wfn.org | Lutheran Theologian Martin Heinecken Died

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

ELCA NEWS SERVICE

February 25, 1998

LUTHERAN THEOLOGIAN MARTIN HEINECKEN DIED
98-039-FI

     CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The Rev. Martin J. Heinecken, 95, a pastor of the
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) and retired professor of
systematic theology at the Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia,
died Feb. 24 at his home in Middlebury, Vt.  His advice and counsel were
sought by church leaders on matters of theology on many occasions during
his 70 years of ministry.
     A scholar of the 19th century Danish theologian, S ren A.
Kierkegaard, Heinecken taught at the ELCA seminary from 1945 to 1972.  He
wrote many theological volumes, including "God and the Space Age," "Truths
We Live By" and "The Moment Before God," and spoke at the "Theologen
Tagungen" lectures in 1950 in Germany and in 1955 in England, France and
Germany.
     Heinecken served as an advisor to the Commission on Theology of the
Lutheran World Federation (LWF) and as a delegate to LWF world assemblies
in 1957 and 1963.  He helped draft Lutheran pronouncements on such topics
as the doctrine of ministry, marriage and family life, and Christian social
responsibilities.  His theological interpretation of creation clarified for
the National Lutheran Council in 1964 that "all  race discrimination' is
ruled out."
     Born Nov. 4, 1902, in Sugar City, Colo., to former missionaries to
India, Heinecken was a graduate of Wartburg College, Clinton (now in
Waverly), Iowa; Wartburg Theological Seminary, Dubuque, Iowa; and the
University of Minnesota, Minneapolis.  He earned his doctorate in 1942 from
the University of Nebraska at Lincoln.
     Heinecken was ordained in 1928 by the former United Evangelical
Lutheran Church of Australia.  He taught at Immanuel Lutheran College,
North Adelaide, South Australia, 1928-29.  He was pastor of First Lutheran
Church, Ashland, Wis., 1929-31, and Grace Lutheran Church, Hebron, Neb.,
1931-36.  He taught religion at Hebron Junior College, Hebron, Neb.,
1931-36, and Wagner College, Staten Island, N.Y., 1939-45.  During his
years at Wagner he also served as college chaplain.  He was director of
Camp Trexler, Lutheran Boys' Work Foundation, Southfields, N.Y., 1943-50.
     In 1929 Heinecken married Vera Fritschel, who preceded him in death.
They are survived by two sons -- M. Theodore Heinecken, Chicago, and
Michael G. Heinecken, Middlebury, Vt.  Funeral services will be held Feb.
28 at Ascension Lutheran Church, South Burlington, Vt.

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

  George Conklin