- The Evangelical Lutheran Church of Ghana was today admitted to the Lutheran World Federation (LWF), thus becoming the first Ghanaian church to form part of this worldwide church community of 65 million Lutheran. The Ghanaian church has some 26,000 members, making it one of the country's minor Christians societies.
During this week's LWF Council Meeting, three new churches were admitted to the Lutheran communion, including a Czech church, a Dutch church and the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Ghana (ELCG). According to the LWF, the federation's worldwide membership thus has risen to nearly 65 millions, including 138 churches in 77 countries.
The ELCG is the first Ghanaian church to join the LWF, which is strongly represented elsewhere in Africa. While Lutherans are a small minority in Ghana's Christian community, in countries such as Madagascar and Tanzania, there are millions of Lutherans. In Ghana, the Anglican and Catholic churches are the dominant Christian societies.
The Ghanaian Lutheran church was established in the West African country in 1958 by missionaries from the Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod (USA), and was formally registered in 1964. The US Lutheran missionaries thus arrived Ghana a century later than their Anglican colleagues. Nevertheless, 46 years of mission have by now produced a sustainable Lutheran community in Ghana.
The Lutheran congregations and preaching stations throughout the country's ten regions are currently served by 30 ordained pastors, 55 missionaries and evangelists, as well as over 600 lay leaders, according to the LWF.
The ELCG belongs to the Christian Council of Ghana, of which its leader currently holds the position of chairperson. It recently also joined the ecumenical All Africa Conference of Churches, and is a member of the WCC, International Lutheran Council (ILC) and Lutheran Communion in Western Africa.
During discussion on the three applications for membership, participants of the LWF Council had raised several critical questions regarding the relatively conservative church practices in Ghana. Of particular concern, was women's theological education and ordination. It was however concluded that "women's ordination is not a prerequisite for membership in the LWF but it is encouraged."
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