From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Evangelical Synod of North America (known as the German Evangelical Synod of North America until 1927) was a denominational body of Protestant churches in the United States existing from the mid-1800s until its 1934 merger with the Reformed Church in the United States to form the Evangelical and Reformed Church.

Centered in the Midwest, the denomination was a group of German Protestant congregations of mixed Lutheran and Reformed heritage, reflecting the 1817 union of those traditions in Prussia (and subsequently in other areas of Germany). This union, both in Germany and in the United States, was deeply influenced by Pietism. The denomination accepted both the Reformed Heidelberg Catechism and the Lutheran Luther's Small Catechism and Augsburg Confession as its confessional documents; where there was disagreement the individual believer had freedom to believe either. They eventually developed their own Evangelical Catechism, reflecting their "united" faith. The Bible was considered the ultimate standard of their faith.

The denomination established Eden Theological Seminary for the training of its clergy; today, Eden remains a seminary of the United Church of Christ.

In the early 20th century, the Evangelical Synod became active in the ecumenical movement, joining the Federal Council of Churches and pushing church union. In 1934, it joined with another denomination of German background, the Reformed Church in the United States, to form the Evangelical and Reformed Church. This church united in 1957 with the General Council of Congregational Christian Churches to form the United Church of Christ.

The oldest Evangelical Synod congregation is believed to be Bethlehem Church in Ann Arbor, Michigan, founded in 1833.

The oldest Lutheran church in Chicago, Illinois was an Evangelical Synod congregation. The "Deutsche Evangelische Lutherische Sanct Paulus Geminde" (German Evangelical Lutheran St. Pauls Congregation) was founded in 1843 and is now known as St. Pauls United Church of Christ. ("St. Pauls" is properly spelled without the apostrophe, reflecting its German heritage as there is no apostrophe in the German language.)

Reinhold Niebuhr and H. Richard Niebuhr were both members of the Evangelical Synod and its successors.

"The Deaconess Movement in 19th-century America: pioneer professional women" by Ruth W. Rasche in Hidden History in the United Church of Christ.

This article relating to Lutheranism is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.