Wheat Flour Messiah: Eric Jansson of Bishop Hill

Rating:
Summary: A Bishop Hill must-read
Review: In 1850, Eric Jansson of Sweden, a charismatic leader confident in his divine mission, led some 1,200 followers to the United States, marking the beginning of the exodus of emigrants from Sweden to North America. This book tells Jansson's story, from his birth in Biskopskulla, through his receiving his diving mandate, his conflict with the Lutheran state-church, his emigration to the United States, and his eventual death. Along the way, Paul Elmen, a Professor of Moral Theology at Seabury-Western Theological Seminary, looks at Jansson's theology and its roots, what made conflict between it and Swedish Lutheranism inevitable, and how it differed from Wesleyan theology.

If you are interested in Eric Jansson, or the commune he formed at Bishop Hill, Illinois, USA, then you really must read this book. It covers Eric Jansson's life in greater detail than I have ever seen it covered. Also, Professor Elmen's examination of Jansson's theology was quite fascinating, and gave me a greater understanding of what he and his followers believed. Overall, I thought that this was an excellent book on Eric Jansson, one that I highly recommend.