Mission & History

Dana's Misison

The mission of Dana College under its Articles of Incorporation is the establishment and maintenance of an institution of learning of collegiate rank, in which higher education shall be given in harmony with the Christian faith as taught by the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America.

History

The Danish Evangelical Lutheran Association in America (or Blair Church) was formed in 1884 by a group of Danish members who left the Conference of the Norwegian-Danish Evangelical Lutheran Church of America. Many of Blair Church pastors were supportive of the Inner Mission.

The Danish Evangelical Lutheran Church in North America (or North Church) was formed in 1894 when seminary professor P.S. Vig, along with a number of pastor and congregations, left the Danish Evangelical Lutheran Church in America over theological differences.

In 1896, two small groups of Danish Lutherans in America – known as the Blair Church and the North Church – came together to form the United Danish Evangelical Lutheran Church (commonly known as the United Church). This church body was a part of the Danish Lutheran "Inner Mission" movement, and strongly opposed the influence of the ideas of theologian N.F.S. Grundvig.

Led by P.S. Vig and C.X. Hansen, one of the United Church's first priorities was to establish an educational system. The Dana School, in Blair, Nebraska, was begun as preparatory school. By the early 1910s – in cooperation with the University of Nebraska – the Dana School was awarding Associates Degrees. In the 1930s Dana became an accredited four-year school, and began awarding Bachelors Degrees.