Fortress Press

To borrow a phrase from Dean Acheson, Lowell Almen was "present at the creation" of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, and as its secretary for its first twenty years, he was a key figure in shaping the new church's life and mission. His memoir offers a behind-the-scenes look at how the ELCA's vision of Christian unity eventually was eclipsed by the stresses and strains of contemporary church life. Yet despite the ebbing of interest in that vision, Almen argues that the eclipsed dream is still worthwhile--indeed, vital--for the future of the church.

As a significant leader in the life of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, Lowell Almen has lived its history and shared a vision for unity. In bishops meetings, decision-making, and promoting a commitment to the well-being of the church, Lowell has been regarded as providing an understanding of ecclesiology that helped guide our life together. This book is an important contribution to our history and ecclesial life.

From his own unique perspective, Pastor Almen shares his "accumulated memories" of the history of the ELCA from the days before this church came into being until the present. This faithful servant's wealth of knowledge and attention to detail make this an interesting read for ELCA members and church historians alike.

In this book, Rev. Almen artfully weaves together historical information and personal experience to tell the story of the ELCA thus far, especially its efforts to create and foster Lutheran unity. In recounting the past, he challenges the church to remain on the road to Emmaus, "taught by the resurrected Christ, informed by the words of Scripture, and renewed in faith through the breaking of the bread." An informative and thought-provoking book!

In A Dream Eclipsed, Lowell G. Almen offers an intimate look at the hopes, the challenges, and the interpersonal and institutional influences shaping the origins and current realities of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. We are privileged to get this front-row perspective from one who has given so much to affirm the interdependence and oneness of this church in its three expressions. It is worth the read.

Over the history of the ELCA, the name Lowell Almen has meant integrity, order, candor, and wisdom. His life and ministry within the Lutheran church have taken him to important rooms handling delicate matters, making this volume of recollections an important contribution to the canon of ELCA history, by one of its founders. His gifts of right remembering and storytelling, along with his pastoral heart, make this an enjoyable read.