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
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, which eventually was renamed the United Evangelical Lutheran Church in Australia. The followers of Fritzsche founded the Bethany-Lobethal Synod, which eventually joined with other synods that had developed and became the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Australia. These two denominations joined to form the LCA in 1966.
A significant influx occurred after World War II and migration also brought a number of Lutherans from other European countries. Lutherans also set up missions in Aboriginal communities. Noel Pearson, for instance, was raised in such an environment.
In 2024, as a result of the 2023 decision of the LCA to ordain female pastors, several pastors and congregations separated from the LCA to form the Lutheran Mission – Australia.
Demographics
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.
Structure "The LCA is a 'synodical' church, meaning that every congregation 'walks together' with every other congregation, every district with every other district, and every department or agency with every other one... [However] every congregation is... unique... So, while all congregations adhere to the LCA constitution, they are free to exercise their own interpretations of the LCA's mission and ministry objectives."
Every three years representatives of the LCA's congregations meet for a Synod meeting. Pastors provide input regarding theological matters, but in effect it is the people in the pews, rather than church leaders, who determine the direction of [the] church."
Logo According to the church, "Our logo represents how we see ourselves as two nations under the Southern Cross, created by God, redeemed by Jesus Christ and empowered by the Holy Spirit to serve the people of our two nations and the world."
Tagline The church's tagline is "Where Love Comes to Life", which congregants believe "reflects the heart and soul of [their] mission".
Worship music and modernisation of hymns The official hymn book of the Lutheran Church of Australia is the Lutheran Hymnal with Supplement.
The church is happy to use gender-inclusive language where this does not detract from the teachings of the Bible will modernise the language of its hymns where such modernisation is practical.
Culture
Theological conservatism In comparison to many Lutheran synods in Europe, the Lutheran Church of Australia as of 2012 remains a strongly confessional church. The reason for this is two-fold. Firstly, there was the early influence of the Old Lutherans and, secondly, "from the 1880s the church sought pastors from the US (Missouri Synod)." The influence of these American Lutherans caused the LCA to deviate from the doctrines of the more mainstream (or, indeed, liberal) European Lutherans.
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." It also "subscribes to the central teachings (or confessions) of Lutherans worldwide."
Censorship The church advocates film censorship, stating that "X-rated and violent videos are an assault on God's gifts; they pervert his gift of sexuality, and deny the dignity of human beings." 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."
Sex and sexuality Like historical Christianity, the LCA holds to conservative views on sex. Although it does not oppose contraception, overall it feels "that normally married couples should have children ... Nowhere in Scripture, however, is there any indication that married couples should produce offspring to the extent of their biological maximum. Nor has the church ever taught this [but] all avoidance of parenthood for selfish reasons, such as unwillingness to assume the responsibilities and sacrifices of bearing and rearing children, is opposed to the will of God. They warn especially against a self-indulgent use of contraceptives."
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."
Homosexuality
The Lutheran Church of Australia's "Statement on Homosexuality" was adopted by the General Synod, 1975 Convention. It contains the following paragraphs.
"God's Word is silent about homosexuality as a propensity. In view of this and in the light of medical, and psychological evidence, the Church may not condemn or judge homosexual propensity. It is part of the mysterious disturbance and distortion that has entered God's creation and his created social structures. Like disease, it must be seen in the context of the Fall and the resultant intrusion of disruptive and abnormal forces which have upset and perverted God's original design."
"God's word regards this disruption and perversion as a judgement of God on the whole of humanity so that in this sense all people are somehow involved."
The Church and the Homosexual "As in the case of pain and disease, the Christian homosexual should accept his homosexual propensity in obedience to God, bear his cross bravely, seek all possible professional help and pastoral aid, and in faith resist the strong temptation of rebelling and murmuring against God"
Treatment "Skilled counselling may be helpful, particularly to the young (under 35 years of age)."
"Hormone treatment will not change the direction of the sexual drive, although it may lessen its intensity."
"Punishment does not result in change of propensity, although it may restrict overt behaviour."LutheranHomosexuality.rtf
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. Church guidelines do not allow for same-sex marriages to be conducted by clergy, but the church has said it does not prohibit, or encourage, the use of church sanctuaries and halls for same-sex marriages performed by civil celebrants; that decision is left to the local congregation.
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..."