What Is a Lutheran?
Questions, questions, questions...
For anyone new to the Lutheran church, you probably have a few questions. On the next few pages we will answer some of these questions, such as "What is the ELCA?", "Why are there different types of Lutherans?", "What is a denomination?", "What is a synod?" and "What do Lutherans believe?"
What Is the ELCA?
The ELCA acronym stands for Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and is a union of three North American Lutheran church bodies: The American Lutheran Church, the Association of Evangelical Lutheran Churches and the Lutheran Church in America. The three churches agreed to unite in 1982 and by January 1, 1988 began operations as the ELCA.
ELCA Facts:
- Baptized Members: 4,930,429
- Communing and Contributing Members: 2,304,976
- Congregations: 10,585
- Synods: 65 in nine geographic regions
- Clergy: 17,703 (2,760 female; 494 people of color)
[Information gathered from www.elca.org/communication/quick.html]
For more information on the history of Lutheranism and the ELCA, please visit the following link: [www.elca.org/communication/roots.html]
Link to timelines of significant Lutheran events in North America [www.elca.org/communication/timeline/]
(return to TOP of page)
Why are there different types of Lutherans?
When Lutherans first arrived in North America, they started church bodies that reflected, to some degree, the churches left behind in their home countries. Smaller ethnically-based Lutheran bodies were formed from German, Norwegian, Danish, Finnish, Swedish, Slovak and Dutch immigrants. Several of these church bodies merged over the years and eventually formed into the ELCA, which is the largest Lutheran church body in North America.
The Saint Louis based German immigrants established the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod (LCMS) in 1847. It is the second largest Lutheran church body in North America. It identifies itself as a church with an emphasis on biblical doctrine and faithful adherence to the historic Lutheran confessions. The differences between the ELCA and LCMS largely arise from historical and cultural factors, although some are theological in character.
The pattern of Scripture interpretation generally practiced in the ELCA seeks to consider carefully the meanings of passages and their form, including the time and place in which passages were written. Emphasis is placed on the message of a specific text within the context of Scripture. As indicated in the ELCA's constitution, "This church accepts the canonical Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments as the inspired Word of God and the authoritative source and norm of its proclamation, faith and life."
[Information gathered from www.elca.org/questions/history.asp]
Find answers to many different questions concerning Lutheranism and the ELCA at: [www.elca.org/questions/]
(return to TOP of page)
What is a denomination?
A denomination is an identifiable and established religious body sharing a common doctrine with a geographically widespread membership. It unites a group of individual congregations into a single administrative body.
(return to TOP of page)
What is a synod?
Our English word synod comes from two Greek words syn + hodos that literally means "a way together." In and through synods, congregations and other ministries "walk together." Synods are an expression of this church, just as are congregations and the churchwide organization. They coordinate the work of congregations within their territories. Synods plan for the ELCA's mission (which is one dimension of God's larger mission) in their area. The synods are grouped into nine regions which are points of connection for synods and the churchwide organization.
[Information cited from www.archive.elca.org/synods/synod.html]
North America is divided into nine regions, which are further divided into 65 synods. Shepherd of the Valley Lutheran Church is apart of the Eastern Washington-Idaho Synod located in Region 1.
Each of the 65 synods of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America elects a bishop to serve as the synod's chief pastor and to exercise administrative oversight of the synod's work. Bishops serve for six-year terms and may be reelected.
Eastern Washington-Idaho Synod
Bishop Martin D. Wells
314 S. Spruce St., Ste. A
Spokane, WA 99204-1098
phone: (509) 838-9871
fax: (509) 838-0941
[http://www.ewaidsynod.org/]
> partner synod:
Greater Milwaukee Synod
> companion synod/church:
Tanzania-Ulanga Kilombero Diocese
(return to TOP of page)
What do Lutherans Believe?
This question is difficult to answer in a simple sentence or two, so we are going to separate it into three sections and expand on each one. Click on the links below to be redirected to a page with a detailed explanation.
(return to TOP of page)