Independent Evangelical-Lutheran Church

German Lutheran denomination

Independent Evangelical-Lutheran Church

Abbreviation| SELK
Classification| Protestant
Orientation| Confessional Lutheran
Polity| Episcopal
Leader| Bishop Hans-Jörg Voigt
Distinct fellowships| Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod, Lutheran Church – Canada
Associations| International Lutheran Council, European Lutheran Conference
Region| Germany
Origin| 25\. June 1972,
(Old Lutherans 1830)
Branched from| Prussian Lutheran Church
Merger of| Evangelical Lutheran Church in Prussia and other independent West German Lutheran churches (1972)
Absorbed| Evangelical-Lutheran (Old-Lutheran) Church of East Germany (1991)
Congregations| 174[1]
Members| 33,474[1]
Ministers| 111 Pastors[1]
Other name(s)| German: Selbständige Evangelisch-Lutherische Kirche
Official website| www.selk.de

The Independent Evangelical-Lutheran Church (German: Selbständige Evangelisch-Lutherische Kirche, abbreviated SELK) is a confessional Lutheran church body of Germany. It is a member of the European Lutheran Conference and of the International Lutheran Council (ILC) (of which the Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod of North America is also a member). The SELK has about 33,000 members in 174 congregations.[1] The seat of SELK is in Hanover.

## History[edit]

Bishop Hans-Jörg Voigt

In 1817, King Frederick William III of Prussia ordered the Lutheran and Reformed churches in his territory to unite, forming the Evangelical Church of the Prussian Union, a predecessor to today's Union of Evangelical Churches. 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 Lutherans held that Reformed doctrine and Lutheran doctrine are contradictory on many points (especially on the nature of the Real Presence of Christ in the Lord's Supper), and that such doctrinal differences precluded altar fellowship. So in the 1820s and 1830s Lutherans in Prussia and their congregations formed a new Lutheran church, recognised by the king in 1845 as the Evangelisch-Lutherische Kirche in Preußen (Evangelical Lutheran Church in Prussia). It was seated in Breslau and presided over by the Oberkirchenkollegium (Supreme Church Collegial Body).

The confessional Lutherans were persecuted during the first half of 19th century by the state. Many of them were not allowed to hold church services or have 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[edit]

### Basics[edit]

Holy Cross Lutheran Church, Berlin (de)

The SELK bases its teaching on the Bible, consisting of the Old and New Testaments, which it confesses to be God's inerrant and infallible Word. The specific doctrines taught in the SELK are contained in the Book of Concord, to which SELK pastors profess a "quia" subscription, meaning that they subscribe to them, "quia" (because) they correspond to the Bible. These Confessions are:

* The Apostles' Creed
* The Nicene Creed
* The Athanasian Creed
* The Augsburg Confession (1530)
* The Apology of the Augsburg Confession
* The Smalcald Articles
* The Small Catechism of Dr. Martin Luther
* The Large Catechism of Dr. Martin Luther
* The Formula of Concord

The SELK has declined to join the Lutheran World Federation, viewing that body as theologically too liberal. Nevertheless, the Evangelical Lutheran Free Church (Germany), formerly in communion with the SELK, suspended relations in 1987 over perceived doctrinal laxity within SELK.

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

## Church structure[edit]

The bishop of the SELK is elected by the synod. The current bishop is Hans-Jörg Voigt. The main office of the SELK is in Hannover and is managed by the executive dean Michael Schätzel. The SELK is divided in four main districts, with a provost heading each one. These four districts are divided again in sub-districts, each in turn led by a superintendent.

* North district: Provost Dr. Daniel Schmidt
* Sub-districts: Lower Saxony East and Lower Saxony South
* East district: Provost Gert Kelter
* Sub-districts: Berlin-Brandenburg, Saxony-Thuringia, and Lausitz
* West district: Provost Burkhard Kurz
* Sub-districts: Rhineland-Westphalia and Lower Saxony West
* South district: Provost Manfred Holst
* Sub-districts: Hesse North, Hesse South, and South Germany

## Bishops since 1972[edit]

* 1972–1985: Most Reverend Bishop Dr. theol. Gerhard Rost, LL.D.
* 1985–1997: Most Reverend Bishop Dr. theol. Jobst Schöne, D.D.
* 1997–2006: Most Reverend Bishop Dr. theol. Diethardt Roth
* 2006–present: Most Reverend Bishop Hans-Jörg Voigt, D.D.

## Church institutions[edit]

### Mission[edit]

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. It has missionaries and projects in South-Africa, Botswana, Germany, and Brazil.

### Education[edit]

The theological seminary is in Oberursel, near Frankurt/Main. All SELK pastors take part of their studies there. The professors are pastors of SELK. The seminary is accredited by the German state.

### Other church institutions[edit]

For different aspects of church life the SELK has a number of other institutions, such as an institution for youth, church music, worship service for children, a liturgy commission, and a commission for church education.

## Relationship with other church bodies[edit]

### Fellowship[edit]

The SELK has full communion and fellowship with several Lutheran churches that have the same teaching and Lutheran doctrine, for example:

1. Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod
2. Lutheran Church – Canada
3. Free Evangelical-Lutheran Synod in South Africa
4. Evangelical Lutheran Church of England
5. Lutheran Church in Southern Africa
6. The Mission province in Sweden

### Partnership[edit]

The SELK has a contract about partnership relations with several Lutheran churches in Eastern Europe:

* Evangelical Lutheran Church of Latvia
* Evangelical Lutheran Church of Lithuania

## See also[edit]

* Christianity portal

* Prussian Union of churches
* Old Lutherans

## References[edit]

1. ^ a b c d "Strukturen und Zahlen". Selbständige Evangelisch-Lutherische Kirche. Retrieved March 5, 2018.

## External links[edit]

* Official website (in German)

* v
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* e

Christianity in Germany

Eastern Christianity|

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Orthodox
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* Archdiocese of Russian Orthodox churches in Western Europe
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True Orthodox|

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Oriental Orthodox
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Nestorian|

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Catholic|

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Western Christianity|

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Old Catholic[a]|

* Old Catholic Church[b]

Independent[a]|

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Proto-Protestant|

| Hussite|

* Moravian Church[c]

|

Protestant
(Main article)|

| Protestant
Church in
Germany[c]|

| Lutheran[d]|

| United Evangelical
Lutheran Church
of Germany|

* Bavaria
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* Northern Germany
* Saxony
* Schaumburg-Lippe

|

* Oldenburg
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Union of
Protestant
Churches|

| United[d]|

* Anhalt
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* Bremen[e]
* Central Germany[f]
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|

Calvinist|

| Landeskirche|

* Church of Lippe[e]

|

* Evangelical Reformed Church[e]

Free
Churches|

| Lutheran|

| Confessional|

* Evangelical Lutheran Free Church
* Independent Evangelical-Lutheran Church

|

* Danish Church[c]
* Evangelical Lutheran Church in Baden

Calvinist|

* Evangelical Old-Reformed Church in Lower Saxony[e]

Anglican|

* Church of England

Anabaptist|

* Amish
* Bruderhof
* Hutterites
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* Schwarzenau Brethren

Baptist|

* International Baptist Convention
* Union of Evangelical Free Churches in Germany

Methodist|

* Evangelical Methodist Church[c]

Adventist|

* Sabbath Rest Advent Church
* Seventh-day Adventist Church
* Seventh Day Adventist Reform Movement

Pentecostal|

* Federation of Pentecostal Churches
* Volksmission- The People’s Mission of Decided Christians
* Gemeinde Gottes – Church of God

Other|

* Open Brethren

Restorationist|

* New Apostolic Church
* Jehovah's Witnesses
* The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Germany

Interdenominational
organisations|

* German Evangelical Alliance

1. ^ a b Not in communion with the rest of the Catholic Church
2. ^ Part of the Union of Utrecht
3. ^ a b c d Part of the Communion of Protestant Churches in Europe
4. ^ a b All of them Landeskirche
5. ^ a b c d e f g h Part of the Reformed Alliance
6. ^ Part of the United Evangelical Lutheran Church of Germany as well

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Churches in the International Lutheran Council

Africa

| Benin|

* Lutheran Church in Africa – Benin Synod

|

Burkina Faso|

* Evangelical Lutheran Church of Burkina Faso

Ghana|

* Evangelical Lutheran Church of Ghana

Kenya|

* Evangelical Lutheran Church in Kenya

Liberia|

* Evangelical Lutheran Church of Liberia

Madagascar|

* Malagasy Lutheran Church

Nigeria|

* The Lutheran Church of Nigeria

Rwanda|

* Lutheran Mission in Africa – Synod of Thousand Hills

South Africa|

* Free Evangelical Lutheran Synod in South Africa
* Lutheran Church in Southern Africa
* St. Peter Confessional Lutheran Synod of South Africa

South Sudan|

* South Sudan Evangelical Lutheran Church

Togo|

* Lutheran Church of Togo

Uganda|

* Lutheran Church of Uganda

Asia and Oceania

| Australia|

* Lutheran Church of Australia

|

China - Hong Kong|

* Lutheran Church-Hong Kong Synod

China - Taiwan|

* China Evangelical Lutheran Church
* The Lutheran Church of the Republic of China

India|

* India Evangelical Lutheran Church

Indonesia|

* Indonesian Lutheran Christian Church

Japan|

* Japan Lutheran Church

Myanmar|

* Myanmar Lutheran Church

South Korea|

* Lutheran Church in Korea

Papua New Guinea|

* Gutnius Lutheran Church

Philippines|

* Lutheran Church in the Philippines

Sri Lanka|

* Ceylon Evangelical Lutheran Church

Europe

| Belgium|

* Evangelical Lutheran Church – Synod of France and Belgium

|

Denmark|

* Evangelical Lutheran Free Church in Denmark

Finland|

* Evangelical Lutheran Mission Diocese of Finland

France|

* Evangelical Lutheran Church – Synod of France and Belgium

Germany|

* Independent Evangelical-Lutheran Church

Latvia|

* Evangelical Lutheran Church of Latvia

Norway|

* Lutheran Church in Norway
* Evangelical Lutheran Diocese of Norway

Portugal|

* Portuguese Evangelical Lutheran Church

Russia|

* Evangelical Lutheran Church of Ingria in Russia
* Siberian Evangelical Lutheran Church

Spain|

* Spanish Evangelical Lutheran Church

Sweden|

* Mission Province

United Kingdom|

* Evangelical Lutheran Church of England

Latin America

| Argentina|

* Evangelical Lutheran Church of Argentina

|

Bolivia|

* Christian Evangelical Lutheran Church of Bolivia

Brazil|

* Evangelical Lutheran Church of Brazil

Chile|

* Evangelical Lutheran Church of the Republic of Chile

Guatemala|

* Lutheran Church of Guatemala

Mexico|

* Lutheran Synod of Mexico

Nicaragua|

* Lutheran Church Synod of Nicaragua

Peru|

* Evangelical Lutheran Church – Peru*

Uruguay|

* Lutheran Church of Uruguay

Venezuela|

* Lutheran Church of Venezuela

North America

| Canada|

* Lutheran Church – Canada

|

Haiti|

* Evangelical Lutheran Church of Haiti

United States|

* American Association of Lutheran Churches
* Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod
* Lutheran Ministerium and Synod – USA

* Confessional Evangelical Lutheran Conference
* Global Confessional and Missional Lutheran Forum
* International Lutheran Council
* The Lutheran World Federation

Authority control databases

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