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Theodor LeVander papers

 Collection
Identifier: MSS 162

Scope and Contents

The Theodor LeVander papers, 1936-1950 and undated, contains LeVander's personal papers, primarily dealing with his association with the Augustana Synod. As a member of this group, LeVander was able to participate in events such as the First Assembly of the World Council of Churches, an international meeting between delegates of various Christian denominations. Most items within the collections relate to the 1948 First Assembly, with the exception of a scrapbook following the 1936 United States presidential campaign. The collection is organized into four series: Personal, Augustana Synod, World Council of Churches, and Miscellaneous.

The Personal series contains two subseries: Travel and Miscellaneous. The Travel subseries contains a number of pamphlets, brochures, and maps that Dr. LeVander obtained during his travels abroad. The Miscellaneous subseries includes a scrapbook put together by Dr. LeVander following the presidential campaign of 1936 between Franklin D. Roosevelt, Alf Landon , William Lemke, Norman Thomas, and Earl Browder. The scrapbook contains newspaper clippings, pamphlets, and transcriptions of speeches given by the various candidates. The subseries also includes an unlabeled black and white photograph.

The Augustana Synod series contains three subseries: Centennial Pageant, The Lutheran Companion, and Miscellaneous. The Centennial Pageant subseries contains papers about the pageant committee, including meeting minutes, correspondence, and miscellaneous committee papers; lists of those helping with the pageant; the cast of the pageant; the program; the script; post-pageant news articles and correspondence; and miscellaneous papers dealing with the pageant. The Lutheran Companion subseries contains copies of The Lutheran Companion, the official organ of the Evangelical Lutheran Augustana Synod of North America published weekly by the Augustana Book Concern in Rock Island. This issues represented in this subseries date from June 1948 to May 1949 with some issues missing. The Miscellaneous sub-series contains a paper that was issued by representatives of the Augustana Synod who were delegates at the Conference on Life and Work, held in Oxford, and the Faith and Order Conference, held in Edinburgh. Both conferences were held in 1937.

The World Council of Churches series contains three subseries: Conference of USA Member Churches, First Assembly, and Miscellaneous. The Conference of USA Member Churches subseries contains meeting minutes and committee correspondence. The First Assembly subseries contains papers, publications and reports from the First Assembly held in 1948. The Miscellaneous subseries contains briefing documents, committee and commission reports and publications, the World Council of Churches constitution, and correspondence.

The Miscellaneous series is arranged into three subseries: Articles about World Council of Churches First Assembly, Booklets, and Other Organizations. While most of these items are likely related to the First Assembly as can be ascertained from the time period of their publication, they were not created by the World Council of Churches directly. The subseries Articles about the World Council of Churches First Assembly is a collection of literature written about the proceedings of the First Assembly. The Booklets subseries contains various booklets published between 1947 and 1948. The Other Organizations subseries contains information of the Faith and Order Movement and the International Missionary Council. Both of these organizations would come to be related to the World Council of Churches.

Dates

  • Creation: 1936-1950 and undated

Creator

Conditions Governing Access

There are no restrictions on the use of this collection.

Conditions Governing Use

Unpublished manuscripts are protected by copyright. Permission to publish, quote, or reproduce must be secured from Augustana College Special Collections and the copyright holder.

Historical Note

Dr. Theodor LeVander was born 3 June 1909 in Creston, Iowa, to Reverend Magni and Laura Lovene LeVander. LeVander attended Gustavus Adolphus College in St. Peter, Minnesota, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in 1931. In 1934, he received a bachelor of divinity degree from Augustana Seminary. LeVander was pastor of Frieden Lutheran Church in Barstow, Illinois, from 1935 to 1937. He married Barbara Fehlman in 1939 in Geneseo. LeVander obtained his Master of Arts degree from the University of Iowa in 1940 and also studied at the University of Minnesota and at Northwestern University. He began working as a professor of speech at Augustana College in 1932, specializing in the area of rhetoric and public address. During his time at Augustana he also taught in the homiletics department of the former Augustana Theological Seminary. In 1961, Gustavus Adolphus College awarded him a distinguished alumnus citation for his work in the field of speech. In 1966, the college also awarded him an honorary degree of doctor of human letters. LeVander retired from teaching 1977. During his lifetime, LeVander was also an active member of the World Council of Churches. He was a delegate from the Augustana Lutheran Church at world conferences in England in 1937 and Holland in 1948. He died on Wednesday, 6 March 1996, in Rock Island, at the age of 86.

Extent

1.7 Cubic Feet (/ 4 boxes)

Language of Materials

Multiple languages

Abstract

Dr. Theodor LeVander was a professor of speech at Augustana College in 1932 to 1977, specializing in the area of rhetoric and public address. During his time at Augustana he also taught in the homiletics department of the former Augustana Theological Seminary. During his lifetime, LeVander was an active member of the World Council of Churches. He was a delegate from the Augustana Lutheran Church at world conferences in England in 1937 and Holland in 1948. The Theodor LeVander papers, 1936-1950 and undated, contains LeVander's personal papers, primarily dealing with his association with the Augustana Synod. As a member of this group, LeVander was able to participate in events such as the First Assembly of the World Council of Churches, an international meeting between delegates of various Christian denominations. Most items within the collections relate to the 1948 First Assembly, with the exception of a scrapbook following the 1936 United States presidential campaign. The collection is organized into four series: Personal, Augustana Synod, World Council of Churches, and Miscellaneous.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Received from Edward Jawoisz in 2005.

Processing Information

Processed by Jessi Spinder, 2005. Revised by Emily Hughes Dominick, 2006, and Atticus Garrison, May 2016.

Title
Theodor LeVander papers, 1936-1950 and undated.
Status
Completed
Author
Atticus Garrison
Date
May 2016
Description rules
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description
Undetermined
Script of description
Code for undetermined script
Language of description note
English

Repository Details

Part of the Augustana College Special Collections Repository

Contact:
639 38th Street
Thomas Tredway Library
Rock Island Illinois 61201 United States