Evangelical Lutheran Church (United States)
Encyclopedia
The Evangelical Lutheran Church or ELC was formed in 1917 as the Norwegian Lutheran Church of America (NLCA).
(est. 1876), the Norwegian Synod (est. 1853), and the United Norwegian Lutheran Church of America
(est. 1890). The NLCA changed its name to The Evangelical Lutheran Church (ELC) in 1946. In 1960, the ELC joined with other Lutheran churches to form the American Lutheran Church
. This coalescence of Lutheran churches continued into recent times, with the ALC joining others to form the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
(ELCA) in 1988.
Background
The Norwegian Lutheran Church of America was formed by merger of the Hauge SynodHauge Synod
The Hauge Synod, was the name of a Norwegian Lutheran church body in the United States in the late 19th century and early 20th century.-Background:...
(est. 1876), the Norwegian Synod (est. 1853), and the United Norwegian Lutheran Church of America
United Norwegian Lutheran Church of America
The United Norwegian Lutheran Church of America was the result of the union formed in 1890 between the Norwegian Augustana Synod , the Conference of the Norwegian-Danish Evangelical Lutheran Church of America , and the Anti-Missourian Brotherhood .In 1897, a group of churches left the UNLC and...
(est. 1890). The NLCA changed its name to The Evangelical Lutheran Church (ELC) in 1946. In 1960, the ELC joined with other Lutheran churches to form the American Lutheran Church
American Lutheran Church
The American Lutheran Church was a Christian Protestant denomination in the United States that existed from 1960 to 1987. Its headquarters was in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Upon its formation in 1960, the ALC designated Augsburg Publishing House , also located in Minneapolis, as the church publisher...
. This coalescence of Lutheran churches continued into recent times, with the ALC joining others to form the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America is a mainline Protestant denomination headquartered in Chicago, Illinois. The ELCA officially came into existence on January 1, 1988, by the merging of three churches. As of December 31, 2009, it had 4,543,037 baptized members, with 2,527,941 of them...
(ELCA) in 1988.
Colleges associated with the ELC
- Augustana College (South Dakota)Augustana College (South Dakota)Augustana College is a private, liberal arts college affiliated with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America located in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, United States. The campus makes the school the largest private university in South Dakota...
- Concordia College, MoorheadConcordia College, MoorheadConcordia College is a private liberal arts school located in Moorhead, Minnesota, United States. It is affiliated with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and offers bachelors' degrees in the arts and music, as well as a master's degree in education. The college was founded by Norwegian...
- Luther CollegeLuther College (Iowa)Luther College is a four-year, residential liberal arts institution of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, located in Decorah, Iowa, USA...
- Pacific Lutheran UniversityPacific Lutheran UniversityPacific Lutheran University is located in Parkland, a suburb of Tacoma, Washington. In September 2009, PLU had a student population of 3,582 and approximately 280 full-time faculty...
- St. Olaf CollegeSt. Olaf CollegeSt. Olaf College is a coeducational, residential, four-year, private liberal arts college in Northfield, Minnesota, United States. It was founded in 1874 by a group of Norwegian-American immigrant pastors and farmers, led by Pastor Bernt Julius Muus. The college is named after Olaf II of Norway,...
- Waldorf CollegeWaldorf CollegeWaldorf College, located in Forest City, Iowa, is a four-year liberal arts, for-profit college.Founded in 1903, the college was affiliated with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America until 2009, when, due to financial problems, the college was sold to for-profit Mayes Education, owner of...
(junior college at that time)
Presidents of the ELC
- Hans Gerhard StubHans Gerhard StubHans Gerhard Stub was an American Lutheran theologian and church leader. He served as Bishop of the Norwegian Lutheran Church in America.-Background:...
, 1917–1925 - Johan Arnd AasgaardJohan Arnd AasgaardJohan Arnd Aasgaard was an American Lutheran church leader.-Biography:Johan Arnd Aasgaard was born in Albert Lea, Minnesota. He was educated at St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minnesota . He graduated from the United Church Seminary in Saint Paul, Minnesota...
, 1925–1954 - Fredrik A. SchiotzFredrik A. SchiotzRev. Dr. Fredrik Axel Schiotz was an American Lutheran Church leader, president of the Evangelical Lutheran Church, President of the Lutheran World Federation and Presiding Bishop of The American Lutheran Church.-Biography:...
, 1954–1960
Conventions of the ELC
From 1917 to 1926 a general convention was held triennially. There was need of holding several extraordinary conventions, so beginning in 1928 (called the 8th) it was held biennially with the general convention always falling on the even numbered years. Voting members of the conventions were pastors who were currently serving congregations of the Church, and one lay representative from each parish consisting of one congregation and two representatives from each parish consisting of two or more congregations.- Organizing convention, 1917 , Saint Paul, Minnesota
- 1st extraordinary, 1918 , Fargo, North Dakota
- 1st general convention, 1920 , Minneapolis, Minnesota
- 2nd extraordinary convention, 1922 , Minneapolis, Minnesota
- 2nd general convention, 1923 , Saint Paul, Minnesota
- 3rd extraordinary convention, 1925, Saint Paul, Minnesota
- 3rd general convention, 1926 , Minneapolis, Minnesota
- 8th general convention, 1928, Minneapolis, Minnesota
- 9th general convention, 1930, Minneapolis, Minnesota
- 10th general convention, 1932, Minneapolis, Minnesota
- 11th general convention, 1934, Minneapolis, Minnesota
- 12th general convention, 1936, Minneapolis, Minnesota
- 13th general convention, 1938, Minneapolis, Minnesota
- 14th general convention, 1940, Minneapolis, Minnesota
- 15th general convention, 1942, Minneapolis, Minnesota
- 16th general convention, 1944, Minneapolis, Minnesota
- 17th general convention, 1946, Minneapolis, Minnesota
- 18th general convention, 1948, Minneapolis, Minnesota
- 19th general convention, 1950, Minneapolis, Minnesota
- 20th general convention, 1952, Minneapolis, Minnesota
- 21st general convention, 1954, Minneapolis, Minnesota
- 22nd general convention, 1956, Minneapolis, Minnesota
- 23rd general convention, 1958, Minneapolis, Minnesota
- 24th general convention, 1960, Minneapolis, Minnesota
See also
- The Norwegian Lutheran Church in the United StatesThe Norwegian Lutheran Church in the United StatesThe Norwegian Lutheran Church in the United States is a general term to describe the Lutheran church tradition developed within the United States by immigrants from Norway.-Background:...
- Evangelical Lutheran SynodEvangelical Lutheran SynodThe Evangelical Lutheran Synod or ELS is a US-based Protestant Christian denomination based in Mankato, Minnesota, USA. It describes itself as a conservative, Confessional Lutheran body.-Membership:...