BOLIVIA – The International Lutheran Council (ILC) held its 2024 Latin America regional conference from September 24-27 in Cochabamba, Bolivia. The theme of the conference, which was hosted by the Christian Evangelical Lutheran Church of Bolivia (Iglesia Cristiana Evangélica Luterana de Bolivia – ICEL), was “The Church Moving in a Secularized World.”
The conference brings together Confessional Lutheran leaders from across Latin America to pray and worship together; to discuss issues of regional importance; to report on events in each of their countries; and to build stronger relationships between their churches. The opportunity to spend time together was made all the more poignant this year because one of the participants, President Isaac Guadalupe Garcia of the Lutheran Synod of Mexico (Sínodo Luterano de México – SLM), recently underwent a harrowing kidnapping experience.
Rev. Dr. Maximiliano Wolfgramm Silva served as guest speaker for the event. Dr. Silva is a professorat the Lutheran University of Brazil (ULBRA), an educational institute of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Brazil (Igreja Evangélica Luterana do Brasil – IELB). Dr. Silva explored the convention theme over several lectures, discussing the meaning of the term secularization, reflecting on the relationship between faith and culture, and remarking on the gift of a life transformed by Jesus in the Spirit, submitted to God and committed to the good of the world.
In addition to ICEL President Limberth Fernandez and several other pastors from Bolivia, in-person participants included: President Arturo Truenow of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Argentina (Iglesia Evangélica Luterana Argentina – IELA) and Prof. Sergio Schelske, director of the IELA’s Concordia Seminary and member of the ILC’s Seminaries Relations Committee); IELB President Geraldo Schuller of Brazil; President Ignacio Chan of the Lutheran Church in Guatemala (Iglesia Luterana en Guatemala – ILG); SLM President Garcia of Mexico; President Alceu Figur of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Paraguay (Iglesia Evangélica Luterana del Paraguay – IELPA); Vice President Alejandrino Lopez Quispe of the Evangelical Lutheran Church – Peru (Iglesia Evangélica Luterana-Perú – IEL-P); President André Müller of the Lutheran Church of Uruguay (Iglesia Luterana del Uruguay – ILU); and President Eduardo Flores of the Lutheran Church of Venezuela (Iglesia Luterana de Venezuela – ILV); and Rev. Dr. Nilo Figur, Director for Latin America of Lutheran Hour Ministries. Three other participants and presenters took part online: the ILC’s General Secretary, Rev. Dr. Klaus Detlev Schulz; the LCMS Regional Director for Latin America, Rev. Dr. Ted Krey; and President Juan Pablo Lanterna of the Confessional Lutheran Church of Chile (Iglesia Luterana Confesional de Chile – ILC-Chile).
In addition to other business, the 2024 conference engaged in theological discussion of church fellowship, with IELPA President Figur leading the conversations. President Figur also serves on the ILC’s Board of Directors as the regional representative for Latin America.
The ILC’s General Secretary, Rev. Dr. Klaus Detlev Schulz, addressed the convention via the internet. “We know that we live in a world that is confused and in need of help,” Dr. Schulz noted in his remarks. “You belong to the International Lutheran Council, and as participants you share the message of our faith in Christ: that we are justified by Him and that the Gospel is to be shared with others so that people come to believe and be saved.” He went on to say that it is this “common mission with a common message on who Christ is, what a human being is, and what a good life looks like under God” that binds the various members of the ILC together.
“May the Lord bless you all in your service to the church,” he continued, “and may He strengthen you to remain wise and steadfast in the Word, always taking your church out of a path of errors to a path of light and joy.”
The International Lutheran Council is a worldwide association of confessional Lutheran churches which proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ on the basis of an unconditional commitment to Scripture and the Lutheran Confessions.
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