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International Lutheran Council (ILC)

By Mathew Block

Finnish MP and Bishop to appeal “Bible Trial” conviction

by | May 7, 2026

Dr. Päivi Räsänen and Bishop Juhana Pohjola. (Photo: ELMDF).

FINLAND – Finnish Member of Parliament Päivi Räsänen and Bishop Juhana Pohjola of the Evangelical Lutheran Mission Diocese of Finland (ELMDF) have announced they are appealing their conviction to the European Court of Human Rights.

“I know I am not alone in facing unjust persecution under ‘hate speech’ laws that make sharing Christian beliefs a criminal offense,” Dr. Räsänen said. “I make my appeal in the hope that the European Court of Human Rights will recognise that peacefully expressing one’s beliefs is never a crime, and ensure that this basic freedom is protected for all.”

This is just the latest chapter in Finland’s ongoing “Bible Trial” which has garnered widespread international media attention. On March 26, the Supreme Court of Finland narrowly convicted the two of hate speech in a 3-2 decision. The majority judges ruled illegal several of Dr. Räsänen’s statements in a 2004 theological booklet addressing human sexuality from a Christian perspective. Bishop Pohjola, as the publisher of that booklet, was also convicted.

Dr. Räsänen was cleared of one other charge related to tweeting an image of a Bible verse.

“The Supreme Court’s decision to convict myself and the Luther Foundation for publishing a booklet for our church was extremely disappointing,” Bishop Pohjola said. “As a bishop, I have a responsibility to guide those under my pastoral care, and I am deeply concerned by the state’s extensive efforts to censor our publications and decide what can and cannot be taught by religious leaders to members of their own group.”

The publication in question has been available online since 2007, long before same-sex marriage was legalized in Finland in 2017. The majority judges ruled that, by continuing to keep the offending language online, the ELMDF was breaking Finland’s hate-speech laws. It also ruled as illegal Dr. Räsänen’s decision to republish the document online in 2019 after news broke that the Prosecutor General had ordered a criminal investigation into Dr. Räsänen.

Two judges dissented from the ruling of the other three, agreeing with the court rapporteur that the two should be acquitted on all charges.

Two lower courts had unanimously ruled in favour of Bishop Pohjola and Dr. Räsänen.

In response to the decision of Finland’s Supreme Court, the Evangelical Lutheran Mission Diocese of Finland has updated the online text of the booklet in question with the statements ruled illegal removed. In place of those statements, black lines appear, along with a note explaining that these lines have been censored by the Supreme Court and a link back to the ruling in question.

The multi-year prosecution of a Finnish Member of Parliament and a Lutheran bishop for their articulation of historic Christian teaching on human sexuality has drawn international concern over the state of freedom of religion and freedom of speech in Finland, including from the International Lutheran Council (ILC). The ILC has repeatedly expressed its support for the pair, including by electing Bishop Pohjola to two consecutive terms as ILC Chairman, most recently in 2025.

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The International Lutheran Council is a global association of confessional Lutheran church bodies dedicated to the proclamation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, grounded in the authority of Scripture and the Lutheran Confessions.

New leadership for Lutherans in Uruguay

by | Apr 29, 2026

Rev. Christian Hoffman of the ILU.

URUGUAY – Rev. Christian Hoffmann has taken on the responsibility of leadership in the Lutheran Church of Uruguay (Iglesia Luterana del Uruguay – ILU).

The ILU’s previous Principal Pastor, Rev. André Luiz Müller, has accepted a call to serve a congregation in the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Brazil (Igreja Evangélica Luterana do Brasil – IELB) as well as a position with Global Lutheran Outreach. With Rev. Muller’s departure, the ILU’s leadership and legal representation passes to the church’s sole remaining pastor, Rev. Hoffmann.

Rev. Hoffmann has served 28 years in Montevideo, first as pastor of St. Paul Lutheran Church and then as chaplain of the congregation’s associated school. In addition to Montevideo, the ILU has preaching centres in Chapicuy (with its own church building), Salto (a parsonage with worship space), and Costa de Oro (with services held in members’ homes). At present, Rev. Hoffmann is the sole pastor serving the entire Lutheran Church of Uruguay.

The ILU is currently seeking to call a pastor for the Montevideo congregation—which is marking 87 years since its founding— as well as selecting candidates for the church’s preaching centres. St. Paul School in Montevideo is also seeking missionary pastors and laypeople for evangelist work in such areas as music, bilingual education, and sports.

The Lutheran Church of Uruguay is a member of the International Lutheran Council (ILC), a global association of confessional Lutheran church bodies dedicated to the proclamation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, grounded in the authority of Scripture and the Lutheran Confessions.

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ILC General Secretary visits Korea and Taiwan

by | Apr 23, 2026

ILC General Secretary Dr. Klaus Detlev Schulz meets with LCK President Jong Ho Won and other Korean church leaders.

ASIA – In February, Rev. Dr. Klaus Detlev Schulz, General Secretary of the International Lutheran Council (ILC), visited with church leadership in Korea and Taiwan to discuss regional issues.

Dr. Schulz poses with LCK pastors who attended his lecture on Theological Anthropology and Sin.

During meetings with the Lutheran Church in Korea (LCK), Dr. Schulz and LCK President Jong Ho Won discussed the need to strengthen theological education for Lutherans in Asia, among other issues. The LCK noted its plans to launch a new certificate program in early 2017 to offer pastors in the region further training in Lutheran theology. The LCK will pay for all of its own pastors to take part in the program, and is hopeful other churches in the region will also participate.

During his time in Korea, Dr. Schulz also lectured on Theological Anthropology and Sin, a topic he explored in depth in a 2023 book of the same name published as part of the Confessional Lutheran Dogmatics series.

Dr. Schulz meets with CELC President Andrew Miao and other representatives of the church in Taiwan.

Dr. Schulz also visited Taiwan in February, during which time he met with President Andrew Miao and other leaders of the China Evangelical Lutheran Church (CELC). While in Taiwan, Dr. Schulz visited the CELC’s seminary and the Asia Region office of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod to discuss regional needs.

The International Lutheran Council is a global association of confessional Lutheran church bodies dedicated to the proclamation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, grounded in the authority of Scripture and the Lutheran Confessions.

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Meeting of the Augustana Working Group in Wittenberg

by | Apr 9, 2026

GERMANY – The fourth meeting of the Concordia Lutheran-Catholic Augustana Working Group (AWG) took place in Wittenberg, Germany, from March 24-26, 2026. Under the chairmanship of Bishop Dr. Juhana Pohjola, Chairman of the International Lutheran Council (ILC), and Auxiliary Bishop Dr. Peter Birkhofer, the participants discussed the statements of the Augsburg Confession and further relevant documents from the 16th century on ordination and episcopacy from a pre-confessional perspective and in the further confessional development and findings from the ecumenical discussions. In the meantime, the working group had exchanged progress reports via Zoom.

Augustana Working Group, March 2026 meeting in Wittenberg

The Augustana Working Group includes representatives of the International Lutheran Council 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). Rev. Dr. Sebastian Grünbaum was appointed as a minute writer for the group.

The next meeting is scheduled to take place in spring 2027.

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
  • Associate Prof. Dr. Jonathan Mumme, Hillsdale, Mich., USA
  • Prof. Dr. Tom Winger, St. Catharines, Ont., Canada
  • Rev. Dr. Sebastian Grünbaum, Helsinki / Vatican (minute writer)

Catholic participants

  • Auxiliary Bishop Dr. Peter Birkhofer, Freiburg / Breisgau, Germany
  • Prof. Dr. Markus Lersch, Siegen, Germany
  • Dr. Tim Lindfeld, Aachen, Germany
  • Associate 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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“… and he saw and believed.”

by | Apr 5, 2026

by Klaus Detlev Schulz

“…and he saw and believed.” – John 20: 1-10

This passage in the Gospel of John is truly a marvelous story of how the first witnesses processed the discovery of the empty tomb. They were not expecting the resurrection even if Jesus had clearly spoken about it on many occasions (v. 9). Mary Magdalene arrived at the tomb and when she saw that the stone to the entrance of the tomb had been moved, she hurried to Simon Peter and the disciples sharing with them her conclusion that Jesus’ body must have been taken away to an unknown place. Simon and the beloved disciple, John, then made their way to the tomb themselves. In fact, curiosity spurred them on; it became a race to the tomb between the two, where the beloved disciple arrived first but made way for Peter to enter and discover that the body was gone with only the cloths covering Christ’s body and face remaining behind. Peter must have remained puzzled. After that the disciple John entered also, and from what he saw he concluded that Christ must have risen: “He saw and he believed” it says. For him, the linen and face cloth is proof enough that the tomb is not only empty but that the Lord has risen from the dead.

Around the world, believers like John celebrate the resurrected Christ. They celebrate that God is at work in this event, having raised His Son from the dead. Easter is truly the feast of great celebration because He is alive and He is risen which means that the power of death has lost its sting (1 Corinthians 15:54-55). Sin and our condemnation do not have the last say; we will live by rising with Christ to be with him eternally.

That resurrection has already begun with our baptism but at Easter we are also looking ahead to our bodily resurrection. Now that Christ has risen, darkness gives way to light (John 8:12) and doubt is replaced with faith and joy. Celebrating Easter around the world has Christians attend their respective churches, parade the streets, and celebrate at home.

But that joy is not shared by everyone in this world. Many doubt its miraculous nature. Others simply reject it. The good news of Easter still finds doubters and meets unbelief.  As Christians, we pray for all of them that darkness in their life may give way to light and joy. We have a wonderful message to uphold and to share with others.

May God bless us all with the joy and hope of Easter. Christ has risen; He is risen indeed. Hallelujah.

We pray: Dear Lord Jesus Christ. We give you thanks for taking upon yourself the sins of the world and becoming a sacrifice on our behalf so that we may inherit eternal life. On this day we celebrate your victory over death, of breaking the curse of sin and eternal death. We praise and honor you and eagerly await your return in glory. Amen

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

Image: “St. John and St. Peter at Christ’s Tomb,” Giovanni Francesco Romanelli, c. 1640.

Lutherans in the Philippines and Korea move towards fellowship

by | Apr 2, 2026

LCP President Antonio del Rio Reyes (front left) and LK Jong Ho Won (front right) pose with the new altar and pulpit fellowship declaration between their two churches.

PHILIPPINES – Representatives of the Lutheran Church in Korea (LCK) and the Lutheran Church in the Philippines (LCP) gathered from February 23-26 at the LCP’s Lutheran Center in Manila for a historic meeting that culminated in the signing of a Declaration of Altar and Pulpit Fellowship between the two churches. The gathering marked a significant step toward strengthening confessional Lutheran unity and deepening cooperation in mission and ministry in Asia.

The delegation from the Lutheran Church in Korea was led by its President, Rev. Jong Ho Won, while the delegation from the Lutheran Church in the Philippines was led by its President, Rev. Antonio del Rio Reyes. Over the course of the four-day meeting, representatives of both churches engaged in theological dialogue, prayer, and fraternal fellowship.

The meeting opened with Matins led by LCP President Antonio del Rio Reyes. Serving as interpreter and translator throughout the gathering was Rev. Dr. Jun Hyun Kim, Professor of Luther University of the Lutheran Church in Korea. The time of worship set a fitting tone for the discussions that followed, grounding the deliberations in prayer and in the Word of God.

Throughout the discussions, participants affirmed that the Holy Bible, the Old and New Testaments, is the inerrant and inspired Word of God and the only rule and norm of faith and life. The two church bodies likewise confessed their unity in the Lutheran Confessions, as contained in the Book of Concord, as a true and faithful exposition of the Word of God. This shared commitment to Scripture and the Lutheran Confessions formed the foundation for the declaration signed during the meeting.

The two church presidents celebrate the signing of the declaration.

The signing of the declaration represents a formal commitment by the LCK and the LCP to recognize each other as faithful Lutheran church bodies with whom full altar and pulpit fellowship may be established. The agreement must still be ratified by each church’s governing conventions. Both churches are scheduled to hold their next conventions in October 2026.

Upon ratification, the declaration will formally establish altar and pulpit fellowship between the two church bodies. Such fellowship affirms that pastors of one church may preach in the congregations of the other, and that members may commune together at the Lord’s Table, in keeping with their shared confession and ecclesiastical practice.

Leaders from both churches expressed gratitude for the spirit of unity and mutual trust that characterized the discussions. The meeting provided an opportunity not only to finalize the text of the declaration but also to strengthen relationships between the two church bodies, which share a commitment to faithful Lutheran witness in their respective contexts.

The agreement represents an important milestone in the relationship between the Lutheran Church in Korea and the Lutheran Church in the Philippines and will advance confessional Lutheran cooperation in Asia. Participants in the Manila meeting noted that the declaration reflects a shared desire to strengthen cooperation in theological education, pastoral formation, and missionary outreach throughout the region, and will enable the two churches to present a stronger and more unified witness to the Gospel.

The Lutheran Church in the Philippines and the Lutheran Church in Korea are both member churches of the International Lutheran Council (ILC), a global association of confessional Lutheran church bodies dedicated to the proclamation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, grounded in the authority of Scripture and the Lutheran Confessions.

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President Antonio del Rio Reyes
Lutheran Church in the Philippines

Bishop and politician convicted in Finland’s “Bible Trial”

by | Mar 26, 2026

Bishop Pohjola and Dr. Räsänen speak during a 2022 interview with the ELMDF’s Studio Krypta.

FINLAND – On March 26, the Supreme Court of Finland narrowly convicted Bishop Juhana Pohjola and Member of Parliament Päivi Räsänen of hate speech in a 3-2 decision. The two are now considering an appeal to the European Court of Human Rights.

“This court decision is a defeat not only for us and those who adhere to traditional Christian teaching, but also for those who think differently, because the issue of freedom of speech and religion is common to all,” said Bishop Pohjola. “We continue to teach that every person is equal in the image of God but that, in light of the revelation of the Bible, practicing homosexuality as a way of life deviates from God’s order of creation. This teaching of the Bible must be allowed to be taught publicly in Finland without fear.”

“My conscience is pure, and I will continue to teach the Christian faith publicly,” Bishop Pohjola continued, “both regarding the grace of God in Christ Jesus as well as what constitutes sin and deviation from God’s good plan for humanity, including in matters of sexuality.”

The decision is the latest twist in Finland’s infamous “Bible Trial,” which has seen Dr. Räsänen (Finland’s former Minister of the Interior) and Bishop Pohjola of the Evangelical Lutheran Mission Diocese of Finland (ELMDF) endure almost seven years of investigation and prosecution for their articulation of historic Christian teaching on human sexuality. Two previous courts—the Helsinki District Court in 2022 and the Helsinki Court of Appeal in 2023—unanimously acquitted the pair on all charges.

Dr. Räsänen and Bishop Pohjola were charged with hate speech in 2021 over the publication of a 2004 booklet which presents a historic Christian understanding of human sexuality. Dr. Räsänen was charged as author of the work and Bishop Pohjola as publisher. The booklet, which was published long before the legalization of same-sex marriage in Finland, was one entry in a series of booklets published on various theological topics that were later published online. In its majority decision, the Supreme Court ruled that some statements in the booklet were insulting to homosexual people and that continuing to keep the publication online was therefore illegal.

By contrast, the dissenting judges said—accepting the court rapporteur’s report—that a restriction on freedom of speech and religion was not justified in this case, and that the charges against Dr. Räsänen and Bishop Pohjola should be dismissed.

In addition to ruling on the booklet, the Supreme Court unanimously acquitted Dr. Räsänen on a separate charge related to a 2019 tweet which included a picture of a Bible verse. Prosecutors had not appealed a third charge about comments made during a 2019 radio program, accepting Dr. Räsänen’s 2023 acquittal at the Helsinki Court of Appeals on that charge.

“While I am happy that the Court unanimously confirmed my acquittal regarding the Bible-tweet, I am deeply concerned that it has nonetheless found me guilty in relation to the church booklet I authored twenty years ago,” Dr. Räsänen said. “This outcome sends a troubling and contradictory message about the state of fundamental freedoms in Finland. On the one hand, the Court has affirmed that expressing one’s beliefs—even on matters that may be considered controversial—is not a crime…. The final acquittal on this charge is a key victory in protecting free speech. On the other hand, by convicting me for expressing beliefs in a different context, the Court has drawn an unclear and, I believe, dangerous line.”

The Supreme Court has fined Dr. Räsänen €1,800 and Bishop Pohjola €1,100. The Evangelical Lutheran Mission Diocese of Finland’s corporate agency has also been fined €5,000. The Court has further ordered the defendants to remove from online the text in the booklet that it ruled was offensive.

“I am called, and it is my duty, to teach biblical faith on the created order of male and female, on the Christian understanding of marriage, and on the purpose and use of human sexuality,” Bishop Pohjola reflected following the judgment. “My basic rights of freedom of religion as a Lutheran bishop to teach biblical faith according to the confession of our church and my conscience have now been deeply violated. It is not a matter of the sum of euros of the fine but of principle and basic rights.”

“This has a severe outcome not only for me personally, but for my church and for all others who share the same convictions,” he continued. “The ELMDF is a minority Lutheran church body. As its bishop, I am now labeled a criminal, and by extension our entire church is portrayed as promoting illegal activity. I pay the sentence with euros; others pay with fear. This verdict has a chilling effect on society.”

The prosecution of Bishop Pohjola and Dr. Räsänen has drawn widespread international criticism over the weakening of freedom of religion and freedom of speech in Finland. “We are shocked by the decision of the Supreme Court of Finland to convict Bishop Pohjola and Dr. Räsänen for their articulation of historic Christian teaching,” said Rev. Dr. Detlev Schulz, General Secretary of the International Lutheran Council (ILC). “We consider this ruling unjust and an infringement on the defendants’ fundamental freedoms.”

“May Christ be with Bishop Pohjola and Dr. Räsänen with His comfort in the midst of today’s disappointment,” Dr. Schulz continued, “and may He strengthen all Christians to stand firm in Christ and in His Word.”

The International Lutheran Council has repeatedly expressed its support for Dr. Räsänen and Bishop Pohjola as the legal process has unfolded. The heads of Lutheran church bodies around the world recently reasserted that support during the ILC’s 2025 World Conference in the Philippines, during which time members reelected Bishop Pohjola to a second three-year term as Chairman of the International Lutheran Council.

The International Lutheran Council is a global association of confessional Lutheran church bodies dedicated to the proclamation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, grounded in the authority of Scripture and the Lutheran Confessions.

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New Bishop Elect for Lutheran Church in Norway and Iceland

by | Mar 20, 2026

LKNI Bishop Elect Markus Snellman.

NORWAY – The Lutheran Church in Norway and Iceland (Den Lutherske Kirke i Norge og Island / Lúterska kirkjan í Noregi og á Íslandi – LKNI) has elected Rev. Markus Snellman to serve as the church’s new bishop. The election came during the LKNI’s church council on March 14.

Bishop Elect Snellman’s consecration  will take place on October 24 in Oslo. He succeeds Bishop Torkild Masvie, who will reach the LKNI’s age limit for service as bishop in October. In the intervening months, Bishop Elect Snellman will gradually be instructed in and take on many of the bishop’s responsibilities.

Bishop Elect Snellman holds masters degrees in theology from Fjellhaug International University College (Oslo) and from Concordia Theological Seminary (Fort Wayne, Indiana). A Swedish-speaking Finn, Rev. Snellman is currently serving as a parish pastor in Narvik and Svolvær. Bishop Elect Snellman will work with the new pastor appointed to Narvik before transitioning to the Oslo region with his family later in the year.

Additional information on Bishop Elect Snellman is available from the LKNI here.

The Lutheran Church in Norway and Iceland is a member church of the International Lutheran Council (ILC), a global association of confessional Lutheran church bodies dedicated to the proclamation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, grounded in the authority of Scripture and the Lutheran Confessions.

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ILC prepares for 2026 World Seminaries Conference

by | Mar 12, 2026

SOUTH AFRICA – The International Lutheran Council (ILC) will hold its 2026 World Seminaries Conference in Pretoria, South Africa, from June 23-26.

The theme for this year’s conference is “Being Human, Being Christian: Theological Anthropology in Church and Seminary.” In an era of transhumanism, gender ideology, and post-modern anthropology, this conference will equip seminary leaders and faculty to faithfully teach a biblical and confessional Lutheran understanding of what it means to be human.

The International Lutheran Council is a global association of confessional Lutheran church bodies dedicated to the proclamation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, grounded in the authority of Scripture and the Lutheran Confessions.

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LLDP studies contemporary issues in ethics and biblical hermeneutics

by | Mar 5, 2026

LLDP participants with instructor Rev. Dr. Charles Gieschen (Provost at Concordia Theological Seminary). From left: Rev. Dr. Naomichi Masaki, LLDP Director; Rev. Felipe Ehican, Vice President of the Lutheran Church in the Philippines (LCP); Rev. Fredirick Flores, Secretary of North Luzon Highland District, LCP; Rev. Daniel Akoh, President/Bishop Elect of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Ghana (ELCG); Rev. Dr. Charles Gieschen; Rev. Dr. John Lanbon, National Director of Young Adult Fellowship, ELCG; Rev. Charles Bameka, National Presiding Bishop of Lutheran Church of Uganda (LCU); and Rev Dr. Heinz Hiestermann, Rector of Lutheran Theological Seminary in Tshwane, South Africa, Free Evangelical Lutheran Synod in South Africa (FELSISA).

USA – From November 10-21, 2025, church leaders from four Lutheran church bodies in Africa and Asia travelled to the United States for another session of the Lutheran Leadership Development Program (LLDP). During this session, participants engaged two of the most important topics in the church today: issues in theological ethics, and biblical doctrine and hermeneutics.

Rev. Peter Brock teaches on Issues in Theological Ethics.

The course on Issues in Theological Ethics helps participants form a disciplined and accurate analysis of key ethical problems confronting the church on issues like personhood, sexuality, marriage, technological advance, the beginning and end of human life, and vocation. Rev. Peter Brock, senior pastor of St. John’s Evangelical Lutheran (Bingen, Indiana) and First Vice President of the LCMS’s Indiana District—and also a theological capacity builder for the ILC—taught this vital subject. Rev. Brock discussed a variety of misconceptions contained in contemporary pluralistic approaches to ethics, modeling instead a Lutheran approach grounded in the doctrine of justification and trinitarian theology. Rev. Brock engaged in contemporary issues through key Lutheran themes like the Law/Gospel distinction, the three estates, and the two kingdoms. While teaching as a theologian and church leader, he also brought to bear his experience as a parish pastor who deals with these issues day in and day out.

“I learned many new things!” said Rev. Dr. Heinz Hiestermann, Rector of Lutheran Theological Seminary (Tshwane, South Africa), speaking on the course. “Many issues we discussed in class are not talked about in my church. We need to talk about these issues, and now I have the knowledge to do this. I believe I learned a lot that will benefit the church.” Dr. Hiestermann is a trained New Testament scholar, but attending LLDP sessions has inspired him to incorporate what he is learning in the program into the education offered at his own seminary; the seminary is beginning to offer, for example, courses on ecclesial leadership and pastoral administration.

The second course—Lutheran Hermeneutics—was taught by Rev. Dr. Charles Gieschen, Provost and Professor of the New Testament at Concordia Theological Seminary (Fort Wayne). This was his third time teaching the course for the LLDP. Dr. Gieschen taught the basics of hermeneutics in light of the confessional Lutheran approach to the Scriptures. His chief point was the Christocentricity of Scripture. His lectures covered essential points of the broad history of biblical interpretation from early, patristic, medieval, Reformation, post-Reformation, and modern periods, complemented by many readings, and helped participants evaluate the historical-critical method and reader-oriented trends in biblical interpretation. Much appreciated was his concrete demonstration of sound hermeneutics in response to challenges participants face in their own contexts such as the various claims of neo-charismatic and Pentecostal movements, millennialism, proponents of women’s ordination, and more.

Rev. Dr. Charles Gieschen teaches Lutheran Hermeneutics.

Participants were thankful for this course because they knew that many people in their parishes and even some pastors are often ill-equipped on the fundamentals of a confessional Lutheran approach to Scripture and sound biblical hermeneutics. “The proper way of reading the entire Scripture with Christocentricity that Dr. Gieschen taught has made the scales fall from my eyes,” said one participant. And another: “That Dr. Gieschen took a lot of time to answer the questions of the students helped us apply the Bible better in our context.”

The International Lutheran Council (ILC) works with its partners The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS), Concordia Publishing House (CPH), and Concordia Theological Seminary (Fort Wayne, Indiana) to administer the LLDP under program director, Rev. Dr. Naomichi Masaki. “Participants studied day and night to read, attend lectures, and write for these two very demanding courses,” Dr. Masaki observed. “This program calls for serious study of theological topics and practical issues that are designed to assist participants in their ecclesial leadership in their context.” He went on to praise the participants for their hard work.

Of the instructors, Dr. Masaki said: “Once again, my colleague Dr. Gieschen exceeded my expectations through one-of-a-kind instruction and with deep respect and care for the participants. He knows how important the subject matter of proper biblical interpretation remains in world Lutheranism.” And again: “How often have I observed the way Pastor Brock teaches the subject of theological ethics in Tanzania in an incredibly masterful manner! He is not only a first-class scholar but also a competent instructor. It was my special joy to acknowledge that he is now a part of our LLDP teaching faculty!”

LLDP participants, Dr. Masaki, Rev. Brock, Mrs. Alison Blodget (ILC Treasurer and Office Manager) meet with CPH President/CEO Jonathan Schultz (left) along with CPH Vice President of Publishing Rev. Dr. Jacob Corzine (second from right).

During the November session, LLDP participants enjoyed participating in campus life at Concordia Theological Seminary, including the institution’s annual Good Shepherd Institute, as well as the in-home hospitality of several seminary and ILC families. A distinct joy was when LLDP members were reunited for a visit with Concordia Publishing House’s President/CEO Jonathan Schultz and Vice President of Publishing Rev. Dr. Jacob Corzine. LLDP members expressed their thanks to CPH for the gifts of many essential resources this year to the seminary libraries and individual pastors of LLDP member churches.

The next session of the LLDP is taking place in Wittenberg, Germany, from February-March 2026, with a particular focus on the history of the Lutheran Church and the theology of the Lutheran Confessions. 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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