James Arne Nestingen

James Arne Nestingen, 77, of Roseville, MN, and Dallas, OR, returned to Christ Jesus on December 31, 2022. He died of a heart attack while at home.
Preceded in death by his parents (Joyce and Ruth Vinge Nestingen), he is survived by his wife Carolyn Storaasli Nestingen, brother Rolf Nestingen, sisters Mary Nestingen and Janann Sims, sons Andrew Nestingen (Karen Baker), Peder Nestingen (Sarah Horstmann), Jacob Ole Nestingen (Sonja Nestingen), and his eight grandchildren. His loss is equally mourned by his loving mother-in-law and extended family of nieces, nephews, cousins and other cherished relatives.
James Nestingen was a Norwegian-American child of the prairie, born of a storytelling tradition that he lived out throughout his life, doing so with joy, skill, and a fair dose of humor. In his profession as a pastor, author, speaker, teacher and Professor of Church History at Luther Seminary in St. Paul, as well as with his family and friends, he enjoyed nothing more than trading stories and laughter – with a rare off-color joke thrown in.
The central story of his life was his belief in Christ's promise that through the grace of God we, though by nature sinful, confess, are forgiven and welcomed into new and eternal life. It is this story that inspired a life of study, teaching, scholarship, and service, following his father Joyce Nestingen and father-in-law Olaf K Storaasli. In this vocation, he took great joy in the colleagues, friends, trouble-makers, and sinners that he met, and with whom he shared a common faith.
Jim graduated from Concordia College, Moorhead (1967), and earned an M.Div. from Luther Seminary (1971). He served as intern pastor in Spokane, WA, as well as pastor in Coquille, OR, and Toronto, ON. He received his Th.D. from the University of Toronto (1984).
He was the author of hundreds of popular and scholarly articles, as well as the books The Lutheran Confessions: History and Theology of The Book of Concord (with Robert Kolb and Charles P. Arand, 2012), Martin Luther: A Life (2009), Martin Luther: His Life and His Teachings (2004), Sources and Contexts of the Book of Concord (with Robert Kolb, 2001), Manger in the Mountains (2000), The Faith We Hold (1983), Roots of Our Faith (1978), and Free to Be (with Gerhard Forde, 1975).
His life and work was much enriched by his wife, Carolyn Nestingen. They were happily married for 54 years, sharing travel and adventure grounded in their faith. Since 2006, Jim had taken particular joy in his eight grandchildren, Ella, Willa, Ansel, Alida, Harriet, Thore, Caia, and Lilja. He loved spending time with them.
Throughout his life, Jim was an avid collector of music with a soft-spot for Ellington, Bach, Coltrane, Mingus and Sun-Ra. He was also a reader, tool collector and periodic woodworker, fisher and hunter. Always, he was a hockey and baseball fan – passions dating to North-Dakota pond hockey and radio broadcasts of his childhood. Characterized by an adventurous spirit, with a mischievousness as a storyteller, he was often willing to indulge in a bit of hyperbole; he was not always patient, was at times bullish, and was consistently and deeply a loving family-man.
A public visitation will be held on Thursday, January 5th, from 4-8 pm, at Holcomb-Henry-Boom-Purcell Funeral Home, 536 N. Snelling, St Paul, MN 55104. Additional parking is available during the visitation at Dey Appliance (directly across from funeral home on Snelling Ave.) and at Jehovah Lutheran Church, Thomas & Snelling Ave.)
A further visitation will be held Friday, January 6th at 10am at St. James Lutheran Church, 460 West Annapolis Street, West St Paul, MN 55118.
A service of remembrance will be held at 11am, followed by lunch in the church hall.
Memorials preferred to.
The Funeral Service will be live streamed at the link below.... https://youtu.be/zY5x_NT-Hbg