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
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About the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America:
The ELCA is one of the largest Christian denominations in the United States, with 2.8 million members in more than 8,500 worshiping communities across the 50 states and in the Caribbean region. Known as the church of "God's work. Our hands.," the ELCA emphasizes the saving grace of God through faith in Jesus Christ, unity among Christians and service in the world. The ELCA's roots are in the writings of the German church reformer Martin Luther.
For information contact:
Candice Hill Buchbinder
Public Relations Manager
Candice.HillBuchbinder@ELCA.org
