In 2009, the Episcopal Church provisionally adopted this date to commemorate a Swedish Lutheran, Nathan Söderblom. James Keifer tells us that Söderblom was born in Trönö, Sweden, in 1866 and ordained in 1893. He was chaplain at the Swedish Embassy in Paris from 1894 to 1901, and earned a doctorate in comparative religion from the Sorbonne. He then became professor of the history of religion at the University of Uppsala, and in 1914 became Archbishop of Uppsala and Primate of the Church of Sweden.
The Lutheran Church in Sweden had retained the historic episcopate. Söderblom valued the liturgy and devotional tradition of traditional Catholic worship while seeing much of worth in the writings of liberal Protestant scholars. He believed it was his duty to work for a united Christendom, both catholic and evangelical, and saw practical cooperation on social issues as a promising first step. During World War I, he worked tirelessly to alleviate the conditions of prisoners of war and refugees. For this and his subsequent work for Church unity and world peace, he received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1930.
In 1925, he organized the Universal Christian Council on Life and Work in Stockholm. Meanwhile, a chiefly Anglican group had formed an inter-denominational Conference on Faith and Order. In 1948, the two groups merged to form the World Council of Churches.
As Archbishop of Sweden, he was concerned to deepen the channels of communication between the Church and the laboring masses, and also between the Church and the intellectuals. He died 12 July 1931.
Let us pray: Almighty God, we bless your Name for the life and work of Nathan Söderblom, Archbishop of Uppsala, who helped to inspire the modern liturgical revival and worked tirelessly for cooperation among Christians. Inspire us by his example, that we may ever strive for the renewal of your Church in life and worship, for the glory of your Name; who with Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
Please remember everyone on our prayer list.
Your servant in Christ,
Fr. Chester J. Makowski+
St. Augustine of Hippo Episcopal Church
Galveston, Texas 77550
The Lutheran Church in Sweden had retained the historic episcopate. Söderblom valued the liturgy and devotional tradition of traditional Catholic worship while seeing much of worth in the writings of liberal Protestant scholars. He believed it was his duty to work for a united Christendom, both catholic and evangelical, and saw practical cooperation on social issues as a promising first step. During World War I, he worked tirelessly to alleviate the conditions of prisoners of war and refugees. For this and his subsequent work for Church unity and world peace, he received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1930.
In 1925, he organized the Universal Christian Council on Life and Work in Stockholm. Meanwhile, a chiefly Anglican group had formed an inter-denominational Conference on Faith and Order. In 1948, the two groups merged to form the World Council of Churches.
As Archbishop of Sweden, he was concerned to deepen the channels of communication between the Church and the laboring masses, and also between the Church and the intellectuals. He died 12 July 1931.
Let us pray: Almighty God, we bless your Name for the life and work of Nathan Söderblom, Archbishop of Uppsala, who helped to inspire the modern liturgical revival and worked tirelessly for cooperation among Christians. Inspire us by his example, that we may ever strive for the renewal of your Church in life and worship, for the glory of your Name; who with Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
Please remember everyone on our prayer list.
Your servant in Christ,
Fr. Chester J. Makowski+
St. Augustine of Hippo Episcopal Church
Galveston, Texas 77550
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