Evangelical Lutheran Church of Lithuania
| Evangelical Lutheran Church in Lithuania | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Classification | Protestant |
| Orientation | Lutheranism |
| Polity | Episcopal |
| Primate | Mindaugas Sabutis |
| Associations |
Lutheran World Federation, World Council of Churches, Conference of European Churches, Porvoo Communion |
| Region | Lithuania |
| Origin | 1557 |
| Separated from | Roman Catholic Church |
| Congregations | 52 |
| Members | 20,000 |
| Official website | Official website |
The Evangelical Lutheran Church in Lithuania (Lithuanian: Lietuvos Evangelikų Liuteronų Bažnyčia, ELCL) is a Lutheran church body comprising congregations in Lithuania. The ELCL is a member of the Porvoo Communion and the Lutheran World Federation.
Reflecting its conservative confessional Lutheran stance, in 2000, the ELCL declared itself in full fellowship with the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod (U.S.). In 2013 the ELCL reported having 20,000 active members. There are 52 congregations, and around 30 ordained clergy, including the bishop and two deacons. The current Bishop (Lithuanian: Vyskupas) of the church is the Rt Revd Mindaugas Sabutis.
Around 0.56% of the population of Lithuania are members of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Lithuania.
The abbreviated name for the church is in Latin, Unitas Lithuaniae or in Polish, Jednota Litewska (Lithuanian church provincial union).
The Evangelical Lutheran Church of Lithuania dates back to the Reformation, when Kaunas, a large town in Lithuania, accepted the Augsburg Confession in 1550. In the 16th century Lutheranism started to spread from the two German-controlled neighbouring states of Livonia to the north and the Protestant formerly monastic, Teutonic State of Prussia to its south.
A united reformed church organization in Lithuania's church province can be counted from the year 1557 at the Synod in Vilnius on December 14 of that year. From that year the Synod met regularly forming all the church provinces of The Grand Duchy of Lithuania, at first from two and later growing to six districts and representative district synods. It sent its representatives to the General Polish/Lithuanian Synods; however in its administration it was in fact a self-governing Church. The first Superintendent was Simonas Zacijus (Szymon Zacjusz, approx 1507–1591).
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