2015 World Conference: Bringing the Reformation to the World
ARGENTINA – From September 24-27, 2015, the International Lutheran Council (ILC) held its 25th (10th) World Conference in Buenos Aires, Argentina. The conference theme was “Bringing the Reformation to the World.”
The conference saw Bishop Hans-Jörg Voigt of Germany’s Independent Evangelical Lutheran Church (SELK) reelected as Chairman of the International Lutheran Council. President Gijsbertus van Hattem of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Belgium (ELKB) was also reelected to serve as Secretary.
The remainder of the ILC’s Executive Committee is composed of five World Area Representatives. According to the ILC’s constitution, members elect church bodies rather than individuals to fill these roles. Elected to serve as Latin America representative for this triennium was the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Paraguay (IELP), currently served by President Norberto M. Gerke. The remaining World Regions saw the previous triennium’s representatives returned to office. Representing Africa is the Lutheran Church of Nigeria (LCN), currently served by Archbishop Christian Ekong. The Asia World Area will be filled by The Lutheran Church of the Philippines (LCP), currently served by President Antonio del Rio Reyes. Europe will be represented by the Evangelical Lutheran Church in England (ELCE), currently served by Chairman Jon Ehlers. Finally, elected to represent North America is Lutheran Church–Canada (LCC), currently served by President Robert Bugbee.
Keynote speaker for the 2015 World Conference was Rev Aleksey Streltsov of the Lutheran Theological Seminary in Novosibirsk, Siberia. Additional essays were presented by Rev. Sergio Adrián Fritzler (Director of Concordia Seminary in Buenos Aires), Rev. Dr. Albert Collver (Executive Secretary of the ILC), and ILC Chairman Voigt. These essays, along with other material, have all been published online in a special issue of Journal of Lutheran Mission.
The conference also joyfully welcomed three church bodies as new members of the ILC: the Siberian Evangelical Lutheran Church (SELC), the Lutheran Church Synod of Nicaragua (ILSN) and the Lutheran Church in Norway (LKN) into membership.
Among other business, the ILC discussed ecumenical relations, with Chairman Voigt reporting on planned meetings between the Pontifical Council for the Promotion of Christian Unity (PCPCU) and the ILC, with these informal theological discussions to begin on October 7. Representing the ILC are theologians from Germany (Werner Klän), Brazil (Gerson Linden), the United States of America (Roland Ziegler), and Canada (John Stephenson).
Delegates also discussed “From Conflict to Communion,” a reflection on Lutheran-Catholic dialogue produced by the Lutheran World Federation (LWF) and the Roman Catholic Church. A statement on the report was subsequently adopted by the ILC, and published online in a special convention-themed issue of the Journal of Lutheran Mission.
In total, the 2015 World Conference brought together representatives from 22 ILC member churches, representatives from the three newly accepted member churches, and guests from eight other church bodies, among others. As a result of visa difficulties only two leaders from African and two leaders from Asian ILC member churches were able to attend the conference.
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Additional news from the ILC’s 2015 World Conference can be found here.
Photos from the 2015 World Conference can be found here.