All Topics  
Independent Evangelical-Lutheran Church

 

 
   Email Print
   Bookmark   Link
 

 

Independent Evangelical-Lutheran Church
 
 
  Topics Independent Evangelical-Lutheran Church Topic Home

The Independent Evangelical-Lutheran Church (Selbständige Evangelisch-Lutherische Kirche, or SELK) is a confessional
Confessional Lutheran

Confessional Lutheran is a name used by certain Lutheranism Christianity to designate themselves as those who accept the doctrines taught in the Book of Concord of 1580 in their entirety, because they believe them to be completely faithful to the teachings of the Bible....
 Lutheran church body of Germany
Germany

Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a country in Central Europe. It is bordered to the north by the North Sea, Denmark, and the Baltic Sea; to the east by Poland and the Czech Republic; to the south by Austria and Switzerland; and to the west by France, Luxembourg, Belgium, and the Netherlands....
. It is a member of the European Lutheran Conference and a member of the International Lutheran Council
International Lutheran Council

The International Lutheran Council is a worldwide association of Confessional Lutheran Lutheranism denominations. It is to be distinguished from the Lutheran World Federation, which represents the larger, more theologically inclusive Lutheran churches....
 (ILC) (of which the Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod
Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod

The Lutheran Church?Missouri Synod , founded in 1847 in Chicago, is the eighth largest Protestantism denomination in the United States, and the second-largest Lutheranism body in the U.S....
 of North America is also a member). The SELK synod has about 36,000 members in 200 congregations. The seat of SELK is in Hanover
Hanover

Hanover or Hannover#Definitions , on the river Leine, is the capital city of the Federal states of Germany of Lower Saxony , Germany and was once by personal union the family seat of the House of Hanover, in their dignities as the dukes of Brunswick-L?neburg ....
.

817, King Frederick William III
Frederick William III of Prussia

Frederick William III was king of Kingdom of Prussia from 1797 to 1840....
 of Prussia
Prussia

Prussia was, most recently, a historic state originating out of the Duchy of Prussia and the Margraviate of Brandenburg. This state had for centuries substantial influence on Germany and European history....
 ordered the Lutheran and Reformed churches in his territory to unite, forming the Evangelical Church of the Prussian Union
Prussian Union (Evangelical Christian Church)

The Prussian Union was the merger of the Lutheranism Church and the Reformed churches Church in Prussia, by a series of decrees by Frederick William III of Prussia....
, a predecessor to today's Evangelical Church in Germany
Evangelical Church in Germany

Evangelical Church in Germany is a federation of 23 regional Lutheran, Reformed churches and United and uniting churches Protestant churches. In fact only one member church is not restricted to a certain territory....
.






Discussion
Ask a question about 'Independent Evangelical-Lutheran Church'
Start a new discussion about 'Independent Evangelical-Lutheran Church'
Answer questions from other users
Full Discussion Forum



Encyclopedia


The Independent Evangelical-Lutheran Church (Selbständige Evangelisch-Lutherische Kirche, or SELK) is a confessional
Confessional Lutheran

Confessional Lutheran is a name used by certain Lutheranism Christianity to designate themselves as those who accept the doctrines taught in the Book of Concord of 1580 in their entirety, because they believe them to be completely faithful to the teachings of the Bible....
 Lutheran church body of Germany
Germany

Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a country in Central Europe. It is bordered to the north by the North Sea, Denmark, and the Baltic Sea; to the east by Poland and the Czech Republic; to the south by Austria and Switzerland; and to the west by France, Luxembourg, Belgium, and the Netherlands....
. It is a member of the European Lutheran Conference and a member of the International Lutheran Council
International Lutheran Council

The International Lutheran Council is a worldwide association of Confessional Lutheran Lutheranism denominations. It is to be distinguished from the Lutheran World Federation, which represents the larger, more theologically inclusive Lutheran churches....
 (ILC) (of which the Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod
Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod

The Lutheran Church?Missouri Synod , founded in 1847 in Chicago, is the eighth largest Protestantism denomination in the United States, and the second-largest Lutheranism body in the U.S....
 of North America is also a member). The SELK synod has about 36,000 members in 200 congregations. The seat of SELK is in Hanover
Hanover

Hanover or Hannover#Definitions , on the river Leine, is the capital city of the Federal states of Germany of Lower Saxony , Germany and was once by personal union the family seat of the House of Hanover, in their dignities as the dukes of Brunswick-L?neburg ....
.

History

In 1817, King Frederick William III
Frederick William III of Prussia

Frederick William III was king of Kingdom of Prussia from 1797 to 1840....
 of Prussia
Prussia

Prussia was, most recently, a historic state originating out of the Duchy of Prussia and the Margraviate of Brandenburg. This state had for centuries substantial influence on Germany and European history....
 ordered the Lutheran and Reformed churches in his territory to unite, forming the Evangelical Church of the Prussian Union
Prussian Union (Evangelical Christian Church)

The Prussian Union was the merger of the Lutheranism Church and the Reformed churches Church in Prussia, by a series of decrees by Frederick William III of Prussia....
, a predecessor to today's Evangelical Church in Germany
Evangelical Church in Germany

Evangelical Church in Germany is a federation of 23 regional Lutheran, Reformed churches and United and uniting churches Protestant churches. In fact only one member church is not restricted to a certain territory....
. As the uniting of Lutheran and Reformed Christians in Germany proceeded, some Lutheran groups dissented and formed independent churches, especially in Prussia, Saxony, Hanover and Hesse. These traditional Lutherans held that Reformed doctrine and Lutheran doctrine are contradictory on many points (especially on the nature of the Real Presence
Real Presence

The Real Presence is the term various Christian traditions use to express their belief that, in the Eucharist, Jesus Christ is really present in what was previously just bread and wine, and not merely present in symbol, as a figure of speech , or by his power ....
 of Christ in the Lord's Supper
Lord's Supper

The Lord's Supper may refer to:*Eucharist, a rite in Christianity*The Last Supper, the last meal Jesus shared with his disciples....
), and such doctrinal differences preclude altar fellowship.

The confessional Lutherans were persecuted during the 1800s by the state. Many of them were not allowed to have church services or get their children baptized or confirmed according to the liturgy of the Lutheran Church. In some areas of Germany, it took decades until the Confessional Lutherans were granted religious freedom.

In 1972 most of the Confessional Lutheran Church bodies in West Germany united to form the SELK. In 1991 the East German Evangelisch-Lutherische (altlutherische) Kirche (the Evangelical-Lutheran (Old-Lutheran) Church) joined the SELK.

Doctrine


Basics


SELK's doctrine based on the Bible, consisting of the Old and New Testaments, which is God's inerrant and infallible Word, and on the Book of Concord, because (quia) the Lutheran Confessions are corresponding with the holy scripture. These Confessions are:

  • Apostles Creed
  • Nicene Creed
    Nicene Creed

    The Nicene Creed is the creed or profession of faith that is most widely used in Christianity liturgy. It is called Nicene because, in its original form, it was adopted in the city of Iznik by the first ecumenical council, which met there in 325....
  • Athanasian Creed
    Athanasian Creed

    The Athanasian Creed is a statement of Christianity Trinity doctrine and Christology which has been used in Western Christianity since the sixth century A.D....
  • The unaltered Augsburg Confession
    Augsburg Confession

    The Augsburg Confession, also known as the "Augustana" from its Latin name, Confessio Augustana, is the primary confession of faith of the Lutheran Church....
  • The Apology of the unaltered Augsburg Confession
  • The Smalcald Articles
    Smalcald Articles

    The Smalcald Articles or Schmalkald Articles are a summary of Lutheranism doctrine, written by Martin Luther in 1537 for a meeting of the Schmalkaldic League in preparation for an intended ecumenical Council of the Church....
  • The small Catechism of Dr. Martin Luther
  • The Large Catechism of Dr. Martin Luther
  • The Formula of Concord
    Formula of Concord

    Formula of Concord is an authoritative Lutheran statement of faith that, in its two parts , makes up the final section of the Lutheran Corpus Doctrinae or Body of Doctrine, known as the Book of Concord ....


SELK holds to confessional Lutheran doctrine, similar to that of the Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod in the U.S. SELK has declined to join the Lutheran World Federation
Lutheran World Federation

The Lutheran World Federation is a global communion of national and regional Lutheranism churches headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland, Switzerland....
, viewing that body as being too liberal theologically. However, the even more conservative (some say fundamentalistic) Evangelical Lutheran Free Church (Germany)
Evangelical Lutheran Free Church (Germany)

The Evangelical Lutheran Free Church is a small Confessional Lutheran Lutheran denomination based in Germany and western Austria. It currently consists of 1,600 members in 15 congregations, primarily located in former East Germany....
, formerly in communion with SELK, suspended relations in 1987 over perceived doctrinal laxity within SELK itself.

SELK does not ordain women as priests/pastors, and is strictly against blessing gay couples. This is in contrast to the German mainline Protestant churches, which do ordain women to ministry and allow blessing gay couples. The liberal mainline Protestant churches (about 25 million members) are organized in the Evangelical Church in Germany
Evangelical Church in Germany

Evangelical Church in Germany is a federation of 23 regional Lutheran, Reformed churches and United and uniting churches Protestant churches. In fact only one member church is not restricted to a certain territory....
 (Evangelische Kirche in Deutschland, EKD).

Church Structure

On top there is a bishop. He is elected by the synod. Today's bishop ist Hans-Jörg Voigt. The Headquarter is in Hanover, which is managed by the executive dean Michael Schätzel. The SELK is divided in 4 main districts, with a provost on top. The 4 main districts are divided again in under districts, with a superintendent on top.

  • Main district North: Provost Johannes Rehr
    • divided in districts: Lower Saxony West, Lower Saxony East, Lower Saxony South.
  • Main district East: Provost Gert Kelter
    • divided in districts: Berlin-Brandenburg, Saxony-Thuringia, Lausitz
  • Main district West: Provost Carsten Voss
    • divided in districts: Westphalia, Rhineland
  • Main district South: Provost Klaus-Peter Czwikla
    • divided in districts: Hesse North, Hesse South, South Germany


Bishops since 1972


  • 1972 - 1985: Most Reverent Bishop Dr. theol. Gerhard Rost, LL.D.
  • 1985 - 1997: Most Reverent Bishop Dr. theol. Jobst Schöne, D.D.
  • 1997 - 2006: Most Reverent Bishop Dr. theol. Diethardt Roth
  • since 2006: Most Reverent Bishop Hans-Jörg Voigt


Church institutions


Mission

The mission outreach of SELK is led by its mission society in Bleckmar in Lower Saxony near Celle, called Lutherische Kirchenmission (Bleckmarer Mission) e. V. They missionaries and projects in South-Africa, Botswana, Germany and Brasila.

Education

The theological seminary is in Oberursel, near Frankurt/Main. All SELK pastors have to make a part of their studies there. The professors are pastors of SELK. The seminary is accepted by the German state.

Other church institutions

For different aspects of church life SELK has a lot of other institutions like an institution for youth, church music, worship service for children, liturgy commission, commission for church education and lot of more.

Relationship with other church bodies


Fellowship


Full communion and fellowship has SELK with those confessional Lutheran churches, which have the same teaching and Lutheran doctrine, for example:

  1. Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod
  2. Lutheran Church - Canada
    Lutheran Church - Canada

    Lutheran Church?Canada was founded in 1988 when most of the religion in Canada congregations of St. Louis-based the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod formed an autonomous Canadian church body ....
  3. Free Evangelical-Lutheran Church in South Africa
  4. Evangelical Lutheran Church of England
    Evangelical Lutheran Church of England

    The Evangelical Lutheran Church of England is a Confessional Lutheran synod in the United Kingdom. It has Wiktionary:congregation in England, Wales and Scotland....


Partnership

With same Lutheran churches in Eastern Europe SELK has a contract about partnership relations:

  • Evangelical Lutheran Church of Latvia
    Evangelical Lutheran Church of Latvia

    The Evangelical Lutheran Church of Latvia is a Lutheranism Protestant church in Latvia. Latvia?s Lutheran heritage dates back to the Protestant Reformation....
  • Evangelical Lutheran Church of Lithuania
    Evangelical Lutheran Church of Lithuania

    The Evangelical Lutheran Church of Lithuania dates back to the Protestant Reformation, when Kaunas, a large town in Lithuania, accepted the Augsburg Confession in 1550....


See also

  • Prussian Union (Evangelical Christian Church)
    Prussian Union (Evangelical Christian Church)

    The Prussian Union was the merger of the Lutheranism Church and the Reformed churches Church in Prussia, by a series of decrees by Frederick William III of Prussia....
  • Old Lutherans
    Old Lutherans

    Old Lutherans refers to those German Lutheranism who refused to join the Prussian Union in the 1830s and 1840s.Attempted suppression of the Old Lutherans led many to immigrate to Australia and the United States, resulting in the creation of significant Lutheran Christian denomination in those countries....


External links