Kunze, John Christopher, Dd (2)

Kunze, John Christopher, D.D.

a Lutheran minister, was born in Saxony, and educated at the Orphan House and the University of Halle. Upon a requisition from the St. Michael and Zion churches at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, he was selected by the theological faculty of Halle, and ordained as rector of those churches in 1784. Fourteen years he was connected with. the Lutheran congregations in Philadelphia, under various names, and then he accepted a call to a church in New York city, where he labored about twenty-four years. At one time he was professor of Hebrew in Columbia College. By express appointment of the founder of Hartwick Seminary he was made professor of theology in that institution, a position which he continued to hold until his death, July 24, 1807, at the age of sixty-three years. It was said of him that he was the most learned theologian of the Lutheran Church in America. His library was extensive, and he had a large acquaintance with Oriental literature. As a preacher, he was distinguished for eloquence and the instructive character of his discourses. With the assistance of Mr. Streibeck, he published an English Lutheran Hymn-book in 1795. See Quar. Rev. of Evang. Luth. Church, 7:277; Lutheran Observer, February 15, 1833.