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International Lutheran Council (ILC)

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Prayer for Peace in Ukraine

by | Feb 24, 2022

UKRAINE – The International Lutheran Council (ILC) is urging prayer, following the beginning of what some are suggesting may be the largest armed conflict in Europe since World War II.

Media reports indicate that Russian forces have invaded Ukraine from three sides, using ground, air, and naval forces. There have been airstrikes and shelling in numerous areas.

“We ask our members to pray for peace,” said ILC Chairman Hans-Jörg Voigt. “May God bring an end to the hostilities and prevent further bloodshed.”

Congregations are encouraged to use the following intercessory prayer for peace:

Intercessory prayer for peace

Liturgist: In peace let us pray through our Lord Jesus Christ, the Saviour of the world.

Lector: For peace in Eastern Europe /that the Lord may bring an end to the war and restore peace and freedom to the people of Ukraine / let us pray:

Congregation: Lord have mercy.

Lector: For the children and young people / that the Lord may preserve them in body and soul from suffering and injury /let us pray:

Congregation: Lord have mercy.

Lector: For the brothers and sisters in the churches of Ukraine and Russia / that God may keep their hearts from hating one another / that He may show them ways to serve peace, proclaim the Word of God, and celebrate the sacraments / let us pray:

Congregation: Lord have mercy.

Lector: For all who have political responsibility / that the Lord may direct their hearts to peace / that He may help them to serve truth and justice / that He may guard the hearts and minds of people from error and falsehood / let us pray:

Congregation: Lord have mercy.

Lector: For peace and harmony in our country / that the Lord may prevent the polarization of society into opposing interest groups / that He may give and keep peace in workplaces, universities, and schools / that He may give new strength to teachers and keep their love / let us pray:

Congregation Lord have mercy.

Lector: For peace in our homes and families / that the Lord may help spouses who have a hard time with each other / that He may give good understanding between generations / so that children may grow up in peace, and for unborn children / let us pray:

Congregation: Lord have mercy.

Lector: For an end to the worldwide pandemic / that the Lord may preserve people from sickness / that He may give new strength to nurses and doctors / for all who are sick, and whose names we mention here in silence… / let us pray:

Congregation: Lord have mercy.

Lector: For our church and congregation / that the Lord may keep us in His truth / that He may raise up young people willing to enter His service / for Lutheran Seminaries worldwide / that the Lord may establish teachers and learners in His Word / let us pray:

Congregation: Lord have mercy.

Liturgist: Merciful God, keep us in Your peace, and grant peace to all people for whom we have prayed, through Jesus Christ, your Son, our Lord.

All: Amen.

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ILC welcomes Latvians into membership

by | Feb 23, 2022

WORLD – The International Lutheran Council (ILC) has welcomed the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Latvia (Latvijas evaņģēliski luteriskā Baznīca – LELB) into membership.

“We are honoured to welcome the Latvian church into membership in the International Lutheran Council,” said ILC Chairman Hans-Jörg Voigt. “I have known Archbishop Jānis Vanags for many years, and I look forward to working more closely with him and the Latvian church in the ILC. May God bless the work of confessional Lutherans worldwide, as together we proclaim the Good News of Jesus Christ, united in our commitment to the Word of God and to the Lutheran Confessions.”

LELB Archbishop Jānis Vanags speaks during a January 2022 reception hosted by the International Lutheran Council at Concordia Theological Seminary in Fort Wayne, Indiana.

During its 28th Synod in August 2021, the LELB voted to seek membership in the ILC, with 210 votes in favour, 1 against, and 8 abstentions. After reviewing the church’s application, the ILC’s Board of Directors accepted the LELB as an Observer Member during its meeting on January 28, 2022. The LELB’s request for Full Membership in the ILC will be taken up in  Kenya in September 2022 at the ILC’s next World Conference, as decisions on Full Membership must be voted on by the World Conference.

“We thank our God for the partnership in the Gospel which we share as we preach and teach His Infallible Word and administer His sacraments,” said LELB Archbishop Jānis Vanags. “As we make our way together on our journey of faith, we commit ourselves to the love and care of our Heavenly Father.”

As early as the 1520s, the church in Riga, Latvia had begun to sympathize with the teachings of the Reformation. The Livonian Confederation would become the first region outside modern-day Germany to formally adopt Lutheranism. Some parts of Latvia reverted to Roman Catholicism during the Counter-Reformation but the rest remained Lutheran.

Christians in Latvia faced significant hardships during World War II and under Soviet rule. While the Lutheran church counted 200,000 members in 1948, that number dropped to 25,000 by 1991. Since then, the church has experienced a significant period of renewal and reformation. With approximately 700,000 people in Latvia identify as Lutheran, the LELB is the nation’s largest Protestant church body. The church has an official parish membership of 42,000 members and 289 congregations.

Rev. Dr. Andris Kraulins (LELB International Affairs), ILC General Secretary Timothy Quill, and LELB Archbishop Jānis Vanags during meetings in Fort Wayne, Indiana in January 2022.

The LELB has a strong relationship with several other members of the International Lutheran Council, including Germany’s Independent Evangelical Lutheran Church as well as The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS), with which it has enjoyed altar and pulpit fellowship since 2001.

The ILC hosted a reception with Archbishop Vanags on January 18, 2022 at Concordia Theological Seminary in Fort Wayne, Indiana. The event coincided with the seminary’s popular Symposia event, and featured numerous international guests. During his talk, Archbishop Vanags shared the history of his church and the events that led them to seek partnership with the ILC.

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

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ILC Chief Accreditation Officer Installed

by | Feb 22, 2022

Participants in the installation. Back row, l-r: Rev. Thomas Zimmerman, Rev. Douglas Punke (Pastor, Zion Lutheran Church), Rev. Richard Lammert, Rev. George Lange, Rev. James Kollie (Libera, Africa) , and Rev. Dr. James Voelz. Front row, l-r: Rev. Art Litke, Rev. Dr. David Scaer, Rev. Peter Brock (4th V.P. of Indiana District – Installer), Rev. Dr. Steven Schumacher, Rev. Dr. Timothy Quill (ILC General Secretary – Preacher), Rev. Gema Ballah (Liberia, Africa), Rev. Dr. John Pless, and Rev. Dr. Roland Ziegler (ILC Seminary Committee).

USA – Rev. Dr. Steven R. Schumacher was installed as Chief Accreditation Officer (CAO) of the International Lutheran Council (ILC) during a service at Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church in Fort Wayne, Indiana on February 13, 2022.

In this role, Dr. Schumacher will lead the International Lutheran Council Accreditation Agency (ILCAA). This new agency was created in response to increasing requests from Lutheran church bodies worldwide for assistance in pastoral training and theological education. The ILCAA will provide a basis for an internationally recognized confessional Lutheran theological education, while ensuring institutional excellence in such areas as faculty, spiritual formation, student evaluation, library resources, long-term planning, administration, financial stability, and accountability. As CAO, Dr. Schumacher is responsible for the development, coordination, evaluation, and ongoing oversight of the ILCAA.

“Dr. Schumacher brings a depth of knowledge and experience from both the parish and seminary,” noted Rev. Dr. Timothy Quill, General Secretary of the ILC. In particular, Dr. Quill highlighted Dr. Schumacher’s previous work on accreditation in an African context as an asset to his new work as Chief Accreditation Officer. Dr. Schumacher’s doctoral thesis was entitled “Positioning an International Partner Lutheran Church Seminary for Accreditation,” and focused on the accreditation process undertaken by the seminary of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Ghana (ELCG).

Dr. Schumacher and Dr. Quill

“Dr. Schumacher understands that Lutheran seminaries are built on Scriptures and the Lutheran Confessions—which is to say, on the doctrine of justification by grace though faith alone in Jesus Christ,” Dr. Quill continued. “The presence of Jesus Christ through Word and Sacrament is the heart and centre of theological education. This requires serious academic discipline—but, as it is often said, ‘Some things can only be understood by praying them.’ Dr. Schumacher  recognizes that the chapel and daily liturgical life is essential to pastoral formation, and that its place in the curriculum and seminary life is an indispensable part of assessment and accreditation.”

Dr. Schumacher and his wife Cynthia previously served as missionaries for The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS) in Ghana, West Africa, where he taught courses in Lutheran theology and served as dean of academics and student activities at the Evangelical Lutheran Seminary Ghana in Accra. He also assisted the ELCG with their deaf ministry efforts.

He earned his bachelor’s degree from Central Missouri State University in Warrensburg, Missouri, and earned both his M.Div. and doctorate from Concordia Theological Seminary in Fort Wayne, Indiana. He previously served as pastor to five different congregations in the LCMS, as well as serving as the North Wisconsin District’s missionary to the deaf, Director of Deaf Ministry for Lutheran Friends of the Deaf, and as an adjunct professor teaching Deaf Ministry at Concordia Theological Seminary in Fort Wayne.

The ILC officially announced the formation of International Lutheran Council Accreditation in April 2021. Additional information on the program, including the application process, will be made available at a later date.

You can support confessional Lutheran theological education and the work of the International Lutheran Council Accreditation Agency through online giving (select “International Seminary Accreditation Program”). You may also send a cheque by mail to:

International Lutheran Council
PO Box 10149
Fort Wayne, IN  46850

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2022 ILC World Conference set for Kenya

by | Feb 15, 2022

ONLINE – The International Lutheran Council’s (ILC) 27th (11th) World Conference will take place September 13-16, 2022 in Kenya, hosted by the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Kenya (ELCK) and its Archbishop, Joseph Ochola Omolo.

The ILC’s Board of Directors met online on January 28, 2022, during which time they fixed the dates and location for the event.

“It will be a joy to gather again in person in Kenya, and to see old friends and colleagues,” said ILC Chairman Hans Jörg Voigt. “May God grant us a safe and productive conference, as we discuss the important work of confessional Lutheran churches worldwide.”

The conference will gather under the theme “Why We Do What We Do: How Worship Shapes Our Life Today – How Life Today Shapes Our Worship,” considered from biblical, historical, and contemporary perspectives. Additional information on the event will be sent to member churches and guests soon but church leaders are asked to save the date in the meantime. September 12 and 17 should also be set aside as travel days to and from the Conference.

The ILC’s 27th (11th) World Conference had been originally scheduled to take place in 2021 but was postponed as a result of the pandemic.

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Closing statements heard in trial against Finnish Bishop and MP

by | Feb 14, 2022

Bishop Juhana Pohjola and Dr. Päivi Räsänen speak before the trial reconvenes on February 14, 2022. (Photo: ELMDF).

FINLAND – Proceedings in the trial against Finnish MP Päivi Räsänen and Bishop Juhana Pohjola of the Evangelical Lutheran Mission Diocese of Finland (ELMDF) continued on February 14, with the prosecution and the defense making their closing statements.

“The main idea of the Prosecutor seems to be that the Bible should not be taught in its own right in public, and that freedom of religion does not allow permission to speak out loud if what is said is considered to discriminate against a minority group,” commented Bishop Pohjola following the prosecution’s closing statement. “In this view, biblical teachings on marriage, sexuality, sin, and mercy could not be proclaimed publicly. This is an attack on religious freedom.”

The two are on trial for their articulation of historic Christian teaching on human sexuality. Dr. Räsänen is charged for authoring a 2004 booklet entitled “Male and Female He Created Them: Homosexual Relationships Challenge the Christian Concept of Humanity,” and Bishop Pohjola is charged for publishing the work. Dr. Räsänen also faces two other charges, including for criticizing Finland’s national Lutheran church—of which she is a member—for its support of Helsinki Pride in a tweet that included an image of a Bible verse from Romans 1:24-27.

The Prosecutor General has requested that the court impose the maximum criminal victim compensation on Dr. Räsänen, valued at 120 days of personal income. The prosecution requests Bishop Pohjola be directed to provide compensation equivalent to 60 days of personal income. The prosecution has further requested a corporate fine of €10,000 against the ELMDF’s legal entity, the Luther Foundation.

The court will announce its verdict on March 30.

The decision to put the two on trial has led to international outcry, with many calling it an attack on religious freedom. The International Lutheran Council (ILC)—of which the ELMDF is a member—was among those expressing serious concern about the decision to charge Bishop Pohjola and Dr. Räsänen and encouraging prayer for them.

The trial began on January 24. In her opening remarks, the Prosecutor General suggested that the trial was in no way about the Bible. But over the course of her presentation, and throughout her argumentation and questioning, she returned repeatedly to discussions of the nature of Scripture, the defendant’s hermeneutics, and the Christian understanding of sin.

Bishop Pohjola and Dr. Räsänen (Screenshot: ELMDF)

“I assumed the Prosecutor would not go into this matter of the Bible and theology,” noted Bishop Pohjola in an interview with Studio Krypta (a media program of the ELMDF) following the first court date. “I thought that this would be a cold juridical handling of these matters. In that, I was truly surprised.”

“Although she stated this was not about the Bible or about freedom of religion or opinions,” he continued, “she went quite deeply into theological issues.” The Prosecutor questioned the Bishop on his understanding of the relationship between the Old and New Testaments, the status of biblical and civil law, and so forth—a “conflation of juridical and theological argumentation” which seemed remarkable in a civil court. Worse, Bishop Pohjola said, was the Prosecutor’s attempt to link those who accept historic Christian teaching on sexuality with those who would kill or rape in the name of religion.

Regarding the booklet itself, Dr. Räsänen suggested in the same interview with Studio Krypta that the prosecution had to “cherry-pick” pieces here and there, dealing only with “peripheral matters” while ignoring the “central teachings of the booklet” in order to justify the charges. “What I grasped there in the trial, and actually even before it, was what a weak basis they had” to proceed to trial, Dr. Räsänen said. “What the State Prosecutor read out [as charges], what she stated was written in the booklet, was untrue; those statements were not found there—not on the radio program, not in the booklet, nor in the tweet.”

Bishop Pohjola concurred. “I was puzzled when the Prosecutor read out the charges,” he said. The prosecution accused Dr. Räsänen of having called homosexuals pedophiles, saying they arose from genetic error, and even suggesting they were not created by God. The defendants rejected all of the charges as completely false, noting they were directly contradicted in the booklet and other public statements.

Instead, Bishop Pohjola argued, the booklet explains that, while historic Christian teaching considers homosexual acts to be sinful on the basis of Scripture, Christians do not therefore consider homosexuals any different than any other person before God. “All are of equal worth, and all are under sin, and all are under grace,” he explained. “We all have the same position before God. We want to say that homosexuals with these tendencies are welcome in our churches, to live in contact with Christ, and to find their identity—just as each of us should find our identity—as the creation of God, redeemed by Jesus Christ.”

“In the Prosecutor’s mind, these statements are of no importance—not believable,” Bishop Pohjola lamented. “But these are the ‘big picture’—the entire bedrock on which we Christians stand.”

“We denounce all improper and violent and inflammatory speech,” he said simply. “But the basic Christian preaching of the Law and Gospel is not that. ”

While admitting to feeling nervous in the lead-up to the trial, Dr. Räsänen said she “went into court with a calm mind.”

“I went there trusting God,” she explained. “I have felt very strongly, ever since that tweet I wrote, that this matter is in God’s hands and under His guidance. So, this is the path I must take.”

You can watch the entire Studio Krypta interview with Bishop Pohjola and Dr. Räsänen below. Be sure to select “English” in the closed-captioning options.

Additional information on the situation in Finland is available from the International Lutheran Council here.

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Nigerian Lutherans reelect Archbishop

by | Feb 3, 2022

Archbishop Christian Ekong speaks at the LCN’s 2022 Synodical Convention.

LCN Archbishop Christian Ekong and Bishop Raphael Aju after the 2021 election.

NIGERIA – The Lutheran Church of Nigeria (LCN) held its 42nd Regular Synodical Council November 26-28, 2021, during which time the church reelected Rev. Dr. Christian Ekong to another five-year term as Archbishop and President of the church. The council took place at the LCN’s headquarters in Obot Idim Ibesikpo in Akwa Ibom State.

Dr. Ekong was reelected in a 196-78 vote. He was first elected to lead the LCN in 2009.

The 2021 council also saw the Rt. Rev. Raphael Aju elected as Vice President of the LCN, as well as elections for the church’s Board of Directors.

A little more than a month later, from January 6-9, 2022, the Lutheran Church of Nigeria held its Synodical Convention. During this time, the LCN consecrated four new bishops (Rev. Samuel Essien, Rev. Thomas Gbarato, Rev. Daniel Eshiet, and Rev. Godwin Udosen), ordained more than 40 new pastors, and certified 19 deaconesses for service in the church. The convention also saw the installation of officers elected during the Synodical Council in November 2021.

The consecration of new bishops during the LCN’s 2022 Synodical Convention.

The Synodical Council and the Synodical Convention met under the theme “Called by Christ to Bear Fruit for Jesus,” based on Romans 7:4-7. Other business conducted at the two events included a resolution calling for greater stewardship of environmental resources in Nigeria and a discussion of the LCN’s Lutheran University project, among other work.

The Lutheran Church of Nigeria is a member church of the International Lutheran Council, a global association of confessional Lutheran churches.

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ILC Latin America regional conference meets in Mexico

by | Jan 31, 2022

Participants in the ILC’s 2021 Latin America regional conference.

MEXICO – The conference of the International Lutheran Council’s (ILC) Latin America Region met in Mexico City from December 2-5, 2021, following delays due to the pandemic.

ILC General Secretary Timothy Quill addresses the Latin America regional conference.

The conference brought together representatives from the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Argentina; the Christian Evangelical Lutheran Church of Bolivia; the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Brazil; the Confessional Lutheran Church of Chile; the Lutheran Church of Guatemala; the Lutheran Synod of Mexico; the Lutheran Church of Panama; the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Paraguay; the Evangelical Lutheran Church-Peru; the Lutheran Church of Uruguay; and the Lutheran Church of Venezuela. The ILC’s General Secretary Timothy Quill and Assistant to the General Secretary Roger James were also present, as were a number of other guests.

Theological presentations were given on two themes: 1) “The Confessional Orthodox Lutheran Role in a Heterodox and Subjective Context” (Prof. Dr. Clóvis Prunzel of Concordia Seminary in Sao Leopoldo, Brazil); and 2) “Pastoral Vocation: Lack, Stimuli, and Contextual Factors” (Prof. Dr. Sergio Schelske of Concordia Seminary in Buenos Aires, Argentina). Discussion centered on two areas: 1) the need to recruit a larger number of pastoral candidates; and 2) unique challenges related to opening new missions in each country.

IELA President Arturo Truenow and ILC-Chile President Juan Pablo Lanterna sign a protocol agreement between their two church bodies.

During the conference, the Christian Evangelical Lutheran Church of Bolivia officially announced its intention to seek full membership in the ILC after more than a decade as an Associate Member. Other noteworthy events included the signing of a mutual cooperation protocol between the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Argentina (IELA) and the Confessional Church of Chile (ILC-Chile).

The gathering also celebrated the forthcoming publication of a new Lutheran hymnal in Spanish after fifteen years of work. The hymnal will be welcomed into use throughout Spanish-speaking countries in the region, as well as in other parts of the world.

“It was a great meeting, since it was finally possible to overcome the challenges that have delayed celebrating this moment due to the current pandemic,” noted President Juan Pablo Lanterna of the Confessional Lutheran Church of Chile. “It should be counted as a historic moment.”

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From a report by ILC-Chile President Juan Pablo Lanterna

Guatemalan Lutherans mourn death of former president

by | Jan 25, 2022

Rev. Dr. Abdiel Orozco

GUATEMALA – Guatemalan Lutherans are mourning the death of Rev. Dr. Abdiel Orozco Aguirre, former president of the Lutheran Church in Guatemala (Iglesia Luterana en Guatemala – ILG). Dr. Orozco recently contracted COVID-19 and was hospitalized after his condition worsened. He slipped into a coma, eventually passing away on January 22, 2021.

“Brothers, our beloved pastor, Abdiel Orozco, is now in the presence of the Lord,” his congregation, Iglesia Luterana Castillo Feurte (Mighty Fortress Lutheran Church) wrote on social media announcing his death. “And it is the Lord who will allow us all to meet together in heaven.”

“This news is sad for the Lutheran Church in Guatemala,” said ILG President Ignacio Chan in a message to international church leaders. He expressed “sincere thanks for your prayers and comfort” in this time.

Dr. Orozco came to the ministry later in life, having spent many years as a medical doctor and immunohematologist. He received his medical degree from the Universidad de San Carlos de Gautemala, and eventually became an advisor to Guatemala’s ministry of health. While serving in that role, he pursued master’s studies at Cornell University (New York City, New York) and a doctorate in hematology from the University of Houston (Houston, Texas). He subsequently became the head of Guatemala’s national network of blood banks, a position in which he served for more than a decade.

Despite being the son of a Presbyterian pastor, Dr. Orozco did not attend church during his university days. While in Houston, however, he was introduced to the Lutheran faith. When he returned to Guatemala after his studies, he became involved with a Lutheran mission plant which was just beginning in Guatemala City.

Rev. Dr. Abdiel Orozco preaches at the ILC’s 2018 World Conference in Belgium.

Dr. Orozco began studies for the pastoral ministry a number of years later in 2007, and was ordained into the pastoral ministry in 2012 (he completed his service as head of Guatemala’s blood banks in 2011). In 2015, he was elected president of the ILG, a position to which he was reelected in 2017. He completed his tenure as ILG president in 2019.

In addition to serving two terms as president of the ILG, Dr. Orozco also served as National Director for the Lutheran Center for Theological Studies (Centro Luterano De Estudios Teologicos – CLET). As a testament to his continued interest in higher education, Dr. Aguirre recently received a Master of Arts from Concordia Seminary (St. Louis, Missouri) in 2020.

Two devotional services for Dr. Orozco were held on January 24, 2021. A funeral service was held on January 25—the date on which Dr. Orozco would have turned 63 years old. To accommodate health regulations, the services were also broadcast online.

The Lutheran Church in Guatemala is a member church of the International Lutheran Council (ILC), a global association of confessional Lutheran churches.

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ILC urges prayer for Finnish Bishop and MP as trial begins

by | Jan 24, 2022

FINLAND – The International Lutheran Council (ILC) is urging prayer for Rev. Dr. Juhana Pohjola and Dr. Päivi Räsänen as their trial in Finland begins today, January 24, in what has been widely criticized as an infringement on religious freedom. Dr. Pohjola is Bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Mission Diocese of Finland and Dr. Räsänen is a Finnish Member of Parliament.

The two face charges over the 2004 publication of a booklet authored by Dr. Räsänen which articulates historic Christian teaching on human sexuality. Bishop Pohjola has been charged as the publisher of the work. Despite an earlier investigation by Helsinki Police which concluded there was nothing illegal about the text, Finland’s Prosecutor General decided to charge the pair with “incitement against a group of people.” In addition, Dr. Räsänen faces several additional charges, including for quoting Scripture in a tweet which criticized her church body for participating in Helsinki Pride.

In 2021, the ILC published a letter signed by the bishops and presidents of dozens of Lutheran church bodies around the world protesting the decision to charge the pair for expressing biblical views on human sexuality. The ILC also sponsored an American tour on religious freedom in which Bishop Pohjola explains the situation taking place in Finland more clearly.

Please keep Dr. Räsänen and Bishop Pohjola in prayer throughout the trial:

Lord God, heavenly Father, You sent Your only begotten Son to stand before Pilate to bear witness to the truth; He sent out His twelve with the promise that they will stand before governors and kings for Your sake, and bear witness before them, for the Gospel must be proclaimed to all nations. Pour out your Holy Spirit upon Finnish Lutheran Bishop Juhana Pohjola and Dr. Päivi Räsänen, that they might continue to proclaim Your Word with courage and clarity as they stand before the Finnish civil court; that Your divine law might convict those who persecute them and that Your Holy Gospel and Spirit would turn their hearts to repentance and true faith; through Jesus Christ, You Son our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God now and forever. Amen.

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