Hermann Sasse

Hermann Otto Erich Sasse (July 17, 1895—August 9, 1976) was a Lutheran theologian and author. He was considered one of the foremost confessional Lutheran theologians of the 20th century.

Born in Sonnenwald, Germany, Sasse began his career under the influence of the classical liberalism of his teachers, such as Adolf Harnack. After spending a year as an exchange student at Hartford Theological Seminary in the United States (1925-1926), Sasse returned to Germany to take up a teaching position at University of Erlangen. During this period, he became an active participant in the ecumenical movement. In the early 1930s, he emerged as a vocal critic of the National Socialist Party and Germany’s new chancellor, Adolf Hitler. While he did not sign the 1934 Barmen Declaration, he did author, with Dietrich Bonhoeffer and others, the first draft of the lesser known Bethel Confession of 1933.

In 1949, Sasse emigrated to Adelaide, Australia, where he served on the faculty of the seminary of the United Evangelical Lutheran Church of Australia (later merged into the Lutheran Church of Australia) until his death in 1976.

Selected bibliography

* "This Is My Body: Luther's Contention for the Real Presence in the Sacrament of the Altar." (Eugene, OR: Wipf & Stock, 2001) ISBN 1-57910-766-4
* "The Lonely Way: Selected Essays and Letters of Hermann Sasse: 1941-1976" (Concordia Publishing House, 2003) ISBN 0-7586-0004-6
* "The Lonely Way: Selected Essays and Letters of Hermann Sasse: 1927-1939" (Concordia Publishing House, 2002) ISBN 0-570-01640-1

External links

* [http://www.adb.online.anu.edu.au/biogs/AS10426b.htm Sasse, Hermann Otto Erich (1895 - 1976)] (Australian Dictionary of Biography)
* [http://www.ctsfw.edu/academics/faculty/pless/Sasse.htm Hermann Sasse and the Liturgical Movement] by John T. Pless
* [http://www.clai.org.au/articles/sasse/contents.htm Selection of Prof. Dr Hermann Sasse's Writings] (Confessional Lutherans Australia)
* [http://www.ourredeemerlcms.org/beggars.htm Luther's Legacy to Christianity: We Are Beggars by Hermann Sasse]
* [http://messiahkenosha.org/beliefs/sasse.htm Church and Lord's Supper by Hermann Sasse]
* [http://www.ourredeemerlcms.org/struggle.htm We Are Not Ashamed of Their Ardent Struggle by Hermann Sasse]
* [http://web.archive.org/web/20031122043305/www.crisisinthelcms.org/sasseonlies.htm Hermann Sasse on "Lies"]
* [http://web.archive.org/web/20031122042746/www.crisisinthelcms.org/sasseoncontroversies.htm Herman Sasse on "Controversies in the Church"]
* [http://www.angelfire.com/ny4/djw/lutherantheology.sassepreface.html Preface to Vom Sakrament des Altars by Hermann Sasse]
* [http://www.lutheranwiki.org/Bethel_Confession History and content of the 1933 Bethel Confession]

Persondata
NAME= Sasse, Hermann Otto Erich
ALTERNATIVE NAMES=
SHORT DESCRIPTION=Lutheran theologian, considered one of the foremost confessional Lutheran theologians of the 20th century
DATE OF BIRTH=July 17 1895
PLACE OF BIRTH=Sonnewalde, Lower Lusatia, Germany
DATE OF DEATH=August 9, 1976
PLACE OF DEATH=North Adelaide, South Australia, Australia