Steffan Schultheiss was the pastor of the Lutheran St. Nicholas' Church in Badenburg. He owed his position to the political astuteness and connections of his wife Margreth, the youngest daughter of a former mayor of Badenburg. He first met the Americans from Grantville during Badenburg's council house. He was disappointed that they were simply people from the 20th century, rather than angels or demons. Schultheiss believed their story, and subsequently confirmed their policy of religious tolerance upon subsequent visits to Grantville itself.