Eric Norelius
| Eric Norelius, D.D., LL. D. | |
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Norelius with Polar Star Medal
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| Born |
Eric Norelius October 26, 1833 Hassela, Helsingland, Sweden |
| Died | March 15, 1916 (aged 82) Vasa, Minnesota, U.S. |
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Eric Norelius (26 October 1833 – 15 March 1916) was a Swedish-American Lutheran minister, church leader, and author.
Eric Norelius was born on 26 October 1833 in Norrbäck, Hassela parish, in Nordanstig Municipality, Gävleborg County, Sweden. He received his early education at Hudiksvall's allmänna läroverk. In 1850, at the age of 17, Eric Norelius immigrated to the United States. With assistance from Lars Paul Esbjörn, Norelius enrolled at Capital University in Columbus, Ohio where he spent four years studying. Norelius was ordained in 1855.
Norelius moved to the newly formed congregations in Red Wing and Vasa, Minnesota in 1856. In 1858, he was called to serve the Swedish Lutheran congregation in Attica, Indiana. In 1863, he was called back to the Vasa and Red Wing congregations in Goodhue County.
Lutheran Social Service of Minnesota traces its history to 1865 when Eric Norelius and his congregation took in four orphaned immigrant children and later opened Vasa Lutheran Home for Children. The Vasa Children’s Home was the first orphan home established by Swedish Lutherans in Minnesota.
Norelius was one of the founders of the Augustana Synod, and he served as its president between 1870–1881 and 1901-1910. Norelius was also the founder and often president of the Lutheran Minnesota Conference of Augustana Synod, and he initiated Minnesota Elementar Skola, a predecessor of Gustavus Adolphus College.
Norelius was also active in the publishing field and began the publishing of Minnesota Posten, from 1857-58 which merged with Hemlandet. Norelius jointly published and edited Svensk Luthersk Tidskrift, which became Skaffaren after the first year of existence. He edited Missionären from 1870-71. Norelius was listed as editor-in-chief of Skaffaren until 1882. He was also the editor of Augustana for a brief period of time and the synod calendar Korsbaneret. From 1899 until 1909, he was editor or co-editor of Tidskrift för svensk evangelisk luthersk kyrkohistoria i Amerika, later called The Augustana Theological Quarterly.
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