My statistics report for the podcast tells me that 89% of my listeners are in North America, so that likely means that many listeners may not be aware of parallel developments of Lutheranism in other parts of the world, especially Australia.  I was surprised to see how many origins, divisions, and developments within Australian Lutheranism were so similar to many American Lutheran groups.  While we certainly don’t have time to cover nearly 200 years of history in any great detail, I think our audience would appreciate and benefit from a brief overview of Australian Lutheranism.  It turns out, a more detailed overview series exists on YouTube, but rather than have me, an American summarize something I just listened to, today we have our first international guest.  Rev. Jake Zabel is the pastor of St. John’s Evangelical Lutheran Church in Dalby, Queensland, Australia. 

Episode Image: Map of Statistical Areas coloured by percentage of people identifying as Lutheran at the 2011 Census

Link to Zabel's "Ask the Australian Lutheran Historian" Facebook page:https://www.facebook.com/Australian-Lutheran-History-The-Order-of-Knight-George-107927964023073

Link to Zabel's youtube video series on Australian Lutheranism: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ndleSWeJSJ4&list=PLSLRfRT3QBv4LU2trNGYxaaM_legugLxl&index=1&ab_channel=TheOrderofKnightGeorge

Link to Zabel's book:  The Forgotten Synod: A History of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Australasia

Link to Zabel's book:  Pastor Schirmeister: The Father of the Lutheran Church in Queensland

Links to Zabel's helpful colorful charts that diagram the timelines of Australian and neighboring Lutheran Synods: http://www.knightgeorge.info/lutheranism-in-australia-and-new-zealand.html

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• About the Host
  • Benjamin Phelps is a 2014 graduate from Martin Luther College with a Bachelor of Arts with a German emphasis. From there went on to graduate from Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary in 2018.
    Ben loves all things history and enjoys traveling. A descendant of over a dozen Lutheran pastors, Ben has an interest in his family roots, especially 19th-century Lutheranism, and has written several papers and journal articles on the topic. His 2018 thesis on Wyneken won the John Harrison Ness award and the Abdel Ross Wentz prize. He is also the recipient of two awards of commendation from the Concordia Historical Institute.
    Ben is currently a doctoral student in historical theology through Concordia Seminary's reduced residency program in St. Louis.