Lutheran World Federation

"LWF" redirects here. For the aircraft, see Light Weight Fighter.
Lutheran World Federation

Logo of the Lutheran World Federation
Type Communion
Classification Protestant
Orientation Lutheran
President Munib Younan
General Secretary Martin Junge
Headquarters Geneva
Origin 1947
Members 72 million
Official website www.lutheranworld.org

The Lutheran World Federation (LWF) 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 (DWS) is the LWF's humanitarian arm. It has programs 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.

History

The Federation was organized at Lund, Sweden, in 1947. Based in Geneva, 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. [2][3]

Largest churches

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

  1. Church of Sweden (7)[4]
  2. Ethiopian Evangelical Church Mekane Yesus (6.4)[5]
  3. Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tanzania (5.8)[6]
  4. Evangelical Lutheran Church in Namibia (5)[7]
  5. Church of Denmark (4.43)[8]
  6. Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland (4.2)[9]
  7. Protestant Christian Batak Church, North Sumatera Indonesia (4.1)[10]
  8. Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (4)[11]
  9. Church of Norway (3.8)[12]
  10. Malagasy Lutheran Church (3.0)[13]
  11. Evangelical Lutheran Church of Hanover, Germany (2.8)[14]
  12. Evangelical Lutheran Church in Bavaria, Germany (2.5)[15]
  13. Andhra Evangelical Lutheran Church (2.5)[16]
  14. Evangelical Lutheran Church in Northern Germany (2.2)[17]
  15. Lutheran Church of Christ in Nigeria (2.2)[18]
  16. Protestant Church in the Netherlands (2.1)[19]

Federation Officials

President

The President is the Federation's chief official representative and spokesperson. He/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.[20]

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.[21]

Members

This map shows the global distribution of Lutheranism based on The LWF 2013 membership data.[22][lower-alpha 1]

Lutheranism by country in 2013, Lutheran World Federation member churches

Sorted by country in alphabetical order

Evangelical Lutheran Church of Angola
Evangelical Church of the River Plate (includes Paraguay and Uruguay)
United Evangelical Lutheran Church
Lutheran Church of Australia (includes New Zealand) – associate member church
Evangelical Church of the Augsburg Confession in Austria
Bangladesh Lutheran Church
Bangladesh Northern Evangelical Lutheran Church
Evangelical Lutheran Church in Russia and Other States
Lutheran Church of Belgium: Arlon and Christian Mission
Bolivian Evangelical Lutheran Church
German-Speaking Evangelical Lutheran Congregation in Bolivia
Evangelical Lutheran Church in Botswana
Evangelical Church of the Lutheran Confession in Brazil
Church of the Lutheran Brethren of Cameroon
Evangelical Lutheran Church of Cameroon
Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada
Lutheran Church of the Central African Republic
Evangelical Lutheran Church in Chile
Lutheran Church in Chile
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
Evangelical Lutheran Church of Colombia
St Matthew's Lutheran Congregation
St. Martin's Lutheran Congregation
Evangelical Lutheran Church in Congo
Evangelical Lutheran Church of Costa Rica
Lutheran Costarican Church
Evangelical Church in the Republic of Croatia
Evangelical Church of Czech Brethren
Silesian Evangelical Church of the Augsburg Confession
Evangelical Lutheran Church in Denmark (includes Church of Greenland, but not the Church of the Faroe Islands)
Evangelical Lutheran Church in Ecuador
Salvadoran Lutheran Church
Evangelical Church of Eritrea
Estonian Evangelical Lutheran Church
Ethiopian Evangelical Church Mekane Yesus
Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland
Union of Protestant Churches of Alsace and Lorraine
United Protestant Church of France
Malagasy Protestant Church in France
Evangelical Lutheran Church of Ghana
Evangelical Lutheran Church in Russia and Other States
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
Evangelical Lutheran Congregation "La Epifania"
Evangelical Lutheran Church in Guyana
The Evangelical Lutheran Church in Hungary
Christian Lutheran Church of Honduras
The Evangelical Lutheran Church of Iceland
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
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
The Lutheran Church in Ireland
Evangelical Lutheran Church in Italy
Japan Evangelical Lutheran Church
Japan Lutheran Church – associate member church
Kinki Evangelical Lutheran Church
Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan & the Holy Land
Evangelical Lutheran Church in Russia and Other States
Evangelical Lutheran Church in Kenya
Kenya Evangelical Lutheran Church
Lutheran Church in Korea
Evangelical Lutheran Church in Russia and Other States
Evangelical Lutheran Church of Latvia
Lutheran Church in Liberia
Federation of Evangelical Lutheran Churches in Switzerland and the Principality of Liechtenstein
Evangelical Lutheran Church of Lithuania
Malagasy Lutheran Church
Evangelical Lutheran Church in Malawi
Basel Christian Church of Malaysia
Evangelical Lutheran Church in Malaysia
Lutheran Church in Malaysia and Singapore
The Protestant Church in Sabah
German-Speaking Evangelical Congregation in Mexico
Mexican Lutheran Church
Evangelical Lutheran Church in Mozambique
Evangelical Lutheran Church in Myanmar
Lutheran Church of Myanmar
Myanmar Lutheran Church
The Mara Evangelical Church
Evangelical Lutheran Church in Namibia (ELCIN)
Evangelical Lutheran Church in Namibia (ELCIN – GELC)
Evangelical Lutheran Church in the Republic of Namibia (ELCRN)
Nepal Northern Evangelical Lutheran Church
Protestant Church in the Netherlands
Nicaraguan Lutheran Church of Faith and Hope
Lutheran Church in Nigeria
The Lutheran Church of Christ in Nigeria
Church of Norway
Evangelical Lutheran Free Church of Norway
Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan & the Holy Land
Evangelical Lutheran Church in Peru
Peruvian Lutheran Evangelical Church
Evangelical Lutheran Church of Papua New Guinea
Gutnius Lutheran Church
Lutheran Church in the Philippines
Evangelical Church of Augsburg Confession in Poland
Evangelical Church of the Augsburg Confession in Romania
Evangelical Lutheran Church in Romania
Evangelical Lutheran Church in Russia and Other States
Evangelical Lutheran Church of Ingria in Russia
Lutheran Church of Rwanda
Lutheran Church of Senegal
Slovak Evangelical Church of the Augsburg Confession in Serbia
Evangelical Lutheran Church in Sierra Leone
Lutheran Church in Singapore
Evangelical Church of the Augsburg Confession in Slovak Republic
Evangelical Church of the Augsburg Confession in Slovenia
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
Lanka Lutheran Church
Evangelical Lutheran Church in Suriname
Church of Sweden
Federation of Evangelical Lutheran Churches in Switzerland and the Principality of Liechtenstein
Lutheran Church of Taiwan
Taiwan Lutheran Church
Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tanzania
Evangelical Lutheran Church in Thailand
Evangelical Lutheran Church in Russia and Other States
Lutheran Church in Great Britain
The Lutheran Council of Great Britain
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
Evangelical Church of the River Plate
Evangelical Lutheran Church in Uruguay
Evangelical Lutheran Church in Russia and Other States
Evangelical Lutheran Church in Venezuela
Lutheran Church of Venezuela
Evangelical Lutheran Church in Zambia
Evangelical Lutheran Church in Zimbabwe

Presidents of LWF

From Until Name Sending Church
1947 1952 Anders Nygren Church of Sweden
1952 1957 Hanns Lilje Evangelical-Lutheran Church of Hanover
1957 1963 Franklin Clark Fry United Lutheran Church in America; after 1962, Lutheran Church in America
1963 1970 Fredrik A. Schiotz American Lutheran Church
1970 1977 Mikko Juva Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland
1977 1984 Josiah M. Kibira Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tanzania
1984 1987 Zoltán Káldy Evangelical-Lutheran Church in Hungary
1987 1990 Johannes Hanselmann Evangelical Lutheran Church in Bavaria
1990 1997 Gottfried Brakemeier Evangelical Church of the Lutheran Confession in Brazil
1997 2003 Christian Krause Evangelical Lutheran Church in Brunswick
2003 2010 Mark Hanson Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
2010 present Munib Younan Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land

See also

Notes

  1. One of the countries with a higher amount of Lutherans is the United States (the LWF does not include the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod and several other Lutheran churches).

References

  1. "About the LWF". The Lutheran World Federation. June 2013.
  2. Wentz, 1965
  3. Jens Holger Schjørring, et al., eds. From federation to communion: the history of the Lutheran World Federation (Augsburg Fortress Pub, 1997)
  4. "In English". www.svenskakyrkan.se. Retrieved 2016-05-02.
  5. "Ethiopia | The Lutheran World Federation". www.lutheranworld.org. Retrieved 2016-05-02.
  6. "Tanzania | The Lutheran World Federation". www.lutheranworld.org. Retrieved 2016-05-02.
  7. "Namibia | The Lutheran World Federation". www.lutheranworld.org. Retrieved 2016-05-02.
  8. "Denmark | The Lutheran World Federation". www.lutheranworld.org. Retrieved 2016-05-02.
  9. "Väestönmuutokset 2015*" (PDF). skasti.evl.fi. Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland. 2015. Retrieved May 1, 2016.
  10. "Indonesia | The Lutheran World Federation". www.lutheranworld.org. Retrieved 2016-05-02.
  11. "Home". ELCA.org. Retrieved 2016-05-02.
  12. "Norway | The Lutheran World Federation". www.lutheranworld.org. Retrieved 2016-05-02.
  13. "Madagascar | The Lutheran World Federation". www.lutheranworld.org. Retrieved 2016-05-02.
  14. "Germany | The Lutheran World Federation". www.lutheranworld.org. Retrieved 2016-05-02.
  15. "Germany | The Lutheran World Federation". www.lutheranworld.org. Retrieved 2016-05-02.
  16. "India | 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. "Nigeria | The Lutheran World Federation". www.lutheranworld.org. Retrieved 2016-05-02.
  19. "Netherlands | The Lutheran World Federation". www.lutheranworld.org. Retrieved 2016-05-03.
  20. http://www.lutheranworld.org/lwf/index.php/who-we-are/organization/council/president
  21. http://www.lutheranworld.org/lwf/index.php/who-we-are/central-offices/general-secretariat/general-secretary
  22. The Lutheran World Federation 2013 Membership Figures

Further reading

External links

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