International Lutheran Council: Difference between revisions

==History==

The origins of the ILC go back to a meeting at [[Uelzen, Germany]], in July 1952 by Lutherans who were not happy with the theological course being taken by the Lutheran World Federation. Among the participants were delegates from the Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod who had been observers at the LWF assembly in [[Hannover]]. Other delegates were present from churches affiliated with the LCMS from Germany, Australia, Denmark, and the United Kingdom. Two further meetings were held, in [[Oakland, California]], in 1958 and in [[Cambridge, England]], in August 1963. At the latter meeting it was decided to create a permanent organization, a "Continuation Committee", to act for the group in between meetings, which were now dubbed '''International Lutheran Theological Conferences'''. The committee was also tasked with publishing a theological journal and a committee bulletin, and with facilitating exchanges of pastors, theological professors, and students. However, the meeting explicitly disclaimed it was founding a group in opposition to the LWF.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|last=Pearce|first=E. Geo|last2=Ahlers|first2=Peter H. F.|title=International Lutheran Conference - Summary of International Conferences|url=http://www.ilc-online.org/files/2012/01/Summary-ILC-Conferencess.pdf|url-status=live|access-date=2021-12-27|website=International Lutheran Council}}</ref>

Five more "theological conferences" were held until the name was shortened to International Lutheran Conference at the Eighth Conference in [[Porto Alegre]], [[Rio Grande do Sul]], [[Brazil]]. Resolutions passed during this period described the ILC as a partnership, forum, or "group of independent Lutheran churches".<ref name=":2">Pearce & Ahlers pp.8-10</ref> At the Fifteenth Conference in [[Antigua, Guatemala]], the group decided on creating a more formal structure as an association of churches and adopted a set of ''Guiding Principles'' that would serve as a constitution and theological point of reference. The "Continuation Committee" was replaced by an "Executive Council".<ref>Pearce & Ahlers pp.15-6</ref><ref>''[http://www.ilc-online.org/files/2011/10/ILC-Constitution.pdf Constitution/Guiding Principles]''</ref>

At the 2018 World Conference meeting, held in [[Antwerp]], [[Belgium]], on 25–26 September 2018, the ILC voted to admit 17 new church bodies, 11 as full members and 6 as associate members. This increased the church members of ILC to 54 and their faithful to 7.15 million members.<ref name="ILC Welcomes">{{cite web |url=https://ilc-online.org/2018/09/26/ilc-welcomes-17-new-member-churches-representing-4-15-million-lutherans-worldwide/ |title=ILC welcomes 17 new member churches representing 4,15 million Lutherans worldwide |website=International Lutheran Council |date=26 September 2018}}</ref>

At the 2022 World Conference meeting, the [[Evangelical Lutheran Church of Latvia]] was accepted as a full member.<ref name=":2" /> It had already been accepted as an observer member in February 2022.<ref name=":1" />

 

==Members==