Lutheran Church - International
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The Lutheran Church - International (LC-I) is a confessional Lutheran Christian denomination of Evangelical Catholic churchmanship.[1][2] Founded in 1967, it is based in Lyons, New York with a global presence. The LC-I has an episcopal polity, with four dioceses in North America, including the Northeastern Diocese, the Mid-America Diocese, the Southern Diocese, and the Western Diocese.[3] A Missionary District for Latin and Caribbean ministries is based in Puerto Rico. The LC-I also has ministry outreach in India. The current archbishop of the LC-I is Robert W. Hotes.
| Lutheran Church - International | |
|---|---|
| Classification | Lutheran |
| Orientation | Evangelical Catholic Confessional Lutheran |
| Polity | Episcopal |
| Founder | Edward Tornow |
| Origin | 1967 North Dakota |
| Congregations | 15 |
| Members | 1000 |
| Other name | International Lutheran Fellowship (1967–2011) |
| Official website | www |
Background
The Church's president from 1967 to 1998 was Pastor E. Edward Tornow of North Dakota.[4] From 1967 to 2011 the LC-I was known as the International Lutheran Fellowship.[5]
The Lutheran Church-International describes itself as "Confessional", "Orthodox", "Ecumenical (within the understandings based on the Book of Concord)", and "Evangelical".[6] Confessionally, it adheres to the "Gospel of Jesus Christ as faithfully witnessed by the Augsburg Confession of 1530, and the Book of Concord".[7] As an orthodox Christian body, "the LC-I maintains a traditional, faithful understanding of Lutheranism within the church catholic".[8] Further, the LC-I has stated that it will "work with faithful Christians globally", and "internally with those church bodies with whom theological cooperation is possible".[9] Finally, the LC-I sees itself as "a church of the Great Commission", seeking to "make disciples of all nations".[10]
Threefold ministry
The Lutheran Church–International has an Evangelical Catholic churchmanship and teaches that its clergy are ordained in lines of apostolic succession.[11] The Lutheran Church–International has a threefold ministry of bishops, priests, and deacons. As with other Confessional Lutheran bodies, the Lutheran Church - International ordains men as priests and bishops, though both men and women may serve as deacons.[12]
The Lutheran World Parish is a unique ministry within the LC-I. A current LC-I brochure states that the Lutheran World Parish consists of "Individuals desiring to affiliate with the LC-I, but who are not near (a)...congregation".[13]
Religious orders
The Lutheran Church - International is associated with the Congregation of the Servants of Christ at St. Augustine’s House, a Lutheran monastery in Oakland County, Michigan. It was founded in 1958 by Arthur Carl Kreinheder, who was ordained in the Church of Sweden.[14]
Established in 2006, the Order of St. Francis-Lutheran (OSF-L) is another ministry of the Lutheran Church-International. The Order is based in St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada and is headed by the Rev. Larry J. Goodnough. Goodnough was commissioned as the OSF-L Superior by Bishop Bougher of the LC-I Northeastern Diocese. The Rev. William Babbitt of Florida serves as U.S. Superior. The OSF-L is a ministry of lay persons and clergy in the spirit of Francis of Assisi, not a religious order.