The John C. Dahlke Collection

Collection

Identifier: B003

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

Records in this collection are divided into three different groupings: 1) a variety of documents on the break with Missouri, 2) materials regarding the Revised Standard Version (RSV) translation of the Bible, and 3) miscellaneous pastoral documents from Dahlke's ministry. However, the significance of this collection is found in the first grouping, of which the majority of this collection consists.

Dahlke's thoughts on the break with Missouri prove to be very significant. Not only was Dahlke a prominent leader in the synod, he was so alarmed by Wisconsin's refusal to act in the late 1950s that he resigned from his position as Vice-President of the Western Wisconsin District. While Dahlke eventually returned to a synodical role as President of the Northern Wisconsin District, he provides an insight into the difficult decision that many pastors faced as weighed scriptural principles with loving admonition.

Dates

1940 - 1974

Creator

Dahlke, John C., Pastor (Person)

Conditions Governing Use

Biographical / Historical

John Dahlke was born in New Prague Minnesota on June 13, 1907. He received his early Christian schooling at New Prague and Belle Plaine, Minnesota, studied at Doctor Martin Luther College and Northwestern College, and Graduated from Mequon in 1935. Dahlke passed away in 1974 after a brief illness at the age of 67.

Throughout his ministry, Dahlke served as a tutor at Dr. Martin Luther College (1935-1937), and as a pastor at Jerusalem Lutheran Church in Milwaukee, Wisconsin (1937-1950), St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Tomah, Wisconsin (1950-1957), and St. Peter Lutheran Church in Weyauwega, Wisconsin (1958- )

In addition, Pastor Dahlke served in several significant areas synodically: as President of the Southeastern Wisconsin District (1948-1950), First Vice-President of the Western Wisconsin District (sometime during the 1950s), and President of the Northern Wisconsin District (1962-1968).

The majority of the records in this collection come from Dahlke's time as Vice-President of the Western Wisconsin District, when he was forced to confront the ever-growing divide between Wisconsin and Missouri.