Atle Svanoe was an ordained minister of the Lutheran Church of Norway when he immigrated to America in 1898. Married with one child, his wife died in 1905 in Wisconsin where he was teaching parochial school. He attended Chicago Lutheran Theological Seminary both in 1898 and in 1906, the year he also remarried. After serving a parish in Greenwood, Wisconsin in 1906-8 he returned to Norway with his wife Martha and two children, one from his first marriage. It was at this time that Pastor Svanoe wrote the book, "The Work of Laypersons in Lutheran Perspective," published first in Drammen, Norway. He served parishes in Kalvaag, Floro, and Sulen in 1909-1919 and rturned to America in 1920.
Pastor Svanoe brought out a second edition of his work in St. Paul, in 1923, with minor revisions and added notes. Although the original occasion for the book--the points about laymen's work taken up by the joint committee leading to the merger of three American Lutheran Church bodies in 1919--had passed, Pastor Svanoe believed that his subject had ongoing importance for the church. Intended for readers in both Norway and America, "The Work of Laypersons" is now available for the first time in English [thanks to the initiative and sponsorship of his grandson, Rennard Svanoe, who enlised a reputable translator to render the Norwegian manuscript into English--Ed].
About the Translator--Gordon W. Gunderson is a Lutheran layman whose grandfather was a follower of Hans Nielsen Hauge in America. Gordon's early career was in banking, but during the Great Depression he began a new career with the U.S. Department of Agriculture. He was involved for many years in developing the school lunch program as subsidized by the Department. Mr. Gunderson attended St. Olaf college in Northfield, Minnesota and was a student of the renowned author Ole Rolvaag ("Giants in the Earth"), who on occasion would leave him in charge of his classes. Due to his facility with Norwegian, he was encouraged by Mr. Rolvaag to pursue teaching the language. He has translated into English the original Norwegian records of Bethel Lutheran Church in Madison, Wisconsin, where he and his wife Luella are members.
THE WORK OF THE LAITY IN LUTHERAN PERSECTIVE, Atle Svanoe, Author, Gordon Gunderson, Translator.
After ten years in America, immigrant Pastor Atle Svanoe produced "The Work of the Laity" in 1910. Originally merant to be a part of the discussions leading to the three-way Norwegian Lutheran church merger in 1919, the book was reissued in 1923 due to the subject's ongoing importance for the American church.
While lay preaching in Norway was warranted on the basis of need--extraordinary conditions of geography and moral decline--, the true basis for lay work is in the"gifts" of Christ's members. Svanoe decries the "abandonment" of the gifts which resulted when the modern church undertook to focus them in the single position called "minister".
"Not many persons have been concerned enough with the role of the laity in the Lutheran story, and this piece is concerned with that in both a critical and constructive fashion." Paul Sonnack, Luther Northwestern Theol. Seminary, St. Paul
"Thank you for the privilege to read Atle Svanoe's dynamic book. It is like a refrain from my ancestors. We do not fight a state church restraint, but we face a distractive, self-centered culture, controlled by hedonistic, materialistic, and money and oower centered 'systems'. Thus I think a lay expression, teaching ability from the non-professional mold, might be our best response."
What do you see, eminent observer? What does your eagle eye discern? The reply is as follows: "Overall, I perceive the style of life among us to be woefully inadequate; it fails to take seriously the newe birth, which is the principle object of God's word" (Dr. Koren, "Collected Writings," Vol. II, p. 182).
"When I sought for a way to portray what is going on among us, the way I look at it, I kept coming back to the Spirit's communication to the 'angel' of the congregation in Sardis: 'I know what you are doing. I know that you have the reputation of being alive, even though you are dead. So wake up, and strengthen what you still have before it dies completely. For I find that what you have done is not yet perfect in the sight of my God. Remember, then, what you were taught and what you have heard; obey it and turn from your sins. If you do not wake up I will come upon you like a thief,a nd you will not soon know the time when I will come. But a few of you there in Sardis have kept your clothes clean. You will walk with me, clothed in white, because you are worthy to do so.' (Rev. 3:1-4)
"In these words there is a portrayal of the greater number of the people in our congregations.
"I believe there is a Sardis-like situation around in most of our congregations; that as a consequence the true Spirit is wanting. I believe this because I have proof that there is a general neglect of God's word and little or no appetite for its daily and diligent use. And so there is also little earnestness and training in prayer, little identification with the Savior, ittle delight in the gospel, little love for each other, little enthusiasm for spiritual growth, little dread of sinning, little mutual encouragement for that which is right, litle brotherly correcting and advising and little concern for the children's welfare. Instead of all this, there is in every relationship a greater and greater conformity to society at large.
WHO IS CHIEFLY RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS SPIRITUAL MALAISE, THE 'SARDIS-LIKE SITUATION' IN THE CONGREGATIONS?
"If this is true, to what extent are we ministers responsible? The answer the old overseer gives to to this question one will find in the "Collected Writings of Dr. Koren (Vol. II, p. 32). It is to be expected, is it not,t hat one who speaks with divine inspiration and authority would first turn to the congregation's "angels" and fix the responsibility on them. For the Lord exempts only the few that "did not defile their garments," but does not exempt the ministers, the "angels."
Dr. Koren on this point seems to strongly shrink from stating this and from granting that if the condition in the congregations actually is such as he portrays, it is first and foremost the local leader himself, and next the bishop of the synod and other ministers that Lord addresses with this admonition. Or, in terms used in Norway at this writing, it is first and foremost the bishops, parish pastors, ministers (and lay preachers!) the Lord exhorts to be converted. But to say it straight to the point, it is surpassingly difficult for us as shepherds and teachers to acknowledge that our congregations generally reflect our own condition. A layman from the Sogn district of
Norway once told of an indelible impression made on him when he was with his father for the first time cutting wood. He saw him raise the ax and pound the trunk of a tree with the ax head to find out whether it was healthy or not. "This one has had it," his father said. And so the tree was cut down, for it was evident that the heart of the tree was assaulted by "rot." This could not be seen with the eye, but the trained ear could always tell by the sound.
AUTHOR TURNS AND FACES YOU AND ASKS YOU, THE READER AND FELLOW CHRISTIAN, WHAT IS THE SPIRITUAL CONDITION OF YOUR HEART!
I once stressed the importance of possessing this first love and proving ourselves in the sight of God, at a minister's conference back home in Norway. I had been asked as a young liberal arts graduate to open the conference, using the subject of Rev. 2:4 as the them. Afterward a friendly old minister arise and spoke in opposition. He said what the fine graduate had spoken he would consider totally unnecessary. I shall never forget my surprise and dismay. To my heart it sounded like the clash of cymbals.
Perhaps you who read this also deny the importance of this matter. Or perhaps it leaves you cold? But what if this issue never comes up again before the course of events makes changes impossible? [Indeed, we may well be at that juncture right now in the first days of February 2010 as this is being placed on-line!--Ed.]
As far as the "angel" in Ephesus is concerned, we do not know whether he obeyed the admonition and was converted. But according to God's word it is clearly evident that a great many of his kind do not do so. It is too bad for those whom God rebuffs because their heart stops concentrating on him, stops focusing on the intent love of his heart, which should be their most cherished possession and vision. Still he must give them credit for all the work which they do, and which brings them a big and good name, and recognition among people.
How sad for those who have predicted the future and got rid of devils in the name of Jesus and have realized many great accomlishments in the this name and nevertheless were not "perfected befor eGod." They were not the acts of obedience which they had been moved to perform and which were accomplished by the Spirit of God according to his word and direction, but self-selected performances by means of which they expted, as did Saul of olden days, that they might please their Lord. And it is too bad for the poor maidens who were not prepared with enough oil to keep the fire of their hearts burning!
Would it not be worth the trouble to attempt by the revelation of truth to stir some of them awake before it is too late?" Was it not this intent that motivated Hans Nielsen Hauge to give up his peaceful life in Tune and travel all over the country with his stirring cry for conversion?
...This present work is an effort to bring this discussion (of the work of laypersons) before the public. There can be found men among our clergy who think that "Hauge commited a sin by acting the way he did." I would ask that such persons take up the question anew and examine it with me "in Lutheran perspective." It could happen that they will be fortunate enough to come to the understanding and viewpoint of two of our church's most eminent and clearsighted men, Bishops Bang and Heuch, before their deaths. They held that Hands Nielsen Hauge's work for renewal of spiritual life in Norway is, "without doubt," the New Testament's prophetic judgment revived among the Norwegian people [this is absolutely the case, and is self-evident, when you review the phenomenal spiritual work of evangelism and its effect on the mass of common Norwegian people and continuing, lasting influence of Haugism that spread supernaturally all over Norway and with the Norwegian immigrants across pioneer American society despite all opposition to stop him and make him cease preaching the Gospel--Ed.]. I was fortunate enough to be close to both of these men, and venture to openly quote the statement to me by Heuch regarding this matter: "It cannot be denied that historical facts on this bear witness with convincing strength."
I dare say that there are those who believe that the work of laypersons is at bottom a question of judgment, that the performance of this work depends chiefly on careful and tactful action. I would refer such persons to Paul's second letter to the Corinthians, 5: 13,14, where Paul defends himself against the accusation of "going too far" and "raging" in his preaching: "For whether we be besides ourselves, it is to God: or whether we be sober, it is for your cause. For the love of God constrains us."
For us, as for the whole church body, the work of laypersons ought to be considered what in reality it is, a question of life and death, because it means conversion and salvation for thousands of sleeping church members. Better, then, to tolerate the rousing call to conversion in the congregations, even though that call be lacking somewhat in carefulness and tact. To be sure it might create some noise when someone does as Luther, yells aloud so that folks awaken. It is better to make some noise than to be roused by the Lord's voice of judgment and be made responsible for the damnation of others. For some sleep so heavily that no ordinary teacher's voice can rouse them from their sleep."
"Ask for the ancient paths, where the good way is" (Jer. 6:16)
There are at least two reasons why I have been prompted to engage in the discussion about the above named subject which has been the object of my special interest for many years.
The primary reason is the recommendation which Jacob B. Bull's book about H.N. Hauge published last fall received from Dr. Laur. Larsen, the venerable editor of "Kirketidende" (Church News).
He praises it as an excellent book and expresses his dismay over the lack of understanding that existed among most of Hauge's contemporaries [not the mass of common people, however, usually only the upper and aristocratic class of clergymen and public officials who acted in concert with them in suppressing Hauge any way they could do it, lawfully or not.--Ed.], for the gift God gave the Norwegian people in this remarkable man. The injustice shown in the way he was treated became a national sin which could not do other than draw God's wrath, he says.
[Now this is an interesting statement, one which hardly anyone wishes to consider today, that God would punish a nation for mistreated his prophet and ambassador, in this case, Norway's ruling classes in their treatment of Hauge. Nevertheless, it is God's way in the past, recorded in the Bible too numerously to even necessitate listing here; folk take those records in the Bible lightly today of course, pointing to this as the Age of Grace or some such thing, which it very much is, though they then give no place to Justice in this Age (and Grace that suspends all Justice, then, cannot be grace but is something else!), yet when you view the 2011 catastrophe of Breivik the domestic Norwegian terrorist's massacre of young people on an island off Oslo as well as his bombing of the Prime Minister's office building in the heart of Oslo, one cannot help but wonder if Justice is not also operating, only against the state of Norway, which touts itself as the bastion of the goodness of pure tolerance and the most high-minded liberalism.--Ed.]
[We have not seen necessary to add the final paragraph dealing with churchly matters that ended the Introduction.--Ed.].
Chapter 1,
"LAYPERSON," A MISLEADING NAME
While travelling in Norway she informed me that she came across a relative who had collected many volumes of clippings about Atle Svanoe from the newspapers. In such clippings, it is revealed that Svanoe had once taken membership in the Nazi party in Norway so he could still operate as a pastor in his congregations.
This does not disagree with his own relation to the State Church, which I am certain he found primarily dead in spirituality, but which nevertheless he would not actively confront in order to destroy. Rather, he chose to operate as freely as he could within the state church apparatus, and evidently found the grace and power of God to do so, without compromising himself and his faith and his beliefs so much that he could not function as a true man of God. It seems though just too extreme, even appalling to our politically correct mentality cultivated by our secularized society in America that Svanoe would join the Nazi party even for the sake of continuing his ministry in the churches. Just that fact alone would disqualify Svanoe from being seriously considered for his message by most churchmen today, is it not so? Yet we know in the early church, even among Jesus' followers, were "Nazi Party" members, so to speak. Herodians were involved with his movement and ministry, and we know very well that Herodians were just as hated by the Jews, and probably moreso, as Nazis were hated by the Norwegian people. What Herodians? The wife of Chuza, Herod's chief finance minister, was a follower of Jesus and probably forwarded Herodian money to provide for Jesus and his disciples' needs. You can scarcely get higher (and, concomitantly, lower in Jewish eyes!) than that in the Nazi party of Jesus' day! Later on, into the time of the early church, former Herodians were actively involved. Romans, loathed and hated and feared by Jews as defiling heathens and oppressors of God's people, were also commended by Jesus for their great faith and came to him as believers. A centurion was such a one. Cornelius the Roman officer featured in the book of Acts was also very significant in the early church, figuring largely in the spread of the Holy Ghost among the brethren, though he was a Gentile from outside the Jewish congregation--and Gentile pretty much meant "dog" to the Jewish mentality of that day! I say all this because Jesus himself was criticized severely by the religious authorities for the "low company" he kept. What low company? In Jewish society at that time, particular that society dominated by the Pharisees, the most defiling people were "publicans" or tax collectors, prostitutes, and the former demon possessed--and these people Jesus welcomed, even going so far to dine with them! We might remember that before we leap to censure Svanoe for his seemingly traitorous relations with the Nazi Party in Norway.--Ed.
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