The Rev. Otto Paul Kretzmann was president of Valparaiso University from 1940 to 1968. During his administration a new campus was developed, enrollment grew from 400 to 4,000, and the University became nationally recognized.
Before coming to Valpo, O.P., as he was affectionately known, had been executive secretary of the international Lutheran youth organization, the Walther League, for six years. Prior to that, he had served for ten years on the faculty of Concordia Seminary, Springfield, Illinois.
A 1920 graduate of Concordia Collegiate Institute, Bronxville, New York, he received the Master of Sacred Theology degree in 1924 from Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, and pursued further graduate study at Columbia, Johns Hopkins, Harvard, and Chicago Universities. He was the recipient of ten honorary doctorates. He died on Holy Cross Day, September 14, 1975, in his 75th year.
This collection consists of 226 files within 53 folders containing addresses, sermons, and speeches created between the years 1921 to 1971. These documents are part of a larger collection of O.P. Kretzmann's personal papers and are housed within the Valparaiso University Archives and Special Collections.
Timeline
A chronological listing of Kretzmann's work is available here.
Collection Records
1900 Years Later is Pentecost a Dream or Reality?, 1936, O.P. Kretzmann
Acts 4, 13, 1927 - 1930, O.P. Kretzmann
A Relevant Theology: Dedication of Fuerbringer Hall at Concordia Seminary, St. Louis: John 8:31-32, 1962, O.P. Kretzmann
Baccalaureate Sermon: John 16:4, 1965, O.P. Kretzmann
Christmas Sermon, 1946, O.P. Kretzmann
Christmas Vespers Sermon. 1959, Otto Paul Kretzmann
Dedication of St. Paul's Parish House, Decatur, IL, 1928, O.P. Kretzmann
Deuteronomy 33:27, 1921 - 1926, O.P. Kretzmann
End of Remember (Fragment), 1967, O.P. Kretzmann
Exodus 14:15, 1927 - 1930, O.P. Kretzmann
Exodus 14:15 Copy 2, 1927 - 1930, O.P. Kretzmann
Haggai 2:6-7, 1927 - 1930, O.P. Kretzmann
Inaugural Address: The Destiny of a Christian University, 1940, O.P. Kretzmann
In Remembrance of Me, n.d., O.P. Kretzmann
Isaiah 26:1-2, 1927 - 1930, O.P. Kretzmann
I Samuel 12:17, 1921 - 1926, O.P. Kretzmann
Jeremiah 8:6, 1921 - 1926, O.P. Kretzmann
Lenten and Easter Meditation: Voices of the Passion: Dismas, 1944, O.P. Kretzmann
Lenten and Easter Meditation: Voices of the Passion: Foreword, 1944, O.P. Kretzmann
Lenten and Easter Meditation: Voices of the Passion: I, Pontius Pilate, 1944, O.P. Kretzmann
Lenten and Easter Meditation: Voices of the Passion: The Seven Words from the Cross: The Fifth Word, 1944, O.P. Kretzmann
Lenten and Easter Meditation: Voices of the Passion: The Seven Words from the Cross: The First Word, 1944, O.P. Kretzmann
Lenten and Easter Meditation: Voices of the Passion: The Seven Words from the Cross: The Fourth Word, 1944, O.P. Kretzmann
Lenten and Easter Meditation: Voices of the Passion: The Seven Words from the Cross: The Second Word, 1944, O.P. Kretzmann
Lenten and Easter Meditation: Voices of the Passion: The Seven Words from the Cross: The Seventh Word, 1944, O.P. Kretzmann
Lenten and Easter Meditation: Voices of the Passion: The Seven Words from the Cross: The Sixth Word, 1944, O.P. Kretzmann
Lenten and Easter Meditation: Voices of the Passion: The Seven Words from the Cross: The Third Word, 1944, O.P. Kretzmann
Lenten Editorial: I Remember, 1943, O.P. Kretzmann
Lenten Meditation: Excerpts from Noonday Sermon, 1939, O.P. Kretzmann
Lenten Meditation: It is Finished, 1947, O.P. Kretzmann
Lenten Meditation: Peace of the Cross, 1940, O.P. Kretzmann
Lenten Meditation: The Abundant Life, 1940, O.P. Kretzmann
Lenten Meditation: The Christian - His Life, n.d., O.P. Kretzmann
Lenten Meditation: The Christian - His Tomorrow: Psalms 31:5, 1937, O.P. Kretzmann
Lenten Meditation: The Crucified Presence, 1958, O.P. Kretzmann
Lenten Meditation: The Farewell of the Cross, n.d., O.P. Kretzmann
Lenten Meditation: The Finality of the Cross, n.d., O.P. Kretzmann
Lenten Meditation: The Future of the Church: Galatians 6:17, O.P. Kretzmann
Lenten Meditation: The Head of the Church: Matthew 17:8, O.P. Kretzmann
Lenten Meditation: The Majesty of the Cross, O.P. Kretzmann
Lenten Meditation: The Memory of the Cross, n.d., O.P. Kretzmann
Lenten Meditation: The Mission of the Church: Matthew 11:28, 1936, O.P. Kretzmann
Lenten Meditation: The Way of the Cross, n.d., O.P. Kretzmann
Lenten Sermon 1: The Sign of Forgiveness: Luke 23:24, 1958, O.P. Kretzmann
Lenten Sermon 2: The Sign of Peace: John 14:27, 1958, O.P. Kretzmann
Lenten Sermon 3: The Sign of Understanding: Luke 22:61-62, 1958, O.P. Kretzmann
Lenten Sermon 4: The Sign of Agony: Luke 22:44, 1958, O.P. Kretzmann
Lenten Sermon 5: The Sign of Decision: Matthew 27:20-22, 1958, O.P. Kretzmann
Lenten Sermon 6: The Sign of Mystery: Luke 23:33, 1958, O.P. Kretzmann
Lenten Sermon 7: The Sign of Power: Matthew 28:18, 1958, O.P. Kretzmann
Lenten Sermon 8: The Sign of Finality: John 19:30, Luke 23:46, 1958, O.P. Kretzmann
Lenten Sermon 9: The Sign of His Presence: Luke 24:29-32, 1958, O.P. Kretzmann
Luke 18:17, 1921 - 1926, O.P. Kretzmann
Luke 23:33, n.d, O.P. Kretzmann
Mark 7:33-34, 1921 - 1926, O.P. Kretzmann
Matthew 27:22, 1927 - 1930, O.P. Kretzmann
Matthew 3:1-2, 1921 - 1926, O.P. Kretzmann
Memorial Service for Andrew Fladeland, David Hansen, Sandra Jensen, and Wayne Brutlag: The Benediction of Sorrow, 1962, O.P. Kretzmann
Nahum 1:1, 1927 - 1930, O.P. Kretzmann
Notes: Alumni: Homecoming: Facing Tomorrow (John 6:5-6), 1951, O.P. Kretzmann
Notes: Alumni: Remember John 16:4, 1959, O.P. Kretzmann
Notes: Baccalaureate: 2 Peter 1:5, 1945, O.P. Kretzmann
Notes: Baccalaureate: Behold Your King (John 19:14), 1954, O.P. Kretzmann
Notes: Baccalaureate: Blessed (Numbers 6:24-26), 1951, O.P. Kretzmann
Notes: Baccalaureate: Born of the Spirit (John 14:26) (Fragments), 1963, O.P. Kretzmann
Notes: Baccalaureate: By Faith (Hebrews 11:40) (Fragments), 1948, O.P. Kretzmann
Notes: Baccalaureate: Invitation to Pilgrimage (Fragments), 1956, O.P. Kretzmann
Notes: Baccalaureate: John 14:16 (Fragments), 1955, O.P. Kretzmann
Notes: Baccalaureate: Lord - Who? (Psalm 24:3-4) (Fragments), 1953, O.P. Kretzmann
Notes: Baccalaureate: Matthew 7:24-27 (Fragments), 1958, O.P. Kretzmann
Notes: Baccalaureate: Nothing New Under the Sun, 1964, O.P. Kretzmann
Notes: Baccalaureate: Quest and Achievement (Deuteronomy 34:4), 1943, O.P. Kretzmann
Notes: Baccalaureate: Remember (John 16:4a), 1947, O.P. Kretzmann
Notes: Baccalaureate: The Modern Mind (Philippians 2:4) (Fragments), 1949, O.P. Kretzmann
Notes: Baccalaureate: The Ultimate Question (Matthew 16:26), 1959, O.P. Kretzmann
Notes: Baccalaureate: Thy Will Be Done (Matthew 6:10), 1952, O.P. Kretzmann
Notes: Chapel Address, 1945, O.P. Kretzmann
Notes: Chapel Address, 1951, O.P. Kretzmann
Notes: Chapel Address, 1962, O.P. Kretzmann
Notes: Chapel Address, 1963, O.P. Kretzmann
Notes: Chapel Address, 1964, O.P. Kretzmann
Notes: Chapel Address: A Few Reminders, 1962, O.P. Kretzmann
Notes: Chapel Address: Art Thou Not (John 18:25) (Fragments), 1963, O.P. Kretzmann
Notes: Chapel Address: Some Unfinished Tasks, 1952, O.P. Kretzmann
Notes: Chapel Address: The Law, 1960, O.P. Kretzmann
Notes: Chapel Address: The Worshipping University, 1961, O.P. Kretzmann
Notes: Chapel Address: Time, 1957, O.P. Kretzmann
Notes: Chapel Address: What Shall it Profit (Matthew 16:26), 1963, O.P. Kretzmann
Notes: Chapel Address: Worship, 1963, O.P. Kretzmann
Notes: Chapel Dedication: Beauty of Holiness (Psalm 96:9) (Fragments), 1966, O.P. Kretzmann
Notes: Chapel Matins: Peace in Christ, 1941, O.P. Kretzmann
Notes: Chapel Matins: The Beauty of Holiness (The Organization of the Chapel), 1964, O.P. Kretzmann
Notes: Chapel Sermon: The Glorious Company of Angels: 10th Anniversary of the Chapel (Hebrews 1:6-7), 1969, O.P. Kretzmann
Notes: Chapel Window Dedication: Christianity and the Fine Arts (Fragments), 1961, O.P. Kretzmann
Notes: Christmas Vesper: A Course in Christmas, 1946, O.P. Kretzmann
Notes: Christmas Vesper: Bethlehem Awake, 1952, O.P. Kretzmann
Notes: Christmas Vesper: Christmas 1945 (Luke 2), 1945, O.P. Kretzmann
Notes: Christmas Vesper: Christmas Chapel, 1943, O.P. Kretzmann
Notes: Christmas Vesper: Christmas Human and Divine, 1961, O.P. Kretzmann
Notes: Christmas Vesper: Christmas Nevertheless, 1956, O.P. Kretzmann
