He also spent sabbatical years at Harvard (1972–73), Strasbourg (1979–80), and St. John's University Institute for Ecumenical and Cultural Research, Collegeville, Minnesota (1988).
Forde's teaching career began at St. Olaf College, Northfield, Minnesota, where he was instructor in religion in 1955–56.
[5] In the article, Forde addressed the future of Lutheran identity that he viewed as being bound largely to ethnic and cultural backgrounds, not the theological identity forwarded by Forde that he stated as being a dedication to the "radical" gospel of Jesus Christ and the concept of justification by faith.
What is at stake is a mode of doing theology and a practice in church and society derived from that radical statement of the gospel.
I do want to pursue the proposition that Lutheranism especially in America might find its identity not by compromising with American religion but by becoming more radical about the gospel it has received.