Book on the history of Norwegian Unitarianism

My book on the history of Unitarianism in Norway 1893-1937 has been delayed but will probably be published next month. For those of you interested it is possible to purchase the book from The Schweitzer Publisher or just mail me at unitarian@christian.net

How many congregations did Janson establish?

The Norwegian writer Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson (1832-1910) encouraged Kristofer Janson (1841-1917) to go to the USA and become Unitarian pastor for the Norwegian settlements in Minnesota. In November 1881 Janson (who was a writer and an Evangelical Lutheran theologian) received Unitarian ordination as pastor in Third Unitarian Church in Chicago. Then he moved to Minneapolis and became an important and well known Unitarian minister among the Scandinavians settled in Minnesota. He founded several Unitarian Congregations of which at least one still exists (to day Nora Unitarian Universalist Church in Hanska, see photo and http://www.norauuchurch.org/index.shtml)

In 1893 Janson returned to Norway and two years later he founded the Norwegian Unitarian church «Church of Brotherhood» but was due to internal conflicts between him and many of the church members forced to leave this church in 1898.

It is well known that Janson inspired the foundation of the Danish Unitarian church in Copenhagen in 1900 where he also sometimes preached. But what is less known is that he also founded a Danish Unitarian church outside Aarhus at a place called Marselisborg Forest. According to Janson the Danish Unitarian pastors Anton Jensen and Høgstedt continued as ministers.

Unike any other Unitarian pastor Janson managed to establish five Unitarian congregations in the USA, one in Norway and one in Denmark. Of these only Nora UU Church has survived to this day.

Extraordinary photo of Møllergt. 20 in Oslo

In the beginning of the 20 century Norwegian Unitarians held their meetings in Møllergt. 20 in Oslo. Since long ago the building was demolished and a new one erected. It has been impossible to find a photo of the original meeting house. But thanks to the Internet to day photos taken of Oslo by air it is possible to locate and see from above the place where the Unitarians had their meetings. The following link should take you to Møllergt. 20 in 1937. The same year as Unitarian pastor Herman Haugerud died and the last year the records tells about Unitarian meetings at this particular place:
http://kart.gulesider.no/kart/historicalMap.c?imgt=MAP&id=a_187809&h=hist&imgt2=ORTO&lnw=1937&lne=2005

It is possible to zoom in to get a closer look at the building.