The United Evangelical Lutheran Church in India is a communion of eleven member churches spread out mostly in the East and Central India including North Eastern states with a membership of approximately 2.5 million. The Lutheran communion in India is predominantly Dalit and Adivasi. Each member church has its own unique cultural and historical context, with different mission histories.
The United Evangelical Lutheran Church in India is a communion of eleven member churches spread out mostly in the East and Central India including North Eastern states with a membership of approximately 2.5 million. The Lutheran communion in India is predominantly Dalit and Adivasi. Each member church has its own unique cultural and historical context, with different mission histories.
The Communion facilitates member churches to witness to the faith together. It enables the possibilities for constant interaction and serves as the platform to speak together on fundamental concerns of the Lutheran churches in India. The communion also enables the member churches to express their unity as part of the universal church and the church in India and explores ways to be God's effective instrument for justice, inclusiveness and for the liberation of the oppressed. Addressing and responding to the Gospel demands for social, economic, spiritual and gender justice fulfill this. The communion helps in the deepening of the understanding of our faith in God and to commit to closer and deeper cooperation in witness and service. The communion constantly explores effective and relevant ways to participate in the ecumenical movement in the midst of struggles.
The Lutheran communion in India along with the ecumenical community celebrated the tercentenary of the first Protestant mission to India. In 1706 the first German Lutheran missionaries namely Bartholomaeus Ziegenbalg and Heinrich Plutschau landed at the shores of a fisher folk village called Tharangambadi (Tranquebar) in South India. UELCI is proud of its association with this historical reality.
A 'third' of the member of the National Council of Churches in India is comprised of Lutheran churches and the communion has played a pivotal role in promoting ecumenism and ecumenical theology of justice and life.