List of Lutheran denominations

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.

Country Church body Year founded Members Ref
 Angola Evangelical Lutheran Church of Angola -- 49,500
 Argentina Evangelical Church of the River Plate c. 1965 27,500
 Argentina United Evangelical Lutheran Church -- 11,000
 Australia Lutheran Church of Australia 1966 48,760
 Austria Protestant Church of the Augsburg Confession in Austria -- 302,875
 Bangladesh Bangladesh Lutheran Church -- 6,000
 Bangladesh Bangladesh Northern Evangelical Lutheran Church -- 10,000
 Bolivia Bolivian Evangelical Lutheran Church 1972 14,000
 Botswana Evangelical Lutheran Church in Botswana -- 18,800
 Brazil Evangelical Church of the Lutheran Confession in Brazil 1949 671,389
 Cameroon Church of the Lutheran Brethren of Cameroon 1969 157,276
 Cameroon Evangelical Lutheran Church in Cameroon -- 350,000
 Canada Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada 1986 114,431
 Central African Republic Evangelical Lutheran Church of the Central African Republic -- 120,000
 Chile Evangelical Lutheran Church in Chile 1906 3,000
 Chile Lutheran Church in Chile 1975 1,976
 Colombia Evangelical Lutheran Church of Colombia -- 1,701
 Costa Rica Lutheran Costa Rican Church 1988 500
 Croatia Evangelical Church in the Republic of Croatia -- 3,329
 Czech Republic Evangelical Church of Czech Brethren 1918 78,299
 Czech Republic Silesian Evangelical Church of the Augsburg Confession -- 16,000
 Democratic Republic of the Congo Evangelical Lutheran Church in Congo c. 1960 122,055
 Denmark Evangelical Lutheran Church in Denmark 1536 4,276,271
 El Salvador Salvadoran Lutheran Church -- 20,000
 Eritrea Evangelical Lutheran Church of Eritrea -- 11,000
 Estonia Estonian Evangelical Lutheran Church 1917 180,000
 Ethiopia Ethiopian Evangelical Church Mekane Yesus 1959 8,310,129
 Finland Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland 1809 3,625,007
 France Protestant Church of Augsburg Confession of Alsace and Lorraine 2006 250,000
 France Malagasy Protestant Church in France -- 10,000
 France United Protestant Church of France 2012 330,000
 Germany Evangelical Lutheran Church in Baden 1850 2,906
 Germany Evangelical Lutheran Church in Bavaria -- 2,456,140
 Germany Evangelical Lutheran Church in Brunswick -- 341,919
 Germany Evangelical Church in Central Germany 2009 766,416
 Germany Evangelical Lutheran Church of Hanover -- 2,714,781
 Germany Church of Lippe (Lutheran section) 1888 28,000
 Germany Evangelical Lutheran Church in Northern Germany 2012 2,063,904
 Germany Evangelical Lutheran Church in Oldenburg -- 423,756
 Germany Evangelical Lutheran Church of Saxony -- 701,008
 Germany Evangelical Lutheran Church of Schaumburg-Lippe -- 54,159
 Germany Evangelical Church in Württemberg -- 2,054,505
 Ghana Evangelical Lutheran Church of Ghana 1958 29,000
 Guatemala Guatemala Lutheran Church -- 300
 Guyana Evangelical Lutheran Church in Guyana -- 16,153
 Honduras Christian Lutheran Church of Honduras -- 1,700
 Hong Kong Hong Kong and Macau Lutheran Church -- 2,201
 Hong Kong Chinese Rhenish Church Hong Kong Synod -- 13,500
 Hong Kong Evangelical Lutheran Church of Hong Kong 1954 18,351
 Hong Kong Tsung Tsin Mission of Hong Kong -- 11,278
 Hungary Evangelical Lutheran Church in Hungary -- 179,618
 Iceland Evangelical Lutheran Church of Iceland -- 227,266
 India Andhra Evangelical Lutheran Church -- 3,000,000
 India Arcot Lutheran Church -- 40,000
 India Bodo Evangelical Lutheran Church -- ?
 India Evangelical Lutheran Church in Madhya Pradesh -- 20,000
 India Evangelical Lutheran Church in the Himalayan States -- 27,345
 India Good Shepherd Evangelical Lutheran Church -- 13,280
 India Gossner Evangelical Lutheran Church in Chotanagpur and Assam -- 382,790
 India India Evangelical Lutheran Church 1958 125,000
 India Jeypore Evangelical Lutheran Church -- 175,000
 India Northern Evangelical Lutheran Church -- 87,541
 India South Andhra Lutheran Church -- 60,000
 India Tamil Evangelical Lutheran Church -- 111,587
 Indonesia Batak Christian Community Church -- 25,000
 Indonesia Christian Communion of Indonesia Church in Nias (Gereja AMIN) -- 18,500
 Indonesia Christian Protestant Angkola Church -- 29,455
 Indonesia Christian Protestant Church in Indonesia -- 258,914
 Indonesia Communion of Protestant Christian Church -- 63,274
 Indonesia Indonesian Christian Church -- 355,000
 Indonesia Indonesian Christian Lutheran Church -- 17,305
 Indonesia Pakpak Dairi Christian Protestant Church -- 39,428
 Indonesia Protestant Christian Batak Church 1861 4,500,000
 Indonesia Protestant Christian Church -- 456,802
 Indonesia Protestant Christian Church in Mentawai -- 50,000
 Indonesia Simalungun Protestant Christian Church -- 220,586
 Indonesia United Protestant Church -- 12,057
 Israel Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land 1959 3,000
 Italy Evangelical Lutheran Church in Italy 1949 7,000
 Japan Japan Evangelical Lutheran Church 1946 22,000
 Japan Japan Lutheran Church 1968 2,381
 Japan Kinki Evangelical Lutheran Church -- 2,757
 Kenya Evangelical Lutheran Church in Kenya 1948 100,000
 Kenya Kenya Evangelical Lutheran Church -- 44,000
 Latvia Evangelical Lutheran Church of Latvia -- 250,000
 Latvia Latvian Evangelical Lutheran Church Abroad -- 22,172
 Liberia Lutheran Church in Liberia -- 70,000
 Lithuania Evangelical Lutheran Church of Lithuania -- 20,000
 Madagascar Malagasy Lutheran Church -- 3,000,000
 Malawi Evangelical Lutheran Church in Malawi -- 102,000
 Malaysia Basel Christian Church of Malaysia 1925 63,000
 Malaysia Evangelical Lutheran Church in Malaysia 1994 4,145
 Malaysia Lutheran Church in Malaysia 1962 8,822
 Malaysia Protestant Church in Sabah -- 52,000
 Mexico Mexican Lutheran Church -- 1,500
 Mozambique Evangelical Lutheran Church in Mozambique -- 12,606
 Namibia Evangelical Lutheran Church in Namibia (ELCIN-GELC) 1960 4,434
 Namibia Evangelical Lutheran Church in the Republic of Namibia -- 420,000
 Namibia Evangelical Lutheran Church in Namibia (ELCIN) -- 772,398
   Nepal Nepal Evangelical Lutheran Church -- 1,196
 Netherlands Protestant Church in the Netherlands 2004 1,969,755
 Nicaragua Nicaraguan Lutheran Church of Faith and Hope -- 7,050
 Nigeria The Lutheran Church of Christ in Nigeria -- 2,200,000
 Nigeria Lutheran Church of Nigeria 1936 121,000
 Norway Church of Norway -- 3,526,133
 Norway Evangelical Lutheran Free Church of Norway -- 21,490
 Papua New Guinea Evangelical Lutheran Church of Papua New Guinea -- 1,200,000
 Papua New Guinea Gutnius Lutheran Church -- 149,869
 Peru Lutheran Church of Peru -- 496
 Philippines Lutheran Church in the Philippines 1971 55,000
 Poland Evangelical Church of the Augsburg Confession in Poland c. 1570 71,000
 Republic of the Congo Evangelical Lutheran Church of Congo -- 3,612
 Romania Evangelical Church of the Augsburg Confession in Romania 1550 12,347
 Romania Evangelical Lutheran Church in Romania -- 27,540
 Russia Federation of Evangelical Lutheran Churches in Russia and Other States 2011 24,050
 Russia Evangelical Lutheran Church of Ingria in Russia -- 15,000
 Rwanda Lutheran Church of Rwanda -- 6,372
 Senegal The Lutheran Church of Senegal -- 4,053
 Serbia Slovak Evangelical Church of the Augsburg Confession in Serbia -- 49,000
 Sierra Leone Evangelical Lutheran Church in Sierra Leone 1988 5,000
 Singapore Lutheran Church in Singapore 1997 2,964
 Slovakia Evangelical Church of the Augsburg Confession in the Slovak Republic -- 224,581
 Slovenia Evangelical Church of the Augsburg Confession in Slovenia -- 20,000
 South Africa Evangelical Lutheran Church in Southern Africa 1975 580,000
 South Africa Evangelical Lutheran Church in Southern Africa (Cape Church) -- 3,994
 South Africa Evangelical Lutheran Church in Southern Africa (N-T) 1981 9,656
 South Africa Moravian Church in South Africa -- 50,000
 South Korea Lutheran Church in Korea 1971 4,824
 Sri Lanka Lanka Lutheran Church -- 5,324
 Suriname Evangelical Lutheran Church in Suriname -- 4,000
 Sweden Church of Sweden -- 5,563,351
  Switzerland Federation of Evangelical Lutheran Churches in Switzerland and the Principality of Liechtenstein -- 4,968
 Taiwan Lutheran Church of Taiwan (Republic of China) -- 1,949
 Taiwan Lutheran Church of the Republic of China -- 580
 Taiwan Taiwan Lutheran Church -- 10,481
 Tanzania Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tanzania -- 6,531,336
 Thailand Evangelical Lutheran Church in Thailand -- 4,766
 United Kingdom Lutheran Church in Great Britain -- 1,500
 United States Evangelical Lutheran Church in America 1988 3,765,362
 Venezuela Evangelical Lutheran Church in Venezuela -- 1,950
 Zambia Evangelical Lutheran Church in Zambia -- 4,000
 Zimbabwe Evangelical Lutheran Church in Zimbabwe 1962 292,880

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.

Country Church body Year founded Members Ref
 Argentina Evangelical Lutheran Church of Argentina 1905 27,890
 Australia Lutheran Church of Australia 1966 60,000
 Belgium Evangelical Lutheran Church in Belgium -- 150
 Bolivia Christian Evangelical Lutheran Church of Bolivia -- 906
 Brazil Evangelical Lutheran Church of Brazil 1904 243,520
 Canada Lutheran Church—Canada 1988 58,216
 Chile Confessional Lutheran Church of Chile 1992 135
 Denmark Evangelical Lutheran Free Church in Denmark 1855 90
 Finland Evangelical Lutheran Mission Diocese of Finland 2013 2,313
 France Evangelical Lutheran Church - Synod of France 1927 821
 Germany Independent Evangelical Lutheran Church 1888 33,474
 Ghana Evangelical Lutheran Church of Ghana 1958 29,000
 Guatemala Lutheran Church in Guatemala -- 4,200
 Haiti Evangelical Lutheran Church of Haiti -- 10,000
 Hong Kong Lutheran Church-Hong Kong Synod -- 12,355
 India India Evangelical Lutheran Church 1958 125,000
 Japan Japan Lutheran Church 1968 2,381
 Kenya Evangelical Lutheran Church in Kenya 1948 100,000
 Mexico Lutheran Synod of Mexico -- 1,211
 Nicaragua Lutheran Church Synod of Nicaragua 2008 1,800
 Nigeria Lutheran Church of Nigeria 1936 121,000
 Norway The Lutheran Church in Norway 2005 90
 Papua New Guinea Gutnius Lutheran Church -- 149,869
 Paraguay Evangelical Lutheran Church of Paraguay 1983 4,079
 Peru Evangelical Lutheran Church - Peru -- 500
 Philippines Lutheran Church in the Philippines 1971 55,000
 Portugal Portuguese Evangelical Lutheran Church 1959 95
 Russia Evangelical Lutheran Church of Ingria in Russia -- 15,000
 Russia Siberian Evangelical Lutheran Church 2003 2,100
 South Africa Free Evangelical Lutheran Synod in South Africa 1892 2,829
 South Africa Lutheran Church in Southern Africa 1967 20,000
 South Korea Lutheran Church in Korea 1971 4,824
 Spain Evangelical Lutheran Church of Spain 2004 --
 Sri Lanka Ceylon Evangelical Lutheran Church -- 5,324
 Taiwan China Evangelical Lutheran Church -- 2,010
 United Kingdom Evangelical Lutheran Church of England 1954 1,600
 United States American Association of Lutheran Churches 1987 14,000
 United States Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod 1847 2,017,834
 United States Lutheran Ministerium and Synod – USA 1995 --
 Venezuela Lutheran Church of Venezuela -- 1,607

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

  1. ^ a b c d Membership numbers are the most recent available as of April 2018.
  2. ^ a b c d e f United Church
  3. ^ a b c d e f Associate member
  4. ^ 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
  5. ^ a b c d e f Also member of the Global Confessional and Missional Lutheran Forum
  6. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Member of the EKD
  7. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Member of the United Evangelical Lutheran Churches in India
  8. ^ 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
  9. ^ a b c d e f g h Laestadian
  10. ^ a b c d e Evangelical Catholic
  11. ^ Formerly known as the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Sudan

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