Bishop Trout was born in Columbus, Ohio in 1921. He graduated from Capital University and Trinity Lutheran Seminary in Columbus. He also received a Doctor of Divinity from Wartburg College in Iowa.

After ordination, he pastored congregation in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, Montgomery, Alabama and Los Angeles, California. Throughout his career, he served in many different offices: youth ministry, social services, and urban evangelism. He returned to his alma mater to teach and head the Minority Ministry Studies program.

In 1983, the American Lutheran Church-South Pacific District elected The Rev. Dr. Trout as their bishop. At this time, the District had 144,000 members encompassing 310 congregations in California, Nevada, Utah, Arizona, New Mexico, Hawaii and some Texas counties! Wow! There is an organizational challenge.

Bishop Trout became the Bishop Emeritus in 1987 after the merger which created the ELCA occurred. He lived and served in California until his death in 1996 at the age of 75.

Pastor Trout was a friend of Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. and he traveled throughout the United States during the turbulent 60’s observing the violence and offering consolation. One of his quotes struck me with its pure simplicity and truth: “When I suggest that the solution to our ever-increasing racial problem be found in our ability to generate goodwill, I would not want such a suggestion to be discarded as the council of weakness…. I submit to you that human goodwill is the greatest power available to humanity.” (The Rev. Dr. Nelson Trout, Lutheran Quarterly, May 1968)

As you can see from this quote, The Rev. Dr. Trout was a powerful writer and speaker. Trinity Lutheran Seminary established the Nelson W. Trout Lectureship in Preaching with a goal that “lifts the preaching skills” of many.

While I could not find any testimonials about Bishop Trout’s emotional state during his career, I can imagine that he experienced a great deal of heart ache and sadness as he traveled around the country during the riots and unrest in 1967. I remember the sadness that I felt and the fear that came over me.

To continue to speak out required Rev. Trout to trust fully in the unconditional love of the God he served. The God who loves you unconditionally. The God who loves all the colors, shapes, and sizes of his children. He answered the call of “Whom shall I send?”

Terri