Christian Cyclopedia

Originally this name was applied to Luths. who refused to join in the Prussian* Union (see also Germany, Lutheran Free Churches in, 1). There was a similar reaction against unionism and rationalism in Saxony. Old Luths. continued in Ger. and Poland under various names including Altlutheraner; Breslauer Synode; Verein der evangelisch-altlutherischen Kirchengemeinden; Ev.-luth. Kirche in Westpolen; Ev.-luth. Kirche in Preussen, later &Ev.-luth. Kirche in Altpreussen, and since 1945 Evangelisch-lutherische (altlutherische) Kirche.

The name Old Lutherans was also applied to confessional Luths. who emigrated to Am. 1838–48 under such men as J. A. A. Grabau* and M. Stephan* Sr. See also Buffalo Synod; Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod, The, II; Symbolists. ARS

V. Ferm, The Crisis in American Lutheran Theology (New York, 1927); C. Mauelshagen, American Lutheranism Surrenders to Forces of Conservatism (Athens, Georgia, 1936); R. D. Owen, “The Old Lutherans Come,” CHIQ, XX, No. 1 (April 1947), 3–56; F. Lichtenberger, History of German Theology in the Nineteenth Century, tr. and ed. W. Hastie (Edinburgh, 1889).