Juan Cobrda
Encyclopedia
The Rev. Juan Čobrda was a bishop of the Lutheran
church, heading a national church body in Argentina
and the Slovak Zion Synod
in the United States
. He was born in Príbovce, near Martin, Slovakia
on the 11th of August 1930. After World War II
his family immigrated to Argentina
. He was ordained by the United Evangelical Lutheran Church of Argentina in 1958 and served as that church's bishop from 1966 to 1976.
Between years 1993 - 2002, Rev. Juan Čobrda served as bishop of the Slovak Zion Synod
. He succeeded the Rev. Kenneth E. Zindle. In 1993, he was one of the last ELCA bishops to serve a four-year term. The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
(ELCA) 1993 Churchwide Assembly extended the term of a bishop's service to six years. In 1997, on June 28 he was re-elected. The election took place during the Slovak Zion Synod
Assembly, June 27–29, at Muhlenberg College
, Allentown, Pennsylvania
. He decided to resign on the 31st of August 2002, one year before the end of his second term. Today, he is retired and lives in Niles, Illinois
.
In the city of Rosario
in 1960 he met his future wife, Žofia. In 1975, he was forced to leave Argentina. He was able to return there in 1978.
He died on July 1, 2010.
Lutheranism
Lutheranism is a major branch of Western Christianity that identifies with the theology of Martin Luther, a German reformer. Luther's efforts to reform the theology and practice of the church launched the Protestant Reformation...
church, heading a national church body in Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
and the Slovak Zion Synod
Slovak Zion Synod
The Slovak Zion Synod is one of the 65 bodies that make up the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. It is the only non-geographic synod in the ELCA, the only ELCA synod to have a congregation in Canada, and the only synod based on mission and outreach...
in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. He was born in Príbovce, near Martin, Slovakia
Martin, Slovakia
Martin is a city in northern Slovakia, situated on the Turiec river, between the Malá Fatra and Veľká Fatra mountains, near the city of Žilina. The population numbers approximately 58,000, which makes it the eighth largest city in Slovakia...
on the 11th of August 1930. After World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
his family immigrated to Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
. He was ordained by the United Evangelical Lutheran Church of Argentina in 1958 and served as that church's bishop from 1966 to 1976.
Between years 1993 - 2002, Rev. Juan Čobrda served as bishop of the Slovak Zion Synod
Slovak Zion Synod
The Slovak Zion Synod is one of the 65 bodies that make up the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. It is the only non-geographic synod in the ELCA, the only ELCA synod to have a congregation in Canada, and the only synod based on mission and outreach...
. He succeeded the Rev. Kenneth E. Zindle. In 1993, he was one of the last ELCA bishops to serve a four-year term. The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America is a mainline Protestant denomination headquartered in Chicago, Illinois. The ELCA officially came into existence on January 1, 1988, by the merging of three churches. As of December 31, 2009, it had 4,543,037 baptized members, with 2,527,941 of them...
(ELCA) 1993 Churchwide Assembly extended the term of a bishop's service to six years. In 1997, on June 28 he was re-elected. The election took place during the Slovak Zion Synod
Slovak Zion Synod
The Slovak Zion Synod is one of the 65 bodies that make up the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. It is the only non-geographic synod in the ELCA, the only ELCA synod to have a congregation in Canada, and the only synod based on mission and outreach...
Assembly, June 27–29, at Muhlenberg College
Muhlenberg College
Muhlenberg College is a private liberal arts college located in Allentown, Pennsylvania, United States. Founded in 1848, Muhlenberg is affiliated with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and is named for Henry Melchior Muhlenberg, the patriarch of the Lutheran Church in America.- History...
, Allentown, Pennsylvania
Allentown, Pennsylvania
Allentown is a city located in Lehigh County, Pennsylvania, in the United States. It is Pennsylvania's third most populous city, after Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, and the 215th largest city in the United States. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 118,032 and is currently...
. He decided to resign on the 31st of August 2002, one year before the end of his second term. Today, he is retired and lives in Niles, Illinois
Niles, Illinois
Niles is a village in Maine and Niles Townships, Cook County, Illinois, United States. The 2010 population from the U.S. Census Bureau is 29,803.The current mayor of Niles is Robert M. Callero.-History:Niles was first settled in 1827....
.
In the city of Rosario
Rosario
Rosario is the largest city in the province of Santa Fe, Argentina. It is located northwest of Buenos Aires, on the western shore of the Paraná River and has 1,159,004 residents as of the ....
in 1960 he met his future wife, Žofia. In 1975, he was forced to leave Argentina. He was able to return there in 1978.
He died on July 1, 2010.