Finnish Evangelical Lutheran Church of America explained

Finnish Evangelical Lutheran Church of America
Main Classification:Protestant
Orientation:Lutheran
Headquarters:Calumet, Michigan
Founded Date:March 25, 1890
Founded Place:Calumet, Michigan
Branched From:Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland
Merged Into:Lutheran Church in America (1962)
Area:Michigan and other states
Congregations:153 (1961)
Members:36,274 (1961)
Other Names:Suomi Synod
Ministers:105 (1961)
Tertiary:Suomi College and Theological Seminary

The Finnish Evangelical Lutheran Church of America (commonly known as the Suomi Synod,) was a Lutheran church body which existed in the United States from 1890 until 1962.[1]

History

The Finnish Evangelical Lutheran Church of America (FELC) was organized at Calumet, Michigan in 1890.[2] FELC was defined more by its Finnish ethnic origin than by any specific theological strain. In 1896, the church established Suomi College and Theological Seminary (now called Finlandia University) in Hancock, Michigan. It is the only private institution of higher learning in Michigan's Upper Peninsula and the only remaining university in North America founded by Finnish immigrants.[3]

FELC was one of the Lutheran church bodies that merged into the Lutheran Church in America (LCA) in 1962. At that time, FELC had 36,274 members and 105 ministers in 153 congregations, and was the smallest of LCA's founding church bodies.[4] The LCA was subsequently party to the merger that created the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America in 1988.[5]

Presidents

See also

Other sources

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Finnish Americans. Advameg, Inc.. Marianne Wargelin . April 15, 2016.
  2. Book: Grandquist, Mark . Lutherans in America: A New History . Fortress Press . 2015 . 978-1-4514-7228-8 . Minneapolis, Minnesota . 208 . en.
  3. Web site: Suomi College Finnish Heritage. Finlandia University. April 15, 2016.
  4. Web site: Finnish Evangelical Lutheran Church (Suomi Synod). American Denomination Profiles. Association of Religion Data Archives. August 27, 2016.
  5. Web site: Finnish Lutherans in America.. Concordia Publishing House. April 15, 2016.
  6. Web site: Nikander, Juho Kustaa. Concordia Publishing House. April 15, 2016.
  7. Holmio, Armas Kustaa Ensio (2001) History of the Finns in Michigan (Wayne State University, page 188)
  8. Web site: Wargelin, John (1881 - 1970). Biografiakeskus. April 15, 2016.
  9. Web site: Wargelin, Raymond Waldemar, Papers. College of Liberal Arts, University of Minnesota. April 15, 2016.