Lutheran Synod of Buffalo

See BUF Administrative History

Johann Andreas August Grabau was born in 1804 in Olvenstedt near Madgeburg, Prussia, the son of devout Lutheran parents. He was educated in Madgeburg and Halle. A man of sensitive conscience, he pledged fidelity to the Lutheran confessions upon his ordination but was required to use the unionistic liturgy of the Prussian Evangelical Church when called to St. Andreas Church in Erfurt in 1834. The dissonance between his ordination vows and the unionistic liturgy's theology created a crisis of conscience. After becoming acquainted with a dissident Lutheran pastor imprisoned in Erfurt, Grabau became more convinced that the creation of the Prussian Evangelical Church was an attempt to overthrow true Lutheran teaching. He discarded the Prussian liturgy and began using the old Saxon church order (Kirchenordnung) exclusively, leading to his suspension, persecution and eventually to two imprisonments. After Grabau was released from prison in 1839 on the condition that he emigrate, he led approximately 1000 Lutheran emigrants from Madgeburg and Erfurt to New York State. Grabau and most of the group settled in Buffalo, where they established Trinity Old Lutheran Church. Besides serving as pastor of Trinity, he also established Martin Lutheran College, later Martin Luther Seminary, for the training of pastors and teachers. Grabau's authoritarian views made him a strict disciplinarian. Members of the ministerium, led by C.F.W Hochstetter, assistant pastor at Trinity, convicted Grabau of teaching false doctrine about the ministry and the church. Grabau refused to accept this judgment, however, which caused a schism in his congregation and eventually in the synod. Grabau continued to act as pastor of Trinity, president of Dr. Martin Luther College, leader of the Buffalo Synod, and editor of the synod's publication, Die Wachende Kirche, until his death on June 2, 1879. Grabau was married to Christiane Sophie Burggraf. Their sons Johann A. and Wilhelm both became Lutheran pastors, and his grandson, Johann N. Grabau also become pastor of Trinity Old Lutheran Church in Buffalo.

See also Buffalo Synod Administrative History

Heinrich Karl Georg von Rohr was born in 1797 in Billerbeck, Pomerania. He became a Prussian army officer and, after studying the Lutheran Confessions, a devout Lutheran. His association with J. A. A. Grabau and participation in Lutheran worship led to his suspension by the Prussian government. Von Rohr was instrumental in organizing the Saxon Lutheran emigration under Grabau's leadership. After arriving in New York State in 1839, von Rohr and others proceeded on to Wisconsin and founded Freistadt, near Milwaukee. After theological study in Buffalo and ordination, he served a Lutheran congregation in Humberstone, Ontario, Canada for a year. In 1846, he returned to the vicinity of Buffalo, New York where he served St. Peter's in New Wallmow, Holy Ghost in New Bergholtz and St. Martini in Martinsville. Von Rohr supported C. F. W. Hochstetter in bringing charges of heresy against Grabau. When Grabau refused to accept the ministerium's verdict, von Rohr and others negotiated to unite with the Missouri Synod. Von Rohr's disagreement with the Missouri Synod's view of the Office of the Keys led him to form an independent organization with a few others. Von Rohr united with the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod in 1877 and remained pastor of the New Bergholtz congregation until his death on May 15, 1874.