Lutheran World Federation
The Lutheran World Federation is a global communion of national and regional Lutheran denominations headquartered in the Ecumenical Centre in Geneva, Switzerland. The federation was founded in the Swedish city of Lund in the aftermath of the Second World War in 1947 to coordinate the activities of the many differing Lutheran churches. Since 1984, the member churches are in pulpit and altar fellowship, with common doctrine as the basis of membership and mission activity.
The LWF has 154 member church bodies in 99 countries representing over 78 million Lutherans; as of 2023, it was the sixth-largest Christian communion. The LWF acts on behalf of its member churches in areas of common interest such as ecumenical and interfaith relations, theology, humanitarian assistance, human rights, communication, and the various aspects of mission and development work.
The Department for World Service is the LWF's humanitarian and development arm. It has programmes in 24 countries and is the UNHCR ninth largest implementing partner. The LWF is a member of ACT Alliance.
On 31 October 1999, in Augsburg, Germany, the LWF signed the Joint Declaration on the Doctrine of Justification with the Roman Catholic Church. The Catholic–Lutheran dialogue is a series of discussions that began during July 1964 as an outgrowth of the Second Vatican Council. The statement is an attempt to narrow the theological divide between the two faiths. The declaration also states that the mutual condemnations between 16th-century Catholic church and Lutheranism no longer apply. A similar event took place in Lund Cathedral on 31 October 2016, the 499th anniversary of the beginning of the Protestant Reformation, with the signing of the Statement on the 500th anniversary of the Protestant Reformation with Pope Francis and Bishop Munib Younan in a special Catholic-Lutheran dialogue.
As of 2016, 119 of the LWF's 145 member churches ordained women as ministers.
History
The LWF was founded at Lund, Sweden, in 1947. It replaced the more informal Lutheran World Convention, which had been founded in 1923 and assembled for conventions in 1923, 1929, and 1935. The headquarters are based in Geneva, Switzerland. The goal was to coordinate international activities of the many Lutheran churches, to provide a forum for discussions on theological and organizational issues, and to assist in philanthropy, missionary activity, and exchange of students and professors. A key leader was Executive Secretary Sylvester C. Michelfelder, representing the American Lutheran Church. He had been a leader in organizing $45 million in American help for the rebuilding of Protestant churches in Germany after 1945. By the time of his death in 1951, the federation represented 52 churches in 25 countries.Largest churches
The 20 largest member churches are :| Member Church | Reported Members |
| Ethiopian Evangelical Church Mekane Yesus | 12,000,000 |
| Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tanzania | 8,500,000 |
| Batak Christian Protestant Church | 6,333,000 |
| Church of Sweden | 5,484,000 |
| Church of Denmark | 4,253,575 |
| Malagasy Lutheran Church | 4,000,000 |
| Church of Norway | 3,611,670 |
| Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland | 3,579,616 |
| Andhra Evangelical Lutheran Church | 3,000,000 |
| Evangelical Lutheran Church in America | 2,904,686 |
| Evangelical Lutheran Church in Hanover | 2,302,547 |
| The Lutheran Church of Christ in Nigeria | 2,200,000 |
| Evangelical Lutheran Church in Bavaria | 2,143,233 |
| Evangelical Lutheran Church in Württemberg | 1,821,266 |
| Evangelical Lutheran Church in Northern Germany | 1,772,953 |
| Evangelical Lutheran Church of Papua New Guinea | 1,500,000 |
| Protestant Church in the Netherlands | 1,425,000 |
| Evangelical Lutheran Church in Namibia | 853,522 |
| Evangelical Lutheran Church in Cameroon | 700,000 |
Federation officials and leadership
The Lutheran World Federation has a dual leadership structure. The President serves as the moderator of the Council and the Assembly and as ecclesial leader of the Federation, while the General Secretary is the chief executive officer responsible for its administration and operations. According to the LWF Constitution, both serve as chief spokespersons of the Lutheran World Federation.President
The president presides at meetings of the Assembly, Council, and Executive Committee, and oversees the life and work of the federation in consultation with the General Secretary.| No. | Portrait | Name | Term | Church | Nationality | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1 | Anders Nygren | 1947–1952 | Church of Sweden |  Swedenfont|size=90%|text=General SecretaryThe Lutheran World Federation Council elects the General Secretary for a seven-year term. The person appointed is eligible for one re-election. The General Secretary conducts the business of the federation assisted by the Communion Office Leadership Team, comprising department and unit heads appointed by the council, and carries out the decisions of the Assembly and Council. Together with the President, the General Secretary serves as the chief spokesperson of the Lutheran World Federation. On 19 June 2021, the LWF Council elected Estonian theologian Anne Burghardt as the next General Secretary. She is the first woman and the first person from Central Eastern Europe to serve in this role and assumed office on 1 November of that year.
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United StatesInterlanguage link multi|Carl Lund-Quist|defont|size=90%|text=