Slight Increase Pushes Total Figure to 70.3 Million
GENEVA, 18 February 2011 (LWI) – The Lutheran World Federation (LWF) member churches maintained a general trend of growth globally, according to statistics released here.
By the end of 2010, the 145 churches belonging to the LWF, ten recognized congregations and one recognized council in 79 countries, had a combined total of 70,308,294 members, an increase of 213,559 or 0.3 percent over the previous period.
According to the 2010 annual statistical survey conducted by the LWF Office for Communication Services, LWF churches in Africa and Asia reported continued growth, with Africa adding almost 700,000 new members, and Asia more than 50,000.
The Latin American and the Caribbean churches reversed a recent decrease, by gaining almost 10,000 members.
Churches in Europe and North America continued to experience decreases in membership, with European membership declining by about 400,000 and North American membership by just more than 84,000.
The current LWF total figure compares with the end of 2009 survey results, which were updated to 70.1 million (70,094,735) in July 2010 when five churches from Asia (Myanmar, India and Nepal) joined the LWF. In 2008 LWF-affiliated churches had a total of 68.5 million members.
In 2010 membership of churches in the Lutheran family, including non-LWF churches, rose by 237,450 to just under 74 million (73,995,576), representing an increase of 0.3 percent. In 2009 this category counted 73.7 million compared to 72 million in 2008.
Sixteen churches have more than a million members: among the largest are the Church of Sweden (6.7 million), the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tanzania (5.6 million), the Ethiopian Evangelical Church Mekane Yesus (nearly 5.6 million), the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (4.5 million) and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Denmark (nearly 4.5 million).
Africa
Membership in churches in Africa belonging to the LWF rose over the past year by 688,301, or 3.7 percent, to 19,208,991 members. The membership of non-LWF Lutheran churches on the continent was 199,697, an increase of 2,708.
Africa’s largest Lutheran church, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tanzania, increased its membership by 298,544, or 5.6 percent, to 5,601, 271 members. A similar percentage increase was recorded in the continent’s second largest LWF church, the Ethiopian Evangelical Church Mekane Yesus, which added 296,334, posting 5,576,156 members at the end of last year.
The Evangelical Lutheran Church in Zimbabwe recorded the highest percentage increase, 40 percent, accounting for 210,000 members last year compared to 150,000 in the previous year. The Evangelical Lutheran Church in Malawi reported a significant increase of 33 percent to reach 80,000 members compared to 60,000 in 2009. Also posting an increase was the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Namibia (ELCIN), up by 18,000 or 2.6 percent to reach 703,893 members. While the Lutheran Church of Christ in Nigeria did not report any changes to its 1.9 million members, the Lutheran Church of Nigeria recorded a 5.3 percent decline, or 8,000 members, putting its membership at 142,000.
Asia
Membership in churches in Asia belonging to the LWF rose by 56,511 or 0.64 percent, to 8,802,945 members. In the region, Indonesia remained the country with the highest numbers among its 12 LWF churches, totaling more than 5.6 million. While the Protestant Christian Batak Church (HKPB) did not report any statistical changes at 4,178,526 members, the Protestant Christian Church (BNKP) recorded an increase of 3.5 percent to reach 360,956 members, and the Pakpak Dairi Christian Protestant Church was up by 2.8 percent, or nearly 1,000 members, for a total of 36,797 members.
No change in data was reported for the 11 LWF member churches in India, which remained steady at a national total of 1.9 million among LWF member churches. The Andhra Evangelical Lutheran Church is the sub-continent’s largest Lutheran church with 800,000 members.
Two churches had slight decreases: the Christian Communion of Indonesia Church in Nias (Gereja AMIN) decreased by 1,902 members, or 9.4 percent, to 18,223; and the Lutheran Church in Singapore decreased by 300 members, or 9.6 percent, to 2,834 members.
Europe
Europe continues to be the home of a majority of the world’s Lutherans. Membership in churches belonging to the LWF in Europe over the past year dropped by 414,892, or 1.1 percent, to 36,749,519 members. The membership of non-LWF churches in Europe was 79,326, a decrease of 452.
The Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland counted a significant loss of members, dropping by 91,909, or 2.05 percent, to 4,387,085 members.
The continent’s largest church, Church of Sweden, saw its membership decline by 51,160, or 0.75 percent, to 6,700,792 members.
The Evangelical Lutheran Church of Iceland lost 1,461 members, or 0.57 percent, to 251,487 members.
European churches that recorded growth in the period included the Malagasy Protestant Church in France which gained 1,500 members, or 17.6 percent, to 10,000 members; the Estonian Evangelical Lutheran Church added 12,000 members, or 7.5 percent, to 172,000 members; and the Federation of Evangelical Lutheran Churches in Switzerland and in the Principality of Liechtenstein posted a 1.05 percent increase to reach 6,890 members.
Germany
Germany continues to be the country with the largest number of Lutherans in the world with 12,676,409 members. That figure dropped by 261,001, or 2.01 percent, from the 2009 total of 12,937,410. A similar drop is reflected among the 14 LWF member churches there, with a total membership of 12,640,075, down from 12.9 million
The Evangelical Lutheran Church of Hanover, Germany’s largest Lutheran church, reported a membership decline of 81,881, or 2.7 percent, to 2,899,432 members. Membership in the Evangelical Church in Central Germany declined by 52,074, or 5.7 percent, to 858,453 members. The Evangelical Lutheran Church in Württemberg’s membership declined by 49,522, or 2.1 percent, to 2,237,461 members.
Membership in the Evangelical Church of Pomerania dropped by 6,266, or 6.2 percent, to 94,119.
Latin America and the Caribbean
Membership in churches belonging to the LWF in Latin America and the Caribbean rose by 9,247, or 1.05 percent, to 846,939.
The Salvadoran Lutheran Church recorded the highest percentage increase at 66 percent with an additional 8,000 members pushing the total to 20,000. . The Christian Lutheran Church of Honduras grew by 300, or 25 percent, to 1,500 members; and the Evangelical Church of the River Plate, gained 2,500, or 10 percent, to 27,500 members.
Latin America and the Caribbean’s largest Lutheran church, the Evangelical Church of the Lutheran Confession in Brazil, reported no change in its membership of 717,000.
North America
Churches in North America belonging to the LWF posted a membership decreased of 84,189, or 1.75 percent, to 4,699,900 members.
The region’s largest Lutheran church, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, lost 80,264 members, or 1.73 percent, down to 4,543,037. The Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada declined by 3,925, or 2.56 percent, to 148,863 members.
The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod, a continent-wide church that is not affiliated to the LWF, did not report any changes in its membership of 2.4 million.
The LWF membership statistics are based on information received from the LWF member churches, recognized churches and congregations and council, as well as from other Lutheran bodies. The figures recorded for the year ending 2009 were used for churches that did not indicate any changes by early February 2011. (1,198 words)
See also:
- Membership in LWF Member Churches Reaches Just Under 68.5 Million
- Survey Shows 70.5 Million Members in LWF-Affiliated Churches
- Membership of Churches Belonging to the LWF Tops 70 Million for the First Time
- Global Increase in LWF Churches’ Membership Pushes Total to Over 68.3 Million
- LWF Member Churches in Latin America Seek Deeper Relations as Communion
- LWF Strategy an Important Planning Resource for Member Churches
- Regional Cooperation Has Strengthened Lutheran Communion Among Latin American LWF Member Churches
- Five churches in Asia join LWF
- Further Action Sought on Women’s Ordination and Witness Among LWF Member Churches
- Ethiopian Church Marks 50 Years of Service and Growth
