Gracia Grindal

Gracia Marie Grindal (born 1943) is an American Lutheran poet, hymn writer, translator, scholar, and teacher whose work has contributed substantially to contemporary English-language hymnody. Born in Powers Lake, North Dakota, she earned a bachelor's degree from Augsburg College in 1965, an M.F.A. from the University of Arkansas in 1969, and a master's degree in theology and history from Luther Seminary in 1983. She taught English at Luther College in Decorah, Iowa, from 1968 to 1984 before joining the faculty of Luther Seminary in St. Paul, Minnesota.

At Luther Seminary, Grindal taught pastoral theology, communications, and rhetoric and was named professor of rhetoric in 1992. She retired in 2013 after nearly three decades on the faculty. Her work has consistently brought together theology, poetry, congregational song, and the history of Scandinavian and Scandinavian-American Christianity.

Grindal served on the hymn-text committee for the Lutheran Book of Worship and later as a consultant to The United Methodist Hymnal. Her original hymns and translations appear in hymnals used by Lutheran, Methodist, Episcopal, Mennonite, Presbyterian, and other churches. Her publications include We Are One in Christ, Hymns of Grace, Preaching from Home, and the multi-volume A Treasury of Faith. She has also translated Nordic hymnody into English and has published poetry, biography, devotional writing, and historical scholarship.