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History of Red Wing Seminary Theological Department

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Red Wing Seminary, 1879-1932 Red Wing Seminary started as the educational center for the Hauge Synod and was in operation from 1879 to 1932. By 1917, with the merger of the Hauge Synod into the Norwegian Lutheran Church of America, a new seminary was formed called Luther Theological Seminary in St. Paul, Minnesota. After that merger, the school continued as an academy and junior college of the Norwegian Lutheran Church of America. However, in 1932 those programs were merged into St. Olaf College.

With the creation of the Hauges Synod in 1876, there was a calling to provide better education for training men for the ministry. The first attempt for a school was in 1854 in Lisbon, Illinois. A second attempt was in 1865 at Koshkonong, but not until land was purchased in Red Wing, Minnesota in 1867 was there a start to solidify a center for education. However, the synod abandoned the project in 1877 – nearly a decade later.

H.M. Sande, Rev. Østen Hanson, and A. Ellingson purchased an abandoned school property in Red Wing. The deal was later approved by the Synod and the land previously bought was traded in on this property. The next challenge, after purchasing the property, was to find teachers for the seminary. At a Synod meeting in 1879, they extended a call to Rev. A. Weenaas of Norway to become the new president and theological professor. However, he declined.

Their luck changed when they decided to extend a call to Rev. I. Eistensen to be a temporary resident and theological professor. He accepted and opened the seminary on September 17, 1879. The seminary also had Prof. G.O. Brohough to teach preparatory classes. However, when Rev. Eistensens year as temporary president was up, he declined to renew his position. The Synod sent a delegation to Norway to secure a professor and pastor for the school.

Professor Weenas was selected, but he could not come for a year. J. Kyllingstad, who just returned from mission work in Africa, was the temporary president and instructor in religion. Professor Weenas arrived in the summer of 1882, with the school opening up that fall. The first students of the theological department included Iver Hatlestad, T.J. Skjei, G.C. Gjerstad, C.C. Holter, L.L. Nervig, J.B.A. Dahle, A. Wold, O.O. Bergh. M.G. Hanson, and P.C. Rømo.