International Lutheran Council

The International Lutheran Council (ILC) is a worldwide

International Lutheran
association of confessional Lutheran denominations. Member
bodies of the ILC hold "an unconditional commitment to the Holy Council
Scriptures as the inspired and infallible Word of God and to the
Lutheran Confessions contained in the Book of Concord as the
true and faithful exposition of the Word of God." The member
church bodies are not required to be in church-fellowship with one
another, though many of them are. Type Association
Classification Protestant
The organization was constituted in 1993 at a council held in
Antigua, Guatemala, although it traces its roots back to theological Orientation Lutheran
conferences held in various locations during the 1950s and 1960s. Theology Confessional
It is to be distinguished from the Lutheran World Federation
Chairman Juhana
(LWF) and the Confessional Evangelical Lutheran Conference.
Pohjola
The council has 59 participating churches as of 2022.[1] Among its Secretary Gijsbertus van
larger members are the Malagasy Lutheran Church, the Lutheran Hattem
Church–Missouri Synod (LCMS), the Evangelical Lutheran
General Secretary Rev. Dr. Klaus
Church of Brazil, and the Lutheran Church—Canada. Altogether,
Detlev Schulz
approximately 7,150,000 adherents belong to ILC member
churches.[2] Treasurer Gerry Wiley
Origin 1993
The council's chairman is Bishop Juhana Pohjola of the
Evangelical Lutheran Mission Diocese of Finland.[3] The Members 7.15 million
executive secretary is Albert B. Collver III of the LCMS. Official website www.ilc-online
Delegates to the ILC meet every two years. .org (http://ww
w.ilc-online.or
The organization has not accepted the Joint Declaration on the
g)
Doctrine of Justification, an agreement reached by the Catholic
Church's Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity
(PCPCU) and the Lutheran World Federation, in 1999. However, the ILC has been involved in dialogue
with the PCPCU, with a final report released on 30 November 2021.[4][5]

History
The origins of the ILC go back to a meeting at Uelzen, Germany, in July 1952 by Lutherans who were not
happy with the theological course being taken by the Lutheran World Federation. Among the participants
were delegates from the Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod who had been observers at the LWF assembly
in Hannover. Other delegates were present from churches affiliated with the LCMS from Germany,
Australia, Denmark, and the United Kingdom. Two further meetings were held, in Oakland, California, in
1958 and in Cambridge, England, in August 1963. At the latter meeting it was decided to create a
permanent organization, a "Continuation Committee", to act for the group in between meetings, which
were now dubbed International Lutheran Theological Conferences. The committee was also tasked
with publishing a theological journal and a committee bulletin, and with facilitating exchanges of pastors,
theological professors, and students. However, the meeting explicitly disclaimed it was founding a group in
opposition to the LWF.[6]

Five more "theological conferences" were held until the name was shortened to International Lutheran
Conference at the Eighth Conference in Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. Resolutions passed
during this period described the ILC as a partnership, forum, or "group of independent Lutheran
churches".[7] At the Fifteenth Conference in Antigua, Guatemala, the group decided on creating a more
formal structure as an association of churches and adopted a set of Guiding Principles that would serve as a
constitution and theological point of reference. The "Continuation Committee" was replaced by an
"Executive Council".[8][9]

At the 2018 World Conference meeting, held in Antwerp, Belgium, on 25–26 September 2018, the ILC
voted to admit 17 new church bodies, 11 as full members and 6 as associate members. This increased the
church members of ILC to 54 and their faithful to 7.15 million members.[2]

At the 2022 World Conference meeting, the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Latvia was accepted as a full
member.[10] It had already been accepted as an observer member in February 2022.[11]

Chairmen
1995–1998: Leopoldo Heimann, Evangelical Lutheran Church of Brazil[12]
1998–2007: Ralph Mayan, Lutheran Church–Canada
2007–2010: Gerald B. Kieschnick, Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod
2010-2022: Hans-Jörg Voigt, Independent Evangelical-Lutheran Church, first as interim
chairman, and since September 20, 2012, as regular chairman
2022–present: Juhana Pohjola, Evangelical Lutheran Mission Diocese of Finland

World Conferences
The World Conference of the International Lutheran Council is an official meeting ordinarily held every
three years. They are hosted by a church body whose invitation is accepted in the previous conference.

Seoul (South Korea) 2009 (23rd World Conference)

At the 23rd conference, the association unanimously adopted the statement "Same-Gender Relationships
and the Church", which defined the practice of homosexuality as a sin.[13]

Toronto (Canada) 2012 (24th World Conference)

Buenos Aires (Argentina) 2015 (25th World Conference)
Antwerp (Belgium) 2018 (26th World Conference)

At the 26th conference, the association welcomed seventeen new church bodies into membership (eleven
were received as full members and six as observer members) representing approximately 4.15 million
Lutherans across the globe. Their addition more than doubles the number of Lutherans worldwide
associated with the ILC, bringing the total to approximately 7.15 million members and bringing the total
number of church bodies holding membership in the International Lutheran Council to 54.[14]
 Kisumu (Kenya) 2022 (27th World Conference)

Members
By country in alphabetical order

Full members
Argentina

Evangelical Lutheran
Church of Argentina (Iglesia
Evangélica Luterana
Argentina)[15]

Belgium

Evangelical Lutheran
Church in Belgium
(Evangelisch-Lutherse Kerk
Light green countries are home to one or more members or
in België)[16] associate members of the International Lutheran Council

Benin

Lutheran Church in Africa—Benin Synod[17][2]

Bolivia

Christian Evangelical Lutheran Church of Bolivia (Iglesia Cristiana Evangélica Luterana

de Bolivia) - also a member of the Global Confessional and Missional Lutheran Forum

Brazil

Evangelical Lutheran Church of Brazil (Igreja Evangélica Luterana do Brasil)[18]

Canada

Lutheran Church—Canada

Chile

Evangelical Lutheran Church of the Republic of Chile (Iglesia Evangélica Luterana de la

República de Chile)

China (Hong Kong SAR)

Lutheran Church—Hong Kong Synod ( 香港路德會)

China, Republic of (Taiwan)

China Evangelical Lutheran Church ( 中華福音道路德會)

Ethiopia

Ethiopian Evangelical Lutheran Church[19]

Denmark

Evangelical Lutheran Free Church of Denmark (Den evangelisk-lutherske Frikirke i

Danmark)[20]

Finland

Evangelical Lutheran Mission Diocese of Finland (Finnish: Suomen evankelisluterilainen

lähetyshiippakunta, Swedish: Evangelisk-lutherska missionsstiftet i Finland)[21][22][2]

France

Evangelical Lutheran Church-Synod of France (Église Évangélique Luthérienne - Synode

de France)[23]

Germany

Independent Evangelical—Lutheran Church (Selbständige Evangelisch - Lutherische

Kirche)[24]

Ghana

Evangelical Lutheran Church of Ghana[25] - also a full member of the Lutheran World
Federation

Guatemala

Lutheran Church of Guatemala (Consejo Luterano Iglesia Luterana en Guatemala)

Haiti

Evangelical Lutheran Church of Haiti (Eglise Evangelique Lutherienne D'Haiti)

India

India Evangelical Lutheran Church - also a full member of the Lutheran World Federation

Japan

Japan Lutheran Church ( 日本ルーテル教団) - also an associate member of the Lutheran

World Federation

Kenya

Evangelical Lutheran Church in Kenya[26] - also a full member of the Lutheran World
Federation and a member of the Global Confessional and Missional Lutheran Forum

Korea, South
 Lutheran Church in Korea ( 기독교한국루터회) [27] - also a full member of the Lutheran
World Federation

Latvia

Evangelical Lutheran Church of Latvia[28] - also a full member of the Lutheran World
Federation

Liberia

Evangelical Lutheran Church of Liberia[2]

Madagascar

Malagasy Lutheran Church[29][2] - also a full member of the Lutheran World Federation

Mexico

Lutheran Synod of Mexico (Sinodo Luterano de Mexico)

Nicaragua

Lutheran Church Synod of Nicaragua (Iglesia Luterana Sínodo de Nicaragua)

Nigeria

Lutheran Church of Nigeria[30]

Norway

Lutheran Church in Norway (Den Lutherske Kirke i Norge)[31]

Evangelical Lutheran Diocese of Norway (Det evangelisk-lutherske stift i Norge)[22][2]

Papua New Guinea

Gutnius Lutheran Church

Paraguay

Evangelical Lutheran Church of Paraguay (Iglesia Evangélica Luterana del Paraguay)

Philippines

Lutheran Church in the Philippines - also a full member of the Lutheran World Federation

Portugal

Portuguese Evangelical Lutheran Church[32]

Russia

Evangelical Lutheran Church of Ingria in Russia (Евангелическая-лютеранская Церковь

ИНГРИИ)[33] - also a full member of the Lutheran World Federation
 Siberian Evangelical Lutheran Church (Сибирская Евангелическо-Лютеранская
Церковь)[34]

South Africa

Free Evangelical Lutheran Synod in South Africa[35]

Lutheran Church in Southern Africa[36]

Spain

Spanish Evangelical Lutheran Church (IELE)

Sri Lanka

Ceylon Evangelical Lutheran Church,[19] replacement body for the Lanka Lutheran
Church - also a full member of the Lutheran World Federation

Sweden

The Mission Province (Missionsprovinsen)[37][22][2] - also a member of the Global

Confessional and Missional Lutheran Forum

Togo

Lutheran Church of Togo[38][2]

Uganda

Lutheran Church of Uganda[39][2]

United Kingdom

Evangelical Lutheran Church of England[40]

United States of America

Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod

American Association of Lutheran Churches
Lutheran Ministerium and Synod – USA

Uruguay

Lutheran Church of Uruguay[2]

Venezuela

Lutheran Church of Venezuela (Iglesia Luterana de Venezuela)

Associate members
Australia
 Lutheran Church of Australia[41] - also an associate member of the Lutheran World
Federation
Note: Lutheran Church of New Zealand is a district of Lutheran Church of Australia

Indonesia

Indonesian Lutheran Christian Church[2] - also a member of the Global Confessional and
Missional Lutheran Forum

Peru

Evangelical Lutheran Church - Peru (Iglesia Evangélica Luterana - Perú) - also a member
of the Global Confessional and Missional Lutheran Forum (Note: this is not the same
Lutheran denomination as Iglesia Evangélica Luterana en el Perú, known as
Christuskirche, member of the Lutheran World Federation).

Rwanda

Lutheran Mission in Africa—Synod of Thousand Hills[2]

South Africa

St. Peter Confessional Lutheran Synod of South Africa[2]

South Sudan

South Sudan Evangelical Lutheran Church[2]

Taiwan

The Lutheran Church of the Republic of China[2] - also a full member of the Lutheran
World Federation

See also
Christianity portal

List of Lutheran denominations

References
1. https://ilc-online.org/2022/09/13/2022-world-conference-ilc-welcomes-new-members/
2. "ILC welcomes 17 new member churches representing 4,15 million Lutherans worldwide" (h
ttps://ilc-online.org/2018/09/26/ilc-welcomes-17-new-member-churches-representing-4-15-m
illion-lutherans-worldwide/). International Lutheran Council. 26 September 2018.
3. https://ilc-online.org/2022/09/14/2022-world-conference-bishop-pohjola-elected-as-ilc-
chairman/
4. Block, Mathew (13 September 2018). "Meetings between ILC and PCPCU continue" (https://
ilc-online.org/2018/09/13/meetings-between-ilc-and-pcpcu-continue/). International Lutheran
Council. Retrieved 28 December 2021.
 5. Block, Mathew (30 November 2021). "Final report on ILC-PCPCU conversations released"
(https://ilc-online.org/2021/11/30/final-report-on-ilc-pcpcu-conversations-released/).
International Lutheran Council. Retrieved 28 December 2021.
6. Pearce, E. Geo; Ahlers, Peter H. F. "International Lutheran Conference - Summary of
International Conferences" (http://www.ilc-online.org/files/2012/01/Summary-ILC-Conferenc
ess.pdf) (PDF). International Lutheran Council. Retrieved 27 December 2021.
7. Pearce & Ahlers pp.8-10
8. Pearce & Ahlers pp.15-6
9. Constitution/Guiding Principles (http://www.ilc-online.org/files/2011/10/ILC-Constitution.pdf)
10. Block, Mathew (26 September 2022). "The ILC's 2022 World Conference in brief" (https://ilc-
online.org/2022/09/26/the-ilcs-2022-world-conference-in-brief/). International Lutheran
Council. Retrieved 18 February 2023.
11. Block, Mathew (23 February 2022). "ILC welcomes Latvians into membership" (https://ilc-onl
ine.org/2022/02/23/ilc-welcomes-latvians-into-membership/). International Lutheran Council.
Retrieved 18 February 2023.
12. Block, Mathew (20 April 2017). "Former ILC Chairman enters into glory" (https://ilc-online.or
g/2017/04/20/former-ilc-chairman-enters-glory/). International Lutheran Council. Retrieved
30 May 2023.
13. "ILC Statements" (https://ilc-online.org/news/ilc-statements/). International Lutheran Council.
Retrieved 21 February 2023.
14. Block, Mathew (26 September 2018). "ILC welcomes 17 new member churches
representing 4.15 million Lutherans worldwide" (https://ilc-online.org/2018/09/26/ilc-welcom
es-17-new-member-churches-representing-4-15-million-lutherans-worldwide/). International
Lutheran Council. Retrieved 20 June 2023.
15. "Argentina" (https://ilc-online.org/members/latin-america/argentina/). International Lutheran
Council. Retrieved 19 May 2023.
16. "Belgium" (https://ilc-online.org/members/europe/belgium/). International Lutheran Council.
Retrieved 26 May 2023.
17. "Benin" (https://ilc-online.org/members/africa/benin/). International Lutheran Council.
Retrieved 26 May 2023.
18. "Brazil" (https://ilc-online.org/members/latin-america/brazil/). International Lutheran Council.
Retrieved 19 May 2023.
19. Block, Mathew (14 June 2023). "ILC welcomes Ethiopians and Sri Lankans into
membership" (https://ilc-online.org/2023/06/14/ilc-welcomes-ethiopians-and-sri-lankans-into
-membership/). International Lutheran Council. Retrieved 15 June 2023.
20. "Denmark" (https://ilc-online.org/members/europe/denmark/). International Lutheran Council.
Retrieved 26 May 2023.
21. "Finland" (https://ilc-online.org/members/europe/finland/). International Lutheran Council.
Retrieved 19 May 2023.
22. Collver, Al (20 January 2016). "The Nordic Lutheran Dioceses and the International
Lutheran Council Discuss Membership" (http://ilc-online.org/2016/01/20/the-nordic-lutheran-
dioceses-and-the-international-lutheran-conference-discuss-membership/). ILC Online.
Retrieved 9 May 2017.
23. "France" (https://ilc-online.org/members/europe/france/). International Lutheran Council.
Retrieved 19 May 2023.
24. "Germany" (https://ilc-online.org/members/europe/germany/). International Lutheran Council.
Retrieved 19 May 2023.
25. "Ghana" (https://ilc-online.org/members/africa/ghana/). International Lutheran Council.
Retrieved 26 May 2023.
26. "Kenya (ELCK)" (https://ilc-online.org/members/africa/kenya/). International Lutheran
Council. Retrieved 26 May 2023.
27. "Korea" (https://ilc-online.org/members/asia/korea/). International Lutheran Council.
Retrieved 19 May 2023.
28. "Latvia" (https://ilc-online.org/members/europe/latvia/). International Lutheran Council.
Retrieved 19 May 2023.
29. "Madagascar" (https://ilc-online.org/members/africa/madagascar/). International Lutheran
Council. Retrieved 19 May 2023.
30. "Nigeria" (https://ilc-online.org/members/africa/nigeria/). International Lutheran Council.
Retrieved 26 May 2023.
31. "Norway and Iceland (LKNI)" (https://ilc-online.org/members/europe/norway/). International
Lutheran Council. Retrieved 19 May 2023.
32. "Portugal" (https://ilc-online.org/members/europe/portugal/). International Lutheran Council.
Retrieved 19 May 2023.
33. "Russia (ELCIR)" (https://ilc-online.org/members/europe/russia/). International Lutheran
Council. Retrieved 26 May 2023.
34. "Russia (SELC)" (https://ilc-online.org/members/europe/siberia-russia/). International
Lutheran Council. Retrieved 26 May 2023.
35. "South Africa (FELSISA)" (https://ilc-online.org/members/africa/south-africa/). International
Lutheran Council. Retrieved 26 May 2023.
36. "South Africa (LCSA)" (https://ilc-online.org/members/africa/southern-africa/). International
Lutheran Council. Retrieved 26 May 2023.
37. "Sweden" (https://ilc-online.org/members/europe/sweden/). International Lutheran Council.
Retrieved 19 May 2023.
38. "Togo" (https://ilc-online.org/members/africa/togo/). International Lutheran Council. Retrieved
26 May 2023.
39. "Uganda" (https://ilc-online.org/members/africa/uganda/). International Lutheran Council.
Retrieved 26 May 2023.
40. "England" (https://ilc-online.org/members/europe/england/). International Lutheran Council.
Retrieved 26 May 2023.
41. "Australia and New Zealand" (https://ilc-online.org/members/asia/australia/). International
Lutheran Council. Retrieved 19 May 2023.

External links
Official website (http://www.ilc-online.org)

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