Lutheran World Federation

The Lutheran World Federation (LWF; Lutherischer Weltbund) 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 149 member church bodies in 99 countries representing over 77 million Lutherans; as of 2022, it is 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 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 Catholic church and Lutheranism no longer apply. A similar event took place in Lund Cathedral at the 499th anniversary of the beginning of the Protestant Reformation when Pope Francis visited Scania, Sweden's southernmost province that originally was Danish.

119 of the 145 member churches (80%) ordain women as ministers.

History
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 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.

Largest churches
The 20 largest member churches are (with number of members in millions; 2021 statistics):


 * 1) Ethiopian Evangelical Church Mekane Yesus (10.4)
 * 2) Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tanzania (7.9)
 * 3) Church of Sweden (5.9)
 * 4) Batak Christian Protestant Church (4.5)
 * 5) Church of Denmark (4.3)
 * 6) Malagasy Lutheran Church (4.0)
 * 7) Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland (3.8)
 * 8) Church of Norway (3.7)
 * 9) Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (3.6)
 * 10) Andhra Evangelical Lutheran Church (3.0)
 * 11) Evangelical Lutheran Church of Hanover, Germany (2.6)
 * 12) Evangelical Lutheran Church in Bavaria, Germany (2.3)
 * 13) The Lutheran Church of Christ in Nigeria (2.2)
 * 14) Evangelical Lutheran Church in Northern Germany (2.1)
 * 15) Evangelical Lutheran Church in Württemberg (2.0)
 * 16) Protestant Church in the Netherlands (1.7)
 * 17) Evangelical Lutheran Church in Namibia (0.9)
 * 18) Evangelical Church in Central Germany (0.7)
 * 19) Evangelical Lutheran Church of Saxony (0.7)
 * 20) Evangelical Church of the Lutheran Confession in Brazil (0.6)
 * 21) Evangelical Lutheran Church in Southern Africa (0.6)

President
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.

General Secretary
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. 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.

Members
This map shows the global distribution of Lutheranism based on The LWF 2019 membership data.

Sorted by country in alphabetical order


 * Angola
 * Evangelical Lutheran Church of 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
 * Protestant Church of the Augsburg Confession in Austria


 * Bangladesh
 * Bangladesh Lutheran Church
 * Bangladesh Northern Evangelical Lutheran Church


 * Belarus
 * Evangelical Lutheran Church in Russia and Other States


 * Belgium
 * Lutheran Church of Belgium: Arlon and Christian Mission


 * Bolivia
 * Bolivian Evangelical Lutheran Church
 * German-Speaking Evangelical Lutheran Congregation in Bolivia


 * Botswana
 * Evangelical Lutheran Church in Botswana


 * Brazil
 * Evangelical Church of the Lutheran Confession in Brazil


 * Cameroon
 * Church of the Lutheran Brethren of Cameroon
 * Evangelical Lutheran Church of Cameroon


 * Canada
 * Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada


 * Central African Republic
 * Lutheran Church of the Central African Republic


 * Chile
 * Evangelical Lutheran Church in Chile
 * Lutheran Church in 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
 * Evangelical Lutheran Church in Congo


 * Costa Rica
 * Evangelical Lutheran Church of Costa Rica
 * Lutheran Costarican Church


 * Croatia
 * Evangelical Church in the Republic of Croatia


 * Czechia
 * Evangelical Church of Czech Brethren
 * Silesian Evangelical Church of the Augsburg Confession


 * Denmark
 * Evangelical Lutheran Church in Denmark (includes Church of Greenland, but not the Church of the Faroe Islands)


 * Ecuador
 * Evangelical Lutheran Church in Ecuador


 * El Salvador
 * Salvadoran Lutheran Church


 * Eritrea
 * Evangelical Church of Eritrea


 * Estonia
 * Estonian Evangelical Lutheran Church


 * Ethiopia
 * Ethiopian Evangelical Church Mekane Yesus (also a member of the Global Confessional and Missional Lutheran Forum)


 * Finland
 * Evangelical Lutheran Church of 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
 * Evangelical Lutheran Church in Russia and Other States


 * 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
 * Evangelical Lutheran Congregation "La Epifania"


 * Guyana
 * Evangelical Lutheran Church in Guyana


 * Hungary
 * The Evangelical Lutheran Church in Hungary


 * Honduras
 * Christian Lutheran Church of Honduras


 * Iceland
 * The Evangelical Lutheran Church of 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
 * The Lutheran Church in Ireland


 * Italy
 * Lutheran Evangelical Church in 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
 * Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan & the Holy Land


 * Kazakhstan
 * Evangelical Lutheran Church in Russia and Other States


 * 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
 * Evangelical Lutheran Church in Russia and Other States


 * Latvia
 * Evangelical Lutheran Church of Latvia


 * Liberia
 * Lutheran Church in Liberia


 * Liechtenstein
 * Federation of Evangelical Lutheran Churches in Switzerland and the Principality of Liechtenstein


 * Lithuania
 * Evangelical Lutheran Church of Lithuania


 * Madagascar
 * Malagasy Lutheran Church (also a full member of the International Lutheran Council)


 * Malawi
 * Evangelical Lutheran Church in Malawi


 * Malaysia
 * Basel Christian Church of Malaysia
 * Evangelical Lutheran Church in Malaysia
 * Lutheran Church in Malaysia and Singapore
 * The Protestant Church in Sabah


 * Mexico
 * German-Speaking Evangelical Congregation in Mexico
 * Mexican Lutheran Church


 * Mozambique
 * Evangelical Lutheran Church in 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
 * Nepal Northern Evangelical Lutheran Church


 * Netherlands
 * Protestant Church in the Netherlands


 * Nicaragua
 * Nicaraguan Lutheran Church of Faith and Hope


 * Nigeria
 * Lutheran Church in Nigeria
 * The Lutheran Church of Christ in Nigeria


 * Norway
 * Church of Norway
 * Evangelical Lutheran Free Church of Norway


 * Palestine
 * Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan & the Holy Land


 * Peru
 * Evangelical Lutheran Church in Peru
 * Peruvian Lutheran Evangelical Church


 * 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
 * Evangelical Church of Augsburg Confession in Poland


 * Romania
 * Evangelical Church of the Augsburg Confession in Romania
 * Evangelical Lutheran Church in 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
 * Lutheran Church of Rwanda


 * Senegal
 * Lutheran Church of Senegal


 * Serbia
 * Slovak Evangelical Church of the Augsburg Confession in Serbia


 * Sierra Leone
 * Evangelical Lutheran Church in Sierra Leone


 * Singapore
 * Lutheran Church in Singapore


 * Slovak Republic
 * Evangelical Church of the Augsburg Confession in Slovak Republic


 * Slovenia
 * Evangelical Church of the Augsburg Confession in Slovenia


 * South Africa
 * Evangelical Lutheran Church in Southern Africa
 * Evangelical Lutheran Church in Southern Africa (Cape Church)
 * Moravian Church in South Africa
 * Moravian Church in South Africa


 * Sri Lanka
 * Lanka Lutheran Church (also a full member of the International Lutheran Council)


 * Suriname
 * Evangelical Lutheran Church in Suriname


 * Sweden
 * Church of Sweden


 * Switzerland
 * Federation of Evangelical Lutheran Churches in Switzerland and the Principality of Liechtenstein


 * Taiwan (Republic of China)
 * Lutheran Church of Taiwan
 * Taiwan Lutheran Church


 * Tanzania
 * Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tanzania (also a member of the Global Confessional and Missional Lutheran Forum)


 * Thailand
 * Evangelical Lutheran Church in Thailand


 * Ukraine
 * Evangelical Lutheran Church in Russia and Other States


 * United Kingdom
 * Lutheran Church in Great Britain
 * The Lutheran Council of Great Britain


 * United States of America
 * Evangelical Lutheran Church in America


 * Uruguay
 * Evangelical Church of the River Plate
 * Evangelical Lutheran Church in Uruguay


 * Uzbekistan
 * Evangelical Lutheran Church in Russia and Other States


 * Venezuela
 * Evangelical Lutheran Church in Venezuela
 * Lutheran Church of Venezuela


 * Zambia
 * Evangelical Lutheran Church in Zambia


 * Zimbabwe
 * Evangelical Lutheran Church in Zimbabwe

Views on same-sex unions
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.

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.

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.