The FirstbornA Historical Survey

Roald E. Kristiansen

IHR / HSL

October 2015

«Laestadian»

• The term ”Laestadian” is normally used as an umbrella to refer to all churches and groups with a clear succession of belief from the teachings of Lars Levi Læstadius (1800-1861).

• Different groups follow his ideas in various degrees.

• In the Nordic countries, Laestadians are members of their nationalLutheran church. In other countries, Laestadian congregations may be organized as independent denominational churches.

• Main practice: sermons by lay preachers, followed by the use of keys of remission (proclaiming forgiveness in the name and blood of Christ).

• The various groups have created more or less strict lifestyle rules.

• The number of Laestadians worldwide is estimated to be about 300.000, but no membership records are kept (unless when organized as a church).

Fragmentation

• The formation of four main branches in the beginning of the 20th century:– The Firstborn Laestadians

– The Conservative Laestadians

– The Reawakening group

– The Lyngen Laestadians

• Further fragmentation– Continued in the 20th Century. Today there are at least 19 Laestadian

groups of which about 15 groups are still active.

• Exclusive claims– Most Laestadian groups consider themselves the one, true Christian church,

and teach that all other Christian churches (including other branches of the Laestadian tradition) are not true Christians.

Laestadianism in America

• Dissension appeared in America almost as soon as congregations were formed.

• Conflict began in 1872 in Calumet, MI, with Salomon Korteniemi (1829-1904) as pastor. Under his leadership, they formed The Salomon Korteniemi Lutheran Societyin 1872 (from 1879: The Finnish Apostolic Lutheran Congregation), the first use of “Apostolic Lutheran”.

• The Lapland elders sent Heikki Parkajoki (1813-1894) and Aapo Tapani (1834-1910) to bring about reconciliation. Asettlement was obtained in 1876, but soon came apart. Juho Takkinen (1830-1892) was then sent to America to resolve the problems.

• J.A. Englund mentions that a dispute had emerged in Minnesota “over whether the crucified Christ or the resurrected Christ is to be preached”.

• The more pietistic "Western Læstadians" put more emphasis on separation from the world and accused "Eastern Læstadians" (associated with Lannavaara) of moral laxity and of being harmfully influenced by their stronger ties with the state church.

The Firstborn – a sub-group within theLæstadian revival movement

• Eastern vs. Western branches Eastern branch

• Finnish/kven background

• Ecclesial leadership (e.g. Aatu Laitinen)

• Emphasis on Grace (evangelical)

Conservative group («Vanhoillis-»)

Reawakening group

Rauhan Sana group («pikkuesikoisuus»)

Western branch• Sami background

• Lay leadership (Raattamaa, Purnu, Mikkelsen, Fjelldal)

• Emphasis on Law (legalistic, puritan)

Firstborn («esikoisten seurakunta»)

What’s in a name?

• Biblical basis in Hebr. 12:22-24: 22But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to myriads of angels, 23to the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the Judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, 24and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood, which speaks better than the blood of Abel…

• Firstborn as ecclesial authority: “Since I am the firstborn among many brethren, I also greet all the Christians of Pajala and Juhonpieti with the warning that we should endeavor to keep the unity of the Spirit so that the bonds of love would not break.” (Rattamaa, 1872)

• Firstborn as eschatological: “I will also answer your question as to where the firstborn are: They have been born again in our time in travail in Swedish Lapland, and this flock, in living faith, has sent preachers to Norway, Finland, Sweden and America, though preachers have been sent first from Lapland to Muonio and the Pajala congregation, which the good shepherd Jesus has brought into one sheepfold, even into the congregation of the firstborn, which are written in heaven.” (Rattaamaa, 1889)

• Firstborn as territorial: In an 1891 letter, Raattamaa defines the congregation of the firstborn of our time as being “first born in travail in Swedish Lapland,” he adds that “it is in accordance with the Holy Bible to heed the congregation of the firstborn as widely as the revival has spread, which is the pillar and ground of the truth, where Jesus Christ is the chief cornerstone.”

A Quest for Leadership and Authority

• Dagmar Sivertsen (1955: 425): Among the Laestadian tenets of faith, there are none that have caused so much internal strife than Raattamaa’s doctrine about the Firstborn Church.

• In the 1870’s Raattamaa began stressing the concept of the congregation of the firstborn, perhaps due to increasing conflict in the leadership. There was an increasing effort to interpret the concept as an ecclesiological (and geographical) term, emphasizing the “walls”, i.e., the borders of the one and true congregation over against other groups.

• By "the congregation of the firstborn" the supporters meant the area of the early awakening in Swedish Lapland. Its elders were considered to be principal leaders of the whole movement. The Laestadian communities in western Swedish Lapland asserted that the whole movement had been passed on to the preachers in Gällivaare after the death of Juhani Raattamaa. The leading preacher of the area, Jonas Purnu (1829-1902) tried to present himself as having the authority brought about by this "transfer of power".

• Raattamaa’s death in 1899 facilitated the formation of the Firstborn group, also known as Western Laestadians and “gellivaaralaiset” as distinguished from the Eastern Laestadians, i.e., the Conservatives. The holding of separate services by the two sides in Svappavaara, Sweden, in 1900 marks the beginning of the schism, at least in Swedish Lapland.

Firstborn congregations

• The Firstborn consider the congregation in Swedish Lapland, where the Laestadian movement began, as a mother congregation.

• Christmas meetings in Gällivare, Sweden, are the most important annual event for the Firstborn Laestadians (continued in the New Year meetings in Ofoten).

• Firstborns believe in the Triune God, and adheres to the Bible as the unchangeable Word of God for salvation and as the standard for the doctrines of salvation.

• They accept the Apostles' Creed, the Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed and the Augsburg Confession and original doctrine of Martin Luther, Lars Levi Laestadius, and the elders of this church in Swedish Lapland in this era.

Dispensationalism• The belief that God has related to humans in different ways under different Biblical

covenants in a series of “dispensations, ” or periods in history.

• Each “dispensationof grace is followed by a period of decline.

• The Laestadian movement is understood as a contemporary descendant of an unbroken line of “living Christianity” via the Moravian Church, the Lutheran reformation and later Pietists, the Bohemian Brethren, the Lollards, and the Waldensians – all the way back to the primitive Church.

• Martin Luther, Jan Hus, John Wycliffe and Peter Waldo are seen as spiritual ancestors of Laestadianism.

• Authentic history = the history of the Martyr Church.

The Church of the Firstborn

• The Lapland “mother congregation” (Gällivare)– The Gällivare elders have the highest authority in doctrinal matters– Firstborn elders (worldwide) meet annually for a Christmas assembly– Connectional structure (an organized system of communication & accountability)

• Characterization (“the walls”)– Traditionalism with conservative pietistic ideals– Preachers should remain in their assigned areas– A general critical attitude towards the church

• International– Denmark, Great Britain, Russia, Estonia, Latvia, Germany– In America the "Firstborns" are the largest subgroup– The Old Apostolic Church (America)

Recent trends

• Increasing separation from the state church– Sacraments practiced in the congregation

• Stronger international bonding

• Increased educational level (both preachers & adherents)

• Gradual transition from sect to denomination?