June 5 in Christian History

Jun 05, 2013 04:25 AM EDT

1860 The Scandinavian Evangelical Lutheran Augsburg Synod in North America was founded in Wisconsin. In 1962, the Augsburg Synod became one of four branches in American Lutheranism that merged to form the Lutheran Church in America (LCA).

1944 German Lutheran theologian and martyr Dietrich Bonhoeffer wrote in a letter from prison: 'Certainly one must try everything, but only to become more certain what God's way is.'

1960 John XXIII published his motu proprio, 'Superno Dei Nutu,' which created the necessary committees and organizational structure for the upcoming Vatican II Ecumenical Council (1962-65).

1961 English apologist C.S. Lewis wrote in a letter: 'Any fixing of the mind on old evils beyond what is absolutely necessary for repenting of our own sins and forgiving those of others is...usually bad for us.'

1967 The Arab-Israeli Six-Day War began, during which Israel took control of the Sinai Desert, the city of Jerusalem and the west bank of the Jordan River. A cease-fire arranged by the U.N. ended the conflict on June 10th.

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© 1987-2010, William D. Blake. Used by permission of the author, from Almanac of the Christian Church