Pain in the Belly

“Thomas Jacobson provides a much-needed overview of the Hauge movement, an expression of Norwegian-American pietism. Though ridiculed as legalistic, the followers of Hans Nielsen Hauge, Norwegian lay revivalist, advocated an experiential approach to faith and a passion for outreach. Today’s church would benefit mightily if it were to retrieve the best aspects of this heritage.”


—Mark Mattes, chair in theology, Grand View University





“This is an extremely insightful look at the continuation of the Hauge revivalistic movement in America after its denominational expression was merged into the rest of Norwegian-American Lutheranism in 1917. Haugeanism in the twentieth century struggled to continue as a movement within a larger group, mainly through parachurch organizations and other entities. Jacobson has written a fine study here, modeling how one might trace the continuation of an ethos, rather than a denominational structure.”


—Mark Granquist, professor of the history of Christianity, Luther Seminary





“Lutheranism is a divided tradition. The majority church is liturgical, sacramental, and episcopal in governance. The minority is Pietist, asserting that genuine faith requires the spiritual rebirth of the individual in the fellowship of believers. The Hauge Synod belongs to this minority. Suppressed in Norway, the Hauge movement found a home in America, creating a legacy from which the declining church of today could learn. Jacobson tells the story of the Synod skillfully and thoroughly.”


—Walter Sundberg, professor emeritus of church history, Luther Seminary