Lutheran World Federation

"LWF" redirects here. For the aircraft, see Light Weight Fighter.
Lutheran World Federation
Type Communion
Classification Protestant
Orientation Lutheran
President Munib Younan
General Secretary Martin Junge
Headquarters Geneva, Switzerland
Origin 1947
Members 72 million
Official website www.lutheranworld.org

The Lutheran World Federation (LWF; German: Lutherischer Weltbund) is a global communion of national and regional Lutheran churches headquartered in the Ecumenical Centre in Geneva, Switzerland. The federation was founded in the Swedish city of Lund in the aftermath of the Second World War in 1947 to coordinate the activities of the many differing Lutheran churches. Since 1984, the member churches are in pulpit and altar fellowship, with common doctrine as the basis of membership and mission activity.

The LWF now has 144 member church bodies in 79 countries representing over 72 million Lutherans.[1] The LWF acts on behalf of its member churches in areas of common interest such as ecumenical and interfaith relations, theology, humanitarian assistance, human rights, communication, and the various aspects of mission and development work.

The Department for World Service is the LWF's humanitarian arm. It has programmes in 32 countries. The LWF is a member of ACT Alliance.

On October 31, 1999, in Augsburg, Germany, the Lutheran World Federation signed the Joint Declaration on the Doctrine of Justification with the Roman Catholic Church. The statement is an attempt to narrow the theological divide between the two faiths. The Declaration also states that the mutual condemnations between 16th-century Lutherans and the Roman Catholic Church no longer apply. A similar event took place in Lund Cathedral at the 500th anniversary of the beginning of the Reformation when Pope Francis visited Scania, Sweden's southernmost province that originally was Danish.[2][3]

More than 80% of member churches ordain women as ministers.[4]

History

The federation was organized at Lund, Sweden, in 1947. Based in Geneva, Switzerland, it replaced the more informal Lutheran World Convention, which had been founded in 1924. The goal was to coordinate international activities of the many Lutheran churches, to provide a forum for discussions on theological and organizational issues, and to assist in philanthropy, missionary activity, and exchange of students and professors. A key leader was Executive Secretary Sylvester C. Michelfelder (1889–1951), representing the American Lutheran Church. He had been a leader in organizing $45 million in American help for the rebuilding of Protestant churches in Germany after 1945. By the time of his death in 1951, the federation represented 52 churches in 25 countries.[5][6]

Largest churches

The 20 largest member churches are (with number of members in millions; 2015–2016 statistics):

Federation officials

President

The President is the federation's chief official representative and spokesperson. He or she presides at meetings of the Assembly, Council and Meeting of Officers, and oversees the life and work of the federation in consultation with the General Secretary.[27]

Portrait Name Term Church Nationality
1 Anders Nygren
(1890–1978)
1947–1952 Church of Sweden  Sweden
2 Hanns Lilje
(1899–1977)
1952–1957 Evangelical-Lutheran Church of Hanover  Germany
3 Franklin Clark Fry
(1900–1968)
1957–1963  United States
4 Fredrik A. Schiotz
(1901–1989)
1963–1970 American Lutheran Church  United States
5 Mikko Juva
(1918–2004)
1970–1977 Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland  Finland
6 Josiah Kibira
(1925–1988)
1977–1984 Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tanzania  Tanzania
7 Zoltán Káldy
(1919–1987)
1984–1987 Evangelical-Lutheran Church in Hungary  Hungary
8 Johannes Hanselmann
(1927–1999)
1987–1990 Evangelical Lutheran Church in Bavaria  Germany
9 Gottfried Brakemeier
(born 1937)
1990–1997 Evangelical Church of the Lutheran Confession in Brazil  Brazil
10 Christian Krause
(born 1940)
1997–2003 Evangelical Lutheran Church in Brunswick  Germany
11 Mark Hanson
(born 1946)
2003–2010 Evangelical Lutheran Church in America  United States
12 Munib Younan
(born 1950)
2010–present Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land  Palestine

General Secretary

The Lutheran World Federation Council elects the General Secretary, who is appointed for a seven-year term. The person appointed is eligible for re-election. The General Secretary conducts the business of the federation assisted by the Communion Office Leadership Team, comprising department and unit heads appointed by the Council, and carries out the decisions of the Assembly and Council.[28]

Name Term Nationality
1 Sylvester Michelfelder
(1889–1951)
1947–1951  United States
2 Carl Lund-Quist
(1908–1965)
1951–1960  United States
3 Kurt Schmidt-Clausen
(1920–1993)
1960–1965  Germany
4 André Appel
(1921–2007)
1965–1974  France
5 Carl Henning Mau Jr.
(1922–1995)
1974–1985  United States
6 Gunnar Stålsett
(born 1935)
1985–1994  Norway
7 Ishmael Noko
(born 1943)
1994–2010  Zimbabwe
8 Martin Junge
(born 1961)
2010–present  Chile

Members

This map shows the global distribution of Lutheranism based on The LWF 2013 membership data.[29][lower-alpha 1]

Lutheranism by country in 2013, Lutheran World Federation member churches

Sorted by country in alphabetical order

  • Angola
Evangelical Lutheran Church of Angola
  • Argentina
Evangelical Church of the River Plate (includes Paraguay and Uruguay)
United Evangelical Lutheran Church
  • Australia
Lutheran Church of Australia (includes New Zealand) – associate member church
  • Austria
Evangelical Church of the Augsburg Confession in Austria
  • Bangladesh
Bangladesh Lutheran Church
Bangladesh Northern Evangelical Lutheran Church
  • Belarus
Evangelical Lutheran Church in Russia and Other States
  • Belgium
Lutheran Church of Belgium: Arlon and Christian Mission
  • Bolivia
Bolivian Evangelical Lutheran Church
German-Speaking Evangelical Lutheran Congregation in Bolivia
  • Botswana
Evangelical Lutheran Church in Botswana
  • Brazil
Evangelical Church of the Lutheran Confession in Brazil
  • Cameroon
Church of the Lutheran Brethren of Cameroon
Evangelical Lutheran Church of Cameroon
  • Canada
Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada
  • Central African Republic
Lutheran Church of the Central African Republic
  • Chile
Evangelical Lutheran Church in Chile
Lutheran Church in Chile
  • China (Hong Kong SAR)
The Chinese Rhenish Church Hong Kong Synod
The Evangelical Lutheran Church of Hong Kong
Hong Kong and Macau Lutheran Church
Tsung Tsin Mission of Hong Kong
  • Colombia
Evangelical Lutheran Church of Colombia
St Matthew's Lutheran Congregation
St. Martin's Lutheran Congregation
  • Congo, Democratic Republic of
Evangelical Lutheran Church in Congo
  • Costa Rica
Evangelical Lutheran Church of Costa Rica
Lutheran Costarican Church
  • Croatia
Evangelical Church in the Republic of Croatia
  • Czech Republic
Evangelical Church of Czech Brethren
Silesian Evangelical Church of the Augsburg Confession
  • Denmark
Evangelical Lutheran Church in Denmark (includes Church of Greenland, but not the Church of the Faroe Islands)
  • Ecuador
Evangelical Lutheran Church in Ecuador
  • El Salvador
Salvadoran Lutheran Church
  • Eritrea
Evangelical Church of Eritrea
  • Estonia
Estonian Evangelical Lutheran Church
  • Ethiopia
Ethiopian Evangelical Church Mekane Yesus
  • Finland
Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland
  • France
Union of Protestant Churches of Alsace and Lorraine
United Protestant Church of France
Malagasy Protestant Church in France
  • Ghana
Evangelical Lutheran Church of Ghana
  • Georgia
Evangelical Lutheran Church in Russia and Other States
  • Germany
Church of Lippe, Lutheran Classis
Evangelical Church in Central Germany
Evangelical Lutheran Church in Baden
Evangelical Lutheran Church in Bavaria
Evangelical Lutheran Church in Brunswick
Evangelical Lutheran Church in Northern Germany
Evangelical Lutheran Church in Oldenburg
Evangelical-Lutheran Church in Württemberg
Evangelical Lutheran Church of Hanover
Evangelical Lutheran Church of Saxony
Evangelical Lutheran Church of Schaumburg-Lippe
Latvian Evangelical Lutheran Church Abroad
  • Guatemala
Evangelical Lutheran Congregation "La Epifania"
  • Guyana
Evangelical Lutheran Church in Guyana
  • Hungary
The Evangelical Lutheran Church in Hungary
  • Honduras
Christian Lutheran Church of Honduras
  • Iceland
The Evangelical Lutheran Church of Iceland
  • India
Andhra Evangelical Lutheran Church
Evangelical Lutheran Church in Madhya Pradesh
Evangelical Lutheran Church in the Himalayan States
Good Sheperd Evangelical Church
Good Samaritan Evangelical Lutheran Church
Gossner Evangelical Lutheran Church in Chotanagpur and Assam
India Evangelical Lutheran Church
Jeypore Evangelical Lutheran Church
Northern Evangelical Lutheran Church
South Andhra Lutheran Church
The Arcot Lutheran Church
The Tamil Evangelical Lutheran Church
  • Indonesia
Batak Christian Community Church
Christian Communion of Indonesia Church in Nias
Christian Evangelical Church in Minahasa
Christian Protestant Church in Indonesia
Christian Protestant Angkola Church
Evangelical Church in Kalimantan
Indonesian Christian Lutheran Church
Pakpak Dairi Christian Protestant Church
Protestant Christian Batak Church
The Protestant Christian Church
Protestant Christian Church in Mentawai
Simalungun Protestant Christian Church
The United Protestant Church
  • Ireland
The Lutheran Church in Ireland
  • Italy
Evangelical Lutheran Church in Italy
  • Japan
Japan Evangelical Lutheran Church
Japan Lutheran Church – associate member church
Kinki Evangelical Lutheran Church
  • Jordan
Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan & the Holy Land
  • Kazakhstan
Evangelical Lutheran Church in Russia and Other States
  • Kenya
Evangelical Lutheran Church in Kenya
Kenya Evangelical Lutheran Church
  • Korea, Republic
Lutheran Church in Korea
  • Kyrgyzstan
Evangelical Lutheran Church in Russia and Other States
  • Latvia
Evangelical Lutheran Church of Latvia
  • Liberia
Lutheran Church in Liberia
  • Liechtenstein
Federation of Evangelical Lutheran Churches in Switzerland and the Principality of Liechtenstein
  • Lithuania
Evangelical Lutheran Church of Lithuania
  • Madagascar
Malagasy Lutheran Church
  • Malawi
Evangelical Lutheran Church in Malawi
  • Malaysia
Basel Christian Church of Malaysia
Evangelical Lutheran Church in Malaysia
Lutheran Church in Malaysia and Singapore
The Protestant Church in Sabah
  • Mexico
German-Speaking Evangelical Congregation in Mexico
Mexican Lutheran Church
  • Mozambique
Evangelical Lutheran Church in Mozambique
  • Myanmar
Evangelical Lutheran Church in Myanmar
Lutheran Church of Myanmar
Myanmar Lutheran Church
The Mara Evangelical Church
  • Namibia
Evangelical Lutheran Church in Namibia (ELCIN)
Evangelical Lutheran Church in Namibia (ELCIN – GELC)
Evangelical Lutheran Church in the Republic of Namibia (ELCRN)
  • Nepal
Nepal Northern Evangelical Lutheran Church
  • Netherlands
Protestant Church in the Netherlands
  • Nicaragua
Nicaraguan Lutheran Church of Faith and Hope
  • Nigeria
Lutheran Church in Nigeria
The Lutheran Church of Christ in Nigeria
  • Norway
Church of Norway
Evangelical Lutheran Free Church of Norway
  • Palestine
Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan & the Holy Land
  • Peru
Evangelical Lutheran Church in Peru
Peruvian Lutheran Evangelical Church
  • Papua New Guinea
Evangelical Lutheran Church of Papua New Guinea
Gutnius Lutheran Church
  • Philippines
Lutheran Church in the Philippines
  • Poland
Evangelical Church of Augsburg Confession in Poland
  • Romania
Evangelical Church of the Augsburg Confession in Romania
Evangelical Lutheran Church in Romania
  • Russia
Evangelical Lutheran Church in Russia and Other States
Evangelical Lutheran Church of Ingria in Russia
  • Rwanda
Lutheran Church of Rwanda
  • Senegal
Lutheran Church of Senegal
  • Serbia
Slovak Evangelical Church of the Augsburg Confession in Serbia
  • Sierra Leone
Evangelical Lutheran Church in Sierra Leone
  • Singapore
Lutheran Church in Singapore
  • Slovak Republic
Evangelical Church of the Augsburg Confession in Slovak Republic
  • Slovenia
Evangelical Church of the Augsburg Confession in Slovenia
  • South Africa
Evangelical Lutheran Church in Southern Africa
Evangelical Lutheran Church in Southern Africa (Cape Church)
Evangelical Lutheran Church in Southern Africa (N-T)
Moravian Church in South Africa
  • Sri Lanka
Lanka Lutheran Church
  • Suriname
Evangelical Lutheran Church in Suriname
  • Sweden
Church of Sweden
  • Switzerland
Federation of Evangelical Lutheran Churches in Switzerland and the Principality of Liechtenstein
  • Taiwan (Republic of China)
Lutheran Church of Taiwan
Taiwan Lutheran Church
  • Tanzania
Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tanzania
  • Thailand
Evangelical Lutheran Church in Thailand
  • Ukraine
Evangelical Lutheran Church in Russia and Other States
  • United Kingdom
Lutheran Church in Great Britain
The Lutheran Council of Great Britain
  • United States of America
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
  • Uruguay
Evangelical Church of the River Plate
Evangelical Lutheran Church in Uruguay
  • Uzbekistan
Evangelical Lutheran Church in Russia and Other States
  • Venezuela
Evangelical Lutheran Church in Venezuela
Lutheran Church of Venezuela
  • Zambia
Evangelical Lutheran Church in Zambia
  • Zimbabwe
Evangelical Lutheran Church in Zimbabwe

Same-gender relationships

Some member denominations recognize same-gender relationships through marriage, a blessing rite, or special prayers. These include the Church of Denmark, Church of Iceland, Church of Norway, Church of Sweden, Evangelical Church in Austria, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada, Evangelical Lutheran Church of Chile, Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland, Evangelical Lutheran Church in Geneva, Evangelical Lutheran Church in Italy, a majority of the churches within the Evangelical Church in Germany, Evangelical Church of the Lutheran Confession in Brazil, Evangelical Church of the River Plate, Protestant Church in the Netherlands, and the United Protestant Church of France.[30]

On the other side, the Ethiopian Evangelical Church Mekane Yesus, Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tanzania, and the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Latvia, which recognize only opposite-gender marriages, have broken ties with many of the churches supporting same-gender unions.[31]

See also

Notes

  1. One of the countries with a higher number of Lutherans is the United States. The LWF does not include the Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod and several other Lutheran bodies which together have over 2.5 million members.

References

  1. "About the LWF". The Lutheran World Federation. June 2013.
  2. https://www.lutheranworld.org/
  3. http://www.catholicherald.co.uk/news/2016/01/25/pope-francis-to-visit-sweden-for-reformation-commemoration/
  4. "More than 80 percent of LWF churches ordain women". The Lutheran World Federation. 2016-06-02. Retrieved 2016-06-03.
  5. Wentz, 1965
  6. Jens Holger Schjørring, et al., eds. From federation to communion: the history of the Lutheran World Federation (Augsburg Fortress Pub, 1997)
  7. "Ethiopia | The Lutheran World Federation". www.lutheranworld.org. Retrieved 2016-06-17.
  8. "In English". www.svenskakyrkan.se. Retrieved 2016-10-07.
  9. "Tanzania | The Lutheran World Federation". www.lutheranworld.org. Retrieved 2016-06-17.
  10. "Indonesia | The Lutheran World Federation". www.lutheranworld.org. Retrieved 2016-06-17.
  11. "Denmark | The Lutheran World Federation". www.lutheranworld.org. Retrieved 2016-05-02.
  12. "Väestönmuutokset 2015*" (PDF). sakasti.evl.fi. Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland. January 28, 2016. Retrieved June 16, 2016.
  13. "Norway | The Lutheran World Federation". www.lutheranworld.org. Retrieved 2016-05-02.
  14. https://www.elca.org/News-and-Events/ELCA-Facts
  15. "India | The Lutheran World Federation". www.lutheranworld.org. Retrieved 2016-06-17.
  16. "Madagascar | The Lutheran World Federation". www.lutheranworld.org. Retrieved 2016-05-02.
  17. "Germany | The Lutheran World Federation". www.lutheranworld.org. Retrieved 2016-05-02.
  18. "Germany | The Lutheran World Federation". www.lutheranworld.org. Retrieved 2016-05-02.
  19. "Nigeria | The Lutheran World Federation". www.lutheranworld.org. Retrieved 2016-05-02.
  20. "Germany | The Lutheran World Federation". www.lutheranworld.org. Retrieved 2016-05-02.
  21. "Germany | The Lutheran World Federation". www.lutheranworld.org. Retrieved 2016-05-25.
  22. "Netherlands | The Lutheran World Federation". www.lutheranworld.org. Retrieved 2016-05-03.
  23. "World Map || Latin America and Caribbean || Brazil". www.worldmap.org. Retrieved 2016-05-25.
  24. https://www.lutheranworld.org/country/namibia
  25. "Germany | The Lutheran World Federation". www.lutheranworld.org. Retrieved 2016-05-25.
  26. "South Africa | The Lutheran World Federation". www.lutheranworld.org. Retrieved 2016-05-25.
  27. http://www.lutheranworld.org/lwf/index.php/who-we-are/organization/council/president
  28. http://www.lutheranworld.org/lwf/index.php/who-we-are/central-offices/general-secretariat/general-secretary
  29. The Lutheran World Federation 2013 Membership Figures
  30. Street, 1615 L.; NW; Washington, Suite 800; Inquiries, DC 20036 202 419 4300 | Main 202 419 4349 | Fax 202 419 4372 | Media (2015-06-26). "Gay Marriage Around the World". Pew Research Center's Religion & Public Life Project. Retrieved 2016-06-17.
  31. "Ethiopian Church Severs Ties With Lutherans Over Homosexuality". Christian Post. Retrieved 2016-06-17.

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