December 19

Born in 1498 in Gunzenhausen, Andreas Osiander studied theology at the University of Vienna and became a leading Protestant scholar. He served as a professor at the University of Wittenberg and later in Nuremberg, where he defended Lutheran doctrines. In 1543, he anonymously wrote the preface to Copernicus’s De revolutionibus, framing the heliocentric model as a mathematical hypothesis and sparking controversy. Osiander’s writings on justification by faith and church reform contributed to the theological foundations of the Reformation. He remained a pivotal figure until his death in 1552.

Born in 1587 into the House of Wettin, Dorothea Sophia became Princess-Abbess of Quedlinburg in 1618. She governed the abbey and principality with both spiritual authority and temporal power, maintaining its autonomy within the Holy Roman Empire. During the tumult of the Thirty Years' War, she navigated shifting alliances to protect her territory and people. Dorothea Sophia supported religious institutions and cultural activities, fostering intellectual life at Quedlinburg. Her leadership lasted until her death in 1645, marking a period of resilience for the abbey.

Born in Atlanta, Georgia, King Sr. became pastor of Ebenezer Baptist Church in 1931 and served for over fifty years. He played a central role in the African American community as a spiritual leader and civil rights advocate. His missionary work took him across the United States and abroad, where he promoted education and social justice. A devoted father, he supported his son Martin Luther King Jr.'s leadership in the civil rights movement. Through his preaching and activism, King Sr. helped lay the groundwork for the fight against segregation and discrimination.

Waldo A. Criswell (1909–2002) served as pastor of the First Baptist Church of Dallas from 1944 to 1990, making it one of the largest congregations in America. He was a leading figure in conservative evangelicalism and a founding trustee of the Southern Baptist Convention's International Mission Board. Criswell authored over 40 books on theology and Christian living, including bestsellers such as 'Why I Preach That Old-Time Religion'. His weekly radio program, 'The Criswell Family', reached millions of listeners across the United States. Known for his charismatic preaching style and commitment to scriptural authority, he influenced generations of pastors and laypeople. Criswell's legacy includes a renewed emphasis on expository preaching within modern evangelical churches.