Lutheran World Federation
Template:Short description Template:Use Oxford spelling Template:Use dmy dates Template:Infobox religion Template:Lutheranism The Lutheran World Federation (LWF; Template:Langx) is a global communion of national and regional Lutheran denominations 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 150 member church bodies in 99 countries representing over 78 million Lutherans;<ref name=LWF2023/><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> as of 2023, it was the sixth-largest Christian communion (see list of denominations by membership). 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 and development arm. It has programmes in 24 countries and is the UNHCR ninth largest implementing partner. The LWF is a member of ACT Alliance.
On 31 October 1999, in Augsburg, Germany, the LWF signed the Joint Declaration on the Doctrine of Justification with the Roman Catholic Church. The Catholic–Lutheran dialogue is a series of discussions that began during July 1964 as an outgrowth of the Second Vatican Council. 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 Catholic church and Lutheranism no longer apply. A similar event took place in Lund Cathedral on 31 October 2016, the 499th anniversary of the beginning of the Protestant Reformation, with the signing of the Statement on the 500th anniversary of the Protestant Reformation with Pope Francis and Bishop Munib Younan in a special Catholic-Lutheran dialogue.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
In 2016, 119 of the 145 member churches (80%) ordain women as ministers.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
HistoryEdit
The LWF was founded at Lund, Sweden, in 1947. Based in Geneva, Switzerland, it replaced the more informal Lutheran World Convention, which had been founded in 1923 and assembled for conventions in 1923, 1929, and 1935. 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.Template:Sfnm
Largest churchesEdit
The 20 largest member churches are (with number of members in millions; 2023 statistics): Template:Div col
- Ethiopian Evangelical Church Mekane Yesus (12)<ref name=LWF2023/>
- Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tanzania (8.5)<ref name=LWF2023/>
- Batak Christian Protestant Church (6.3)<ref name=LWF2023/>
- Church of Sweden (5.4)<ref name=LWF2023/>
- Church of Denmark (4.2)<ref name=LWF2023/>
- Malagasy Lutheran Church (4.0)<ref name=LWF2023/><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation
|CitationClass=web }}</ref>
- Church of Norway (3.6)<ref name=LWF2023/>
- Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland (3.5)<ref name=LWF2023/>
- Church of Norway (3.6)<ref name=LWF2023/>
- Andhra Evangelical Lutheran Church (3.0)<ref name=LWF2023/>
- Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (2.9)<ref name=LWF2023/>
- Evangelical Lutheran Church of Hanover, Germany (2.3)<ref name=LWF2023/><ref name="auto">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation
|CitationClass=web }}</ref>
- The Lutheran Church of Christ in Nigeria (2.2)<ref name=LWF2023/>
- Evangelical Lutheran Church in Bavaria, Germany (2.1)<ref name=LWF2023/>
- Evangelical Lutheran Church in Württemberg (1.8)<ref name=LWF2023/>
- Evangelical Lutheran Church in Northern Germany (1.7)<ref name=LWF2023/>
- Evangelical Lutheran Church of Papua New Guinea (1.5)<ref name=LWF2023/>
- Protestant Church in the Netherlands (1.4)<ref name=LWF2023/>
- Evangelical Lutheran Church in Namibia (0.8)<ref name=LWF2023/>
- Evangelical Lutheran Church in Cameroon (0.7)<ref name=LWF2023/>
Federation officialsEdit
PresidentEdit
The President is the federation's chief official representative and spokesperson. The president 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.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
General SecretaryEdit
The Lutheran World Federation Council elects the General Secretary 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.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> On 19 June 2021, the LWF Council elected Estonian theologian Anne Burghardt as the next General Secretary. She is the first woman to serve in this role and assumed office on 1 November of that year.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
| No. | Name | Term | Nationality |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sylvester Michelfelder Template:Font |
1947–1951 | Template:Flag |
| 2 | Template:Interlanguage link multi Template:Font |
1951–1960 | Template:Flag |
| 3 | Template:Interlanguage link multi Template:Font |
1960–1965 | Template:Flag |
| 4 | Template:Interlanguage link multi Template:Font |
1965–1974 | Template:Flag |
| 5 | Carl Henning Mau Jr. Template:Font |
1974–1985 | Template:Flag |
| 6 | Gunnar Stålsett Template:Font |
1985–1994 | Template:Flag |
| 7 | Ishmael Noko Template:Font |
1994–2010 | Template:Flag |
| 8 | Template:Interlanguage link multi Template:Font |
2010–2021 | Template:Flag |
| 9 | Anne Burghardt Template:Font |
2021- | Template:Flag |
MembersEdit
This map shows the global distribution of Lutheranism based on The LWF 2019 membership data.<ref name="The Lutheran World Federation 2019 Membership Figures">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>Template:Efn
StatisticsEdit
| Year | Number of denominations | Number of individual members | % of global population<ref name=globalpopulation/> |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2009<ref name=LWF2009>Template:Web cite</ref> | 140 | 70,053,316 | 1.01% |
| citation | CitationClass=web
}}</ref> || 142 || 72,268,329 || 0.99% | ||
| citation | CitationClass=web
}}</ref> || 145 || 74,261,862 || 0.99% | ||
| citation | CitationClass=web
}}</ref> || 148 || 77,493,989 || 0.99% | ||
| citation | CitationClass=web
}}</ref> || 150 || 78,431,111 || 0.97% |
Between 2009 and 2023, the Lutheran World Federation (LWF) grew from 140 to 150 member denominations. In the same period, individual membership grew from 70,053,316 to 78,431,111 people.<ref name=LWF2009/><ref name=LWF2023/> This represents a growth of 11.95% in 14 years. In the same period, the global population grew by 18.22%.<ref name=globalpopulation>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
LWF statistics from 2009 to 2023 show growth in membership in Africa and Asia. At the same time, membership is declining in Europe and America.<ref name=LWF2009/><ref name=LWF2013/><ref name=LWF2023/>
ListEdit
Sorted by country in alphabetical order
- 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 (also an associate member of the International Lutheran Council)
- Austria
- Bangladesh
- Belarus
- Belgium
- Bolivia
- Botswana
- Brazil
- Cameroon
- Canada
- Central African Republic
- 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
- Costa Rica
- Croatia
- Czechia
- Denmark
- Evangelical Lutheran Church in Denmark (includes Church of Greenland, but not the Church of the Faroe Islands)
- Ecuador
- El Salvador
- Eritrea
- Estonia
- Ethiopia
- Ethiopian Evangelical Church Mekane Yesus (also a member of the Global Confessional and Missional Lutheran Forum)
- 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 (also a full member of the International Lutheran Council)
- Georgia
- 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
- Guyana
- Hungary
- Honduras
- Iceland
- India
- Andhra Evangelical Lutheran Church
- Evangelical Lutheran Church in Madhya Pradesh
- Evangelical Lutheran Church in the Himalayan States
- Good Shepherd Evangelical Lutheran Church
- Gossner Evangelical Lutheran Church in Chotanagpur and Assam
- India Evangelical Lutheran Church (also a full member of the International Lutheran Council)
- 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 Protestant Church in Indonesia
- Christian Protestant Angkola Church
- Indonesian Christian Luther Church (also a member of the Global Confessional and Missional Lutheran Forum)
- Pakpak Dairi Christian Protestant Church
- Protestant Christian Batak Church
- Protestant Christian Church
- Protestant Christian Church in Mentawai
- Simalungun Protestant Christian Church
- Indonesian Christian Church
- United Protestant Church
- Ireland
- Italy
- Japan
- Japan Evangelical Lutheran Church
- Japan Lutheran Church – associate member church (also a full member of the International Lutheran Council)
- Kinki Evangelical Lutheran Church
- Jordan
- Kazakhstan
- Kenya
- Evangelical Lutheran Church in Kenya (also a full member of the International Lutheran Council and a member of the Global Confessional and Missional Lutheran Forum)
- Kenya Evangelical Lutheran Church
- Korea, Republic
- Lutheran Church in Korea (also a full member of the International Lutheran Council)
- Kyrgyzstan
- Latvia
- Liberia
- Liechtenstein
- Lithuania
- Madagascar
- Malagasy Lutheran Church (also a full member of the International Lutheran Council)
- Malawi
- Malaysia
- Basel Christian Church of Malaysia
- Evangelical Lutheran Church in Malaysia
- Lutheran Church in Malaysia and Singapore
- The Protestant Church in Sabah
- Mexico
- Mozambique
- Myanmar
- Evangelical Lutheran Church in Myanmar
- Lutheran Church of Myanmar
- Myanmar Lutheran Church (also an associate member of the International Lutheran Council)
- 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
- Netherlands
- Nicaragua
- Nigeria
- Norway
- Palestine
- Peru
- Papua New Guinea
- Evangelical Lutheran Church of Papua New Guinea
- Gutnius Lutheran Church (also a full member of the International Lutheran Council)
- Philippines
- Lutheran Church in the Philippines (also a full member of the International Lutheran Council)
- Poland
- Romania
- Russia
- Evangelical Lutheran Church in Russia and Other States
- Evangelical Lutheran Church of Ingria in Russia (also a full member of the International Lutheran Council)
- Rwanda
- Senegal
- Serbia
- Sierra Leone
- Singapore
- Slovak Republic
- Slovenia
- South Africa
- Evangelical Lutheran Church in Southern Africa
- Evangelical Lutheran Church in Southern Africa (Cape Church)
- Template:Interlanguage link
- Moravian Church in South Africa
- Sri Lanka
- Lanka Lutheran Church (also a full member of the International Lutheran Council)
- Suriname
- Sweden
- Switzerland
- Taiwan (Republic of China)
- Tanzania
- Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tanzania (also a member of the Global Confessional and Missional Lutheran Forum)
- Thailand
- Ukraine
- United Kingdom
- United States of America
- Uruguay
- Uzbekistan
- Venezuela
- Zambia
- Zimbabwe
Views on same-sex unionsEdit
Some member denominations have recognized same-sex unions through marriage, a blessing rite, or special prayers. These include the Church of Denmark, Church of Iceland, Church of Norway, Church of Sweden, Protestant Church A.B. 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 Protestant Church in Germany, Evangelical Church of the River Plate, Protestant Church in the Netherlands, and the United Protestant Church of France.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
On the other side, several churches, including the Ethiopian Evangelical Church Mekane Yesus, Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tanzania, the Malagasy Lutheran Church, the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Latvia and the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Lithuania, which recognize marriage as solely the union between a man and a woman, have broken ties with many of the churches supporting same-sex unions.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
The Evangelical Church of the Lutheran Confession in Brazil supports civil same-sex marriage, but does not allow its ministers to celebrate same-sex unions, neither does it ordain ministers who are living in same-sex unions.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
See alsoEdit
- Confessional Evangelical Lutheran Conference
- Global Confessional and Missional Lutheran Forum
- International Lutheran Council
- List of the largest Protestant denominations
- Porvoo Communion
- World Council of Churches
NotesEdit
ReferencesEdit
BibliographyEdit
External linksEdit
Template:Lutheran World Federation Churches Template:Christianity footer Template:Authority control