List of Lutheran denominations
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Lutheran denominations are Protestant church bodies that identify, to a greater or lesser extent, with the theology of Martin Luther and with the writings contained in the Book of Concord. Most Lutheran denominations are affiliated with one or more regional, national, or international associations, the largest of which—the Lutheran World Federation—has over 74 million members worldwide. There are also two smaller and more conservative international associations—the International Lutheran Council, with 7.15 million members, and the Confessional Evangelical Lutheran Conference, with approximately 500,000 members. Finally, the Global Confessional and Missional Lutheran Forum (Global Forum) is a global gathering of Confessional Lutheran bodies who wish to emphasize missional discipleship as the focal point of ministry in the world.
This list is grouped by affiliation with the four major international Lutheran associations mentioned above. This list does not include groups that have been merged into other groups (e.g. Hauge Synod) nor groups that have become defunct (e.g. Eielsen Synod). Some of the denominations belong to more than one of the four associations.
Lutheran World Federation
The Lutheran World Federation (LWF) is the largest association of national and regional Lutheran church bodies in the world. Founded in 1947 by 47 church bodies from 26 countries, the LWF has grown to include 145 church bodies in 98 countries.
International Lutheran Council
Founded in 1993, the International Lutheran Council (ILC) is the second largest international association of Lutheran churches after the LWF, representing 7.15 million Lutherans in 54 church bodies as of 2018. Unlike the members of the LWF, not all members of the ILC are in altar and pulpit fellowship with one another.
Confessional Evangelical Lutheran Conference
The Confessional Evangelical Lutheran Conference (CELC) is the third major international association of Lutheran church bodies, representing approximately 500,000 Lutherans in 32 church bodies.
Country | Church body | Year founded | Members | Ref |
---|---|---|---|---|
Australia | Evangelical Lutheran Synod of Australia | -- | -- | |
Bulgaria | Bulgarian Lutheran Church | 1994 | 310 | |
Cameroon | Lutheran Church of Cameroon | -- | 650 | |
Czech Republic | Czech Evangelical Lutheran Church | 1991 | 249 | |
Finland | Lutheran Confessional Church (Finland) | 2002 | 26 | |
Germany | Evangelical Lutheran Free Church (Germany) | 1876 | 1,300 | |
Indonesia | Gereja Lutheran Indonesia | -- | 1,362 | |
Japan | Lutheran Evangelical Christian Church | 1962 | 375 | |
Latvia | Confessional Lutheran Church in Latvia | 1999 | 300 | |
Malawi | Lutheran Church of Central Africa Malawi Conference | 1963 | 41,000 | |
Mexico | Confessional Evangelical Lutheran Church (Mexico) | -- | 650 | |
Nigeria | All Saints Lutheran Church of Nigeria | 1991 | 1,674 | |
Nigeria | Christ the King Lutheran Church—Nigeria | 1969 | 3,727 | |
Norway | Lutheran Confessional Church (Norway) | 2009 | 57 | |
Peru | Evangelical Lutheran Synod of Peru | -- | 970 | |
Puerto Rico | Evangelical Lutheran Confessional Church—Puerto Rico | 1990 | 216 | |
Russia | Evangelical Lutheran Church "Concord" | 1995 | -- | |
Sweden | Lutheran Confessional Church (Sweden) | 1974 | 220 | |
Ukraine | Ukrainian Lutheran Church | 1996 | 2,500 | |
United States | Evangelical Lutheran Synod | 1918 | 19,000 | |
United States | Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod | 1850 | 363,997 | |
Zambia | Lutheran Church of Central Africa Zambia Conference | 1955 | 10,000 |
Global Confessional and Missional Lutheran Forum
The Global Confessional and Missional Lutheran Forum (Global Forum) is the fourth major international association of Lutheran church bodies and organizations, representing Lutherans in church bodies across 15 nations.
Country | Church body | Year founded | Members | Ref |
---|---|---|---|---|
Bolivia | Christian Evangelical Lutheran Church of Bolivia | -- | 906 | |
Denmark | Evangelical Lutheran Network | 2006 | -- | |
Denmark | Lutheran Mission | 1868 | 10,000 | |
Ethiopia | Ethiopian Evangelical Church Mekane Yesus | 1959 | 8,310,129 | |
Germany | Church Coalition for the Bible and Confession | 1967 | -- | |
Germany | International Christian Network | 1970 | -- | |
India | Christu Suda Communications and Ministries | 2001 | -- | |
Indonesia | Indonesian Lutheran Christian Church | 1965 | 17,305 | |
Kenya | Evangelical Lutheran Church in Kenya | 1948 | 100,000 | |
Mongolia | Mongolian Evangelical Lutheran Church | -- | -- | |
Norway | Norwegian Lutheran Mission | 1891 | ||
Norway | Inner Mission Federation | 1898 | -- | |
Peru | Evangelical Lutheran Church - Peru | 1978 | 500 | |
South Sudan | Lutheran Church of South Sudan | 2011 | 6,463 | |
Sweden | Mission Province | 2003 | -- | |
Tanzania | Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tanzania | 1963 | 6,531,336 | |
Canada and the United States | North American Lutheran Church | 2010 | 142,000 |
Unaffiliated Lutheran denominations
The following denominations are not members of the LWF, ILC, CELC or Global Forum, though several of them work with or are in fellowship with individual members of those associations. In addition, a number of these denominations have fellowship agreements with one another, without being part of any larger association. Note that several of these denominations have congregations in multiple countries. In such cases, the denomination is listed under the country in which its headquarters is located.
Country | Church body | Year founded | Members | Ref |
---|---|---|---|---|
Angola | Confessional Lutheran Church in Angola | -- | -- | |
Australia | Australian Evangelical Lutheran Church | 1992 | -- | |
Australia | Evangelical Lutheran Congregations of the Reformation | 1966 | -- | |
Benin | Evangelical Lutheran Church of Benin | 1997 | -- | |
Burundi | Evangelical Lutheran Church in Burundi | 1997 | 1,800 | |
Cambodia | Cambodia Lutheran Church | 2017 | 1,000 | |
Canada | Canadian Association of Lutheran Congregations | 1991 | -- | |
Canada | Church of the Lutheran Brethren Canada | -- | -- | |
Chad | Church of the Lutheran Brethren of Chad | -- | 113,684 | |
China | China Lutheran Gospel Church | -- | 225 | |
Czech Republic | Evangelical Church of the Augsburg Confession in the Czech Republic | -- | -- | |
Democratic Republic of the Congo | Evangelical Lutheran Church of East Congo | 1977 | 10,000 | |
Denmark | Confessional Orthodox Evangelical Lutheran Communion | 2019 | -- | |
Eritrea | Evangelical Church of Eritrea | -- | -- | |
Ethiopia | Lutheran Church of Ethiopia | -- | 20,000 | |
Faroe Islands | Evangelical Lutheran Church on the Faroe Islands | 2007 | 40,234 | |
Finland | Confessional Lutheran Church of Finland | 1928 | 318 | |
Finland | The Union of Independent Evangelical Lutheran Congregations in Finland | 1928 | 482 | |
Ghana | Apostolic Lutheran Church of Ghana | 1995 | 500 | |
Guam | Lutheran Church of Guam | 2011 | -- | |
Guinea | Evangelical Lutheran Church in Guinea | 1996 | 3,000 | |
India | Good Samaritan Evangelical Lutheran Church | -- | 57,635 | |
India | Gospel Outreach Ministries | 1992 | -- | |
India | Latvian Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tamil Nadu | 1981 | -- | |
India | Lutheran Fellowship of India | 1998 | -- | |
India | North Western Gossner Evangelical Lutheran Church | -- | 118,283 | |
Ireland | Lutheran Church in Ireland | 1962 | 5,623 | |
Ivory Coast | Evangelical Lutheran Church–Ivory Coast Synod | -- | 1,500 | |
Japan | Fellowship Deaconry Evangelical Church | -- | -- | |
Japan | Japan Lutheran Brethren Church | -- | 1,263 | |
Japan | West Japan Evangelical Lutheran Church | -- | 3,933 | |
Kazakhstan | Evangelical Lutheran Church in Kazakhstan | -- | -- | |
Kenya | Evangelical Lutheran Fellowship of Africa | -- | -- | |
Kyrgyzstan | Concordia Lutheran Church | 2001 | 600 | |
Liberia | Apostolic Lutheran Church of Liberia | -- | -- | |
Liberia | Evangelical Lutheran Church in Liberia | 2009 | 11,000 | |
Moldova | Evangelical Lutheran Church in the Republic of Moldova | 1999 | -- | |
Mozambique | Lutheran Church of Concord in Mozambique | -- | 1,600 | |
Myanmar | Apostolic Lutheran Church of Myanmar | -- | -- | |
New Zealand | Evangelical Lutheran Church of New Zealand | 2018 | -- | |
Nigeria | Fellowship of Lutheran Congregations – Nigeria | -- | -- | |
Panama | Brotherhood of Popular Pastoral Action - Lutheran Coordination | -- | -- | |
Panama | Evangelical Lutheran Church of Panama | -- | 200 | |
Philippines | Tagakaulo Lutheran Church of Christ in the Philippines | 1998 | -- | |
Russia | Evangelical Lutheran Church of Augsburg Confession in Russia | 2006 | -- | |
South Africa | United Lutheran Church in South Africa | 1997 | -- | |
Sudan | Evangelical Lutheran Church in Sudan and South Sudan | 1993 | 20,000 | |
Sweden | Concordia Lutheran Church | 1984 | -- | |
Sweden | Evangelical Lutheran Church in Sweden | 1968 | -- | |
Taiwan | Church of the Lutheran Brethren of Taiwan | -- | -- | |
Tanzania | Lutheran Church in East Africa | -- | 10,000 | |
Thailand | Thailand Concordia Lutheran Church | 2004 | 600 | |
The Gambia | Evangelical Lutheran Church of The Gambia | 1999 | 2,000 | |
Togo | Evangelical Lutheran Church of Christ – Togo | -- | -- | |
Togo | Lutheran Church of Togo | 2009 | 5,000 | |
Turkey | Istanbul Lutheran Church | 2005 | -- | |
Uganda | Lutheran Church Mission in Uganda | 1994 | 25,000 | |
Uganda | Uganda Lutheran Church Foundation | -- | 9,084 | |
United States | Apostolic Lutheran Church of America | 1928 | 9,000 | |
United States | Association of Confessional Lutheran Churches | 2007 | -- | |
United States | Association of Free Lutheran Congregations | 1962 | 44,500 | |
United States | Association of independent evangelical Lutheran churches | -- | -- | |
United States | Augsburg Lutheran Churches | 2001 | -- | |
United States | Church of the Lutheran Brethren of America | 1900 | 8,860 | |
United States | Church of the Lutheran Confession | 1960 | 8,108 | |
United States | Concordia Lutheran Conference | 1956 | -- | |
United States | Conservative Lutheran Association | 1980 | 1,267 | |
United States | Evangelical Lutheran Conference & Ministerium of North America | 1999 | -- | |
United States | Evangelical Lutheran Diocese of North America | 2006 | -- | |
United States | General Lutheran Church | 2014 | -- | |
United States | Illinois Lutheran Conference | 1979 | -- | |
United States | Independent Lutheran Diocese | 2008 | -- | |
United States | Laestadian Lutheran Church | 1973 | -- | |
United States | Latvian Evangelical Lutheran Church in America | 1957 | 10,950 | |
United States | Lutheran Church - International | 1967 | 1000 | |
United States | Lutheran Churches of the Reformation | 1964 | 1,300 | |
United States | Lutheran Congregations in Mission for Christ | 2001 | 300,000 | |
United States | Lutheran Conference of Confessional Fellowship | 1983 | -- | |
United States | The Lutheran Evangelical Protestant Church | 2001 | -- | |
United States | Lutheran Ministerium and Synod - USA | 1995 | -- | |
United States | Lutheran Orthodox Church | -- | -- | |
United States | Missionary Lutheran Church | 2013 | -- | |
United States | Old Apostolic Lutheran Church of America | 1899 | 25,000 | |
United States | Orthodox Lutheran Confessional Conference | 2006 | -- | |
United States | Protes'tant Conference | 1927 | 1000 | |
United States | United Lutheran Mission Association | 2005 | -- | |
Zambia | Lutheran Evangelical Church in Africa—Zambia Diocese | -- | -- |
See also
Notes
- ^ a b c d Membership numbers are the most recent available as of April 2018.
- ^ a b c d e f United Church
- ^ a b c d e f Associate member
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v Member of both the Lutheran World Federation and the International Lutheran Council
- ^ a b c d e f Also member of the Global Confessional and Missional Lutheran Forum
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j Member of the EKD
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Member of the United Evangelical Lutheran Churches in India
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s Mission partner of the LCMS, LCC, or another ILC-affiliated denomination
- ^ a b c d e f g h Laestadian
- ^ a b c d e Evangelical Catholic
- ^ Formerly known as the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Sudan