Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tanzania.

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Mission

The aim of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tanzania (ELCT) is to enable people to know Jesus Christ and gain eternal life. The Church is built on Jesus Christ as its foundation, is guided by the Word of God as found in the Old and New Testaments, and is strengthened by the Sacraments. It does so in accordance with the Lutheran Confessions, which are true interpretations of the Word of God.

The ELCT, which is comprised of 20 dioceses, has a membership of more than 5.6 million in a population of nearly 38 million Tanzanians.

A Short History.

The Lutheran Church began its activities in the country during the 19th Century. It has continued to bear fruit despite interruptions by the Hehe/German War in 1891, the Majimaji war of 1905-1906, the 1st World War 1914-1918 and later on the 2nd World War of 1939-1945.

By 1938 there were seven Churches in Tanganyika, as the country was known at that time. These were:

• The Lutheran Church of Northern Tanganyika in the north.
• The Usambara/Digo Lutheran Church in the northeast.
• The Uzaramo/Uluguru Lutheran Church in the east.
• The Augustana Lutheran Church of Irimba/Turu, located in Central Tanganyika.
• The Evangelical Lutheran Church in the North West Tanganyika.
• The Iraqw Lutheran Church in the Northern Province
• The Ubena/Konde Lutheran Church in the Southern Highlands.

In 1938, the Churches founded a federation known as the Federation of Lutheran Churches in Tanganyika, which brought together these seven churches. On June 19, 1963, the seven Churches, under the umbrella of a federation, merged to become a single Church, known as the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tanzania.

For more information on the ELCT, click here.