lutheran church body north_america encouragement founded clergy august group known north america adopted pennsylvania adjacent states pennsylvania source lutheran america unique place history continued influence church politics america twentieth century north_america swedish settlers north delaware new sweden colony established residences philadelphia place called local tribe meaning pleasant place swedish settlers lutheran old church completed colonization extended present day german settlers began arriving north_america mid seventeenth century particularly attracted promise religious freedom colony pennsylvania came philadelphia region significant numbers german population large form communities neighborhood philadelphia immigrants brought lutheran faith formed congregations new homeland founding mid eighteenth century growing need trained lutheran clergy colonies goal creating closer union elders area congregations conference proposed foundation germany sent minister colonies sent tension pious orthodox religious interpretations present europe north american time conference intentionally excluded congregations critical pious interpretation conference assembled disrupted orthodox swedish preacher new sweden colony tension conference extended pennsylvania open remarks new_york published booklet criticised swedish colleagues delaware having years later conference assembled request lutheran met philadelphia august church conference lay representatives congregations attended meeting agreed work north_america successfully adopted common north_america meeting known important event history attendees came philadelphia providence lancaster congregations fifteenth church conference led held philadelphia swedish german represented area congregations influence went congregations served organized lutheran congregations pennsylvania work cooperation influence regarded patriarch lutheran church north_america remained relatively informal association constitution drawn agreed formal constitution adopted german evangelical lutheran north_america churches followed influenced dutch reformed model insist strict adherence lutheran confessions early years german swedish members found pennsylvania new_york new_jersey maryland virginia carolinas second son earlier patriarch organized growing number lutheran congregations clergy state new_york lutheran church bodies founded north_america group philadelphia renamed pennsylvania adjacent states general began talks organizing lutheran church bodies america stand closer connection meeting maryland october organization founded general formally titled evangelical lutheran general united_states north_america outset group consisted maryland served largely advisory function church body retained constitution independence primary role facilitate cooperation church bodies auspices leadership lutheran seminary college founded pennsylvania despite role establishing general withdrew inter lutheran organization close relationship lutheran reformed congregations felt general relationship addition wary centralized organization control exert individual congregations years following remained independent lutheran church body sought maintain relationship including continuing send ministerial students seminary headed decades followed concerned relationship reformed church saw significant increase lutheran identity importance lutheran confessions rejoined renewed relationship prove short lived protestant churches general split issue american_civil_war 1860s biggest challenge lutheran unity middle 19th century importance lutheran confessions grew american seen conservative found outside consensus seminary penned definite platform document importance confessions suggested edited american sought establish distinctly home country definite platform cause pennsylvania leave things come lutheran church body noted progressive politics utter disregard lutheran confessions admitted leadership seen gathering admitted delegates left protest unfortunately delegates left passed resolution strengthening commitment clear members intended permanent break temporary protest regardless permanent officials gathering general refused admit delegates found unhappy direction seminary established new seminary philadelphia asked head seminary known lutheran theological seminary philadelphia followed joined thirteen church bodies conservative organization known america remained constituent church following celebration anniversary reformation lutheran church bodies general reunited form america event marking watershed unity american marked end pennsylvania later join american america continues active church body direct descendant
Pennsylvania Ministerium