International Lutheran Council

File:Ilc logo.gif

Logo of the International Lutheran Council

Template:ChineseText The International Lutheran Council is a worldwide association of confessional Lutheran denominations. It is to be distinguished from the Lutheran World Federation, which represents the larger, more theologically inclusive Lutheran churches. The organization was constituted in 1993 at a council held in Antigua, Guatemala, although it traces its roots back to theological conferences held in many locations in the 1950s and 1960s.

Member bodies of the ILC hold "an unconditional commitment to the Holy 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 Council has thirty participating churches as of 2007. Among its larger members are the Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod, the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Brazil, and the Lutheran Church - Canada. Altogether, approximately 3,450,000 adherents belong to ILC member churches. ILC members comprise approximately 5% of Lutherans worldwide.

The Council's Chairman is the Rev. Gerald Kieschnick, who is also President of the Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod since 2007. Its Executive Secretary is the Rev. Dr. Samuel H. Nafzger [1], who is also Executive Director of the LCMS' Commission on Theology and Church Relations. Delegates to the ILC meet every two years.

Members

Sorted by country in alphabetical order

Full Members

• Argentina

Evangelical Lutheran Church of Argentina ^website

(Iglesia Evangélica Luterana Argentina)

• Belgium

Evangelical Lutheran Church in Belgium ^website

(Evangelisch-Lutherse Kerk in België)

• Bolivia

Christian Evangelical Lutheran Church of Bolivia

(Iglesia Cristiana Evangélica Luterana de Bolivia)

• Brazil

Evangelical Lutheran Church of Brazil ^website

(Igreja Evangélica Luterana do Brasil)

• Canada

Lutheran Church - Canada ^website

• Chile

Evangelical Lutheran Church of the Republic of Chile ^website

(Iglesia Evangélica Luterana de la República de Chile)

• China (Hong Kong SAR)

Lutheran Church - Hong Kong Synod ^website

(香港路德會)

• China, Republic of (Taiwan)

China Evangelical Lutheran Church

(中華福音道路德會)

• Denmark

Evangelical Lutheran Free Church of Denmark ^website

(Den evangelisk-lutherske Frikirke i Danmark)

• France

Evangelical Lutheran Church - Synod of France and Belgium ^website

(Église Évangélique Luthérienne - Synode de France et de Belgique)

• Germany

Independent Evangelical - Lutheran Church ^website

(Selbständige Evangelisch - Lutherische Kirche)

• Ghana

Evangelical Lutheran Church of Ghana

- 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 ^website

(Eglise Evangelique Lutherienne D'Haiti)

• India

India Evangelical Lutheran Church

- also a full member of the Lutheran World Federation

• Japan

Japan Lutheran Church ^link

(日本ルーテル教団)

- also an associate member of the Lutheran World Federation

• Kenya

Evangelical Lutheran Church in Kenya

• Korea, South

Lutheran Church in Korea ^{website website}

(기독교한국루터회)

- also a full member of the Lutheran World Federation

• Mexico

Lutheran Synod of Mexico

(Sinodo Luterano de Mexico)

• Nigeria

Lutheran Church of Nigeria

• Papua New Guinea

Gutnius Lutheran Church

• Paraguay

Evangelical Lutheran Church of Paraguay ^website

(Iglesia Evangélica Luterana del Paraguay)

• Philippines

Lutheran Church in the Philippines

- also a full member of the Lutheran World Federation

• Portugal

Evangelical Lutheran Church of Portugal

• Russia

Evangelical Lutheran Church of Ingria in Russia ^website

(Евангелическая-лютеранская Церковь ИНГРИИ)

- also a full member of the Lutheran World Federation

• South Africa

Free Evangelical Lutheran Synod in South Africa ^website

Lutheran Church in Southern Africa

• Sri Lanka

Lanka Lutheran Church

- also a full member of the Lutheran World Federation

• United Kingdom

Evangelical Lutheran Church of England ^website

• United States of America

Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod ^website

American Association of Lutheran Churches ^website

• Venezuela

Lutheran Church of Venezuela ^website

(Iglesia Luterana de Venezuela)

Associate Members

• Australia

Lutheran Church of Australia ^website

- also an associate member of the Lutheran World Federation

• Peru

Evangelical Lutheran Church in Peru (LWF recognized congregation)

See also

• Category:International Lutheran Council members
• List of Lutheran denominations

External links

• ILC website