Church of the Lutheran Confession
Encyclopedia
The Church of the Lutheran Confession (CLC) is a conservative Christian
religious body theologically adhering to confessional Lutheran doctrine. Founded in 1960 in Minnesota, it has approximately 75 congregations
in 24 U.S. states, and missions in Canada
, India
, Africa
, Nepal
, and Myanmar
.
The CLC maintains its headquarters at its ministerial college; Immanuel Lutheran High School, College & Seminary
in Eau Claire, Wisconsin
.
in 1963 (see also Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod
, Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod
and Evangelical Lutheran Synod
).
The CLC was created primarily (though not solely) from churches that broke away from the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod
(WELS) and Evangelical Lutheran Synod
(ELS) over a disagreement over the application of the principles of Christian
fellowship (in this context, an agreement of a unity of belief). The CLC maintains that the WELS and ELS misapplied those principles by not breaking with the Synodical Conference and the Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod
after they had publicly recognized doctrinal error within the Synodical Conference.
While there have been joint talks in the 1990s between the CLC, WELS and ELS to resolve this issue, the talks were unable to come to a resolution. As such, the CLC, Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod
and Evangelical Lutheran Synod
remain at odds regarding this issue.
, 1580) as an accurate presentation of what Scripture teaches. It is strongly linked to the concept of sola scriptura
-- scripture alone, and its website states, "If it is not Scripture; it is not Lutheran."
The CLC is currently in fellowship with several worldwide synods, some founded through mission work by the CLC.
CLC periodicals include:
CLC educational materials include:
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
religious body theologically adhering to confessional Lutheran doctrine. Founded in 1960 in Minnesota, it has approximately 75 congregations
Parish
A parish is a territorial unit historically under the pastoral care and clerical jurisdiction of one parish priest, who might be assisted in his pastoral duties by a curate or curates - also priests but not the parish priest - from a more or less central parish church with its associated organization...
in 24 U.S. states, and missions in Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
, Nepal
Nepal
Nepal , officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal, is a landlocked sovereign state located in South Asia. It is located in the Himalayas and bordered to the north by the People's Republic of China, and to the south, east, and west by the Republic of India...
, and Myanmar
Myanmar
Burma , officially the Republic of the Union of Myanmar , is a country in Southeast Asia. Burma is bordered by China on the northeast, Laos on the east, Thailand on the southeast, Bangladesh on the west, India on the northwest, the Bay of Bengal to the southwest, and the Andaman Sea on the south....
.
The CLC maintains its headquarters at its ministerial college; Immanuel Lutheran High School, College & Seminary
Immanuel Lutheran College (Eau Claire)
Immanuel Lutheran College, located in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, and open since 1963, is a high school and college campus for the Church of the Lutheran Confession....
in Eau Claire, Wisconsin
Eau Claire, Wisconsin
Eau Claire is a city located in the west-central part of the U.S. state of Wisconsin. The population was 65,883 as of the 2010 census, making it the largest municipality in the northwestern portion of the state, and the 9th largest in the state overall. It is the county seat of Eau Claire County,...
.
Historical background
Various Lutheran congregations left their synods during the 1950s and were independent at first. They began meeting together in 1957. The Church of the Lutheran Confession (CLC) was formed around the time of the break-up of the Evangelical Lutheran Synodical Conference of North AmericaEvangelical Lutheran Synodical Conference of North America
The Evangelical Lutheran Synodical Conference of North America was a Lutheran joint fellowship organization between the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod , the Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod and the Evangelical Lutheran Synod...
in 1963 (see also Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod
Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod
The Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod is a traditional, confessional Lutheran denomination in the United States. With 2.3 million members, it is both the eighth largest Protestant denomination and the second-largest Lutheran body in the U.S. after the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. The Synod...
, Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod
Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod
The Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod is a North American Confessional Lutheran denomination of Christianity. Characterized as theologically conservative, it was founded in 1850 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. As of 2008, it had a baptized membership of over 389,364 in more than 1,290 congregations,...
and Evangelical Lutheran Synod
Evangelical Lutheran Synod
The Evangelical Lutheran Synod or ELS is a US-based Protestant Christian denomination based in Mankato, Minnesota, USA. It describes itself as a conservative, Confessional Lutheran body.-Membership:...
).
The CLC was created primarily (though not solely) from churches that broke away from the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod
Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod
The Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod is a North American Confessional Lutheran denomination of Christianity. Characterized as theologically conservative, it was founded in 1850 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. As of 2008, it had a baptized membership of over 389,364 in more than 1,290 congregations,...
(WELS) and Evangelical Lutheran Synod
Evangelical Lutheran Synod
The Evangelical Lutheran Synod or ELS is a US-based Protestant Christian denomination based in Mankato, Minnesota, USA. It describes itself as a conservative, Confessional Lutheran body.-Membership:...
(ELS) over a disagreement over the application of the principles of Christian
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
fellowship (in this context, an agreement of a unity of belief). The CLC maintains that the WELS and ELS misapplied those principles by not breaking with the Synodical Conference and the Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod
Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod
The Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod is a traditional, confessional Lutheran denomination in the United States. With 2.3 million members, it is both the eighth largest Protestant denomination and the second-largest Lutheran body in the U.S. after the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. The Synod...
after they had publicly recognized doctrinal error within the Synodical Conference.
While there have been joint talks in the 1990s between the CLC, WELS and ELS to resolve this issue, the talks were unable to come to a resolution. As such, the CLC, Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod
Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod
The Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod is a North American Confessional Lutheran denomination of Christianity. Characterized as theologically conservative, it was founded in 1850 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. As of 2008, it had a baptized membership of over 389,364 in more than 1,290 congregations,...
and Evangelical Lutheran Synod
Evangelical Lutheran Synod
The Evangelical Lutheran Synod or ELS is a US-based Protestant Christian denomination based in Mankato, Minnesota, USA. It describes itself as a conservative, Confessional Lutheran body.-Membership:...
remain at odds regarding this issue.
Core beliefs
The CLC teaches that the Bible is the only authoritative source for doctrine. It subscribes to the Lutheran Confessions (the Book of ConcordBook of Concord
The Book of Concord or Concordia is the historic doctrinal standard of the Lutheran Church, consisting of ten credal documents recognized as authoritative in Lutheranism since the 16th century...
, 1580) as an accurate presentation of what Scripture teaches. It is strongly linked to the concept of sola scriptura
Sola scriptura
Sola scriptura is the doctrine that the Bible contains all knowledge necessary for salvation and holiness. Consequently, sola scriptura demands that only those doctrines are to be admitted or confessed that are found directly within or indirectly by using valid logical deduction or valid...
-- scripture alone, and its website states, "If it is not Scripture; it is not Lutheran."
Ecumenical relations
Fellowship between the CLC and other church groups is established only upon investigation and confirmation that both church groups hold complete unity in scriptural doctrine and practice.The CLC is currently in fellowship with several worldwide synods, some founded through mission work by the CLC.
Publishing and publications
The CLC Bookhouse is the official publishing house for the CLC. It is devoted to publishing Christian literature and CLC related religious materials, as well as several CLC periodicals. The CLC Bookhouse also offers books and items from other publishing houses.CLC periodicals include:
- The Lutheran Spokesman -- The CLC's monthly family magazine.
- Ministry by Mail - Printed and online sermons for CLC members at a distance from their church.
- The Journal of Theology -- A quarterly theological magazine.
CLC educational materials include:
- God's Hand in our Lives -- The CLC Sunday School Series.
- Learn From Me -- An adult instruction manual.
Presidents
- Paul Albrecht 1961-1972
- Robert Reim 1972-1974
- Egbert Albrecht 1974-1982
- Daniel Fleischer 1982-2002
- John Schierenbeck 2002–present
External links
- The Church of the Lutheran Confession website
- The CLC Bookhouse website
- The CLC Sermon website
- The Lutheran Spokesman website - family magazine
- The CLC Missions website
- The CLC's explanation for the WELS/CLC split.
- Synodical Conference Breakup; A collection of synodical documents from the 1950s to the 1960s.