Evangelical Lutheran Church of Ingria | |
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Classification | Protestant |
Orientation | Lutheranism |
Polity | Episcopal |
Region | Russia |
Origin | 1992 |
Separated from | Estonian Evangelical Lutheran Church |
Congregations | 75 |
Members | 18,000 |
Official website | www.elci.ru |
The Evangelical Lutheran Church of Ingria (Russian: Евангелическо-лютеранская церковь Ингрии, Yevangelichesko-lyuteranskaya tserkov Ingriyi; Finnish: Inkerin evankelis-luterilainen kirkko; also the Church of Ingria) is a Lutheran church in Russia. It is the second largest Lutheran church in Russia, with 75 congregations and 18,000 members, and is mostly active in Ingria and Karelia. The church was established in 1992, following the separation from the Estonian Evangelical Lutheran Church, though the first Lutheran parish in Ingria was founded in 1611, and the church recognises this date as the date of its original foundation.
The history of the church is deeply connected with the history of the Ingrian Finns, and the church follows the Nordic Lutheran tradition, though being more conservative. It is a member of both the Lutheran World Federation and the International Lutheran Council.
The church is organised in seven provostships: Western Ingria, Saint Petersburg, Karelia, Moscow, Volga, Ural, and Siberia.