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The Rev. Mark Hanson ’68 is installed as the
ELCA's third presiding bishop by Betsey Norgard

On October 6, the Rev. Mark S. Hanson, bishop of the St. Paul Synod and Augsburg graduate of 1968, was installed as the ELCA's third presiding bishop. He was elected to the six-year term at the ELCA's churchwide assembly in Indianapolis in August. His new duties began on Nov. 1 at ELCA headquarters in Chicago. He succeeds the Rev. George Anderson, who served one term.

Of the ELCA's three presiding bishops since its inception in 1987, Hanson is the second Augsburg graduate to serve. Bishop Herbert Chilstrom ’54 was elected as the ELCA's first presiding bishop and served two terms before retiring.

"I couldn't be more proud and grateful than to have Mark Hanson, a fellow Augsburg graduate, as a successor in the office of presiding bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America," said Chilstrom. "Mark brings to the office a wealth of experience, the heart of a pastor, and the passion to make the Gospel relevant to the times in which we live."

After graduating from Augsburg with a degree in sociology, Hanson attended Union Theological Seminary in New York as a Rockefeller Fellow, and was awarded a master of divinity degree in 1972. He continued with further study at Luther Theological Seminary and Harvard Divinity School.

Hanson served several churches in the Twin Cities area, most recently spending seven years at University Lutheran Church of Hope, Minneapolis. In 1995, he was elected bishop of the St. Paul Area Synod, and was re-elected in spring 2001.

He has also served on numerous inter-church boards and committees, especially dealing with affordable housing programs.

Hanson has been an ex officio member of the Augsburg Board of Regents for the past two years, representing the St. Paul synod.

In announcing Hanson's election to the Augsburg community, President William Frame said that Hanson has been "a steady friend of Augsburg and especially of its unique mission as a college of the church in the modern city.

"He is a great admirer of Augsburg 2004 and has been especially dedicated to helping the College widen accessibility for underserved populations in the Twin Cities," Frame continued.

Hanson's election to leadership comes at a time when not only the world, but also the denomination, is divided by social and theological issues. Hanson referred to this in a Minneapolis Star Tribune article upon his election: "One of my most important tasks will be to define and claim the mission to which God calls and which unites us, while continuing to tend to the divisions that divide us."

Hanson is married to Ione (Agrimson) Hanson ’68, who has served as director of social work at Minneapolis and St. Paul Children's Hospitals. Their children are Aaron, Alyssa, Rachel, Ezra, Isaac, and Elizabeth. They also have one grandchild.

President and Mrs. Frame represented Augsburg College at the installation service, which was held in Rockefeller Chapel at the University of Chicago. The organist for the service was David Cherwien ’79.

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