List of Lutheran denominations


denominations are Protestant church bodies that identify, to a greater or lesser extent, with the theology of Martin Luther and with the writings contained in the Book of Concord. Most Lutheran denominations are affiliated with one or more regional, national, or international associations, the largest of which—the Lutheran World Federation—has over 74 million members worldwide. There are also two smaller and more conservative international associations—the International Lutheran Council, with 7.15 million members, and the Confessional Evangelical Lutheran Conference, with approximately 500,000 members. Finally, the Global Confessional and Missional Lutheran Forum is a global gathering of Confessional Lutheran bodies who wish to emphasize missional discipleship as the focal point of ministry in the world.
This list is grouped by affiliation with the four major international Lutheran associations mentioned above. This list does not include groups that have been merged into other groups, nor groups that have become defunct. Some of the denominations belong to more than one of the four associations.

Lutheran World Federation

The Lutheran World Federation is the largest association of national and regional Lutheran church bodies in the world. Founded in 1947 by 47 church bodies from 26 countries, the LWF has grown to include 145 church bodies in 98 countries.
CountryChurch bodyYear foundedMembersRef
Evangelical Lutheran Church of Angola--49,500
Evangelical Church of the River Plate27,500
United Evangelical Lutheran Church--11,000
Lutheran Church of Australia196648,760
Evangelical Church of the Augsburg Confession in Austria--302,875
Bangladesh Lutheran Church--6,000
Bangladesh Northern Evangelical Lutheran Church--10,000
Bolivian Evangelical Lutheran Church197214,000
Evangelical Lutheran Church in Botswana--18,800
Evangelical Church of the Lutheran Confession in Brazil1949671,389
Church of the Lutheran Brethren of Cameroon1969157,276
Evangelical Lutheran Church in Cameroon--350,000
Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada1986114,431
Evangelical Lutheran Church of the Central African Republic--120,000
Evangelical Lutheran Church in Chile19063,000
Lutheran Church in Chile19751,976
Evangelical Lutheran Church of Colombia--1,701
Lutheran Costa Rican Church1988500
Evangelical Church in the Republic of Croatia--3,329
Evangelical Church of Czech Brethren191878,299
Silesian Evangelical Church of the Augsburg Confession--16,000
Evangelical Lutheran Church in Congo 1960122,055
Evangelical Lutheran Church in Denmark15364,349,449
Salvadoran Lutheran Church--20,000
Evangelical Lutheran Church of Eritrea--11,000
Estonian Evangelical Lutheran Church1917180,000
Ethiopian Evangelical Church Mekane Yesus19598,310,129
Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland18093,904,284
Protestant Church of Augsburg Confession of Alsace and Lorraine2006250,000
Malagasy Protestant Church in France--10,000
United Protestant Church of France2012330,000
Evangelical Lutheran Church in Baden18502,906
Evangelical Lutheran Church in Bavaria--2,456,140
Evangelical Lutheran Church in Brunswick--341,919
Evangelical Church in Central Germany2009766,416
Evangelical Lutheran Church of Hanover--2,714,781
Church of Lippe 188828,000
Evangelical Lutheran Church in Northern Germany20122,063,904
Evangelical Lutheran Church in Oldenburg--423,756
Evangelical Lutheran Church of Saxony--701,008
Evangelical Lutheran Church of Schaumburg-Lippe--54,159
Evangelical Church in Württemberg--2,054,505
Evangelical Lutheran Church of Ghana195829,000
Guatemala Lutheran Church--300
Evangelical Lutheran Church in Guyana--16,153
Christian Lutheran Church of Honduras--1,700
Hong Kong and Macau Lutheran Church--2,201
Chinese Rhenish Church Hong Kong Synod--13,500
Evangelical Lutheran Church of Hong Kong195418,351
Tsung Tsin Mission of Hong Kong--11,278
Evangelical Lutheran Church in Hungary--179,618
Evangelical Lutheran Church of Iceland--242,743
Andhra Evangelical Lutheran Church--3,000,000
Arcot Lutheran Church--40,000
Bodo Evangelical Lutheran Church--?
Evangelical Lutheran Church in Madhya Pradesh--20,000
Evangelical Lutheran Church in the Himalayan States--27,345
Good Shepherd Evangelical Lutheran Church--13,280
Gossner Evangelical Lutheran Church in Chotanagpur and Assam--382,790
India Evangelical Lutheran Church1958125,000
Jeypore Evangelical Lutheran Church--175,000
Northern Evangelical Lutheran Church--87,541
South Andhra Lutheran Church--60,000
Tamil Evangelical Lutheran Church--111,587
Batak Christian Community Church--25,000
Christian Communion of Indonesia Church in Nias --18,500
Christian Protestant Angkola Church--29,455
Christian Protestant Church in Indonesia--258,914
Communion of Protestant Christian Church--63,274
Indonesian Christian Church--355,000
Indonesian Christian Lutheran Church--17,305
Pakpak Dairi Christian Protestant Church--39,428
Protestant Christian Batak Church--4,500,000
Protestant Christian Church--456,802
Protestant Christian Church in Mentawai--50,000
Simalungun Protestant Christian Church--220,586
United Protestant Church--12,057
Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land19593,000
Evangelical Lutheran Church in Italy19497,000
Japan Evangelical Lutheran Church194622,000
Japan Lutheran Church19682,381
Kinki Evangelical Lutheran Church--2,757
Evangelical Lutheran Church in Kenya1948100,000
Kenya Evangelical Lutheran Church--44,000
Evangelical Lutheran Church of Latvia--250,000
Latvian Evangelical Lutheran Church Abroad--22,172
Lutheran Church in Liberia--70,000
Evangelical Lutheran Church of Lithuania--20,000
Malagasy Lutheran Church--3,000,000
Evangelical Lutheran Church in Malawi--102,000
Basel Christian Church of Malaysia192563,000
Evangelical Lutheran Church in Malaysia19944,145
Lutheran Church in Malaysia19628,822
Protestant Church in Sabah--52,000
Mexican Lutheran Church--1,500
Evangelical Lutheran Church in Mozambique--12,606
Evangelical Lutheran Church in Namibia 19604,434
Evangelical Lutheran Church in the Republic of Namibia--420,000
Evangelical Lutheran Church in Namibia --772,398
Nepal Evangelical Lutheran Church--1,196
Protestant Church in the Netherlands20041,969,755
Nicaraguan Lutheran Church of Faith and Hope--7,050
The Lutheran Church of Christ in Nigeria--2,200,000
Lutheran Church of Nigeria1936121,000
Church of Norway--3,835,973
Evangelical Lutheran Free Church of Norway--21,490
Evangelical Lutheran Church of Papua New Guinea--1,200,000
Gutnius Lutheran Church--149,869
Lutheran Church of Peru--496
Lutheran Church in the Philippines197155,000
Evangelical Church of the Augsburg Confession in Poland71,000
Evangelical Lutheran Church of Congo--3,612
Evangelical Church of the Augsburg Confession in Romania155012,347
Evangelical Lutheran Church in Romania--27,540
Federation of Evangelical Lutheran Churches in Russia and Other States201124,050
Evangelical Lutheran Church of Ingria in Russia--15,000
Lutheran Church of Rwanda--6,372
The Lutheran Church of Senegal--4,053
Slovak Evangelical Church of the Augsburg Confession in Serbia--49,000
Evangelical Lutheran Church in Sierra Leone19885,000
Lutheran Church in Singapore19972,964
Evangelical Church of the Augsburg Confession in the Slovak Republic--224,581
Evangelical Church of the Augsburg Confession in Slovenia--20,000
Evangelical Lutheran Church in Southern Africa1975580,000
Evangelical Lutheran Church in Southern Africa --3,994
Evangelical Lutheran Church in Southern Africa 19819,656
Moravian Church in South Africa--50,000
Lutheran Church in Korea19714,824
Lanka Lutheran Church--5,324
Evangelical Lutheran Church in Suriname--4,000
Church of Sweden--6,300,000
Federation of Evangelical Lutheran Churches in Switzerland and the Principality of Liechtenstein--4,968
Lutheran Church of Taiwan --1,949
Lutheran Church of the Republic of China--580
Taiwan Lutheran Church--10,481
Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tanzania--6,531,336
Evangelical Lutheran Church in Thailand--4,766
Lutheran Church in Great Britain--1,500
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America19883,765,362
Evangelical Lutheran Church in Venezuela--1,950
Evangelical Lutheran Church in Zambia--4,000
Evangelical Lutheran Church in Zimbabwe1962292,880

International Lutheran Council

Founded in 1993, the International Lutheran Council is the second largest international association of Lutheran churches after the LWF, representing 7.15 million Lutherans in 54 church bodies as of 2018. Unlike the members of the LWF, not all members of the ILC are in altar and pulpit fellowship with one another.
CountryChurch bodyYear foundedMembersRef
Evangelical Lutheran Church of Argentina190527,890
Lutheran Church of Australia196660,000
Evangelical Lutheran Church in Belgium--150
Christian Evangelical Lutheran Church of Bolivia--906
Evangelical Lutheran Church of Brazil1904243,520
Lutheran Church—Canada198858,216
Confessional Lutheran Church of Chile1992135
Evangelical Lutheran Free Church in Denmark185590
Evangelical Lutheran Church - Synod of France1927821
Independent Evangelical Lutheran Church188833,474
Evangelical Lutheran Church of Ghana195829,000
Lutheran Church in Guatemala--4,200
Evangelical Lutheran Church of Haiti--10,000
Lutheran Church-Hong Kong Synod--12,355
India Evangelical Lutheran Church1958125,000
Japan Lutheran Church19682,381
Evangelical Lutheran Church in Kenya1948100,000
Lutheran Synod of Mexico--1,211
Lutheran Church Synod of Nicaragua20081,800
Lutheran Church of Nigeria1936121,000
The Lutheran Church in Norway200590
Gutnius Lutheran Church--149,869
Evangelical Lutheran Church of Paraguay19834,079
Evangelical Lutheran Church - Peru--500
Lutheran Church in the Philippines197155,000
Portuguese Evangelical Lutheran Church195995
Evangelical Lutheran Church of Ingria in Russia--15,000
Siberian Evangelical Lutheran Church20032,100
Free Evangelical Lutheran Synod in South Africa 18922,829
Lutheran Church in Southern Africa196720,000
Lutheran Church in Korea19714,824
Evangelical Lutheran Church of Spain2004--
Lanka Lutheran Church--5,324
China Evangelical Lutheran Church--2,010
Evangelical Lutheran Church of England19541,600
American Association of Lutheran Churches198714,000
Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod18472,017,834
Lutheran Ministerium and Synod – USA1995--
Lutheran Church of Venezuela--1,607

Confessional Evangelical Lutheran Conference

The Confessional Evangelical Lutheran Conference is the third major international association of Lutheran church bodies, representing approximately 500,000 Lutherans in 32 church bodies.
CountryChurch bodyYear foundedMembersRef
Evangelical Lutheran Synod of Australia----
Bulgarian Lutheran Church1994310
Lutheran Church of Cameroon--650
Czech Evangelical Lutheran Church1991249
Lutheran Confessional Church 200226
Evangelical Lutheran Free Church 18761,300
Gereja Lutheran Indonesia--1,362
Lutheran Evangelical Christian Church1962375
Confessional Lutheran Church in Latvia1999300
Lutheran Church of Central Africa Malawi Conference196341,000
Confessional Evangelical Lutheran Church --650
All Saints Lutheran Church of Nigeria19911,674
Christ the King Lutheran Church—Nigeria19693,727
Lutheran Confessional Church 200957
Evangelical Lutheran Synod of Peru--970
Evangelical Lutheran Confessional Church—Puerto Rico1990216
Evangelical Lutheran Church "Concord"1995--
Lutheran Confessional Church 1974220
Ukrainian Lutheran Church19962,500
Evangelical Lutheran Synod191819,000
Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod1850363,997
Lutheran Church of Central Africa Zambia Conference195510,000

Global Confessional and Missional Lutheran Forum

The Global Confessional and Missional Lutheran Forum is the fourth major international association of Lutheran church bodies and organizations, representing Lutherans in church bodies across 15 nations.
CountryChurch bodyYear foundedMembersRef
Christian Evangelical Lutheran Church of Bolivia--906
:da:Evangelisk Luthersk Netværk|Evangelical Lutheran Network2006--
:da:Luthersk Mission|Lutheran Mission186810,000
Ethiopian Evangelical Church Mekane Yesus19598,310,129
:de:Kirchliche Sammlung um Bibel und Bekenntnis|Church Coalition for the Bible and Confession1967--
:de:Konferenz Bekennender Gemeinschaften in den Evangelischen Kirchen Deutschlands|International Christian Network1970--
Christu Suda Communications and Ministries2001--
:id:Gereja Kristen Luther Indonesia|Indonesian Lutheran Christian Church196517,305
Evangelical Lutheran Church in Kenya1948100,000
Mongolian Evangelical Lutheran Church----
Norwegian Lutheran Mission1891-
:no:Indremisjonsforbundet|Inner Mission Federation1898--
Evangelical Lutheran Church - Peru1978500
Lutheran Church of South Sudan20116,463
:sv:Missionsprovinsen|Mission Province2003--
Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tanzania19636,531,336
and the North American Lutheran Church2010142,000

Unaffiliated Lutheran denominations

The following denominations are not members of the LWF, ILC, CELC or Global Forum, though several of them work with or are in fellowship with individual members of those associations. In addition, a number of these denominations have fellowship agreements with one another, without being part of any larger association. Note that several of these denominations have congregations in multiple countries. In such cases, the denomination is listed under the country in which its headquarters is located.
CountryChurch bodyYear foundedMembersRef
Confessional Lutheran Church in Angola----
Australian Evangelical Lutheran Church1992--
Evangelical Lutheran Congregations of the Reformation1966--
Evangelical Lutheran Church of Benin1997--
Evangelical Lutheran Church in Burundi19971,800
Cambodia Lutheran Church20171,000
Canadian Association of Lutheran Congregations1991--
Church of the Lutheran Brethren Canada----
Church of the Lutheran Brethren of Chad--113,684
China Lutheran Gospel Church--225
Evangelical Church of the Augsburg Confession in the Czech Republic----
Evangelical Lutheran Church of East Congo197710,000
Evangelical Church of Eritrea----
Lutheran Church of Ethiopia--20,000
Evangelical Lutheran Church on the Faroe Islands200740,234
Confessional Lutheran Church of Finland1928318
Evangelical Lutheran Mission Diocese of Finland20131,842
The Union of Independent Evangelical Lutheran Congregations in Finland1928482
Apostolic Lutheran Church of Ghana1995500
Lutheran Church of Guam2011--
Evangelical Lutheran Church in Guinea19963,000
Good Samaritan Evangelical Lutheran Church--57,635
Gospel Outreach Ministries1992--
Latvian Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tamil Nadu1981--
Lutheran Fellowship of India1998--
North Western Gossner Evangelical Lutheran Church--118,283
Lutheran Church in Ireland1962420
Evangelical Lutheran Church–Ivory Coast Synod--1,500
Fellowship Deaconry Evangelical Church----
Japan Lutheran Brethren Church--1,263
West Japan Evangelical Lutheran Church--3,933
Evangelical Lutheran Church in Kazakhstan----
Evangelical Lutheran Fellowship of Africa----
Concordia Lutheran Church2001600
Apostolic Lutheran Church of Liberia----
Evangelical Lutheran Church in Liberia200911,000
Evangelical Lutheran Church in the Republic of Moldova1999--
Lutheran Church of Concord in Mozambique--1,600
Apostolic Lutheran Church of Myanmar----
Evangelical Lutheran Church of New Zealand2018--
Fellowship of Lutheran Congregations – Nigeria----
Brotherhood of Popular Pastoral Action - Lutheran Coordination----
Evangelical Lutheran Church of Panama--200
Tagakaulo Lutheran Church of Christ in the Philippines1998--
Evangelical Lutheran Church of Augsburg Confession in Russia2006--
United Lutheran Church in South Africa1997--
Evangelical Lutheran Church in Sudan and South Sudan199320,000
Concordia Lutheran Church1984--
Evangelical Lutheran Church in Sweden1968--
Church of the Lutheran Brethren of Taiwan----
Lutheran Church in East Africa--10,000
Thailand Concordia Lutheran Church2004600
Evangelical Lutheran Church of The Gambia19992,000
Evangelical Lutheran Church of Christ – Togo----
Lutheran Church of Togo20095,000
Istanbul Lutheran Church2005--
Lutheran Church Mission in Uganda199425,000
Uganda Lutheran Church Foundation--9,084
Apostolic Lutheran Church of America19289,000
Association of Confessional Lutheran Churches2007--
Association of Free Lutheran Congregations196244,500
Association of independent evangelical Lutheran churches----
Augsburg Lutheran Churches2001--
Augustana Catholic Church199760,000
Church of the Lutheran Brethren of America19008,860
Church of the Lutheran Confession19608,108
Concordia Lutheran Conference1956--
Conservative Lutheran Association19801,267
Evangelical Lutheran Conference & Ministerium of North America1999--
Evangelical Lutheran Diocese of North America2006--
General Lutheran Church2014--
Illinois Lutheran Conference1979--
Independent Lutheran Diocese2008--
Laestadian Lutheran Church1973--
Latvian Evangelical Lutheran Church in America195710,950
Lutheran Church - International19671000
Lutheran Churches of the Reformation19641,300
Lutheran Congregations in Mission for Christ2001--
Lutheran Conference of Confessional Fellowship1983--
The Lutheran Evangelical Protestant Church2001--
Lutheran Ministerium and Synod - USA1995--
Lutheran Orthodox Church----
Missionary Lutheran Church2013--
Old Apostolic Lutheran Church of America189925,000
Orthodox Lutheran Confessional Conference2006--
Protes'tant Conference19271000
United Lutheran Mission Association2005--
Lutheran Evangelical Church in Africa—Zambia Diocese----