Bible Translators Theologians Lars Paul Esbjörn (October 16, 1808 – July 2, 1870) was a Swedish-American Lutheran clergyman, academic and church leader.

[2][3] He was educated in Gävle and with the help of a patron, vicar Olof Hansson Forssell [sv], studied theology at Uppsala University.

[2] His beliefs took influence from the Pietist Läsare (Reader) movement, including Carl Olof Rosenius, Peter Wieselgren, and Methodist George Scott.

[2] His eager involvement with these non-Lutheran elements both caused controversy and "diminished [his] chances of promotion within the Swedish Church.

[2] Esbjörn also saw the potential to serve as a pastor to the many new Swedish emigrants in the United States:[9] Since after the Janssonite emigration in 1846 many Swedes went to the new world in the following years but without any priest following them, I felt challenged to move there myself in order to help them spiritually so that they and their children might not fall into heathenism or because of the lack of spiritual help become torn away from their own church and find themselves in one of the new world’s more or less heretical sects.Esbjörn and a group of 146 Swedish immigrants sailed from Gävle to New York City in 1849;[10] two of his children died on the journey.

In Illinois contact with the perfectionists [Janssonites] at Bishop Hill and with other non-Lutherans convinced him of a more definite Lutheran identity.

The church was built with funding provided mainly by Jenny Lind, while she was at that time on a concert tour in the eastern United States.

A relief of Esbjörn and his first wife Amalia carved and painted by Bror Hjorth hangs in Östervåla Church.

On June 13, 1948, after remodeling, Jenny Lind Chapel was dedicated as a shrine of the Augustana Evangelical Lutheran Church.