Dr. Helmut T. Lehmann, an internationally known historian, teacher and Martin Luther scholar, died early Monday, April 6 in Camden, ME, near his home in Rockport. He was 84.

Dr. Lehmann was Charles A. Schieren Professor Emeritus -- History of Christianity at The Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia. He had taught at the Seminary in his history capacity for seven years before retiring in 1984. Prior to that he had served four years as Director of the Seminary's Krauth Memorial Library.

A native of Tacoma, WA, Lehmann enjoyed a varied and productive career in academics and as a book editor. He earned his BA in 1937 from the University of Saskatchewan, and also received a diploma from the Lutheran College and Seminary in Saskatoon, Sask.

By earning his ThD in 1939 from Friedrich-Alexander University, Erlangen, Germany, he was in a position at the tender age of 30 in 1944 to become President of Waterloo College and Seminary in Waterloo, Ontario. He was also Professor of Church History there.

Ten years later, he became Book Editor at Muhlenberg Press, Philadelphia, a publishing operation of the United Lutheran Church in America which was a predecessor denomination of today's Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. During this time he began work as general editor of the American Edition of Luther's Works (Volumes 31-55). Other volumes in the collection fell under the general editorship of Dr. Jaroslav Pelikan of Yale University. Concordia Publishing House handled those volumes. Dr. Lehmann also guided development of the Facet Book Series (1962-73), short volumes which helped to establish the publishing organization's strong reputation in the area of biblical studies. The series later on included titles specializing in social ethics and church history. Other writings by Dr. Lehmann included Job, It Started with Luther, and Heralds of the Gospel.

After a yearlong stint on a Fulbright Scholarship as Guest Professor of Systematic Theology at the University of Heidelberg, Germany, Dr. Lehmann returned to Philadelphia, where he served 10 years as Editor-In-Chief of Fortress Press, the publishing division of the denomination known then as the Lutheran Church in America.

During publishing years, he worked with such notable Philadelphia Seminary educators as Theodore G. Tappert, Martin J. Heinecken, John H.P. Reumann and William H. Lazareth to determine the publishing viability of manuscripts from different parts of the world. "Dr. Lehmann got Fortress Press on the map of American publishing," Dr. Reumann commented, "especially in biblical studies." Following his years at Fortress, Dr. Lehmann served briefly as pastor of Nativity Lutheran Church in Allentown, PA, prior to beginning his service with the Seminary in 1973.

"Dr. Lehmann was a widely respected historian who played a significant role in establishing the Lutheran Archives Center at the Seminary," recalls the Rev. David Wartluft, Director of the Seminary Library, who worked with Dr. Lehmann. "He was always insistent that students connect with original sources in their research whenever possible."

During his retirement, Dr. Lehmann worked with Dr. John Kleiner of the Lutheran Theological Seminary at Saskatoon on translating a two-volume work in English of The Correspondence of Henry Melchior Muhlenberg (Picton Press, Camden, ME). The two were also working on a collection of essays on Muhlenberg for publication this year. Muhlenberg was considered the patriarch of Lutheranism in North America, and this August will mark the 250^th anniversary of the Ministerium of Pennsylvania, the oldest organized Lutheran body in North America.

In retirement Dr. Lehmann was also fond of researching and writing about the history of Lutherans in New England. His last public address at Muhlenberg College, Allentown, last November was on "Henry Melchior Muhlenberg: Intergenerational Relationship." He and his wife, Alice K., who survives, have been long-time devotees of ice hockey, particularly the Philadelphia Flyers during his Seminary years.

Surviving in addition to his widow are two sons, Peter H. of Upper Darby, PA, and John C. of Devon, PA; two brothers, Arnold of Spokane, WA, and Martin of Sperry, IA, and two grandchildren. He was predeceased in 1995 by a daughter, Toini Lees.