Saxon Lutheran Immigration 1838-1839

The Saxon Lutheran immigration of 1838–39 was a migration of Confessional German Lutherans seeking religious freedom in the United States in the early 19th century. The migrants were among the original founders of the Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod.

During the middle of the 19th century Confessional Lutheran doctrines like justification by faith were under threat by rationalism. This, together with "unionism" or the merging of various Protestant groups together, drove many German Lutherans to emigrate.

In 1817, Frederick William III of Prussia forced the merging of the country's largest Protestant churches (Lutheran and Reformed) into one single and united Prussian Union of churches. This subsequently led to the persecution and suppression of the confessional beliefs of orthodox Lutherans.

The Evangelical Church of the Prussian Union and the merging of Lutheran and Reformed congregations into a single Church became a model for other German kingdoms. In the Kingdom of Saxony, the State Church – a Lutheran church – was organized as a department of the state with the secular high courts holding authority over ecclesiastical matters. As a result of "Unionism", Lutheran teachings and practices began to be altered by the state. Many Lutheran congregations resisted this forced union by worshipping in secret and many even went so far as crossing into neighboring German states to have their children baptized or to receive communion from an orthodox pastor. While persecution of Confessional Lutherans in Prussia was much more severe with police disrupting their congregational meeting places and imprisoning pastors, Confessional Lutherans in Saxony still faced oppressive restrictions.

A confessional Lutheran pastor, Martin Stephan, who originally hailed from Moravia, grew more and more opposed to the new teaching and practices. Stephan eventually developed a plan to emigrate. Stephan's influence and support grew steadily. An important source for his followers was the theological school of University of Leipzig. Several theological students and six pastors turned to Stephan for spiritual leadership. For those following him, the increasing conflict with rationalism and forced unionism of the Lutheran church with the Reformed church made Stephan the champion of Lutheran orthodoxy in the eyes of those following him.

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