Kristofer Nagel Janson (May 4, 1841 – November 17, 1917) was a Norwegian poet, author and Unitarian clergyman. Kristofer Janson is commonly recognized as the founder of the Norwegian Unitarian Church.

Background

Kristofer Janson was born in

Bergen Bergen (, ) is a city and municipalities of Norway, municipality in Vestland county on the Western Norway, west coast of Norway. Bergen is the list of towns and cities in Norway, second-largest city in Norway after the capital Oslo. By May 20 ...

, Norway. His father, a prominent merchant, was also the American consul. Janson graduated with a degree in theology from the

University of Christiania The University of Oslo (; ) is a public research university located in Oslo, Norway. It is the oldest university in Norway. Originally named the Royal Frederick University, the university was established in 1811 as the de facto Norwegian conti ...

during 1865. Although he had been trained in theology, he was not ordained into the

Church of Norway The Church of Norway (, , , ) is an Lutheranism, evangelical Lutheran denomination of Protestant Christianity and by far the largest Christian church in Norway. Christianity became the state religion of Norway around 1020, and was established a ...

. He traveled extensively in Europe and upon his return to Norway became popular as a teacher and author.

Career

In 1876, Kristofer Janson's three-act drama, ''Amerikanske fantasier'', was issued in

Chicago Chicago is the List of municipalities in Illinois, most populous city in the U.S. state of Illinois and in the Midwestern United States. With a population of 2,746,388, as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the List of Unite ...

Skandinaven ''Skandinaven'' was a Norwegian language newspaper published in Chicago, Illinois from 1866 until 1941. Background ''Skandinaven'' was established by three Norwegian immigrants; John Anderson, Knud Langeland (1813–88), and Iver Lawson ( ...

, which hailed its publication as a red-letter day for Norwegians in America. Both

Rasmus B. Anderson Rasmus Bjørn Anderson (January 12, 1846 – March 2, 1936) was an American author, professor, editor, businessman and diplomat. He brought to popular attention the fact that Viking explorers were the first Europeans to arrive in the New World ...

and H. H. Boyesen were subsequently instrumental in arranging a lecture tour of the Norwegian immigrant community in the United States. Janson came to the United States during September, 1879 at the start of a successful six month lecture tour. Janson subsequently relocated his family to the United States. His home soon became a cultural center. It was here as Janson's secretary that the future Norwegian author

Knut Hamsun Knut Hamsun (4 August 1859 – 19 February 1952) was a Norwegian writer who was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1920 Nobel Prize in Literature, 1920. Hamsun's work spans more than 70 years and shows variation with regard to conscio ...

got his initial impressions of American cultural life. During this period Janson wrote several novels and short stories often attacking the orthodoxy of the

Synod of the Norwegian Evangelical Lutheran Church in America The Synod of the Norwegian Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, commonly called the Norwegian Synod, was founded in 1853. It included churches in Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, and Wisconsin. History In February 1853, several Lutheran ministers in ...

. Norwegian writer

Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson Bjørnstjerne Martinius Bjørnson ( , ; 8 December 1832 – 26 April 1910) was a Norwegian writer who received the 1903 Nobel Prize in Literature "as a tribute to his noble, magnificent and versatile poetry, which has always been distinguished ...

had encouraged Janson to go to the United States and become a Unitarian pastor for the Norwegian immigrant settlements. Janson was ordained in a ceremony which took place in 1881 in Third Unitarian Church in

. He was subsequently asked by the

American Unitarian Association The American Unitarian Association (AUA) was a religious denomination in the United States and Canada, formed by associated Unitarian congregations in 1825. In 1961, it consolidated with the Universalist Church of America to form the Unitarian ...

to serve as minister among

Scandinavia Scandinavia is a subregion#Europe, subregion of northern Europe, with strong historical, cultural, and linguistic ties between its constituent peoples. ''Scandinavia'' most commonly refers to Denmark, Norway, and Sweden. It can sometimes also ...

n settlers in

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. He founded the Free Christian Church of

Minneapolis Minneapolis is a city in Hennepin County, Minnesota, United States, and its county seat. With a population of 429,954 as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the state's List of cities in Minnesota, most populous city. Locat ...

, later known as the Nazareth Church, and also established the

Nora Free Christian Church Nora Unitarian Universalist Church, originally called Nora Free Christian Church, is a historic church in Hanska, Minnesota, United States. The congregation was formed by a number of Brown County citizens who dissented from the Norwegian Luthe ...

in Hanska, Minnesota. He spent his winters serving the Minneapolis church and his summers in Hanska. In 1893 Janson returned to Norway and introduced

Unitarianism Unitarianism () is a Nontrinitarianism, nontrinitarian sect of Christianity. Unitarian Christians affirm the wikt:unitary, unitary God in Christianity, nature of God as the singular and unique Creator deity, creator of the universe, believe that ...

to Norway mainly in

Oslo Oslo ( or ; ) is the capital and most populous city of Norway. It constitutes both a county and a municipality. The municipality of Oslo had a population of in 2022, while the city's greater urban area had a population of 1,064,235 in 2022 ...

. Kristofer Janson is recognized as the historical founder of the Norwegian Unitarian Church (Norwegian: ''Unitarforbundet Bét Dávid'') which was established in 1895. ;Selected works Kristofer Janson Norske Digte

*''Norske Dikt'' (1867) *''Fante-Anne:'' short story (1868) *''Marit Skjølte:'' novel (1868) *''Salmer og sange for kirke og hjem'' (1883) *''Fra begge Sider Havet: fortællinger'' (1890) *''Lys og frihed: predikener til alle kirkeaarets Sön- og helligdage'' (1892) *''Foredrag'' (1894) *''Prestekonen:'' short story (1901) *''Bondefortællinger'' (1908) ;Additional reading *Draxen, Nina ''Kristofer Janson in America'' (Norwegian-American Historical Association. Authors Series. 1976) * Hansen, Carl G. O. ''My Minneapolis''. (Minneapolis, MN: Standard Press, 1956) *Sveino, Per ''Kristofer Janson and his American Experience'' (Oslo. 1971)

References

External links

*
Kristofer Janson's beginning ministryKristof Janson
at the

Internet Archive The Internet Archive is an American 501(c)(3) organization, non-profit organization founded in 1996 by Brewster Kahle that runs a digital library website, archive.org. It provides free access to collections of digitized media including web ...

Kristofer Janson
at the

Minnesota Historical Society The Minnesota Historical Society (MNHS) is a Nonprofit organization, nonprofit Educational institution, educational and cultural institution dedicated to preserving the history of the U.S. state of Minnesota. It was founded by the Minnesota Terr ...

Kristofer Janson and the reform of the Norwegian language
;Works in English * *
''The spell-bound fiddler''''The religious views of Bjørnson and Ibsen''

''A history of the Norwegians of Illinois:''
"Our Ancestors" by Kristofer Janson, pp. 17–32. ;Online book
''My Minneapolis:''

Nasjonalbiblioteket The National Library of Norway () was established in 1989. Its principal task is "to preserve the past for the future". The library is located both in Oslo and in Mo i Rana. The building in Oslo was restored and reopened in 2005. Prior to the ex ...

28. Kristofer Janson and Knut Hamsun
;Adaptation of ''Fante-Anne'' * ''Fante-Anne:'' 1920 film by Rasmus Breistein * ;Adaptation of ''Marit Skjølte'' * ''Brudeferden I Hardanger:'' 1926 film by Rasmus Breistein * ;Adaptation of ''Prestekonen'' * ''The Parson's Widow:'' 1920 film by Carl Theodor Dreyer * {{DEFAULTSORT:Janson, Kristofer 1841 births 1917 deaths American Unitarians Norwegian emigrants to the United States Clergy from Bergen