Japan Lutheran Church

Japanese confessional Lutheran denomination

Japan Lutheran Church

日本ルーテル教団 Nihon Ruteru Kyoudan

Logo of the JLC

Classification| Protestant
Orientation| Confessional Lutheran
Polity| Congregationalist
Leader| Rev. Shin SHIMIZU
Associations| International Lutheran Council, Lutheran World Federation
Region| Japan
Origin| September 19, 1948
Tokyo, Japan
Branched from| Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod
Congregations| 35
Members| 766 baptized

The Japan Lutheran Church (日本ルーテル教団, Nihon Ruteru Kyoudan) or NRK (based on its Romaji initials) is a confessional Lutheran denomination in Japan. It currently has approximately 766 baptized members[1] in 35 congregations nationwide.[2]

The current chairman of the NRK is Rev. Shinri Emoto.[3]

## History

[edit]

During the occupation of Japan by the Allied forces after the Second World War, several US Army chaplains affiliated with the Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod (LCMS) were serving the local population. Discussions were held with representatives from the Japan Evangelical Lutheran Church (JELC) as well as other churches on mission work in post-war Japan. With the information gathered, the LCMS came to the conclusion that they should send missionaries to northern Japan where the Lutheran presence was scarce in order to avoid redundancies among the various Lutheran churches and missions operating in Japan and a resolution was adopted accordingly.

In September 1948, the LCMS installed the first missionary to Japan and declared the start of the Japan Mission, in accordance with the resolution adopted. With the passing of the Broadcast Law (放送法, Hōsō Hō) in 1950 legalising commercial and private broadcasting, The Lutheran Hour radio program started broadcasting in 1951.

The NRK was officially recognised as a religious body in Japan in 1953. Cooperation with the JELC remained close and in the same year, the NRK-established School of Theology was merged with JELC's Lutheran Theological Seminary. In 1966, both the NRK and the JELC came into full communion with the adoption of the Establishment of Pulpit and Altar Fellowship and the Agreement on Cooperation in Theological Education agreements. This opened the door for the NRK's participation in activities organised by the Lutheran World Federation (LWF). In 1968, the self-governing NRK was established and it became self-supporting in 1976.

In 1997, the NRK sent a delegation to the LWF's Assembly in Hong Kong and became an associate member of the LWF in 1999. Prior to that, the NRK had already been a full member of the confessional International Lutheran Council that was constituted in 1993.[4]

In 2021, the NRK amended its constitution to allow women to be ordained as pastors. As a result of that and other differences in doctrinal issues, the LCMS, at its 2023 convention, declared that it was no longer in fellowship with the NRK.[5]

## Structure and organization

[edit]

The NRK is structured with a congregational polity.

### Congregations by geographical regions

[edit]

* Hokkaidō

* Hokkaidō

Congregations in the cities of Asahikawa, Ebetsu, Fukagawa, Kitami, Otaru, Sapporo, and Suttsu

* Tōhoku

* Fukushima

Congregations in the cities of Fukushima

* Kantō

* Gunma

A congregation in the city of Tatebayashi

* Saitama

Congregations in the cities of Hannō and Saitama

* Chiba

A congregation in the city of Funabashi

* Tokyo

Congregations in the wards of Adachi, Chiyoda, Minato, Ōta and Suginami as well as the city of Hino

* Kanagawa

Congregations in Fujisawa, Kawasaki, and Yokohama

* Chūbu

* Niigata

Congregations in the cities of Nagaoka, Niigata, Sanjō, and Shibata

* Kyūshū

* Okinawa

A congregation in the village of Nakagusuku

## Ministries

[edit]

Education is emphasized as a means of communicating the Gospel. Accordingly, the NRK operates Urawa Lutheran School in Urawa and Holy Hope School in Hannō. The NRK also operates the Japan Lutheran College in cooperation with the JELC and several members of the NRK sit on the college's board of regents. The NRK also operates eleven kindergartens, four preschools, an elementary school, two middle schools, two secondary schools, and a Japanese and English Language Institute (both as the Lutheran Language Institute).[6]

The Volunteer Youth Ministry (VYM) program for lay missionaries through LCMS World Mission who committed themselves for 2½ years in ministry serving as English language teachers. Most of the volunteers were young college graduates.[7]

## Affiliations and cooperation

[edit]

### Ecumenism

[edit]

The NRK is not associated with ecumenical organizations such as the National Christian Council in Japan, the Christian Conference of Asia or the World Council of Churches. However, the NRK is a full member of the International Lutheran Council as well as an associate member of the Lutheran World Federation.

### Relationship with other Lutheran churches

[edit]

The work of Lutheran missionaries resulted in the establishment of five major Lutheran church bodies and a number of smaller ones, with a total membership of approximately 30,000. The largest of these, with about 20,000 members, is the JELC. Other Lutheran churches include the Kinki Evangelical Lutheran Church, the West Japan Evangelical Lutheran Church, the Japan Lutheran Brethren Church, the Japan Evangelical Lutheran Church and the Fellowship Deaconry Evangelical Church (Marburger Mission).

Cooperation among the various Lutheran churches in Japan is common, particularly with respect to outreach ministries. Church planting plans are mutually shared in order to avoid duplications. Most of the Lutheran churches have also joined together to form the Lutheran Literature Society (聖文舎, Seibunsha), which publishes Christian books and materials; one notable endeavor being in the publication of a common Lutheran hymnal.

The NRK and the JELC sponsor a joint seminary in Tokyo, the Japan Lutheran Theological Seminary while the other Lutheran seminary in Kobe is sponsored by the Kinki Evangelical Lutheran Church and the West Japan Evangelical Lutheran Church.[8]

## See also

[edit]

* Christianity in Japan
* Protestantism in Japan

## References

[edit]

1. ^ LWF Statistics - Japan Archived 2018-02-03 at the Wayback Machine The Lutheran World Federation
2. ^ International Lutheran Council: Member Archived 2007-06-17 at the Wayback Machine – Japan Lutheran Church
3. ^ "Room of Chairman". Archived from the original on 2017-03-05. Retrieved 2024-06-05.
4. ^ Japan Lutheran Church Who We Are Archived 2008-05-26 at the Wayback Machine
5. ^ Block, Mathew (2023-08-10). "LCMS convention celebrates fellowship with five church bodies". International Lutheran Council. Retrieved 2024-06-04.
6. ^ Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod World Mission: Mission Work in Japan Archived 2009-05-03 at the Wayback Machine
7. ^ Japan Lutheran Church Volunteer Youth Ministry Archived 2008-04-19 at the Wayback Machine
8. ^ Okinawa Lutheran Church: Lutheran Mission in Japan

## External links

[edit]

* Japan Lutheran Church
* Omiya Zion Lutheran Church

* v
* t
* e

Christianity in Japan

Main article

Eastern Christianity|

| Eastern Orthodoxy|

* Orthodox Church in Japan

|

Western Christianity|

| Catholic Church|

* Anglican Catholic Ordinariate
* Roman Catholic Church

|

Protestantism
(Main Article)|

| United|

* United Church of Christ in Japan[a]

|

Lutheranism|

* Japan Evangelical Lutheran Church
* Japan Lutheran Church
* Kinki Evangelical Lutheran Church

Calvinism|

* Church of Christ
* Evangelical Reformed Church
* Korean Christian Church in Japan
* Presbyterian Church in Japan
* Reformed Church
* Reformed Presbyterian Church
* The Biblical Church[a]

Anglicanism|

* Anglican Episcopal Church in Japan

Radical Pietism|

* Evangelical Free Church of Japan

Baptist|

* Japan Baptist Association
* Japan Baptist Convention

Methodism|

* Japanese Free Methodist Church[a]
* Immanuel General Mission[a]
* Salvation Army[a]

Adventism|

* Seventh-day Adventist Church[a]

Pentecostalism|

* Assemblies of God[a]
* Lifehouse International Church

Other|

* Evangelical Free Church of Japan[a]
* International Christian Fellowship

Restorationism|

* Jehovah's Witnesses
* The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Japan

Japanese Churches|

* Holy Ecclesia of Jesus
* Japan Ecclesia of Christ
* Non-church movement
* Okinawa Christian Gospel
* Zion Christian Church[a]

Interdenominational
organisations|

* National Christian Council in Japan
* Japan Evangelical Association

1. ^ a b c d e f g h i Part of the Japan Evangelical Association

* v
* t
* e

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

* v
* t
* e

Lutheran World Federation

Africa

Central and Eastern Africa

| Democratic Republic of the Congo|

* Evangelical Lutheran Church in Congo

|

Eritrea|

* Evangelical Lutheran Church of Eritrea

Ethiopia|

* Ethiopian Evangelical Church Mekane Yesus

Kenya|

* Evangelical Lutheran Church in Kenya
* Kenya Evangelical Lutheran Church

Madagascar|

* Malagasy Lutheran Church

Rwanda|

* Lutheran Church of Rwanda

Tanzania|

* Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tanzania

Southern Africa

| Angola|

* Evangelical Lutheran Church of Angola

|

Botswana|

* Evangelical Lutheran Church in Botswana

Malawi|

* Evangelical Lutheran Church in Malawi

Mozambique|

* Evangelical Lutheran Church in Mozambique

Namibia|

* Evangelical Lutheran Church in Namibia
* Evangelical Lutheran Church in the Republic of Namibia
* Evangelical Lutheran Church in Namibia (GELK)

South Africa|

* Evangelical Lutheran Church in Southern Africa
* Evangelical Lutheran Church in Southern Africa (Cape Church)
* Evangelical Lutheran Church in Southern Africa (N-T)
* Moravian Church in South Africa

Zambia|

* Evangelical Lutheran Church in Zambia

Zimbabwe|

* Evangelical Lutheran Church in Zimbabwe

Western Africa

| Cameroon|

* Church of the Lutheran Brethren of Cameroon
* Evangelical Lutheran Church of Cameroon

|

Central African Republic|

* Evangelical Lutheran Church of the Central African Republic

Republic of Congo|

* Evangelical Lutheran Church of Congo

Ghana|

* Evangelical Lutheran Church of Ghana

Liberia|

* Lutheran Church in Liberia

Nigeria|

* The Lutheran Church of Christ in Nigeria
* The Lutheran Church of Nigeria

Senegal|

* The Lutheran Church of Senegal

Sierra Leone|

* Evangelical Lutheran Church in Sierra Leone

Asia and Pacific

North East Asia

| China – Hong Kong|

* Hong Kong and Macau Lutheran Church
* Chinese Rhenish Church Hong Kong Synod
* Evangelical Lutheran Church of Hong Kong
* Tsung Tsin Mission of Hong Kong

|

Taiwan|

* Taiwan Lutheran Church
* Lutheran Church of the Republic of China

Japan|

* Japan Lutheran Church
* Japan Evangelical Lutheran Church
* Kinki Evangelical Lutheran Church

South Korea|

* Lutheran Church in Korea

West and South Asia

| Bangladesh|

* Bangladesh Lutheran Church
* Bangladesh Northern Evangelical Lutheran Church

|

Georgia|

* Evangelical Lutheran Church in Russia and Other States

India|

* Andhra Evangelical Lutheran Church
* Arcot Lutheran Church
* Bodo Evangelical Lutheran Church
* Evangelical Lutheran Church in Madhya Pradesh
* Evangelical Lutheran Church in the Himalayan States
* Good Shepherd Evangelical Lutheran Church
* Gossner Evangelical Lutheran Church in Chotanagpur and Assam
* India Evangelical Lutheran Church
* Jeypore Evangelical Lutheran Church
* Northern Evangelical Lutheran Church
* South Andhra Lutheran Church
* Tamil Evangelical Lutheran Church

Israel|

* Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land

Jordan|

* Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land

Kazakhstan|

* Evangelical Lutheran Church in Russia and Other States

Kyrgyzstan|

* Evangelical Lutheran Church in Russia and Other States

Myanmar|

* Evangelical Lutheran Church in Myanmar
* Lutheran Church of Myanmar
* Myanmar Lutheran Church
* Mara Evangelical Church

Nepal|

* Nepal Northern Evangelical Lutheran Church

Palestinian territories|

* Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land

Sri Lanka|

* Lanka Lutheran Church

Uzbekistan|

* Evangelical Lutheran Church in Russia and Other States

South East Asia

| Australia|

* Lutheran Church of Australia

|

Indonesia|

* Batak Christian Community Church
* Christian Communion of Indonesia Church in Nias
* Christian Protestant Church in Indonesia
* Angkola Protestant Christian Church
* Indonesian Christian Lutheran Church
* Pakpak Dairi Christian Protestant Church
* Protestant Christian Batak Church
* Protestant Christian Church
* Protestant Christian Church in Mentawai
* Simalungun Protestant Christian Church
* United Protestant Church

Malaysia|

* Basel Christian Church of Malaysia
* Evangelical Lutheran Church in Malaysia
* Lutheran Church in Malaysia
* Protestant Church in Sabah

Papua New Guinea|

* Evangelical Lutheran Church of Papua New Guinea
* Gutnius Lutheran Church

Philippines|

* Lutheran Church in the Philippines

Singapore|

* Lutheran Church in Singapore

Thailand|

* Evangelical Lutheran Church in Thailand

Europe

| Austria|

* Protestant Church of the Augsburg Confession in Austria

|

Belarus|

* Evangelical Lutheran Church in Russia and Other States

Belgium|

* Lutheran Church of Belgium: Arlon and Christian Mission

Croatia|

* Evangelical Church in the Republic of Croatia

Czech Republic|

* Evangelical Church of Czech Brethren
* Silesian Evangelical Church of the Augsburg Confession

Denmark|

* Church of Denmark

Estonia|

* Estonian Evangelical Lutheran Church

Finland|

* Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland

France|

* Union of Protestant Churches of Alsace and Lorraine
* United Protestant Church of France
* Malagasy Protestant Church in France

Germany|

* Evangelical Lutheran Church in Baden
* Evangelical Lutheran Church in Bavaria
* Evangelical Lutheran Church in Brunswick
* Evangelical-Lutheran Church of Hanover
* Latvian Evangelical Lutheran Church Abroad
* Church of Lippe (Lutheran classis)
* Evangelical Church in Middle Germany
* Evangelical Lutheran Church in Northern Germany
* Evangelical Lutheran Church in Oldenburg
* Evangelical-Lutheran Church of Saxony
* Evangelical Lutheran Church of Schaumburg-Lippe
* Lutheran Church in Württemberg

Hungary|

* Evangelical-Lutheran Church in Hungary

Iceland|

* Church of Iceland

Ireland|

* Lutheran Church in Ireland

Italy|

* Lutheran Evangelical Church in Italy

Latvia|

* Evangelical Lutheran Church of Latvia

Lithuania|

* Evangelical Lutheran Church in Lithuania

Netherlands|

* Protestant Church in the Netherlands

Norway|

* Church of Norway
* Evangelical Lutheran Free Church of Norway

Poland|

* Evangelical Church of the Augsburg Confession in Poland

Romania|

* Evangelical Church of Augustan Confession in Romania
* Evangelical Lutheran Church of Romania

Russia|

* Evangelical Lutheran Church in Russia and Other States
* Evangelical Lutheran Church of Ingria in Russia

Serbia|

* Slovak Evangelical Church of the Augsburg Confession in Serbia

Slovakia|

* Evangelical Church of the Augsburg Confession in Slovakia

Slovenia|

* Evangelical Church of the Augsburg Confession in Slovenia

Sweden|

* Church of Sweden

Switzerland|

* Federation of Evangelical Lutheran Churches in Switzerland and the Principality of Liechtenstein

Ukraine|

* Evangelical Lutheran Church in Russia and Other States

United Kingdom|

* Lutheran Church in Great Britain
* The Lutheran Council of Great Britain

Latin America and the Caribbean

Central America and the Caribbean

| Costa Rica|

* Evangelical Lutheran Church of Costa Rica
* Costa Rican Lutheran Church

|

El Salvador|

* Salvadoran Lutheran Church

Guatemala|

* Evangelical Lutheran Congregation "La Epifania"

Honduras|

* Christian Lutheran Church of Honduras

Mexico|

* German-Speaking Evangelical Congregation in Mexico
* Mexican Lutheran Church

Nicaragua|

* Nicaraguan Lutheran Church of Faith and Hope

South America

| Argentina|

* Evangelical Church of the River Plate
* United Evangelical Lutheran Church

|

Bolivia|

* Bolivian Evangelical Lutheran Church
* German Speaking Evangelical Lutheran Congregation in Bolivia

Brazil|

* Evangelical Church of the Lutheran Confession in Brazil

Chile|

* Evangelical Lutheran Church in Chile
* Lutheran Church in Chile

Colombia|

* Evangelical Lutheran Church of Colombia
* St. Martin's Lutheran Congregation
* St. Matthew's Lutheran Church

Ecuador|

* Evangelical Lutheran Church in Ecuador

Guyana|

* Evangelical Lutheran Church in Guyana

Peru|

* Evangelical Lutheran Church in Peru
* Peruvian Lutheran Evangelical Church

Suriname|

* Evangelical Lutheran Church in Suriname

Venezuela|

* Evangelical Lutheran Church in Venezuela

North America

| Canada|

* Estonian Evangelical Lutheran Church Abroad
* Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada

|

United States|

* Evangelical Lutheran Church in America

Authority control databases |

* VIAF

|

*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template