Fredrik Gabriel Hedberg
Encyclopedia
Fredrik Gabriel Hedberg (July 15, 1811 in Saloinen, now a part of Raahe
- August 19, 1893 Kimito
) was Finnish Lutheran priest, Neo-Lutheran writer and father of confessional Lutheranism in Finland
.
Hedberg was ordained 1834 and became curate in Siuntio
, then in Lohja
, belonging since 1836 to Pietist revivalist movement led by Savonian farmer and lay preacher Paavo Ruotsalainen
. Soon Hedberg became one of the leaders of this movement in southern Finland. Rationalist diocesan chapter begun to dislike Hedberg's activity because of his Pietism and he was transferred first to Paimio
1838 and 1840 as prison chaplain in Oulu
. 1842 he became temporary curate in distant Raippaluoto and 1843 curate in Pöytyä
.
Gradually, since time in Oulu, Hedberg discovered Lutheranism without any "order of salvation" from Martin Luther
's postil
and abandoned Pietism including books of Arndt
and Spener among others, which had formerly been his spiritual authorities. He began to read Luther, Praetorius, and Book of Concord
, and wrote in Raippaluoto a devotional commentary to 1st chapter of the Epistle to the Ephesians
, "The Doctrine of Faith unto Salvation" (Eng. transl. 1998), which focused on justification by faith alone, being full of joy about salvation. Hedberg now began a controversy against Pietism, using works of Johann Gerhard
, Rudelbach
, Löhe, G. Thomasius
, Harless
and Catenhusen. His main writing in this controversy is "Pietism och Christendom" (1845) where he criticised Spener, Rambach, Fresenius, Nohrborg and Schartau
. 1855 Hedberg became parish priest of Kaarina
, publishing a book against the teaching of the Baptists. 1862 he became parish priest of Kimito
.
Hedberg published several religious newspapers for his readers. He kept reading neo-Lutheran theology, Luther and evangelical Roman Catholics Martin Boos
and Johannes Gossner
. He organised a fundraising as a gift for persecuted Old Lutherans
of Prussia. Also in Sweden he had lots of readers associated with Rosenius
. His theological influence had become so remarkable, that the Lutheran Evangelical Association of Finland was founded in 1873 to foster and maintain confessional Lutheran
revival in Finland.
Later years Hedberg focused more and more on sacraments and on mystical union with Christ. In St Andrew's church in Kimito
the Eucharist was celebrated every Sunday during Hedberg's time, which was at that time very rare. As celebrant he also always used chasuble
.
Raahe
Raahe is a town and municipality of Finland. Founded by Swedish statesman and Governor General of Finland Count Per Brahe the younger in 1649, it is one of 10 historic wooden towns remaining in Finland. Examples of other Finnish historic wooden towns are Kaskinen , Old Rauma, Porvoo , Jakobstad ,...
- August 19, 1893 Kimito
Kimito
Kimito is a former municipality of Finland. On January 1, 2009, it was consolidated with Dragsfjärd and Västanfjärd to form the new municipality of Kimitoön...
) was Finnish Lutheran priest, Neo-Lutheran writer and father of confessional Lutheranism in Finland
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
.
Hedberg was ordained 1834 and became curate in Siuntio
Siuntio
Siuntio is a municipality of Finland.It is located in the province of Southern Finland and is part of the Uusimaa region. The municipality has a population of and covers an area of of which is water...
, then in Lohja
Lohja
Lohja , is a town and municipality of Finland.It is located in the province of Southern Finland and is part of the Uusimaa region. The town has a population of and covers an area of ofwhich is water...
, belonging since 1836 to Pietist revivalist movement led by Savonian farmer and lay preacher Paavo Ruotsalainen
Paavo Ruotsalainen
Paavo Ruotsalainen was a Finnish farmer and lay preacher.Born in Tölvänniemi as the oldest son of plain farmers, he received his first bible at age six. At the time of his confirmation he had already read it three times. His preoccupation with the words of the bible gained him the nickname...
. Soon Hedberg became one of the leaders of this movement in southern Finland. Rationalist diocesan chapter begun to dislike Hedberg's activity because of his Pietism and he was transferred first to Paimio
Paimio
Paimio is a town and a municipality of Finland.It is located in the province of Western Finland and is part of the Finland Proper region. The municipality has a population of and covers an area of of which is water. The population density is...
1838 and 1840 as prison chaplain in Oulu
Oulu
Oulu is a city and municipality of inhabitants in the region of Northern Ostrobothnia, in Finland. It is the most populous city in Northern Finland and the sixth most populous city in the country. It is one of the northernmost larger cities in the world....
. 1842 he became temporary curate in distant Raippaluoto and 1843 curate in Pöytyä
Pöytyä
Pöytyä is a municipality of Finland.It is located in the province of Western Finland and is part of the Finland Proper region. The municipality has a population of and covers an area of of which is water. The population density is ....
.
Gradually, since time in Oulu, Hedberg discovered Lutheranism without any "order of salvation" from Martin Luther
Martin Luther
Martin Luther was a German priest, professor of theology and iconic figure of the Protestant Reformation. He strongly disputed the claim that freedom from God's punishment for sin could be purchased with money. He confronted indulgence salesman Johann Tetzel with his Ninety-Five Theses in 1517...
's postil
Postil
Postil or Postilla: a medieval Latin term for a marginal note or a Biblical commentary affixed to a text, being an abbreviation of the phrase post illa verba textus...
and abandoned Pietism including books of Arndt
Johann Arndt
Johann Arndt was a German Lutheran theologian who wrote several influential books of devotional Christianity...
and Spener among others, which had formerly been his spiritual authorities. He began to read Luther, Praetorius, and Book of Concord
Book of Concord
The Book of Concord or Concordia is the historic doctrinal standard of the Lutheran Church, consisting of ten credal documents recognized as authoritative in Lutheranism since the 16th century...
, and wrote in Raippaluoto a devotional commentary to 1st chapter of the Epistle to the Ephesians
Epistle to the Ephesians
The Epistle of Paul to the Ephesians, often shortened to Ephesians, is the tenth book of the New Testament. Its authorship has traditionally been credited to Paul, but it is considered by some scholars to be "deutero-Pauline," that is, written in Paul's name by a later author strongly influenced by...
, "The Doctrine of Faith unto Salvation" (Eng. transl. 1998), which focused on justification by faith alone, being full of joy about salvation. Hedberg now began a controversy against Pietism, using works of Johann Gerhard
Johann Gerhard
Johann Gerhard was a Lutheran church leader and Lutheran Scholastic theologian during the period of Orthodoxy.-Biography:He was born in the German city of Quedlinburg...
, Rudelbach
Andreas Gottlob Rudelbach
Andreas Gottlob Rudelbach was a Dano-German neo-Lutheran theologian; born at Copenhagen September 29, 1792; died at Slagelse , Zealand, March 3, 1862. He was educated at the university of his native city, where he became privatdozent. During this period he edited, in collaboration with N. F. S...
, Löhe, G. Thomasius
Gottfried Thomasius
Gottfried Thomasius was a German Lutheran theologian born in Egenhausen, Middle Franconia.He studied philosophy and theology in Erlangen, Halle and Berlin, and as a student had renowned instructors that included Friedrich Schleiermacher, August Neander, G. W. F. Hegel, Philip Marheineke and...
, Harless
Gottlieb Christoph Adolf von Harless
Gottlieb Christoph Adolf von Harless , was a German Lutheran theologian.-Life:He was born at Nuremberg. As a youth, he was interested in music and poetry, and was attracted by ancient and German classical literature, especially by Jean Paul. He was indifferent to Christianity...
and Catenhusen. His main writing in this controversy is "Pietism och Christendom" (1845) where he criticised Spener, Rambach, Fresenius, Nohrborg and Schartau
Henric Schartau
Henric Schartau was a Swedish Lutheran pietistic clergyman. His theology influenced a revivalist movement known as Schartauanism that is widespread in south and southwest Sweden. In the United States it was influential in western Maine.Schartau studied to priest at Lund University...
. 1855 Hedberg became parish priest of Kaarina
Kaarina
Kaarina is a small city and municipality of Finland.It is located in the Finland Proper region and is a neighbouring town of Turku, which is the capital of Finland Proper, therefore Kaarina is a part of the Greater Turku region. The municipality has a population of and covers an area of of...
, publishing a book against the teaching of the Baptists. 1862 he became parish priest of Kimito
Kimito
Kimito is a former municipality of Finland. On January 1, 2009, it was consolidated with Dragsfjärd and Västanfjärd to form the new municipality of Kimitoön...
.
Hedberg published several religious newspapers for his readers. He kept reading neo-Lutheran theology, Luther and evangelical Roman Catholics Martin Boos
Martin Boos
Martin Boos was a German Roman Catholic theologian.He was born at Huttenried in Bavaria. Orphaned at the age of four, he was reared by an uncle at Augsburg, who finally sent him to the University of Dillingen, where he studied under Sailer, Zimmer, and Weber. There he laid the foundation of the...
and Johannes Gossner
Johannes Gossner
Johannes Evangelista Gossner , German divine and philanthropist, was born at Hausen near Augsburg.He was educated at the University of Dillingen...
. He organised a fundraising as a gift for persecuted Old Lutherans
Old Lutherans
Old Lutherans refers to those German Lutherans who refused to join the Prussian Union in the 1830s and 1840s.Attempted suppression of the Old Lutherans led many to immigrate to Australia and the United States, resulting in the creation of significant Lutheran denominations in those countries.The...
of Prussia. Also in Sweden he had lots of readers associated with Rosenius
Carl Olof Rosenius
Carl Olof Rosenius was a Swedish revivalist preacher, author and editor of the newspaper Pietisten from 1842-1868.-Biography:...
. His theological influence had become so remarkable, that the Lutheran Evangelical Association of Finland was founded in 1873 to foster and maintain confessional Lutheran
Confessional Lutheran
Confessional Lutheran is a name used by certain Lutheran Christians to designate themselves as those who accept the doctrines taught in the Book of Concord of 1580 in their entirety, because they believe them to be completely faithful to the teachings of the Bible...
revival in Finland.
Later years Hedberg focused more and more on sacraments and on mystical union with Christ. In St Andrew's church in Kimito
Kimito
Kimito is a former municipality of Finland. On January 1, 2009, it was consolidated with Dragsfjärd and Västanfjärd to form the new municipality of Kimitoön...
the Eucharist was celebrated every Sunday during Hedberg's time, which was at that time very rare. As celebrant he also always used chasuble
Chasuble
The chasuble is the outermost liturgical vestment worn by clergy for the celebration of the Eucharist in Western-tradition Christian Churches that use full vestments, primarily in the Roman Catholic, Anglican and Lutheran churches, as well as in some parts of the United Methodist Church...
.
Sources
- W.A. Schmidt, Fredrik Gabriel Hedberg. Helsinki 1951
- Esa Santakari, Vanhan Hedbergin sakramenttimystiikka. Elevatis Oculis, studia mystica in honorem Seppo A. Teinonen. Annals of the Finnish Society for Missiology and Ecumenics, 42, 1984. ISBN 9519520678