wfn.org | Conrad J. Bergendoff died Dec. 23, 1997 in Rock Island, Ill.

[George Conklin <gconklin@igc.apc.org>]

ELCA NEWS SERVICE

December 30, 1997

CONRAD BERGENDOFF DIED

The Rev. Conrad J. Bergendoff died Dec. 23 in Rock Island, Ill.  He was
102.  Bergendoff, a pastor of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America,
lived most of his life at Rock Island.  For nearly 30 years (1935-1962) he
was the president of Augustana College in Rock Island.  From 1935 to 1948
he oversaw the operation of Augustana Seminary, now part of the Lutheran
School of Theology at Chicago.  As college president, Bergendoff saw
enrollment double and managed construction of dormitories and classroom
buildings on the campus.  The fine arts building at the college,
constructed during his tenure, is now called the Bergendoff Hall of Fine
Arts.

Bergendoff was born Dec. 3, 1895, in rural Nebraska and grew up in
Middletown, Conn.  He earned degrees at Augustana College and Seminary.  He
earned a Ph.D. at the University of Chicago and a Th.D. at the University
of Uppsala, Uppsala, Sweden, where he wrote on Swedish reformer Olavus
Petri.  From 1921 to 1931 Bergendoff served as pastor of Salem Lutheran
Church on Chicago's South Side.  He taught history and served as dean of
Augustana Seminary beginning in 1931.

In 1995 Luther Seminary, St. Paul, Minn., honored Bergendoff with its
Christus Lux Mundi (Christ, Light of the World) award for lifetime
achievements, including major work with Swedish Americans and Swedish
historical groups.  The first endowed chair of humanities at Augustana was
established in his honor.  In recognition of his contributions both to
U.S.-Swedish relations and to Swedish Americans, he was made a commander
first class in the Order of the North Star and was presented with the
Church of Sweden's medal of honor.  He received six honorary doctorates,
including one from the University of Uppsala.

Bergendoff retired in 1964 after serving as executive of the board for
theological education in the former Lutheran Church in America.  In that
position he wrote a report designing a plan for theological education in
the church.  The present Lutheran School of Theology came out of that
design.

ELCA Secretary Lowell Almen said, "One of the reasons Bergendoff was so
influential was his skill as a theologian and writer.  He wrote and spoke,
and he was on target."  Bergendoff was a presenter at the 1954 World
Council of Churches assembly at Evanston, Ill.  He wrote on reformation
themes, translated Luther's works, and was active on international
ecumenical and Lutheran boards, including those of the WCC and Lutheran
World Federation.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Gertrude Carlson Bergendoff, who died
in 1979.  They are survived by a son, the Rev. Conrad L. Bergendoff of
Wilmington, N.C., and two daughters, Beatrice Wilson of Milwaukee and
Elizabeth Thulin of Gettysburg, Pa.

A funeral will be conducted Jan. 5 at 10:30 a.m. at St. John Lutheran
Church, Rock Island, Ill.  A memorial service will be held at Augustana
College Jan. 8 at noon.

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For information contact:
Ann Hafften, Director (773) 380-2958 or NEWS@ELCA.ORG
http://www.elca.org/co/news/current.html