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Nicene Creed

The ILC’s 2025 World Conference in Brief

by | Sep 29, 2025

Participants in the ILC’s 2025 World Conference.
ILC General Secretary Klaus Detlev Schulz and the new board of directors: LCC President Timothy Teuscher (North America), SLM President Omar Garza Martínez (Secretary), IELP President Alceu Alton Figur (Latin America), ELMDF Bishop Juhana Pohjola (Chairman), LCU Bishop Charles Bameka (Africa), and LM-A President Matt Anker. Archbishop Rinalds Grants was unable to attend in person.

PHILIPPINES – The International Lutheran Council (ILC) held its 28th (13th) triennial World Conference took place September 14-19, 2025, in Panglao, Bohol, Philippines. In total, more than 130 people representing more than 60 different church bodies and 55 nations participated in the event.

During the conference, Bishop Juhana Pohjola of the Evangelical Lutheran Mission Diocese of Finland (ELMDF) was reelected as chairman of the ILC. Bishop Pohjola was first elected to the position in 2022 during the ILC’s World Conference in Kenya. Elected or reelected to serve alongside Chairman Pohjola were:

  • Africa – Bishop Charles Bameka (Lutheran Church of Uganda)
  • Asia – President Matt Anker (Lutheran Mission – Australia)
  • Europe – Archbishop Rinalds Grants (Evangelical Lutheran Church of Latvia)
  • Latin America – President Alceu Alton Figur (Evangelical Lutheran Church of Paraguay)
  • North America – President Timothy Teuscher (Lutheran Church–Canada)
  • Secretary: President Omar Garza (Lutheran Synod of Mexico)
Representatives of church bodies received as full members during the ILC’s 2025 World Conference. Pictured are ILC Chairman Juhana Pohjola, FLM Bishop Denis Rakotozafy, CLCMS President Davis Robert Wowa, LM-A President Matt Anker, ELCK Bishop Alexander Burtsev, ILK/ELCB representative Rev. Mikko Tiira, and ILC General Secretary Klaus Detlev Schulz.

The conference also saw six observer member churches received into full membership in the ILC: the Confessional Lutheran Church – Malawi Synod (CLCMS); Lutheran Mission – Australia (LM-A); the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Kazakhstan (ELCK); the Istanbul Lutheran Church (ILK)/Evangelical Lutheran Church of Bulgaria (ELCB); the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Haiti (ELCH); and the Malagasy Lutheran Church (FLM).

Unity in Christ

Rev. Dr. Thomas M. Winger.

The theme for the ILC’s 2025 World Conference was “Unity in Christ: Confession and Cooperation in a Fragmented World.” The keynote speaker for the event was Rev. Dr. Thomas M. Winger of St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada, who gave a three-part presentation entitled “The Spiritual Temple,” focused on Ephesians 2:11-22.

The conference also featured several sessions with a regional focus, including an Asia Regional Focus on Shamanism and Syncretism; a Latin America Focus on migration; and an African Regional Focus on the charismatic movement. The ILC’s General Secretary, Rev. Dr. Klaus Detlev Schulz, gave a presentation entitled “Affirming Constants in an Everchanging World,” and the conference also heard presentations on history, Bible translation, and Christian publishing.

On the final day of the ILC’s world conference, participants adopted two statements: one on the Nicene Creed and the other on unity in Christ. The first of these—An Affirmation of the Nicene Creed—was adopted in light of this year’s anniversary commemorations of the Council of Nicaea. The second statement adopted—Unity in Christ and His Gospel—reflects on the theme of this year’s ILC World Conference.

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Full news from the ILC’s 2025 World Conference can be found here.

World Conference 2025: ILC issues statements on the Nicene Creed and Unity in Christ

by | Sep 24, 2025

PHILIPPINES – On the final day of its 2025 World Conference, the International Lutheran Council adopted two statements: one on the Nicene Creed and the other on unity in Christ.

The first of these—An Affirmation of the Nicene Creed—was adopted in light of this year’s anniversary commemorations of the Council of Nicaea. “During this 1,700th anniversary year of the Council of Nicaea, we, the member churches of the International Lutheran Council, reassert our commitment to the teachings of the Nicene Creed,” the statement notes. It goes on to cite the creed’s place as a “binding statement of faith” for Confessional Lutherans today, also acknowledging the creed’s importance “as a touchstone for relations between different Christian traditions.”

The second statement adopted—Unity in Christ and His Gospel—reflects on the theme of this year’s ILC World Conference. In the face of the serious “division and confusion” afflicting nations and even church bodies today, the statement says, “the member churches of the International Lutheran Council reassert the centrality of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.” On the basis of their shared faith, members go on to “encourage each other to seek opportunities for closer unity and cooperation between our churches, recognizing that we share a common mission: proclaiming salvation through Christ alone.”

Other business during the conference’s final day included a series of reports, votes on revisions to the ILC’s bylaws, and other matters.

Closing Service and the Installation of the ILC’s New Board

Rev. Dr. Klaus Detlev Schulz preaches during the closing service of the ILC’s 2025 World Conference.

The 2025 World Conference ended with a service of Vespers, at which time the ILC’s newly-elected board of directors was installed into office. Serving as liturgist was Rev. Michael Blodgett. Serving as organist was Ivy Parotina, who also served in that capacity for all the services during this year’s conference.

Rev. Dr. Klaus Detlev Schulz, General Secretary of the ILC, preached for the concluding service, reflecting on John 17:20-23. Why does the Lord pray for our unity in this passage, Dr. Schulz asked. “Because our unity with one another is meant to be a compelling witness to the world,” he said. “Jesus prays that believers will be one with each other and with the Father and Son, so that the world will recognize Jesus’ divine mission and the Father’s love for them.”

The unity which Jesus speaks of here is “a spiritual unity—that is, one established through faith,” Dr. Schulz continued. “As Confessional Lutherans, we believe that such a unity transcends denominational lines, and exists as the one church of Christ—the una sancta. All who believe (the vere credentes) in Christ are united in His body.”

This spiritual unity is meant to be “uniform in the faith confessed,” Dr. Schulz explained, on “who Jesus is, what He did, and how we are saved.” But unfortunately, he noted, even on these points Christians sometimes disagree. “That is why Jesus prays for it with his core request ‘that they may all be one.’”

“There is a call to action implied with the understanding that the church on earth is meant to be one united body in Christ, not to exist as single individuals,” Dr. Schulz continued. “We cannot be complacent about it, we cannot say: ‘Oh, Jesus has here a dream, a vision of a unified church. But it will never happen, so let us drop the idea of talking to each other.’ No, work on it. Actively pursue unity through repentance, forgiveness, and striving for understanding and compassion in our relationships. Pursue unity not by compromising the truth of God’s Word, but by holding to it with humility and love. And then live as a witness: Allow the unity within the church to be a powerful testimony of God’s love and presence to a watching world.”

LCP President Antonio del Rio Reyes installs the International Lutheran Council’s board for the new triennium.

The ILC’s outgoing Asia Region representative, President Antonio del Rio Reyes of the Lutheran Church in the Philippines, then conducted the installation of the ILC’s new board. The service—and with it, the 2025 World Conference—subsequently concluded with the singing of the hymn “For All the Saints.”

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For more news from the ILC’s 2025 World Conference, click here.

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