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International Lutheran Council (ILC)

By Mathew Block

Inaugural meeting of the Concordia Lutheran-Catholic Augustana Working Group

by | Apr 15, 2024

The Augustana Working Group holds its inaugural meeting in Rome on March 1, 2024.

On March 1, 2024, the Dicastery for Promoting Christian Unity (DPCU) hosted the inaugural meeting of the Concordia Lutheran–Catholic Augustana Working Group, which met in Rome until March 2, 2024.

Cardinal Kurt Koch, Prefect of the DPCU, welcomed the members of the working group and encouraged them to explore the pre-confessional/ecumenical potential of the Augsburg Confession in more detail in view of the 500th anniversary of the Confessio Augustana in 2030.

The Augustana Working Group includes representatives of the International Lutheran Council (ILC) and the Catholic Church. Following the conclusion of the theological conversations 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 distinct ecumenical-theological format.

The working group is not an official dialogue commission. The aim is not to produce a document of churchly consensus. However, the publication of the results of the joint research is intended to enrich the ecumenical discussion in an indirect way.

The working group is headed by two episcopal chairmen: on the Lutheran side by Bishop Dr. Juhana Pohjola, Bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Mission Diocese of Finland / Chairman of the ILC; and on the Catholic side by Auxiliary Bishop Dr. Peter Birkhofer, Freiburg im Breisgau.

The working topic is: “Catholicity and Apostolicity in the Augsburg Confession, Examined in the Areas of Soteriology (Justification) and Ecclesiology (Ministry, Episcopate, and Ordination): a joint Lutheran–Catholic review of Augsburg Confession in a pre-confessional and ecumenical perspective.”

A total period of four years is planned for working on the topic. The next meeting will take place in Wittenberg on December 9 and 10, 2024.

Participants from the International Lutheran Council (ILC)

  • Bishop Dr. Juhana Pohjola, Helsinki, Finland (Bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Mission Diocese of Finland, ILC Chairman)
  • Prof. Dr. Joel Elowsky, St. Louis, Mo., USA
  • Prof. em. Dr. Werner Klän, D.Litt., Lübeck, Germany
  • Asst. Prof. Dr. Jonathan Mumme, Hillsdale, Mich., USA
  • Prof. Dr. Thomas Winger, St. Catharines, Ont., Canada
    ***
    Prof. Dr. Klaus Detlev Schulz, Fort Wayne, Ind., USA (ILC General Secretary) – part-time participant, but not a member

Catholic Participants

  • Auxiliary Bishop Dr. Peter Birkhofer, Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany
  • Prof. Dr. Markus Lersch, Siegen, Germany
  • Dr. Tim Lindfeld, Aachen, Germany
  • Asst. Prof. Dr. James Prothro, Greenwood Village, Color., USA
  • Father Dr. Augustinus Sander OSB, Vatican (Permanent Representative of the Dicastery for Promoting Christian Unity)

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He is Risen!

by | Mar 31, 2024

The Resurrection, tapestry from the workshop of Pieter van Aelst, c. 1530. (Design by the school of Raphael).

by Klaus Detlev Schulz

Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem still resonates in our ears from Palm Sunday’s Gospel in John. While sitting on a young donkey, the crowd received Jesus with branches from palm trees crying out loudly: “Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord, even the King of Israel.” Five days later, this welcoming cry changes into “crucify Him.” Disappointment, frustration, and anger replaced hope in the person whom they thought would be their new Messiah, the promised King, who would liberate them from the political oppression of the Roman rulers. The person entering Jerusalem is nothing of what they thought He would be. Christ’s path to the cross has begun; His crucifixion and death is near. He will die a death.

And yet, death does not have the last say. He is risen. There is no doubt that the empty tomb to which the disciples Peter and John ran is evidence that the Lord has risen. This person who died on the cross and lay buried in a tomb is indeed the Messiah, the promised King of the whole world who, through His resurrection, conquers the power of sin and death over all people.

Easter awaits us all. By His wounds we are healed, and through His blood we are made whole. May we all this Easter treasure the divine gift of joy that came through the suffering of our Saviour. It is the day we commemorate His resurrection, His victory over death, and we celebrate His life and our future life with Him. The readings for this week of passion speak so much of Christ’s glorification (John 12:16.23.28), of Him being King (Zechariah 9:9), that “every knee, in heaven and on earth, should bow” before him and “every tongue confess Him as Lord” (Philippians 2:10). Indeed, Easter makes glorification come true—but only after Christ had chosen a path of total humiliation to the point of death on the cross (Philippians 2:5). His humiliation required His total obedience, even if the prospect of such a bitter suffering and death made Him want to have it pass Him by.

Easter awaits us all. By His wounds we are healed, and through His blood we are made whole. May we all this Easter treasure the divine gift of joy that came through the suffering of our Saviour.

Easter has come. Death and burial have given way to life and hope. We should look around us, and as we see the faces of other people, we may rejoice that Easter is meant not only for us but for them, too. Easter is universal in implication and as a festival commemorated by millions of Christians around the world. For us, it means that we look to our baptism, where we died and rose with Christ (Romans 6) to receive the promise of forgiveness of sins and eternal life.

Sadly, many people have not yet heard the message of Easter. We pray that all churches of the International Lutheran Council will proclaim this message unrestrained, so that Easter’s blessings may shower over all who hear it. Let us, as preachers of Easter, never become weary of proclaiming the full meaning of Easter: someone offers Himself as Saviour on our behalf so that we may not die but live.

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

ILC urges continued prayer for Haiti

by | Mar 27, 2024

HAITI – The Evangelical Lutheran Church of Haiti (Église Évangélique Luthérienne d’Haiti – ELCH) is requesting prayer as the situation in their country continues to deteriorate.

The nation of Haiti is in crisis as a result of political instability, widespread gang violence, and a collapsed economy. Well-organized gang attacks in February further destabilized the country, with thousands of prisoners set free from prisons and Haiti’s prime minister blocked from returning to the country. The prime minister eventually resigned, and attempts to form a transitional government continue to face armed opposition from organized gangs.

In the midst of this situation, the church in Haiti is calling on Christians around the world to remember Haitians in prayer. “For months, our country has faced gang violence,” ELCH President Bernard Eliona explained. “This situation affects all, including churches and schools. No one is spared.”

“In such a situation,” he continued, “we greatly appreciate your prayers.”

In 2023, the International Lutheran Council (ILC)—of which the ELCH is a member—reported on the devastating situation facing their country. The situation has gotten progressively worse since then.

“We grieve for the people of Haiti as they struggle in this terrible crisis,” said ILC General Secretary Klaus Detlev Schulz. “We grieve for those whose families have been torn apart by violence; for the thousands who have been forced from their homes; and for all who are struggling to access the necessities of life.”

“In the face of such terrible suffering, I encourage Lutherans around the world to remember the people of Haiti in prayer,” Dr. Schulz continued. “Pray that God will bless the efforts of those trying to bring stability back to the streets of Haiti; pray that God would restrain evil doers from violence; and pray that the Gospel would continue to be proclaimed in the midst of this dreadful darkness—that it would bring comfort to a people suffering terrible tragedy.”

The International Lutheran Council is a global association of confessional Lutheran church bodies.

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Lutherans in Ghana elect new president

by | Mar 25, 2024

GHANA – The Evangelical Lutheran Church of Ghana (ELCG) held its Delegates Conference in Bunkpurugu during the second weekend of March 2024, during which time the church elected Rev. Daniel Kofi Akoh to serve as its new President.

The election of officers took place on March 9, with President Elect Akoh receiving 79 votes, compared to 36 for the nearest runner-up. Prior to his election, Rev. Akoh served the ELCG as Regional Pastor for the Volta region. An installation service is scheduled for early July in Accra.

“On behalf of the International Lutheran Council (ILC), I want to congratulate you on your election as president of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Ghana,” said ILC General Secretary Klaus Detlev Schulz. “May God bless you with wisdom, knowledge, faithfulness, and every good thing as you prepare to take on this new role. And may He bless the work of your church, so that many more may hear and believe the good news of forgiveness which is theirs in Jesus Christ.”

Rev. Akoh was ordained in 2003. In addition to his work as a pastor, he has served the ELCG on several committees; as a coordinator for online education and a facilitator for theological education by extension; and as a coordinator for Lutheran Media Ministry, among other roles. Rev. Akoh studied for the pastoral ministry at the Lutheran Seminary in Ghana, and further holds a Bachelor’s degree and a Master of Education degree from the University of Education, Winneba. He also holds a certificate from Westfield House in the United Kingdom.

Rev. Akoh is currently pursuing a Master of Sacred Theology degree from Concordia Seminary in St. Louis, Missouri, and is also a student in the International Lutheran Council’s (ILC) Lutheran Leadership Development Program (LLDP).

President Elect Akoh succeeds President John Shadrack Donkoh, who has served two terms as head of the church in Ghana. President Donkoh was first elected in 2018 and then reelected in 2021. In addition to serving the ELCG, President Donkoh has further served the global Lutheran community as the Secretary of the International Lutheran Council (ILC)—a position to which he was elected in 2022.

Also elected during the ELCG’s 2024 Delegates Conference were Alex Lanbon as Second Vice President and Alfred Neneh Ayiku Akotia as Third Vice President. No candidate was elected for the position of First Vice President during the conference; an election for that position is scheduled to take place in the near future.

The Evangelical Lutheran Church of Ghana is a member church of the International Lutheran Council, a global association of confessional Lutheran church bodies.

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ILC gives thanks for Rev. Roger James’ service

by | Mar 20, 2024

Rev. Roger James at the ILC’s 2022 World Conference in Kenya. LCMS Communications/Erik M. Lunsford

USA – The International Lutheran Council (ILC) is giving thanks for Rev. Roger B. James, who has transitioned out of his role as Assistant to the General Secretary. Rev. James has accepted a position as interim pastor at Our Hope Lutheran Church in Huntertown, Indiana.

“My heart has always been with preaching and teaching and pastoral care,” said Rev. James, “but I treasure the few years I have had with the ILC. At its heart, the ILC is also about the Gospel and the Word of God—the same focus as in pastoral ministry. I and my wife Amy look forward to continuing to support the ILC with our gifts and prayers.”

The ILC’s Board of Directors issued a call to Rev. James in late 2020, and he was installed on January 31, 2021. He served the majority of his tenure under former General Secretary Timothy Quill, but he also assisted his successor, Rev. Dr. Klaus Detlev Schulz, since his installation in late 2023.

“Rev. James has played an important role in assisting the ILC during its expansion over the past three years,” said General Secretary Schulz. “He has provided guidance in the development of operating procedures and practices, assisted with major events, and made significant strides in helping to raise the profile of the ILC on the congregational level as well as developing strong relations with supporters.”

“I am also personally grateful for Rev. James’ assistance since my own installation as General Secretary,” Dr. Schulz continued. “We wish him every blessing in Christ as he enters into a new ministry opportunity.”

Prior to joining the ILC, Rev. James served as The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod’s (LCMS) South Asia Area Director as a missionary in Sri Lanka.

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ILC General Secretary, LLDP Director appointed to new faculty chairs

by | Mar 15, 2024

Left to right: CTSFW President Lawrence R. Rast, ILC General Secretary Klaus Detlev Schulz, LLDP Director Naomichi Masaki, and CTSFW Provost Charles Gieschen.

USA – In January 2024, Concordia Theological Seminary (CTSFW) in Fort Wayne, Indiana formally dedicated two newly-funded faculty chairs. Rev. Dr. Klaus Detlev Schulz, General Secretary of the International Lutheran Council (ILC), was appointed as the new Roemer-Baese professor in Pastoral Ministry and Missions. Rev. Dr. Naomichi Masaki, Director of the ILC’s Lutheran Leadership Development Program (LLDP), was appointed as the new Reverend Victor H. and Lydia Dissen Professor in the Lutheran Confessions.

Dr. Schulz has served as a faculty member at CTSFW since 1998, a role in which he continues to serve alongside his work as ILC General Secretary. “Dr. Schulz is known internationally for his teaching in missiology, his confession of Lutheran theology, and his tireless commitment to reaching lost sinners around the world,” noted CTSFW Provost Charles Gieschen in announcing the appointment. “His appointment to this new chair in Pastoral Ministry and Missions is an important way to honour his many contributions and further the impact of his service.”

Dr. Masaki has been a member of CTSFW’s faculty since 2001. “Dr. Masaki has distinguished himself on our faculty and throughout the world as a teacher of biblical doctrine as stated in the Lutheran Confessions,” Dr. Gieschen said. “Appointing him to hold this chair both honours his exemplary service and proclaims this seminary’s rigorous commitment to the study of what Lutherans believe, teach, and confess.”

The dedication of the new chairs came a day before the seminary’s annual Symposia conference, and also saw General Secretary Schulz and Dr. Masaki give inaugural lectures. Dr. Schulz presented on “Missiology: A Theologia Viatorum in Search of a Home.” Dr. Masaki gave a lecture entitled: “Rejoicing in the Vibrant Confessional Heritage: Breathing the Air of the Book of Concord.”

During CTSFW’s Symposia Series in the days that followed, General Secretary Schulz also presented on the work of the International Lutheran Council, with a particular focus on Africa.

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Mission Province in Sweden’s first bishop enters into glory

by | Mar 13, 2024

Bishop Arne Olsson.

SWEDEN – The Mission Province (Missionsprovinsen i Sverige – MP) in Sweden is mourning the death of their first bishop, Arne Olsson, who entered into glory on March 12, 2024. He was 93 years old.

Bishop Olsson was first ordained in 1962 and served much of his ministry as a pastor in the Church of Sweden (SK). He was consecrated as the Mission Province’s first bishop on February 5, 2005 by Bishop Walter Obare of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Kenya. In response, the Church of Sweden disqualified him from further service in the SK. The Mission Province was initially founded as a confessional movement within the Church of Sweden, serving as a refuge for pastoral candidates who continued to uphold the authority of Scripture and the Lutheran Confessions.

Bishop Olsson led the Mission Province from 2005-2010, overseeing the expansion of its work in Sweden as well as into Finland. He completed his service on March 27, 2010, when he consecrated Bishop Roland Gustafsson as his successor.

Bishop Arne Olsson at his consecration in 2005.

Asked once what he considered the Mission Province’s most important issue, Bishop Olsson said simply: “That Jesus Christ is proclaimed to the people of Sweden. There are so many who do not get to hear about Jesus.”

“We remember with gratitude his devoted service during a very important part of the history of the Mission Province,” said current MP Bishop Bengt Ådahl. “His motto ‘To obey God more than men’ testifies to the loyalty and love for the Lord that drove him.”

Bishop Ådahl has invited church members to remember Bishop Olsson’s wife, children, and their families in prayer at this time of grief.

“We thank the Lord for Bishop Arne and shine peace on his memory,” he concluded. “May he rest in peace and rise in glory!”

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African Church Leaders gather for regional ILC conference

by | Mar 5, 2024

Participants in the ILC’s 2024 Africa Regional Conference.

KENYA – From February 6-8, Lutheran church leaders from across Africa gathered in Nairobi for the International Lutheran Council’s (ILC) 2024 Africa Regional Conference. The bishops and presidents of 22 different African church bodies were in attendance, hailing from the nations of Benin, Burundi, Cöte d’Ivoire, Congo, Ghana, Kenya, Madagascar, Malawi, Nigeria, Rwanda, South Africa, South Sudan, Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, and Uganda.

LCN Archbishop Christian Ekong presents during the conference.

Archbishop Joseph Omolo of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Kenya (ELCK), the Africa Region representative on the ILC’s Board of Directors, welcomed participants to Kenya and formally opened the conference. The gathering featured a number of presenters. Archbishop Christian Ekong of the Lutheran Church of Nigeria (LCN) spoke on the Lord’s Supper and practice in the Lutheran Church. Bishop Modise Maragelo of the Lutheran Church in Southern Africa (LCSA) discussed experiences of ecumenism in the African context. The ILC’s General Secretary, Rev. Dr. Klaus Detlev Schulz, addressed church relations and altar and pulpit fellowship. ELCK Archbishop Emeritus Walter Obare shared his reflections on relationships with the ILC and other world church organizations. Finally, Rev. Dr. Tom Omolo, Principle of the ELCK’s Neema Lutheran College, addressed the call to the public ministry and the issue of women’s ordination in the African context.

ILC General Secretary Klaus Detlev Schulz presents during the conference.

“It was wonderful to gather with African church leaders to discuss these important issues,” said ILC General Secretary Schulz. “God has raised up strong leaders for the African church, and their faithfulness to Christ and His Word is a strong witness to Christians the world over. May God continue to bless the work He is doing through the member churches of the ILC in Africa.”

Preaching for Matins and Vespers over the three days were Bishop Yohana Nzelu of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Tanzania – Southeast of Lake Victoria Diocese (ELCT-SELVD); Bishop Charles Bameka of the Lutheran Church of Uganda (LCU); LCN Archbishop Ekong; Bishop Helmut Paul of the Free Evangelical Lutheran Synod in South Africa (FELSISA); and Bishop Peter Anibati of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Sudan and South Sudan (ELCSSS). Clergy from the ELCK served as liturgists.

Bishop John Donkoh of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Ghana leads discussion.

In addition to worship and lectures, participants at the conference also meet for regional meetings and conducted visits to various sites in Nairobi, including the offices of the Evangelical Lutheran of Kenya as well as Lutheran Heritage Foundation.

Participants also discussed the confusion that has arisen in the African context as a result of a recent doctrinal pronouncement in the Roman Catholic Church, which authorized its clergy to bless same-sex couples. In response, the ILC’s Africa Region adopted the following statement reaffirming their own adherence to historic Christian teaching in matters of human sexuality.

ILC Africa: Statement on the Blessing of Same-Sex Marriage

In response to the recent pronouncement by the Pope allowing Roman Catholic clergy to bless same-sex couples, and the support of same-sex marriage by civil authorities  (including some African countries), we the  International Lutheran Council (ILC)’s African Region, meeting in Nairobi from February 5-8, 2024, at Corat Africa, hereby affirm the ILC’s position that marriage is “the life-long union of one man and one woman and for the procreation and nurture of children.”

In this regard, sanctioning any other form of union, especially a same-sex union, is an affront to the authority of the Holy Scriptures and a direct opposition to the Law of God in the Sixth Commandment. It is our prayer that those who are falling into this vice may turn to the Word of God for guidance.

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Dr. Schumacher retires

by | Feb 16, 2024

Rev. Dr. Steven Schumacher (right) speaks during the ILC’s 2022 World Conference in Kenya.
Rev. Dr. Steven Schumacher.

WORLD – The International Lutheran Council (ILC) is expressing thanks for the service of Rev. Dr. Steven Schumacher, who recently entered into full retirement at the end of January 2024.

Dr. Schumacher served the ILC as Chief Accreditation Officer. During his tenure, he helped investigate the possibility of the ILC establishing an accreditation agency to assist emerging seminaries and theological institutions.

“We thank Dr. Schumacher for leading the ILC through this important process,’ said ILC General Secretary Klaus Detlev Schulz. “One of the ILC’s priorities is to encourage member churches in the development of theological curricula that form future pastors and church workers with a sound commitment to Scripture and the Lutheran Confessions. Dr. Schumacher played an important role in that work, and we are grateful for his service in support of theological education worldwide.”

With the conclusion of Dr. Schumacher’s work, the ILC’s Board of Directors has entered a period of renewed consideration of how best to support confessional Lutheran theological education going forward.

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Bishop Bameka reelected in Uganda

by | Feb 7, 2024

Participants pose following the installation of elected officials during the LCU’s 2023 National Synod Conference.

UGANDA – Delegates from across the Lutheran Church of Uganda (LCU) gathered for the church’s 7th National Synod Conference from December 7-10, 2023, during which time they reelected Bishop Charles Bameka to another term as National Presiding Bishop. The conference was held at Lutheran Theological College – Uganda in Magamaga.

LCU Bishop Charles Bameka.

Bishop Bameka was consecrated as the first bishop of the LCU in 2022, prior to which he had served the church body as its president. He previously served as Director of Lutheran Media Ministry Uganda. Bishop Bameka attended seminary in Accra, Ghana, and was ordained in 2001.

The conference opened with a worship service led by Archbishop Joseph Omolo of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Kenya (ELCK). Other international guests in attendance during the conference included Bishop John Donkoh of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Ghana (ELCG); Bishop David Tswaedi of the Confessional Lutheran Church in Southern Africa (CLCSA); Bishop Yohana Ernest Nzelu of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Tanzania’s South East of Lake Victoria Diocese (ELCT-SELVD); and Rev. Michael Frese, Deputy Director of Church Relations for The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS).

The convention also saw the election of Deans for the LCU’s seven deaneries, among other positions. All those elected during the conference were formally installed or reinstalled during Divine Service on December 10, 2023.

The Lutheran Church of Uganda is a member church of the International Lutheran Council (ILC), a global association of confessional Lutheran church bodies that proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ on the basis of an unconditional commitment to Scripture and the Lutheran Confessions.

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