What are Lutherans called now?
The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) is a mainline Protestant church headquartered in Chicago, Illinois. The ELCA was officially formed on January 1, 1988, by the merging of three Lutheran church bodies. As of December 31, 2024, it has approximately 2. The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, the largest Lutheran church body in the United States, allows for LGBTQ+ marriage and ordination of LGBTQ+ clergy. ELCA policy states that LGBTQ+ individuals are welcome and encouraged to become members and to participate in the life of the congregation.The ELCA is less conservative than the Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod (LCMS) and the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod (WELS), the second and third largest Lutheran bodies in the United States, respectively. Most ELCA Lutherans are theologically moderate-to-liberal, although there is a sizable conservative minority.ON SEXUAL ORIENTATION & GENDER IDENTITY In 1991, the Churchwide Assembly passed a resolution stating that, Gay and lesbian people, as individuals created by God, are welcome to participate fully in the life of the congregations of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.Over 40 different Lutheran denominations currently exist in North America. However, most North American Lutherans belong to one of the three largest denominations, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, the Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod, or the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod.
What nationality are Lutherans?
During the Reformation, Lutheranism became the state religion of numerous states of northern Europe, especially in northern Germany, Scandinavia, and the then-Livonian Order. Lutheranism is a major branch of Protestantism that emerged under the work of Martin Luther, the 16th-century German friar and reformer whose efforts to reform the theology and practices of the Catholic Church launched the Reformation in 1517.Lutheranism, with more than 60 million members, is the largest of the Protestant denominations.Unlike the Roman Catholic Church, Lutherans do not believe the office of the papacy as such has any divine authority or that Christians need to submit to the Pope’s authority to be true members of the visible church. Differences remain about both the number and the nature of the sacraments.Lutheranism represents a specific expression of the Christian faith, grounded in historical roots, unique theological viewpoints, and a rich tradition of worship and education. While we share the essential creed with our fellow Christians, our Lutheran identity shapes how we understand and live out our faith.
Is Lutheran closest to Catholic or Protestant?
Theologically, Lutheranism embraces the standard affirmations of classic Protestantism—the repudiation of papal and ecclesiastical authority in favour of the Bible (sola Scriptura), the rejection of five of the traditional seven sacraments affirmed by the Catholic church, and the insistence that human reconciliation . Lutherans do not believe that only those baptized as infants receive faith. Faith can also be created in a person’s heart by the power of the Holy Spirit working through God’s (written or spoken) Word.