The Lutheran Church of Australia (LCA) is the major Lutheran denomination in Australia and New Zealand. It was created from a merger of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Australia and the United Evangelical Lutheran Church of Australia in 1966.

History

thumb|upright|Martin Luther Church in Sydney was built in 1881.

The first Lutherans to come to Australia in any significant number were the immigrants from Prussia, who arrived in 1838 with Pastor August Kavel. This period in Prussia was marked by a persecution of "Old Lutherans" who refused to join the Prussian Union under King Frederick Wilhelm.

In 1841, a second wave of Prussian immigrants started, with the arrival of Pastor Gotthard Fritzsche. He settled with the migrants in his group in Lobethal and Bethanien (now Bethany) in South Australia. The Lutheran church of this period is referred to as the Kavel-Fritzsche Synod.

A split occurred within the South Australian Lutheran community in 1846, and two separate synods were established. The followers of Kavel founded the Langmeil-Light Pass Synod, and those of Fritzsche the Bethany-Lobethal Synod.

These two groups came eventually to be named the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Australia, which derived from the Bethany-Lobethal Synod, and the United Evangelical Lutheran Church of Australia which was of the Langmeil-Light Pass Synod, and a number of other synods that had developed. These two denominations joined to form the Lutheran Church of Australia in 1966.

A significant influx occurred after World War II and migration also brought a number of Lutherans from other European countries.

Lutherans set up missions in Aboriginal communities. Noel Pearson, for instance, was raised in such an environment.

Demographics

thumb|Map of Statistical Areas coloured by percentage of people identifying as Lutheran at the 2011 Census

As of 2009, the church had 320 parishes, 540 congregations and 70,000 baptised members in Australia and 1,130 baptised members in New Zealand.

According to the Lutheran Church of Australia website in 2013, "Government censuses indicate that about 250,000 Australians and New Zealanders identify as Lutheran. In practice, though, the Lutheran Church of Australia (LCA), which includes the Lutheran Church of New Zealand (LCNZ), is a relatively small Christian denomination, with about 60,000 regular worshippers."

In the 2021 Australian census, 145,868 people stated their religion as Lutheranism. and, secondly, "from the 1880s the church sought pastors from the US (Missouri Synod)."

The church is happy to support the Australian Christian Lobby where such an emphasis is supportive of the teachings of the Word of God.

Twenty-first-century challenges

As it grapples with the issue of how it should modernise yet stay faithful to Christ's teachings, the church is experiencing declining membership across Australia. According to the 2011 Australian census, there are now more Hindus than Lutherans in Australia.

Beliefs and stances

Core beliefs

The LCA very believes that the Bible is the primary source of revelation and instruction for Christians. This Lutheran doctrine is known as sola scriptura. According to this doctrine, though revelation through experience is of importance, it does not prevail over sola scriptura.

The church "adhere[s] to the three ecumenical (or universal) creeds of Christians around the world." The church rejects the idea that the definition of what is pornographic may be subjective and differ from audience to audience. To the contrary, the church feels that, "The trite comment, 'Evil is in the eye of the beholder', does not take seriously the evil in all people, including those who profit from the exploitation of men, women and children who are used in the production of this material. It also ignores the addictive and controlling influence of X-rated and violent videos."

The church continues to hold a sacred view of marriage and believes that sexual relations belong within the marriage relationship. The church believes that pre-marital sex is in "violation of the will of God. The wide use of contraceptives has aided the general decline in sexual morality."

The regular Convention of the LCA in 2013 was presented with an interim paper entitled "Human Sexuality: Key Issues today."

A larger paper was presented to the General Pastors' Conference for discussion and comment. These papers are a stage along the way to producing a statement on human sexuality, as the Church re-examines, explains and applies its teaching pastorally. The new statement

will also replace the LCA's 1975 statement on homosexuality. (pg 283ff)

Like many Protestant churches, the LCA "does not condemn nor judge homosexuality and claims the Bible is silent on homosexual orientation. Homosexuals are welcomed into the congregation." The LCA has communicated that the church does not consider sexual orientation to be a choice, saying, "People do not generally choose to be homosexual." The LCA's statements on homosexuality and same-sex relationships include a statement that defines marriage as heterosexual, between one man and one woman, and also supports civil unions, that provide the same legal rights of marriage, for same-sex couples.

Gender politics

The LCA rejects new translations of the Bible and liturgy that use inclusive language in reference to God. Rather, the church feels that (with regard to calling God "the Father"), "The language which we use for God is not merely metaphorical or picture language. Our language for God involves the actual nature of God as revealed to us in Christ. The God who is revealed to humanity in the holy Scriptures is Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, three persons in the one Godhead... [However]... When the writers of the holy Scriptures speak of God, they use a wide range of images, metaphors, and symbols to describe what God is like or how God regards and deals with Israel and the human race. Included in these various images and symbols is the use of maternal imagery."

The LCA has voted on six occasions on the question of the ordination of women. On the first five occasions, it did not succeed even though a majority of representatives have voted for the ordination of women. This is because a change to the doctrine of the church requires a two-thirds majority support. Church leaders have recognised the divisiveness of this issue and the capacity for it to cause a schism which could result in the church becoming non-viable. On 5 October 2024, the General Synod voted to remove the clause banning ordination of women from their "Theses of Agreement", thus opening the possibility of women's ordination. Previously, women could serve as lay readers and assist at the distribution of Holy Communion, but not as pastors. On April 13, 2025, the LCA ordained its first female pastor, Maria Rudolph.

Church and state

The LCA believes in the separation of church and state: "The church has been charged with only one commission by its risen and ascended Lord: to preach the gospel of the forgiveness of sins, life, and salvation to a lost and dying world... Only harm can result if the different roles of church and state, different but also complementary, are not observed and kept distinct. Confusion of the two leads directly to various evils: either church or state becomes an oppressive power, or both do; the church loses its reason for existence..."

Furthermore, the LCA acknowledges "The church as such has no special power to legislate on any political question or problem. Nor has it the right to endeavour to exert political pressure, for instance, by forming a political party or by lobbying or by instructing its members how they must vote in political elections or referendums. Its members must act together with all members of society to do what is possible in each political case on the basis of what reason suggests and the power available permits. The church as such can and should, of course, point quite distinctly to the will of God (the Law) to which all people, including all those in authority, should be obedient..." The story of German anti-Nazi pacifist Sophie Scholl is frequently taught in Australian Lutheran schools.

Furthermore, "The church lives in a fallen, sinful world in rebellion against God's laws and institutions, against his will and ordinances. It 'carries the burdens of others' (cf Gal 6:2), especially of people oppressed and suffering injustice inflicted on them by those who, instead of justice, exercise brutal power. With the prophets and apostles, it proclaims God's judgment against those who do such evil... The church realises that, in a conflict-ridden world, wars are initiated as a result of greed, rivalry, suspicion, lust for power, etc. Against such evils and their disastrous consequences, the church raises its warning and pleading voice... The church views with deep concern and sadness the enormous build-up of nuclear and other destructive armaments in the world today... The escalation of weapon systems and their possible use create anxiety, fear, and unrest throughout the world, and pose a real threat to present and future generations and their natural habitat... The church pleads with governments and the citizens of their countries to embark on nuclear disarmament. It cannot under any circumstances support either wars of mass destruction or armed conflicts which violate the mandate of peace and the principles of justice. The church denounces the use of financial resources required for help in the existing areas of global human need (eg hunger, homelessness, disease, and poverty) for the manufacture and deployment of weapons of mass destruction... The church supports legislation which recognises the validity of conscientious objection of citizens..."

Social activism

In theory, the LCA is outspoken when it comes to issues such as opposing warfare. Officially, it has stated that it must give "witness to governments about its commitment to the word of God and to prayer for peace. It will inform the authorities of its views on relevant legislative and political decisions, socio-moral issues, ethical concerns, economic circumstances, and other matters which affect the well-being and security of the people. The church cannot afford to be silent in the face of mounting armaments and increasing national and international tensions; to do so would be to fail in its obligation to help prevent mass destruction and to minimise global conflict."

Other LCA congregants look on this differently, feeling that "The LWF will help us become more conscious of the social implications of the gospel and provide opportunities to work in partnership with other Lutherans in addressing questions of international significance."

"The inspiration for this development of Church taking on the State was the Confessing Church in 1930s Germany, the Second Vatican Council, church involvement in the US civil rights movement, and new theological movements such as feminist, black and liberation theology which gathered momentum through the 1960s and 70s."

Capital punishment

In contrast to nearly all mainstream Protestant denominations, including the Anglican and Uniting Churches, the Lutheran Church does not emphatically reject capital punishment. Rather, it states that "because of the lack of a clear biblical directive, the church can only say that capital punishment is not contrary to the will of God, but is not demanded by God... Nevertheless, the church should not cease its witness to the sanctity of human life and demand punishment for those who commit murder. At the same time the church should encourage the state to develop clear and plausible concepts of the reason, meaning and purpose of the punishments which by law it determines for crimes that have been committed." However, a way to administer capital punishment objectively is out of reach from mankind as a whole. Therefore, Lutherans believe that it should not be administered. As it says in the book of Romans chapter 12 verse 19 "Dear friends, never take revenge. Leave that to the righteous anger of God. For the Scriptures say, "I will take revenge; I will pay them back," says the LORD."

Abortion

The Lutheran Church of Australia is anti-abortion. However, it "recognises that there are circumstances under which a termination of pregnancy may properly be considered, namely, when competent medical people are of the opinion that the life of the mother can be saved only by terminating the pregnancy. In such a case, it is a question, humanly speaking, of choosing between one human life and another. A choice cannot be avoided. Before choosing to abort the child the mother should, if possible, seek both medical and pastoral guidance... There are other special cases -- for example, pregnancies which result from incest, rape, or other perverted sexual relationships -- and special problems with which parents and members of the medical and nursing profession have to wrestle. These special cases and situations must always be evaluated and decided in the light of the basic principle that the fetus is human life created by God... The Lutheran Church firmly believes that hospital authorities should respect the conscientious objections of medical and nursing personnel to the performing of abortions."

Papacy

Historically, Lutherans from Martin Luther onwards thought that the office of the pope was the Antichrist. The Lutheran Church of Australia tends to be more conciliatory: "The Lutheran Church of Australia cannot continue to affirm at this time that the Roman papacy bears the distinguishing features of the Antichrist. We dialogue with Roman Catholics as with brothers and sisters in the faith; we certainly do not regard them as people under the authority and spirit of Antichrist."

However, "the papacy still presents formidable problems for Lutherans. The Pope continues to see himself as the vicar of Christ, claiming the right and power to represent the whole church as Christ's supreme representative. Although papal infallibility is now limited by provisos, it is still maintained."

With regard to saints, the church feels that "departed saints can provide us with examples of how to live the Christian life. We can certainly honour and acknowledge them in our prayer life, but we do not look to them for help or to answer our prayers. Jesus is our one mediator to God the Father."

"Traditionally, the LCA has taken as its starting point for fellowship with other churches agreement in the doctrine of the gospel and the sacraments. Doctrine has come first. Increasingly, Lutherans and others are starting from the ancient church's understanding of communio, which grounds communion among Christians as well as among churches in the mutual communion between the Father, his Son, and their Spirit. The church as the icon of the Trinity finds the source and goal of its own life in its participation in the life of the divine Trinity. The mutual love between the persons of the Trinity also permeates and forms the communion (koinonia) of the church on earth, which is both proclaimed and enacted in the eucharist... The unity that we share through our common life in the triune God is grounded in baptism and confirmed and strengthened in the Lord's supper. All who are united with Christ by baptism and faith are made one body with him as they eat.. the Lord's supper... The unity of all believers is a gift of the triune God. God draws us into communion with himself through the gospel and the holy sacraments."

However, despite these movements towards greater openness to others, the church is still only an affiliate member of the Lutheran World Federation because of concerns that "Our Lutheran confessional identity may be eroded because many LWF member churches are not as strongly confessional as the LCA" and "Some LWF member churches (like the ELCA in America) have entered into communion with non-Lutheran churches whose doctrinal position is not in agreement with the Lutheran confessions".

Role in education

The first Lutheran school in Australia opened in 1839. Today, there are twenty-seven Lutheran-run primary and secondary schools in Queensland, thirty-three in South Australia and sixteen in Victoria, with a much smaller number in each of the other states and territories. The body overseeing these is Lutheran Education Australia, which has a branch in each State.

The LCA feels that "The church is present in the Lutheran school as staff, parents, and students are gathered by the gospel and nurtured by word and sacrament. This community of the faithful will be active in all the functions of the church, namely worship, nurture, fellowship, witness, and service... public ministry is 'public, foundational, and ecumenical, since it is by the public proclamation of the gospel and the public administration of the sacraments the Holy Spirit creates, upholds, and extends the church throughout the world'. Accordingly, if the gospel is to inform the Lutheran school, the public ministry needs to be present..."

Hence, "In order to fulfil this ministry and mission, teachers in the Lutheran school will not only be qualified and competent educators. They will also

  • be committed to the Christian faith as confessed by the Lutheran church
  • be willing to identify with, uphold and promote the Lutheran ethos of the school
  • exemplify and model the Christian lifestyle in and beyond the school."

The "schools seek to nurture integrated individuals, who

  • are guided by core values and reflecting the characteristics of God especially love, justice, compassion, forgiveness, service, humility, courage, hope, quality and appreciation,
  • serve their communities by being:
  • self-directed, insightful investigators and learners
  • discerning, resourceful problem solvers and implementers
  • adept, creative producers and contributors
  • open, responsive communicators and facilitators
  • principled, resilient leaders and collaborators
  • caring, steadfast supporters and advocates"

The LCA provides pastoral care for the following groups in particular:

They also cite "the example of Jesus who enjoyed food and hospitality as a way to break down barriers and connect with those for whom society had no time."

Affiliations

The Lutheran Church in Australia is:

  • a member of the National Council of Churches in Australia
  • an associate member of the Lutheran World Federation
  • formerly an observer member of the International Lutheran Council

It also has an "altar and pulpit fellowship" with the two Lutheran churches in Papua New Guinea, these being the:

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

"A unique partnership exists between the LCA and Lutheran Church–Canada (LCC). This is the only church with which the LCA has entered into a formal 'Recognition of Relationship'. The document was co-signed by the presidents of the two churches in 1993." It is "one of the most highly awarded publications within the Australasian Religious Press Association."

The Lutheran Media Ministry has been operating for over sixty-five years. The church feels that "broadcasting messages is a cost-effective way of spreading the good news of Jesus Christ."

"Every week Lutheran Media programs are broadcast nearly 600 times on over 500 stations across Australia to an estimated audience of 1 million people... Special programs are broadcast on Good Friday and Christmas Day." "It tackles socially relevant issues from a positive Christian perspective and offers free booklets dealing with the issues discussed. It is broadcast over the Australian Christian Channel on AUSTAR DIGITAL 182, FOXTEL DIGITAL 182; TRANSACT (Canberra) and OPTUS 49/DIGITAL 182."

The church also runs a number of websites and mailing lists.

Festivities

The LCA celebrates Easter and Christmas. Congregants also celebrate Reformation Sunday with a special feast.