In Memoriam: Rev. Dr. Carl Braaten
We pray for the family and friends of Rev. Dr. Carl Braaten, who died October 28, 2023.
A memorial service will be held November 25, 2023, 1pm, at Lord of Life Lutheran Church in Sun City West, 13724 W. Meeker Boulevard, Sun City West, AZ 85375.
Carl Braaten was an esteemed American Lutheran theologian and minister, and contributed significantly to Lutheran theology and ecumenism. Born January 3, 1929, in Saint Paul, Minnesota to Norwegian-American missionaries, he was shaped by his early years in Madagascar. A graduate of St. Olaf College and Luther Seminary, he furthered his education at Heidelberg University and Harvard Divinity School under the guidance of Paul Tillich. Ordained in 1958, Braaten served in a Minneapolis parish and taught at Luther Seminary before joining the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago in 1962.
He co-founded the influential journal Dialog and later established the Center for Catholic and Evangelical Theology and its corresponding journal, Pro Ecclesia, with Robert Jenson. An author of seminal works such as "Principles of Lutheran Theology" and "Mother Church," Braaten's passion for restoring Lutheranism's catholic roots and fostering Christian unity marked his distinguished career. Remembered as Professor Emeritus at the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago, Braaten's legacy endures in his numerous publications and the lasting impact of his theological scholarship.
“O God of grace and glory, we remember before you our brother, Pastor Carl Braaten. We thank you for giving him to us to know and to love as a companion in our pilgrimage on earth. In your boundless compassion, console us who mourn. Give us faith to see that death has been swallowed up in the victory of our Lord, Jesus Christ, so that we may live in confidence and hope until, by your call, we are gathered to our heavenly home in the company of all your saints; through Jesus Christ, our Saviour and Lord.”
