Annotated Bibliography for German American Congregationalism

compiled by Jamie Bonney

Books, Tracts, Pamphlets

Kleiner biblischer katechismus für Deutsche Congregationalisten. (Short bible catechism for German Congregationalists). Boston, MA: Congregational Sunday-School and Publishing Society. 1884.
Selected proof texts from the Heidelberg Catechism.

Kurze Darstellung der Hauptgrundsätze des Congregationalismus. (Brief description of the main principle of Congregationalism). La Grange, MO: J. Scharer, c.1870.
A description of the merits of Congregationalism targeted to German-speakers; important source for the question of why German-speakers would be attracted to a non-German denomination.

Eversz, Moritz. E. Kirchliches Handbuch zum Gebrauch für Deutsche Gemeinden. (Church Guide for the use of German cities). 1889.
Church handbook for the use of German congregations.

Konstitution der Deutschen Kongregationalen Nebraska Konferenz. (Constitution of the German Congregational Nebraska Conference). German Congregational Nebraska Conference. 1944.

Vieth, Henry A. "Ecclesiology of the German Brotherhood Movement". Fort Morgan, CO. 1980.
Amateur history piece. Unique topic.

Eslinger, Edward J. "The Growth and Development of German Congregationalism in the USA". 1983.
Amateur history.

Hanko, Charles William. "The Evangelical Protestant Movement". Brooklyn, NY: Educators Pub. Co. 1955.
An amateur but important history. Taken in conjunction with the records of Rev. JFC Green, its bias is more easily parsed. Contains a great scope of information, well summarized. Useful especially as regards the 20th century, which is generally poorly documented.

Schneider, Carl E. The German Church on the American Frontier. A Study of the Rise of Religion among the Germans of the West, Based on the History of the Evangelischer Kirchenverein des Westens (Evangelical Church Society of the West) 1840-1866. St. Louis, MO: Eden Publishing House. 1939.

Dobbs, Catherine R. Freedom's Will: The Society of the Separatists of Zoar - An Historical Adventure of Religious Communism in Early Ohio. New York, NY: William-Frederick Press. 1947.
Possibly interesting memoir of life in frontier commune.

Mode, Peter George. Frontier Spirit in American Christianity. New York, NY: Macmillan. 1923.

Eisenach, George J. Pietism and the Russian Germans in the United States. Berne, IN: Berne Publishers. 1948.

Kohl, Manfred Waldemar. Pietism. undated.
Articles originally published in Covenant Quarterly, 1976-1992: "Wiedergeburt as the Central Theme in Pietism", "Spener's Pia Desideria: the Programmschrift of Pietism", "Pietism as Movement of Revival". Written by the German minister of a Massachusetts Congregational Church.

Schmid, Christoph von. Der Rosenstock: eine interessante erzaehlung. (Christoph von Schmid's Jugend-Bibliothek). Philidelphia, PA: Mermit & Co. before 1880.

Barth, Christian Gottlob. Zweimal zweiundfünfzig Biblische Geschichten für Schulen und Familien: Mit Abbildungen. Philadelphia, PA: Schafer und Koradi. 1869.
Children's publication. Original publication date: 1790.

Uhden, H.F. Geschichte der Congregationalisten in Neu-England bis zu den Erweckungen um das Jahr 1740. (The New England Theocracy. A History of the Congregationalists in New England to the Revivals of 1740). Leipzig, Germany: L. H. Bofenberg. 1842.
Both the original German edition and an early translation of 1858 by H.C. Conant.

Wittke, Carl Frederick. We Who Built America: The Saga of the Immigrant. New York, NY: Prentice-Hall. 1940.
Includes sections on Germans and Russia-Germans; only resource that does not use Eisenach as an intermediary.

German and German American Culture of the 20th Century

Hamel, Johannes. A Christian in East Germany. New York, NY: Association Press. 1960.

Vogel, Heinrich. The Grace of God & German Guilt. London, United Kingdom: SCM Press. 1947.

Frey, Arthur. Cross and Swastika: The Ordeal of the German Church. London. United Kingdom: Student Christian Movement Press. 1938.

Hauer, Wilhelm; Karl Heim; Karl Adam. Germany's New Religion: The German Faith Movement. New York, NY: Abingdon Press. 1937.

McClaskey, Beryl R. The History of U.S. Policy and Program in the Field of Religious Affairs Under the Office of the U.S. High Commissioner for Germany. Research Project no. 104, February 1951.

Drummond, Andrew L. German Protestantism Since Luther. London, United Kingdom: Epworth Press. 1951.

Nevin, John W. The German Language: an address, delivered before the Goethean Literary Society, of Marshall College, at its anniversary, August 29, 1842. Chambersburg, PA: Publication Office of the German Reformed Church. 1842.

Fischer, Max and Friedrich Michael Schiele. Fünfter Weltkongress für Freies Christentum und Religiösen Fortschritt ... : Protokoll der Verhandlungen. Berlin, Germany: Verlag des Protestantischen Schriftenvertriebs, Schèoneberg. 1910.
volume 2. "International Conference of Free Christians and Other Religious Liberals"

German Periodicals

The CL possesses German periodicals from the 1880s to the 1960s. Mostly for family religious education, of a devotional nature, with some more news-oriented publications (especially early-mid 20th c). Different publication locations in the midwest and Pennsylvania, one publication imported from Germany in the 1920s & 30s. The Kirchenbote and the Kirchenbote Kalender contain important demographic and congregational reports.

Sonntagsblatt fur Schule und haus. (Sunday-paper for school and home). Cincinnati, OH: Evang. Prot. Prediger Conferenz (Evangelical Protestant Ministers' Conference).
Bd.2, no.1 (Apr.5,1896) - bd.16, no.52 (Mar.26,1911). Holdings incomplete, see catalog record.
Features numerous devotional and general illustrations. A family publication, heavily illustrated with light articles on religious matters.

Kirchenbote der Deutschen Vereinigten Evangelisch-Protestantischen Gemeinden. Pittsburgh, PA; Redfield, SD; Yankton, SD
Original title: Der Congregational Kirchen-Bote. First published November, 1882.
Vol.48,no.1 (Jan.2,1930) - vol.83,no.5 (Dec.3,1964). Holdings incomplete, see catalog record.
Early: Devotional and religious content and extensive congregational postings from many congregations in PA, incl. a narrative report and official records. Late: Includes much more extensive news postings, incl. world news articles, mission reports, national news. Extensive obituaries.

The Christian Messenger. Yankton, SD
Vol.1, no.1 (Dec.1943) - vol.22,no.3 (Dec.2,1964). Holdings incomplete, see catalog record.
This English-language publication is the sister publication to Der Kirchenbote.

Illustrierter Kirchenbote-Kalender (Illustrated Christian Messenger Almanac). Chicago, IL; Redfield, SD; Yankton, SD
Vol.[9] (1905) - vol.67 (1963). Holdings incomplete, see catalog record.
Issued once a year.

Die Christliche Welt: Protestantische Halbmonatsschrift für Gebildete aller Stände. (The Christian World). Gotha, Germany; Leipzig, Germany
Vol.38,no.3/4 (Jan.24,1924) - vol.53,no.23 (Dec.2,1939).
The only German periodical in the collection. Articles about current affairs and the church, stories, the christian year, book advertisements, numerous book reviews, chronicle of news, miscellany (editorials), notifications.

Christlicher Jugendfreund. (Christian Children's Companion). Cincinnati, OH
Vol.24, nos.1-52 (Mar.6,1892-Feb.26,1893).
A publication for children or to be read to children. Illustrated. Mar 1893-Feb 94 can be found in the archival material for the Cincinnati OH German Conference.