Classification Protestant Region India Origin 1959 | Orientation Lutheran Headquarters Tamil Nadu, India Number of members 114,600 | |
Structure National church, middle level synods, and local congregations Address Old Pet, Krishnagiri, Tamil Nadu 635001 Branched from Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod Associations United Evangelical Lutheran Churches in India, International Lutheran Council, Lutheran World Federation | ||
India Evangelical Lutheran Church (IELC) is a Christian denomination in India. Its headquarters is in Tamil Nadu. It belongs to the International Lutheran Council and the Lutheran World Federation. It has three synods named Amboor, Nagercoil, and Trivandrum. The India Evangelical Lutheran Church was founded through the missionary efforts of The Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod (LCMS), with whom it remains in altar and pulpit fellowship.
The inception of The India Evangelical Lutheran Church is rooted in the mission work of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod, beginning in 1894. Over the following decades, the LCMS sent more than 60 missionaries to serve in India, and in 1959, the India Evangelical Lutheran Church (IELC) was established as an LCMS partner church.
Today, the IELC has about 764 congregations, 114,600 baptized members, approximately 65,000 communicant members, and 120 active pastors, along with more than 80 schools and three hospitals. It is a member of the World Council of Churches, Christian Conference of Asia, the National Council of Churches in India, and the Lutheran World Federation Council of Churches in India. It is a member church in the United Evangelical Lutheran Churches in India (UELCI) - a communion of Lutheran Churches.
The current president of the IELC is Rev. Raja Gambeeram, who was elected as president of the IELC on 27 May 2014, succeeding President Samuel. LCMS representatives from the Office of International Mission attended the IELC convention in May 2014 as observers. President Harrison officially recognized Rev. Raja Gambeeram as the president of the IELC on behalf of the LCMS on Epiphany, 6 January 2015.