evangelical Lutheran Church or ELC was formed in 1917 as the Norwegian Lutheran Church of America .-Background:The Norwegian Lutheran Church of America was formed by merger of the Hauge Synod , the Norwegian Synod , and the United Norwegian Lutheran Church of America...
, President of the Lutheran World Federation
Lutheran World Federation
The Lutheran World Federation is a global communion of national and regional Lutheran churches headquartered in the Ecumenical Centre in Geneva, Switzerland. The federation was founded in the Swedish city of Lund in the aftermath of the Second World War in 1947 to coordinate the activities of the...
and Presiding Bishop of The American Lutheran Church
American Lutheran Church
The American Lutheran Church was a Christian Protestant denomination in the United States that existed from 1960 to 1987. Its headquarters was in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Upon its formation in 1960, the ALC designated Augsburg Publishing House , also located in Minneapolis, as the church publisher...
.
Biography
Fredrik Axel Schiotz was born in Chicago, Illinois. Both his father, Jacob Schiotz, and his mother, Stina Akerholt, had been immigrants from NorwayNorway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
. He graduated from St. Olaf College
St. Olaf College
St. Olaf College is a coeducational, residential, four-year, private liberal arts college in Northfield, Minnesota, United States. It was founded in 1874 by a group of Norwegian-American immigrant pastors and farmers, led by Pastor Bernt Julius Muus. The college is named after Olaf II of Norway,...
in Northfield, Minnesota
Northfield, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 17,147 people, 4,909 households, and 3,210 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,452.2 people per square mile . There were 5,119 housing units at an average density of 732.1 per square mile...
(class of 1924) and earned a master's degree at Luther Theological Seminary in Saint Paul, Minnesota
Saint Paul, Minnesota
Saint Paul is the capital and second-most populous city of the U.S. state of Minnesota. The city lies mostly on the east bank of the Mississippi River in the area surrounding its point of confluence with the Minnesota River, and adjoins Minneapolis, the state's largest city...
.
In 1954 Schiotz was elected president of the historically Norwegian-American Evangelical Lutheran Church
Evangelical Lutheran Church (United States)
The Evangelical Lutheran Church or ELC was formed in 1917 as the Norwegian Lutheran Church of America .-Background:The Norwegian Lutheran Church of America was formed by merger of the Hauge Synod , the Norwegian Synod , and the United Norwegian Lutheran Church of America...
. In 1960, the Evangelical Lutheran Church along with the United Evangelical Lutheran Church
United Evangelical Lutheran Church
The United Evangelical Lutheran Church was one of the many denominations formed when Lutherans came to the United States from Europe...
and American Lutheran Church merged to form The American Lutheran Church. Schiotz was elected president of the new body and served as the church's president until the end of 1970. He was the president of the Lutheran World Federation
Lutheran World Federation
The Lutheran World Federation is a global communion of national and regional Lutheran churches headquartered in the Ecumenical Centre in Geneva, Switzerland. The federation was founded in the Swedish city of Lund in the aftermath of the Second World War in 1947 to coordinate the activities of the...
from 1963 to 1970 and the central committee of World Council of Churches
World Council of Churches
The World Council of Churches is a worldwide fellowship of 349 global, regional and sub-regional, national and local churches seeking unity, a common witness and Christian service. It is a Christian ecumenical organization that is based in the Ecumenical Centre in Geneva, Switzerland...
from 1961 to 1971.
During the 450th anniversary of the Reformation
Protestant Reformation
The Protestant Reformation was a 16th-century split within Western Christianity initiated by Martin Luther, John Calvin and other early Protestants. The efforts of the self-described "reformers", who objected to the doctrines, rituals and ecclesiastical structure of the Roman Catholic Church, led...
, he stated that in the past, commemorations were viewed almost as a triumph, and that the Reformation should be celebrated as a thanksgiving to God, his truth and his renewed life. He welcomed the announcement of Pope Paul VI to celebrate the 1900th anniversary of the death of the Apostle Peter and Apostle Paul, and promised the participation and cooperation in the festivities.
Selected bibliography
- One Man's Story (Minneapolis, MN: Augsburg Fortress Publishers. September 1981)
Other sources
- Nelson, Clifford E. and E. Clifford Nelson Lutherans in North America (Minneapolis, MN: Augsburg Fortress Publishers. 1980)