Frederick William Stellhorn

Stellhorn was born at Brüninghorstedt[1] in the Kingdom of Hanover, Germany, son of Johann Peter and Katharina (Wesseli) Stellhorn. He immigrated to the United States when he was twelve. His father died of cholera in Fort Wayne, Indiana, in September 1854, leaving his mother widowed with two young children. His older brother helped provide for the family. He attended German language Lutheran parochial schools in Fort Wayne. In the fall of 1855, Stellhorn entered the Practical Theological Seminary of the Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod (LCMS) in that city.

Frederick married Christiane Maria, daughter of Ernst and Amalie (Weber) Buenger, in Altenburg, Missouri, on January 9, 1866. They had seven children. After her death he married Louise, daughter of Rev. Henry and Mary Louisa (Beilharz) Lang and widow of Fletcher Darst, in 1901.[2]

From Fort Wayne he went to St. Louis, Missouri. to finish his classical education and three years later, in 1865, he was graduated from Concordia Seminary there. He entered the office of the Holy Ministry in the LCMS. Shortly afterward, he suffered sunstroke and had to resign his first call. He re-entered the ministry in 1867 in a small parish which allowed him to regain his strength and study academic subjects. Two years later, in 1869, he entered the Wisconsin Synod's Northwestern College in Watertown, Wisconsin, to continue his interest in classical education. Two years later in 1871 he was called back to the seminary in Fort Wayne to teach.

Part of a series on
Lutheranism
Luther's rose
Book of Concord Apostles' Creed Nicene Creed Athanasian Creed Augsburg Confession Apology of the Augsburg Confession Luther's Small / Large Catechism Smalcald Articles Treatise on the Power and Primacy of the Pope Formula of Concord
Theology Theology of Martin Luther Justification Law and Gospel Sola gratia Sola scriptura Christology Sanctification Two kingdoms catholicity Two states of the Church Priesthood of all believers Divine Providence Marian theology Theology of the Cross Sacramental Union Homosexuality
Sacraments and worship Baptism Eucharist Confession Confirmation Matrimony Anointing of the Sick Holy Orders Lutheran hymn Lutheran hymnwriters Normative principle Lutheran art
Organization Confessional Evangelical Lutheran Conference Global Confessional & Missional Lutheran Forum International Lutheran Council Lutheran World Federation Denominations Lutheranism by region
History Start of the Reformation Reformation Crypto-Lutherans Gnesio-Lutherans Lutheran orthodoxy Pietists Haugeans Laestadians Finnish Awakening Old Lutherans Neo-Lutherans High church Lutherans Confessional Lutheranism
Missionaries John Campanius Bartholomäus Ziegenbalg Hans Egede Johann Heinrich Callenberg Johann Phillip Fabricius Paul Henkel John Christian Frederick Heyer Karl Graul Martti Rautanen Wilhelm Sihler F. C. D. Wyneken Hans Paludan Smith Schreuder Lars Olsen Skrefsrud Ludwig Ingwer Nommensen Onesimos Nesib Paul Olaf Bodding Johann Flierl Christian Keyser
Bible translators Martin Luther Casiodoro de Reina Kjell Magne Yri Onesimos Nesib Aster Ganno Kristian Osvald Viderø Jákup Dahl Bartholomäus Ziegenbalg Johann Phillip Fabricius William Tyndale John Rogers George Constantine Jozef Roháček Johannes Avetaranian Guðbrandur Þorláksson Ludvig Olsen Fossum Hans Egede / Paul Egede Otto Fabricius Nils Vibe Stockfleth Olaus Petri / Laurentius Petri Martti Rautanen Primož Trubar Jurij Dalmatin Ludwig Ingwer Nommensen Sebastian Krelj Mikael Agricola Norwegian Bible Society Samuel Ludwik Zasadius Stanislovas Rapolionis Laurentius Andreae Hans Tausen Olaf M. Norlie Jonas Bretkūnas Hans Paludan Smith Schreuder Antonio Brucioli Mikołaj Jakubica Matthias Bel Johann Ernst Glück William F. Beck
Theologians Martin Luther / Katharina von Bora Philip Melanchthon Johannes Bugenhagen Johannes Brenz Justus Jonas Hans Tausen Laurentius Petri Olaus Petri Mikael Agricola Matthias Flacius Martin Chemnitz Johann Gerhard Abraham Calovius Johannes Andreas Quenstedt Johann Wilhelm Baier Philipp Spener David Hollaz August Hermann Francke Henry Muhlenberg Friedrich Schleiermacher Lars Levi Laestadius Charles Porterfield Krauth C. F. W. Walther F. W. Stellhorn Søren Kierkegaard Rudolf Otto Ernst Troeltsch Rudolf Bultmann Paul Tillich Hermann Sasse Dietrich Bonhoeffer Wolfhart Pannenberg

In Fort Wayne he spent six years in the upheaval that culminated in the Predestination Controversy of 1880.[3][4] He became a 'persona non grata' due to his outspoken opposition to the leader of the LCMS, C. F. W. Walther. This disagreement led to his being invited to join the Ohio Synod in 1881, and he was called to Columbus, Ohio, to serve as professor of German language in Capital University and professor in the Ohio Synod's Evangelical Lutheran Theological Seminary. He also served as the housefather of the institution,[5] but his term of office as housefather was short. To a man of his academic habits, the petty annoyances that go with that job were distasteful.

His term of office as professor of German was long, and it was not until late in life when natural decline made it necessary for him to have less work that he was relieved. His influence in the German language department made itself felt in the synod because it was largely due to him that the late 19th and early 20th century pastors of the Ohio Synod were known to preach well in German.[5] He taught up until the time of his death while still on faculty at Capital University at age 78.

He served as editor of the Lutherische Kirchenzeitung prior to Richard C. H. Lenski and also edited the Theologische Zeitblatter.

• Worum handelt es sich eigentlich in dem gegenwärtigen Lehrstreit über die Gnadenwahl? : für jeden lutherischen Christen einfach und deutlich beantwortet (1881).[6]
• What is the real question in the present controversy on predestination? : a plain and clear answer for every Lutheran Christian (1881).[7]
• Prüfung der "Beleuchtung" Hrn. Dr. Walthers (1881).[8]
• Kurzgefasstes Woerterbuch zum Griechischen Neuen Testament (1886). (was reviewed in English)[9]
• Brief Commentary on the New Testament (1890).
• A brief commentary on the four Gospels: for study and devotion (1891).[10]
• Annotations On The Acts Of The Apostles (1896).
• Die Pastoralbriefe Pauli [The pastoral letters of Paul] (1899).[11]
• Der erste Brief Pauli an Timotheum [The first letter of Paul to Timothy] (1899).[12]
• Der Schriftbeweis des lutherischen Katechismus : Erklärung des kleinen Katechismus Luthers und der ihm zugrunde liegenden Schriftstellen [The Scriptural Proof of the Lutheran Catechism: Explanation of Luther's Small Catechism and the Scriptures on which it is based] (1912)
• The epistle of St. Paul to the Romans (1918)