Lutheran Church in Southern Africa (LCSA)
History:
In 1967 the Lutheran Church in Southern Africa (LCSA) became an autonomous church. It has one bishop and five deans attached to five regional dioceses with about 10-15 congregations each: Botswana, North-West Province, Gauteng, Mpumalanga and KwaZulu/Natal. The LCSA originated from the Mission of the Evangelical Lutheran Free Churches (MELFC) in Germany (formerly known as the Hanoverian Evangelical Lutheran Free Church Mission) which was founded in 1892 and is now known as the Lutherische Kirchenmission (LKM). Therefore, the LCSA is also in long-standing church-fellowship with the Independent Evangelical Lutheran Church (SELK, Germany) and with the Free Evangelical Lutheran Synod in South Africa (FELSISA), with which it does not only share a common liturgy and lectionary, but also church order and ways of Christian living. These partner churches continue to support the LCSA financially as it strives to establish sustainable structures. Since 1980, the LCSA has also worked together with The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod, which resulted in church fellowship agreement between these churches. It is also a founding member of the International Lutheran Council (ILC).
The LCSA together with the FELSISA and the MLC runs its own seminary in Arcadia (Pretoria) called the Lutheran Theological Seminary in Tshwane [LTS], where future pastors of the Lutheran Church for Africa are trained from more than 10 African countries: Liberia, Uganda, Sudan, Zambia, DRC, Rwanda, Botswana, Nigeria, Kenya and Tanzania. This has been possible through significant support from outside like the LCMS Rocky Mountain District [RMD] and LCMS World Relief & Human Care. After signing a formal agreement with the University of Pretoria in 2011, the LTS is now in the position to provide an accredited BTh degree to its students. A Lutheran Chair has been established at the University of Pretoria and is to promote post-graduate studies in Lutheran theology in the African context. Sustainable funding for long-term teachers remains an important priority and goal. In the mean-time ongoing support from CTS Ft. Wayne and CS St. Louis, but also LTH Oberursel is assisting to provide expert education in confessional Lutheran theology. Over the past decade 50 students have successfully passed the Seminary program in Arcadia.
| Contact Information: | Profile: |
| Lutheran Church in Southern Africa | Parishes: 51 |
| Arcadia Street 790, Arcadia – Pretoria | Congregations: 100 |
| P.O. Box 13292 Hatfield 0028 | Baptized Members: 20,000 |
| SOUTH AFRICA | Communicant Members: 10,000 |
| Active Pastors: 47 | |
| Phone: +0712028673 | |
| Fax: | |
| E-mail: sithole@biblesociety.co.za | |
| Website:http://sites.google.com/site/lutheranchurchinsouthernafrica/ | |
| Bishop: Rev. Dr. Elliot Sithole | |
Seminary- view
- Lutheran Theological Seminary Tshwane