Carl Olof Rosenius and Swedish Emigration to America

Abstract

Carl Olof Rosenius grew up in an environment with early and positive contact with English Methodist mission. Already in 1840, he had close cooperation with two of the most important representatives from English-American mission organizations whose contributions were decisive for the mass emigration from Sweden to America starting in 1846. Through his writings, above all the periodical Pietisten, he became the central figure of the nineteenth century Swedish revival. Thus, Rosenius became a deep well of inspiration for the pioneer priests who, in the footsteps of the first mass emigration, led large emigrant groups from different parts of Sweden and thus contributed to further emigration. Among other things, these pioneer priests established the Swedish Lutheran Augustana Synod with its Rosenius-inspired low church character. With his writings, Rosenius reached even beyond the Lutheran denominations in the Swedish-American settlements. His writings are still published and read in the U.S.