To Celebrate Concordia Historical Institute Centenary and Renew the Synod’s Commitment to Treasure and Trumpet Its Redeemed History

Official Workbook overture source text

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To Celebrate Concordia Historical Institute 
Centenary and Renew the Synod’s Commitment to 
Treasure and Trumpet Its Redeemed History 
Rationale 
Concordia Historical Institute (CHI) will observe its centenary 
anniversary on April 28, 2027, under the theme: “Treasuring & 
Trumpeting Our Lutheran History—for All the Saints.”  
Though officially incorporated as a Missouri State nonprofit in 
1927, the i nstitute’s origins reach back to the organizational 
documents drafted in 1839 by the Saxons under Martin Stephan 
before they immigrated to Missouri—plans that included provision 
for a church archivist. This same conviction  regarding the 
importance of preserving historical materials found expression in 
the founding C onstitution of The Lutheran Church—Missouri 
Synod (LCMS) in 1847, when the office of Synod “Chronicler” was 
established. 
After the death of the first generation of Synod leaders and the  
subsequent scattering and loss of important historical materials 
related to the Synod’s early years, a renewed commitment to 
preserving and proclaiming the redeeming work of Christ in the 
Synod’s history took shape. Various local efforts to safeguard 
historical materials continued until 343 charter members signed the 
constitution of the Concordia Historical Society  (Die Konkordia-
Historische Gesellschaft), crafted by Concordia Seminary, St. Louis 
(CSL), professor and administrator Ludwig Fuerbringer on Nov. 4, 
1910. This society became the institutional model for CHI , which 
the Synod in convention recognized and commended in 1929 and 
later designated as the official LCMS “Department of Archives and 
History” at the 1965 Synod convention (Res. 14-11, Proceedings, 
188). 
Over the past 99 years, CHI has actively curated and published 
“Ebenezers” (i.e., memorials, 1 Sam. 7:12) of its history through its 
journal, the Concordia Historical Institute Quarterly , the longest -
running Lutheran historical journal in North America, first 
published in April 1928 and comprehensively revised and expanded 
in 2014. 
Since the construction of the CHI building on the campus of CSL 
in 1952, books, manuscripts, photographs, paintings, artifacts, and 
commemorative coins and medals have been displayed to 
commemorate Christ’s gracious work among the people and 
congregations of the Synod. Today, CHI manages a permanent 
museum exhibit chronicling the history of the  Synod at the LCMS 
International Center in Kirkwood, M o. It also provides regularly 
rotating exhibits in the CHI Exhibition Hall on the CSL campus—
and more recently, publishes printed exhibit catalogs and posts 
digital exhibits online. 
The CHI staff responds daily to inquiries  regarding the people, 
places, and events spanning the 179-year history of the  Synod, 
providing the Synod with increased access to its archival materials 
and new publications that instill and deepen interest in Lutheran 
history. 
The institute continues to serve as the “corporate memory” of the 
Synod, steadfastly reminding the Synod of its responsibility to learn 
with joy from the Lord’s redeeming hand in preserving and 
nurturing His people —especially in times of crisis — over these 
many years. CHI continues to offer archival services to districts, 
congregations, Synod entities, and leaders who bear fiduciary