Nikolai Fredrik Severin Grundtvig (1783-1872)

Nikolai Fredrik Severin Grundtvig (1783-1872)

Today, September 2, in the Lutheran saints calendar, marks the commemoration of the Danish bishop, pastor, theologian, philosopher, poet, politician, historian, teacher, and renewer of the church, Nikolai F.S. Grundtvig. 

He was born the son of a Lutheran pastor,, Johan Ottosen Grundtvig, in Udby. Educated at the University of Copenhagen during the period of rationalism—Nikolai was quite non-conformist. Indeed, his ordination sermon harshly criticized rationalism to the extent that his ordination was postponed to a later date. Moreover, the church authorities refused to give him a parish to serve for several years. In the meantime he wrote poetry and tutored a wealthy family and then taught at a boys’ school. Eventually however, the church did offer him a parish, where he served right up to the time of his death—his last sermon was preached only a few days prior to his death. He died a week before his 89^thbirthday.

Nikolai, in addition to being a church renewer, was influenced by Danish nationalism and Norse mythology. For example, he was one of the authors of the Danish constitution.

Nikolai also wrote or translated about 1500 hymns—sung in Lutheran churches today around the globe. 

Throughout Scandinavia, Nikolai became known as the “Father of the Scandinavian school system,” founding folk high schools in Denmark, which also became popular in Norway, Sweden, and Finland.

[According to wikipedia: “The common denominator of all Grundtvig's pedagogical efforts was to promote a spirit of freedom, poetry and disciplined creativity, within all branches of educational life. He promoted values such as wisdom, compassion, identification and equality. He opposed all compulsion, including exams, as deadening to the human soul. Instead Grundtvig advocated unleashing human creativity according to the universally creative order of life. Only willing hands make light work. Therefore, a spirit of freedom, cooperation and discovery was to be kindled in individuals, in science, and in the civil society as a whole.” 

Nikolai was honoured by the Danish church and government with the title of bishop, even though he never headed a diocese. 

The Reformation in Wittenberg: Part III

In 1522 Luther preached to the citizens of the town a sermon which included these lines:

   Here let us beware lest Wittenberg become Capernaum [cf. Matt. 11:23]. I notice that you have a great deal to say of the doctrine of faith and love which is preached to you, and this is no wonder; an ass can almost intone the lessons, and why should you not be able to repeat the doctrines and formulas? Dear friends, the kingdom of God,—and we are that kingdom—does not consist in talk or words [I Cor. 4:20], but in activity, in deeds, in works and exercises. God does not want hearers and repeaters of words [Jas. 1:22], but followers and doers, and this occurs in faith through love. For a faith without love is not enough—rather it is not faith at all, but a counterfeit of faith, just as a face seen in a mirror is not a real face, but merely the reflection of a face [I Cor. 13:12]. Read the entire piece of Dr. West’s essay here.