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International Lutheran Council (ILC)

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ILC encourages prayer for DR Congo

by | Feb 4, 2025

DR CONGO – The International Lutheran Council is encouraging prayer for the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) following hostilities in the eastern part of the country which have left at least 900 people dead, and more than 2,900 wounded.

“We encourage Christians around the world to remember the people of the eastern DRC in prayer,” said Rev. Dr. Detlev Schulz, General Secretary of the International Lutheran Council. “The death and destruction in the area is horrific. We pray for an end to the hostilities; the protection of the endangered; the well-being of the displaced; and the comfort of all who mourn. Lord, have mercy.”

M23 rebels, with support from Rwanda, launched a new assault in eastern DRC in early 2025. Over the past weeks, rebels have seized control over a large area, culminating at the end of January with the seizure of Goma, the capital city of North Kivu Province. Numerous civilians have been killed in the conflict, and there are reports of horrific atrocities against civilians, including women and children.

Even before the latest assaults, more than 700,000 displaced people lived near Goma, having fled earlier clashes between rebels and DRC troops in the east.

The Evangelical Lutheran Church in East Congo (CELCE) has a significant number of members in the affected area. CELCE Bishop Herman Kashaba calls the situation “not only dramatic but apocalyptic,” and has invited the prayers of Christians around the world for the region.

The ILC also has contacts with Lutheran church bodies in other regions of the Democratic Republic of Congo. “We pray for our Lutheran brothers and sisters throughout the DRC, and for all who are suffering in in this terrible situation,” said ILC General Secretary Schulz. “May Christ be present among His people with His mercy even in the midst of war.”

The International Lutheran Council is a global association of Lutheran church bodies and groups, dedicated to proclaiming the Gospel of Jesus Christ on the basis of a shared commitment to the authority of Scripture and the Lutheran Confessions.

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Thailand’s Lutherans celebrate 20 years

by | Jan 21, 2025

The organizers of TCLC’s anniversary convention. Photo: LCC/David Friesen.

THAILAND – In October 2024, Thailand Concordia Lutheran Church (TCLC) celebrated its 20th anniversary with a special conference spread over three locations: from October 8-9 in Bangkok, from October 10-11 in Phang-Gha, and from October 12-13 in Chiangmai.

The celebrations brought together members from various sister churches across Asia, as well as representatives from partner churches and organizations that were instrumental in founding the church body. President Antonio Reyes of the Lutheran Church in the Philippines (LCP) was also present for the event, bringing greetings from the International Lutheran Council (ILC). President Reyes is the Asia Region representative on the ILC’s Board of Directors.

LCP President Antonio Reyes brings greetings from the ILC. Photo: LCC/David Friesen.

Thanks to the devoted mission work that started many decades earlier in different parts of the country, TCLC has become a spiritual home for first-generation Christians, many of whom converted to Christianity from Buddhism. The origins of TCLC are rooted in the mission work of three church bodies: Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod (WELS) in the northern region of the country; The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS) in the central region; and Lutheran Church–Canada (LCC) in the south. Prior to LCC’s involvement in Thailand, home churches were established by a devoted Lutheran layman, Dr. Herb Gernand, who moved to the south of Thailand for work and desired to bring confessional Lutheranism to the country. Recognizing the need to train men for the ministry, Dr. Gernand reached out to Lutheran Church–Canada for assistance. A formal relationship with LCC was established in 1989, and soon after Rev. Dr. Leonard Harms, Director of International Missions, developed a curriculum and LCC began training pastors and evangelists in this new mission field. 

As LCC was assisting with the mission work in the south, WELS started doing mission work in the northern region, training church workers and planting congregations. Although Lutheran Hour Ministries and other organizations were active in the country years earlier, the LCMS itself formally began work in Thailand in 1986, sending missionaries to Bangkok and establishing social-service programs. One of the missionaries sent was the adopted son of Dr. Herb Gernand: Rev. Dr. Pornprom (Ted) NaThalang, who studied at Concordia Seminary in St. Louis, Missouri.

As a convert from the southern region, Rev. NaThalang was able to build upon the work that his father started in that area, and was instrumental in helping to bring the central and south region churches together in one body. As this was happening, WELS began to wind down their mission activity among the Thai in the north, shifting their focus to the various Hill Tribes near the Laos boarder. This led the established mission congregations in the north to reach out to Rev. NaThaland and begin dialogue with the newly united Lutheran congregations in the central and south regions. In 2004, the mission congregations in all three regions united to form Thailand Concordia Lutheran Church, electing Rev. Ted NaThalang to serve as their bishop.

TCLC Bishop Ted NaThalang speaks during the convention. Photo: LCC/David Friesen.

“When I look back at my life, I see how the Lord has worked in planting a Confessional Lutheran church in Thailand,” Bishop NaThalang stated at the anniversary celebration. “In my stepfather, God sent a messenger to bring the Gospel to me and my family and then to our neighbours. And then I along with so many other converts were able to bring the same Gospel message to other people across Thailand, establishing congregations along the way.” 

The anniversary celebrations featured many similar reflections from pastors, evangelists, former missionaries, and other members of TCLC, as they visited all three regions during the week-long event.

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With files from The Canadian Lutheran

New bishop for Lutheran Church in Southern Africa

by | Jan 16, 2025

Participants in the LCSA’s 2024 General Synod.
LCSA Bishop Elect Sithole.

SOUTH AFRICA – The Lutheran Church in Southern Africa (LCSA) held its 21st General Synod from December 9-12, 2024, in White City, Jabavu, Soweto, during which time the church elected a new bishop: Rev. Dr. Sibongiseni Elliot Sithole.

In June 2024, Dr. Sithole was installed as Head of the Department for Biblical Studies at Lutheran Theological Seminary in Tshwane (Pretoria), South Africa, where he also serves as student support coordinator. He previously served as a part-time lecturer with the seminary for many years. He also served with the Bible Society of South Africa on the revised isiZulu translation of the Bible.

CAPTION: Bishop Elect Sibongiseni Elliot Sithole (right) and the new church council elected during the LCSA’s 2024 General Synod.

Dr. Sithole holds a S.T.M. and a Ph.D. in Missiology from Concordia Theological Seminary in Fort Wayne, Indiana, where his doctoral supervisor was Rev. Dr. Klaus Detlev Schulz. “It is a joy to congratulate Elliot on his recent election,” said Dr. Schulz, who also serves as General Secretary of the International Lutheran Council (ILC). “Elliot and I spent our childhood together at Enhlanhleni, KwaZulu Natal. I’m very happy for him, and pray that God will bless his ministry on behalf of the church in South Africa.”

Bishop Elect Sithole succeeds Bishop Modise Maragelo, who did not stand for reelection. Bishop Maragelo was first elected to serve as head of the LCSA in 2015, and was reelected to a second five-year term in 2019.

A service of installation for Bishop Elect Sithole is scheduled to take place on February 23 in Salem (Piet Retief/Mkhondo).

Among other business during its General Synod, the Lutheran Church in Southern Africa also heard reports and conducted elections for other positions on the LCSA’s church council.

The Lutheran Church in Southern Africa is a member church of the International Lutheran Council, a global association of confessional Lutheran church bodies and groups which proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ on the basis of an unconditional commitment to Holy Scripture and to the Lutheran Confessions.

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LLDP visits Concordia Publishing House, celebrates another graduate

by | Jan 7, 2025

LLDP participants at Concordia Publishing House. From left: Rev. Ambele Mwaipopo, retired Bishop of Lake Tanganyika Diocese (LTD), Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tanzania (ELCT); Rev. Fredirick Flores, Secretary of North Luzon Highland District, Lutheran Church of the Philippines (LCP); Rev. Daniel Akoh, President/Bishop Elect of Evangelical Lutheran Church of Ghana (ELCG); Rev. Charles Bameka, National Presiding Bishop of Lutheran Church of Uganda (LCU); Rev. Johanesa Andriamanarinjato, Bishop of Fisakana Synod, Malagasy Lutheran Church (FLM); Rev. Dr. Jacob Corzine, Vice President of Publishing, Concordia Publishing House (CPH); Rev. Dr. Roger Paavola, President of LCMS Mid-South District; Jonathan Schultz, President/CEO of CPH; Rev. Dr. Naomichi Masaki, LLDP Director and The Reverend Victor H. and Lydia Dissen Professor of the Lutheran Confessions at Concordia Theological Seminary, Fort Wayne (CTSFW); Rev. Dr. Yacob Godebo, Director of PhD Program at Mekane Yesus Seminary, Ethiopian Evangelical Church Mekane Yesus (EECMY); Rev. Jackson Mushendwa, Bishop of Western Diocese, ELCT; Rev. Dr. Heinz Hiestermann, Director of Lutheran Theological Seminary in Tshwane, South Africa, Free Evangelical Lutheran Synod in South Africa (FELSISA); Dr. John Lanbon, Director of National Young Adult Fellowship, ELCG; Rev. Martin Paul, Third Pastor in the Synodical Council, FELSISA; Tom McCain, CPA, Adjunct Professor of Washington University; Rev. Dr. Yohana Nzelu, Bishop of South East of Lake Victoria Diocese, ELCT; and Rev. Peter Abia, Presiding Bishop of Evangelical Lutheran Church in South Sudan and Sudan (ELCSS/S).

USA – Church leaders from ten Lutheran church bodies and dioceses in eight countries in Africa and Asia travelled to the United States for an eventful next session of the International Lutheran Council’s (ILC) Lutheran Leadership Development Program (LLDP) from November 11-22, 2024.

Concordia Publishing House

President and CEO of CPH, Jonathan Schultz, addresses the LLDP participants.

A highlight of this session was a course held at Concordia Publishing House (CPH) during the second week. CPH President and CEO Jonathan Schultz warmly welcomed the LLDP participants. He was joined by Dr. Jacob Corzine, Vice President of Publishing, Mrs. Kim Latham, Assistant to President, and many other key staff members in extending kind hospitality to the LLDP participants. President Schultz’ passion for the Gospel and care for the participants excited and melted the hearts of all, and Dr. Corzine’s lecture on church leadership according to Apology XXVIII was very insightful.

A tour of the building gave participants a deep understanding of how the Lord has blessed CPH over 150 years as the world’s premier confessional Lutheran publishing house. In all LLDP sessions, participants have benefited from CPH’s rich resources that are faithful to the Scriptures and the Lutheran Confessions. It was a privilege as a result for participants to learn more about CPH and the people who serve there.

Concordia Publishing House was one of the agencies which helped to found the LLDP in 2017, together with the ILC, The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS), and Concordia Theological Seminary in Fort Wayne (CTSFW). That support of the LLDP reflects CPH’s broader mission of serving the proclamation of the Gospel effectively throughout the world. This November session served as the LLDP’s “homecoming,” giving thanks to CPH, with particular emphasis on its support for LLDP itself.

Another LLDP graduate

New LLDP graduate, Bishop Dr. Yohana Nzelu (front centre), with LLDP teaching faculty, students, and a few guests following commencement on November 15, 2024.

Another highlight of the most recent session was the graduation of Rev. Dr. Yohana Nzelu, Bishop of South East of Lake Victoria Diocese (SELVD) in Tanzania, and his reception of a Certificate of Theology in Lutheran Leadership from the ILC. The program requires students to write a graduation thesis as a culminating exercise. Bishop Nzelu’s thesis was: “An Examination of the Contribution of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod to the Growth of ELCT–South East of Lake Victoria Diocese.” He presented its summary to the community of CTSFW during its Convocation Hour on November 13 before conferral of the certificate on November 15.

Reflecting on his two years of LLDP, Bishop Nzelu commented: “The LLDP made me a Lutheran leader. It shaped my liturgical practice from Pentecostal influence to Lutheranism. I have been equipped with skills for defending the Lutheran theology. It gave me skills for leading my diocese by building an effective team to reach our goals. I recommend LLDP to every church leader, especially bishops and presidents.”

Rev. Dr. Jeffrey Skopak teaching Strategic Planning and Task Management at CTSFW.

Rev. Dr. Jeffrey Skopak of Emmanuel Lutheran Church and School (Asheville, Tennessee) served as instructor for the first week at CTSFW, teaching a course on Strategic Planning and Task Management. Participants expressed thanks for the lessons, with one writing: “This course was transformative in ecclesial ministry, as this kind of course is rarely taught in theological seminary and colleges.” Another participant encouraged the LLDP to offer annual workshops on the same topic for LLDP alumni and their executive staff.

LCMS Mid-South District President Roger Paavola teaching Budgeting and Financial Accountability at CPH.

Rev. Dr. Roger Paavola, President of the LCMS’ Mid-South District, was the instructor at CPH for the second week. To enrich his course on Budgeting and Financial Accountability, he brought in a team of instructors and presenters, including: Professor Tom McCain, CPA, of Washington University; Ed Holerde, Esq., a member of Spencer Law Firm, which works with the LCMS; Jeff Schwartz of Lutheran Public Radio (Issues, Etc.); and Rev. Matthew Clark, pastor of Ascension Lutheran Church (St. Louis, Missouri). Participating church leaders commented: “I learned that stewardship begins with Christ’s love,” and “This was a very important course for church leaders to help them think strategically in planning for the church.”

Holding a class in St. Louis brought additional benefits. President Dr. Tom Egger of Concordia Seminary (St. Louis, Missouri) and his wife invited LLDP participants for desert one evening. One afternoon was spent at the LCMS’s International Center to hear Revs. Drs. Joel Lehenbauer and Rick Serina concerning the work and resources of the LCMS’ Commission on Theology and Church Relations. Participants were also grateful to visit with LCMS President Matthew Harrison, who had served as an instructor during the LLDP’s February/March 2024 session in Wittenberg.

The LLDP at the LCMS International Center on November 20, 2024. From left, Rev. Dr. Joel Lehenbauer, Executive Director of LCMS Commission on Theology and Church Relations (CTCR); President Dr. Roger Paavola; Prof. Dr. Naomichi Masaki; Rev. Johanesa Andriamanarinjato; Rev. Dr. Heinz Hiestermann; Bishop Jackson Mushendwa; Presiding Bishop Peter Abia; Rev. Dr. Matthew Harrison, LCMS President; Dr. John Lanbon; Bishop Dr. Yohana Nzelu; Rev. Dr. Yacob Godebo; Rev. President/Bishop Elect Daniel Akoh; Rev. Fredirick Flores; retired Bishop Ambele Mwaipopo; National Presiding Bishop Charles Bameka; Rev. Martin Paul; and Rev. Dr. Rick Serina, Associate Executive Director, CTCR.

On Sundays, members visited two local congregations to receive the Lord’s service. Five of the participants also served as preachers during the session. Bishops Peter Anibati Abia (South Sudan/Sudan) and Charles Bameka (Uganda) preached at Kramer Chapel at CTSFW during the first week. President/Bishop Elect Daniel Akoh (Ghana), Rev. Martin Paul (South Africa), and Rev. Fredirick Flores (Philippines) preached at LLDP’s daily Matins at CPH.

Left: LLDP participants present gifts of maps along with words of appreciation to LLDP Director, Dr. Naomichi Masaki. Right: Dr. Masaki showing Small Catechism with Explanation book in Japanese published by CPH in 1952 when preaching at CPH’s weekly morning chapel on November 20, 2024.

“This session was amazing!” said Rev. Dr. Naomichi Masaki, LLDP Director. “The instructors were the best of the best. Convocation and commencement, time spent at CPH, visits to congregations, CTCR, and with President Harrison were all so precious and meaningful. Even the time spent together in a van, dormitory, and at dinner were so sweet.”

“It was gratifying to hear that the LLDP is so helpful to the participating church leaders and future leaders,” Dr. Masaki continued. “What a gift of the Lord it is that we all walk together in one mind, heart, and faith to bring the Gospel of Jesus Christ in faithfulness to Scripture and the Lutheran Confessions!”

The next session in March 2025 will focus on Missions and the Office of the Holy Ministry. You are invited to support the work of the LLDP by making a donation online. You can also mail a donation by cheque to:

International Lutheran Council
P.O. Box 10149
Fort Wayne, Indiana 46850 USA

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Lutherans in the Philippines recovering from devastating typhoons

by | Dec 30, 2024

Church members gather for worship and support following typhoons in the Philippines.

PHILIPPINES – The Lutheran Church in the Philippines (LCP) continues to recover from devastating typhoons in late 2024.

LCP members visit a congregation for support.

Beginning in late October through November, multiple typhoons—Trami (Kristine), Kong-rey (Leon), Yinxing (Marce), Toraji (Nika), Usagi-(Ofel), and Man-yi (Pepito)— swept across the Philippines, leaving devastation in their paths. The country saw widespread flooding, landslides, and destruction across many provinces, especially in the regions of Bicol, Calabarzon, and Cagayan Valley. Entire communities were submerged, crops destroyed, and thousands of families lost their homes. LCP members living in Calabarzon region and in Cagayan Valley were particularly hit hard.

“It’s hard to imagine the pain of losing loved ones, your home, and your means of livelihood all at once,” said LCP President Antonio del Rio Reyes. “Yet amidst all of this, I have seen incredible resilience and faith in these communities. They are doing their best to pick up the pieces but the journey is long, and they can’t do it alone.”

Roof damage.
Roof damage.
Roof damage.
Members gather for prayer.
A damaged church from the inside.

Eight church buildings of the LCP in Cagayan Province and Ilocos Norte were damaged during the storms, with the parsonage of St. Paul Lutheran Church in Ballesteros suffering severe destruction. No church workers or members were injured during the storms but—like numerous people across the Philippines—many had difficulty accessing basic necessities and experienced damage to their homes.

Making repairs to a damaged roof.

In the immediate aftermath, LCP pastors reached out with spiritual care to their members. With the financial support of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS), the LCP also extended emergency relief to 276 affected families from Cagayan Province/Ilocos Norte and 71 families in Batangas. These funds have helped affected families access basic necessities and will also help with repairs for damaged homes—for example, by making repairs to damaged roofs.

“On behalf of the LCP, I would like to express our heartfelt gratitude for the help extended by the LCMS,” President Reyes said. “It was indeed a blessing—an expression of deep concern and love for those who suffered the aftermath of the strong typhoons that came to our country. Your kindness will always be treasured in our hearts. Thank you for bearing with us. May God bless you and the LCMS for your thoughtfulness and generosity.”

The Lutheran Church in the Philippines and the LCMS are members of the International Lutheran Council (ILC), a global association of confessional Lutheran church bodies.

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Lutheran Mission – Australia holds formal launch, installs president

by | Dec 20, 2024

Lutheran Mission – Australia held its launch service on November 24, 2024.

AUSTRALIA – Lutheran Mission – Australia (LM-A) held its formal launch as a church body on the weekend of November 23-24, during which time the church also installed Rev. Matthew Anker as LM-A president.

LM-A President Matthew Anker speaks after his installation .

“Tonight is the culmination of the efforts of many people over many years,” President Anker said in an address during the launch dinner on November 23. “God Himself has been preparing people for the necessity of establishing Lutheran Mission – Australia to provide His people with hope for the future and with certainty in His Word.”

Several guests also addressed the gathering on November 23, including President Antonio del Rio Reyes of the Lutheran Church in the Philippines (LCP), who also serves as the Asia region’s representative on the Board of Directors of the International Lutheran Council (ILC). “Today is a day of profound rejoicing and heartfelt gratitude!” said LCP President Reyes. “Our Lord, the God of the harvest and the Master Builder of His Church, has once again displayed His unfailing love and mercy by raising up a faithful assembly under the banner of Lutheran Mission – Australia.”

“Your unwavering commitment to standing firm on the unchanging Word of God amid a world of shifting values and doctrines is truly inspiring,” President Reyes continued. “In an age where many are swayed by cultural trends, your resolve to uphold Christ’s Gospel reflects your love for Him and your faithfulness to His mission.

Also bringing greetings was Rev. Dr. Jonathan Shaw, Director of Church Relations for The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS). Dr. Shaw encouraged members to stand firm on God’s Word, highlighting the biblical basis for confessional unity. LM-A’s Chairman, Peter Walter, also addressed the gathering, thanking God for those in Australia who have stood for solid confessional Lutheranism down through the years.

LCP President Antonio del Rio Reyes (left) installs LM-A President Matthew Anker (centre).

On November 24, LM-A held a service of installation for President Anker at the Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd in Hamilton, Victoria. LCP President Reyes presided over the installation of Rev. Anker as LM-A President, presenting him with a pectoral cross as a symbol of his office. Rev. Dr. Adam Hensley served as preacher, and Rev. Matthew Kerr and Rev. Matthew Anker served as liturgists. After his installation, President Anker installed other directors and staff of LM-A.

“Today is about much more than the beginning of a new church body,” President Anker reflected after his installation. “As Christians, we are called to boldly confess God’s Word with eternity in view, knowing that what we believe, teach, and confess does indeed have eternal consequences for us and for those we serve.”

“LM-A has been established so that together you and I can also testify to those now living and those who will come after us, the whole counsel of God in Christ Jesus,” President Anker continued. “And to do so boldly and without compromise so that when the day comes for us to appear before Christ, we can make this confession with intrepid hearts, knowing that we stand on nothing other than His revealed word. And in so doing, bring forgiveness, life and salvation to all those we are called to serve.”

Lutheran Mission-Australia is an observer member of the International Lutheran Council, a global association of confessional Lutheran church bodies and groups which proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ on the basis of an unconditional commitment to Holy Scripture and to the Lutheran Confessions. LM-A emerged earlier this year out a confessional movement in Australia concerned with the theological direction of the Lutheran Church of Australia/New Zealand (LCANZ), notably on the issue of women’s ordination but also on the question of the authority of Scripture more broadly.

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With files from Lutheran Mission – Australia

Christmas Greetings: Proclaiming Peace on Earth

by | Dec 19, 2024

by Klaus Detlev Schulz

As we move towards the season of Christmas, we are reminded anew how much this fallen world needs a Saviour. This Christmas, people across the globe face hardship and sorrow, war and division, sickness and suffering. And above all this, we face the deeper grief of sin—sin which separates us from God and from one another.

At the first Christmas so many years ago, God stepped forth in the flesh to bear our sins and sorrows. He became a little child for our sake, taking our weakness upon Himself. “And being found in human form, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross” (Philippians 2:8). Yes, this little child, born of Mary, came to die for us—and through His death and resurrection rescue us from all sin and sorrow.

Over the past year, the International Lutheran Council has been hard at work encouraging confessional Lutherans across the world in their witness to Jesus Christ. And we’ve been grateful to see confessional Lutherans in more places join us in that work: this year, we welcomed several new church bodies and groups into membership in the ILC, including in Australia, Bulgaria, and Turkey. We also welcomed Corpus Christi, a young adults ministry which serves confessional Lutheran churches across Europe.

This year, the ILC also hosted regional conferences for member churches in Asia, Africa, and Latin America. These events bring together ILC member churches to discuss issues of regional importance and to consider new opportunities for cooperation. They are also important in encouraging member churches to stand firm on Scripture in the midst of new challenges. In Africa, for example, the leaders of 22 confessional Lutheran church bodies responded to increasing pressure in that part of the world to approve same-sex marriage. These leaders issued a statement unanimously reaffirming their position that same-sex marriage is contrary to the Word of God.

The ILC has also been busy supporting solid Lutheran education across the globe. Our Lutheran Leadership Development Program (LLDP), for example, continues to equip Lutheran leaders for faithful service in their local church bodies. We also held our triennial World Seminaries Conference this year. The conference brings together leaders from ILC-affiliated seminaries around the world to discuss new challenges and consider how they can better support each other as they train a new generation of church workers.

Through this work—and much, much more—the ILC continues to support confessional Lutheran churches across the globe in giving a faithful witness to Christ. Indeed, this is the very reason for which the International Lutheran Council exists.

Angels greeted the birth of Christ with songs of praise: “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom His favour rests” (Luke 1:14). The proclamation of that Gospel—peace on earth, the good news that Christ was born to save humanity from their sins—remains the great privilege and joy of the Church today, tomorrow, and forever.

May God bless you with a merry Christmas!

Let our gladness have no end, alleluia!
For to earth did Christ descend, alleluia!
On this day God gave us
Christ, His Son, to save us;
Christ, His Son, to save us.

– LSB 381 –

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Rev. Dr. Klaus Detlev Schulz is General Secretary of the International Lutheran Council.

Meeting of the Augustana Working Group in Wittenberg

by | Dec 18, 2024

The Augustana Working Group held its second meeting at the International Lutheran Center at the Old Latin School in Wittenberg, Germany, in December 2024.

GERMANY – The second meeting of the Concordia Lutheran-Catholic Augustana Working Group took place in Wittenberg, Germany, from December 8-11, 2024. Under the chairmanship of Bishop Dr. Juhana Pohjola and Auxiliary Bishop Dr. Peter Birkhofer, the participants discussed the statements of the Augsburg Confession on justification and the office of the ministry from a pre-confessional perspective. This new methodological approach will be explored in greater depth at the next meeting in Rome in February 2025.

The Augustana Working Group includes representatives of the International Lutheran Council (ILC) and the Catholic Church. Following the conclusion of the theological discussions between the ILC, an association of Concordia Lutheran churches, and the Catholic Church (2014-2019), both sides suggested the establishment of a working group as a specific ecumenical-theological format. The working group is not an official dialogue commission. Father Dr. Augustinus Sander OSB takes part in the meetings as a permanent guest of the Dicastery for Promoting Christian Unity (DPCU).

The next meeting is scheduled to take place in Rome from February 23-26, 2025.

Participants of the International Lutheran Council (ILC):

  • Bishop Dr. Juhana Pohjola, Helsinki, Finland, Bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Missionary Diocese of Finland; Chairman of the International Lutheran Council (ILC)
  • Prof. Dr. Joel Elowsky, St. Louis, Mo., USA
  • Prof. em. Dr. Werner Klän, D.Litt., Lübeck, Germany
  • Assistant Prof. Dr. Jonathan Mumme, Hillsdale, Mich., USA
  • Prof. Dr. Tom Winger, St. Catharines, Ont., Canada
  • Prof. Dr. Klaus Detlev Schulz, Ft. Wayne, Ind., USA (ILC General Secretary) – temporary participation, but not a member

Catholic participants:

  • Auxiliary Bishop Dr. Peter Birkhofer, Freiburg / Breisgau, Germany
  • Prof. Dr. Markus Lersch, Siegen, Germany
  • Dr. Tim Lindfeld, Aachen, Germany
  • Assistant Professor Dr. James Prothro, St. Louis, Mo., USA
  • Father Dr. Augustinus Sander OSB, Vatican, permanent guest of the Dicastery for Promoting Christian Unity

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For further information, see also this report on the Augustana Working Group’s inaugural March 2024 meeting.

President van Hattem of Belgium called to glory

by | Dec 10, 2024

ELKB President Gijsbertus van Hattem at the ILC’s 2022 World Conference in Kenya. Image: The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod/Erik M. Lunsford.

BELGIUM – President Gijsbertus van Hattem of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Belgium (Evangelisch-Lutherse Kerk in België – ELKB), former Secretary of the International Lutheran Council (ILC), was called to glory on December 6, 2024. He was 69 years old.

“President van Hattem was a true servant of God, faithfully bringing Word and Sacrament to his congregation in Antwerp for many years,” said Rev. Dr. Klaus Detlev Schulz, General Secretary of the International Lutheran Council. “But he was also a great servant to the worldwide confessional Lutheran church, serving for many years as Secretary of the ILC. May God give his family comfort in the knowledge that Gijsbertus is now in the presence of His loving Saviour, Jesus Christ.”

President van Hattem served as pastor of the ELKB’s Heilige Geest church in Antwerp, Belgium from 1986 until his death. For many years, the Lutheran church in Belgium operated as part of a combined Evangelical Lutheran Church – Synod of France and Belgium (EEL-SFB). During that period, Rev. van Hattem served as Vice President of the EEL-SFB from 2000-2002.

In 2002, the church in Belgium became recognized as an independent legal entity in that country, and Rev. van Hattem became president of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Belgium (ELKB). He continued in that role until his death.

President van Hattem was born on March 11, 1955, in Noordwolde, Netherlands, and baptized April 10 of that year. He emigrated to Brazil at the age of nine. He would go on to receive degrees in Civil Engineering from the Universidade de Ponta Grossa in 1978 and in Theology from Seminário Concórdia in Porto Alegre in 1983. His first call as a pastor was in Rio do Sul from 1984-1986, during which time he also served the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Brazil (Igreja Evangélica Luterana do Brasil – IELB) as Statistician from 1985-1986. In 1986, he accepted the call to Belgium.

President van Hattem married Verônica Ana Kuchenbecker in 1984, and the two had six children: Mattias Willem (1989), Tobias Johannes (1990), Jessica Anna (1992), Lucas Alexander (1994), Sofia Christine (1999), and Andreas Clemens (2001). 

The Evangelical Lutheran Church in Belgium is a small church, with one congregation each in Antwerp and Brussels. But President van Hattem had a lasting influence on confessional Lutheranism worldwide through his work on behalf of the International Lutheran Council.

ELKB President van Hattem during the ILC’s 2018 World Conference, which the church in Belgium hosted.

President van Hattem was a fixture in the ILC, having participated in all but one ILC World Conference from 1995 to the present. In 2005, he led the ELKB into membership in the ILC. A few years later during the 2009 World Conference in Korea, he was elected to serve as Secretary of the International Lutheran Council—a position to which he was reelected in 2012, 2015, and 2018. He continued in that position until the 2022 World Conference in Kenya, following which he continued to serve the ILC as Assistant Secretary until his death.

In the leadup to the 500th anniversary of the Reformation in 2017, President van Hattem worked with local authorities to have “Martin Luther Square” (Maarten Lutherplein) inaugurated in Antwerp. The square pays tribute to Antwerp’s Reformation history, and is situated near the location of a former Augustinian monastery which adopted Luther’s ideas early on. The monastery was subsequently razed to the ground by Catholic authorities, and two of the monks, Henrik Voes and Jan van Essen, were burned at the stake in Brussels in 1523—the first Lutheran martyrs of the Reformation. Their story, and the broader history of Lutheranism in Belgium, are recounted in President van Hattem’s 2018 book 450 Years—Lutheran Church in Antwerp: 1566-1585 and Beyond (450 Jaar—Lutherse Kerk in Antwerpen: 1566-1585 en daarna).

ELKB President van Hattem (left) at the 2017 inauguration of “Martin Luther Square” in Antwerp, with dignitaries Ambassador Lüdeking and Mayor de Wever.

In early 2024, President van Hattem was diagnosed with a new occurrence of cancer. Despite his health challenges over the following months, he continued to faithfully serve the church in Antwerp and participate in online meetings of the ILC’s Board of Directors. He and his wife Verônica were also able to be present for the ILC’s 2024 assembly in Wittenberg, Germany in October. During that time, the assembly publicly acknowledged President van Hattem for his long service to the International Lutheran Council.

A funeral for President van Hattem will take place at 9:30 a.m. on December 21 at Onze-Lieve-Vrouwekathedraa (Cathedral of Our Lady) in Antwerp, Belgium.

The International Lutheran Council is a global association of confessional Lutheran church bodies and groups which proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ on the basis of an unconditional commitment to Holy Scripture and to the Lutheran Confessions.

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Former ILC Chairman, Edwin Lehman, passes on to glory

by | Dec 9, 2024

Rev. Dr. Edwin Lehman

CANADA – Rev. Dr. Edwin Lehman, President Emeritus of Lutheran Church–Canada (LCC) and former Chairman of the International Lutheran Council (ILC), was called to glory during the morning of December 5, 2024. He was 92 years old.

Dr. Lehman was first elected as Chairman of the International Lutheran Conference in 1991 and given the task—alongside the ILC’s Vice Chairman, Bishop Jobst Schöne of Germany—of elevating the ILC from a “conference” to a formal “council” of confessional Lutheran church bodies. The constitution of this reorganized International Lutheran Council was adopted at the 1993 ILC World Conference, at which time Dr. Lehman was also elected to a second term as Chairman. Last year, the ILC celebrated thirty years since its reorganization as a council of churches.

During this second term, the ILC’s executive committee founded a newsletter, appointing Dr. Lehman as the editor of ILC News. Following the completion of his service as Chairman in 1995, Dr. Lehman continued to serve the ILC as news editor until 1998.

Dr. Lehman was the first synodical president of Lutheran Church–Canada, elected to lead the newly-autonomous church during its founding convention in 1988. He was reelected as president in 1990 and again in 1993. Dr. Lehman continued as president until his retirement in 1996, when he declined to stand for reelection.

This was a critical period in the development of Lutheran Church–Canada. During President Lehman’s tenure, LCC took its first steps as an autonomous church body; established its national synodical office in Winnipeg; developed missions in Thailand and Ukraine (places where LCC is still active today); entered into fellowship with partner churches in several countries around the world; and initiated conversations that would eventually lead to the establishment of the diaconate in LCC.

Dr. Lehman later reflected on his time as president in the 2022 book Missouri North: The History of Lutheran Church–Canada. “God had been good to us—far better than we deserved,” Dr. Lehman wrote in his contribution to the book. “God had blessed us with a strong sense of unity. He had opened doors of opportunity, bringing the Gospel to lands we would not have entered had we not been autonomous. We were training our pastors and lay leaders, with two excellent seminaries and a college.”

“Not surprisingly, some of our good intentions did not materialize,” Dr. Lehman continued. “But a new day was dawning…. God had used us as His instrument, and there would be much more to come.”

Prior to becoming president of Lutheran Church–Canada, Dr. Lehman served from 1978-1988 as District President of the Alberta-British Columbia District (then still part of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod). His tenure as district president saw the founding of Concordia Lutheran Seminary in Edmonton. He earlier served the district as First Vice-President and as Chairman of the Mission Department.

Dr. Lehman served as a pastor of congregations in Richmond, B.C. (1967-1978); Red Deer, Alberta (1958-1967); and Wadena, Saskatchewan (1956-1958).

Following his time as LCC President, Dr. Lehman continued to serve the Canadian church in many ways, including two periods as Interim President of Concordia Lutheran Seminary in Edmonton as well as service on the governing board of Concordia Lutheran Mission Society.

Lutheran Church–Canada’s current president, Rev. Dr. Timothy Teuscher, expressed the thankfulness of the entire church for the life and ministry of President Emeritus Lehman. “Although small in stature, Ed not only cast a large shadow over Lutheran Church—Canada, but also over worldwide confessional Lutheranism,” he noted. “Upon my election to this office of President of LCC in 2017 and in the years since, I have cherished his many kind words of support and encouragement.”

The International Lutheran Council is a global association of confessional Lutheran church bodies and groups which proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ on the basis of an unconditional commitment to Holy Scripture and to the Lutheran Confessions.

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With files from The Canadian Lutheran

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