Aage Samuelsen

Aage Samuelsen

Aage Samuelsen (23 January 1915 – 29 November 1987) was a Norwegian evangelist, singer and composer. He was the son of factory worker and railway man Karl Hjalmar Samuelsen, and Anna Samuelsen. Samuelsen was married to Elisabeth (Lisa) Olsen, and together they had seven children. He learned to play the guitar when he was 15 years old. At 18 he toured with several dance orchestras and jazz bands. In 1931 Samuelsen discovered the Pentecostal movement at a revival but did not maintain his newfound faith. In the meantime he worked as a musician. He later experienced a conversion in 1944 and eagerly joined the Pentecostal church Tabernaklet ('The Tabernacle') in Skien, experiencing baptism in the Holy Spirit and speaking in tongues. Samuelsen soon became a central figure in the congregation, but was very controversial because of his belief in faith healing. His style of preaching was very informal, personal, direct and humorous.Samuelsen left the church in 1957 after a dispute with the elders' council. He started his own charismatic movement called Maran Ata which soon became well-known due to Samuelsen's popularity and style and the congregation's frequent use of speaking in tongues. He was a public figure in the Norwegian press and radio, outspoken, charismatic and controversial. He recorded about 30–40 singles, 15 78-records and 17 LP records. His albums sold well, and his religious recordings even entered the Norwegian official charts. In his autobiography Herrens glade trubadur ('The Lord's merry troubadour') he wrote of his life as an artist, preacher and also about his long-term alcohol abuse.

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