This is a list of Lutheran dioceses and archdioceses currently active, grouped by national (or regional) church, and showing the titles of the bishops of those dioceses. Where relevant, the metropolitan bishop or primate is listed first. As in other Christian denominations, many Lutheran metropolitan bishops and primate bishops bear the title archbishop.
This list does not contain historical or defunct dioceses, although links are provided (at the end of the list) to former Lutheran dioceses of particular historical note.
This list is solely for dioceses of those Lutheran churches which have retained, or established, episcopal polity. There are also many Lutheran churches with congregational polity, which do not have bishops, or who use the title bishop for their presiding officer, but in a sense other than that of the historic episcopate.
Europe (outside Germany)
Church of Denmark An established state church in Denmark and Greenland. The Bishop of Copenhagen is the Primate (Primus inter pares), but not a Metropolitan, having no actual jurisdiction superior to that of any other diocesan bishop. Bishop of Copenhagen (Primate, but with no authority as Metropolitan) Bishop of Aalborg Bishop of Århus Bishop of Fyen Bishop of Greenland Bishop of Haderslev Bishop of Helsingør Bishop of Lolland-Falster Bishop of Ribe Bishop of Roskilde Bishop of Viborg
Estonian Evangelical Lutheran Church The Archbishop holds authority throughout Estonia, assisted by Bishops of regional dioceses,The Bishops and their jurisdictions listed and illustrated at EELK website (in Estonian). including the Extra-Estonian Diocese, which had been a separate church until 2010.Details of reunion at World Council of Churches website. The College of Bishops is usually larger, due to the practice of giving most retiring Bishops the status of Bishop Emeritus (or Archbishop Emeritus).Current bishops (in English). Archbishop of Tallinn (Primate and Metropolitan) (See located at Tallinn) Bishop of the Western and Northern Region (See located at Haapsalu) Bishop of the Southern Region (See located at Tartu)
Church of the Faroe Islands Formerly a diocese of the Church of Denmark, it is now an autonomous church consisting of a single diocese. Bishop of the Faroe Islands
Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland One of two state sanctioned national churches in Finland. The Archbishop of Turku is the Primate. In addition to the dioceses listed below there is also a "Military Bishopric", although the Ordinary is not required to be in Bishop's Orders, and may be a senior priest. Archbishop of Turku (Primate and Metropolitan) Bishop of Turku (suffragan bishop, assisting the Archbishop of Turku) Bishop of Espoo Bishop of Helsinki Bishop of Kuopio Bishop of Lapua Bishop of Mikkeli Bishop of Oulu Bishop of Porvoo Bishop of Tampere
A small group of former members of ELCF have formed an independent conservative mission diocese, the Evangelical Lutheran Mission Diocese of Finland. It is headed by its own bishop, but is not recognised by the ELCF, the Finnish Government, or the Lutheran World Federation.
Lutheran Church in Great Britain An autonomous church structured as a single diocese. Bishop of Great Britain
Evangelical-Lutheran Church in Hungary The church is led by a Presiding Bishop, who is elected from amongst the diocesan bishops, and remains a diocesan bishop in addition to his role as Primate. Presiding Bishop (Primate and Metropolitan) – no fixed see, elected from amongst the diocesan bishops below Bishop of the Northern Diocese Bishop of the Southern Diocese Bishop of the Western (Transdanubian) Diocese
National Church of Iceland Since 1801 the Church of Iceland has been united as a single diocese. Since that year, the Bishops of Skálholt and Hólar have been suffragans to the Bishop of Iceland. They retain their respective cathedras (seats) in Skálholt Cathedral and Hólar Cathedral. The Bishop of Iceland's cathedra is located in Reykjavík Cathedral. Bishop of Iceland Bishop of Skálholt Bishop of Hólar
Evangelical Lutheran Church of Latvia The Council of Bishops (of which all Latvian bishops and archbishops are members) is the highest authority in the church;Position defined at official website (in English). the archbishop is Primate and is sometimes styled Archbishop of Riga and Latvia. Archbishop of Riga (Primate and Metropolitan) Bishop of Riga (suffragan bishop, assisting the Archbishop of Riga) Bishop of Daugavpils Bishop of Liepāja
Latvian Evangelical Lutheran Church Worldwide An autonomous church formed as a single diocese, and operating worldwide. Originally for Latvians overseas, the church now has congregations in Latvia also, where its inclusive ordination policy contrasts with the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Latvia, which ordains only men. Archbishop of the LELCWW
Evangelical Lutheran Church of Lithuania An autonomous church structured as a single diocese. Bishop of Lithuania
Church of Norway Changes in 2012 and 2016 have given the church increased autonomy from the state, although it remains partially state-funded. The Preses (Presiding Bishop) is the primate and metropolitan and also has Ordinary jurisdiction over the cathedral deanery in Nidaros (Trondheim), notwithstanding the existence of a Diocesan Bishop of Nidaros (see below). Bishop Preses (Primate and Metropolitan) Bishop of Agder og Telemark Bishop of Bjørgvin Bishop of Borg Bishop of Hamar Bishop of Møre Bishop of Nidaros Bishop of Nord-Hålogaland Bishop of Oslo Bishop of Tunsberg Bishop of Sør-Hålogaland Bishop of Stavanger
Evangelical Church of the Augsburg Confession in Poland The Bishop of the Church is an elective leader of the denomination, described as a 'pastor of the pastors' (Pastor pastorum), and is based in Warsaw. Bishop of the Church Bishop of Cieszyn Bishop of Katowice Bishop of Masuria Bishop of Pomerania-Greater Poland Bishop of Warsaw Bishop of Wrocław
Evangelical Lutheran Church in Russia, Ukraine, Kazakhstan and Central Asia (ELCROS) With its origins in several separate denominations within the former Soviet Union, this has been a united church since 1999. The Primate is based in St Petersburg. Archbishop of St. Petersburg (Russia) (Primate) Bishop of Evangelical-Lutheran Church in European Russia (Russia) (Cathedral in Moscow) Bishop of Evangelical-Lutheran Church of the Urals, Siberia and the Far East (Russia) Bishop of Union of Evangelical-Lutheran Church Congregations in Belorussia (Belarus) Bishop of Evangelical-Lutheran Church in Georgia (Georgia) Bishop of Evangelical-Lutheran Church in Kazakhstan (Kazakhstan) Bishop of Evangelical-Lutheran Church in the Kyrgyz Republic (Kyrgyzstan) Bishop of Evangelical-Lutheran Church in Uzbekistan (Uzbekistan) Bishop of German Evangelical-Lutheran Church in Ukraine (Ukraine)
Evangelical Lutheran Church of Ingria in Russia (ELCI) A single-diocese church. Unlike ELCROS (above) the ELCI does not ordain women. Bishop of the ELCI
Church of Sweden The largest Lutheran church in Europe. The Archbishop of Uppsala is the primate and metropolitan; although also the Ordinary (diocesan bishop) of Uppsala, much of this work is legally delegated to the Bishop of Uppsala, a suffragan bishop who functions as the effective diocesan bishop. There are 13 dioceses (listed below). Additionally the Church of Sweden Abroad forms a 14th jurisdiction, consisting of 45 churches, in 3 deaneries, all outside Sweden; it is under the episcopal oversight of the Bishop of Visby. Archbishop of Uppsala (Primate and Metropolitan) Bishop of Uppsala (suffragan bishop with extensive delegated authority from the Archbishop) Bishop of Gothenburg Bishop of Härnösand Bishop of Karlstad Bishop of Linköping Bishop of Luleå Bishop of Lund Bishop of Skara Bishop of Stockholm Bishop of Strängnäs Bishop of Visby Bishop of Västerås Bishop of Växjö
Slovak Evangelical Church of the Augsburg Confession in Serbia An autonomous church structured as a single diocese. Bishop of Slovak Evangelical Church of the Augsburg Confession in Serbia, with a seat in Novi Sad
Evangelical Church of the Augsburg Confession in Slovakia The church is led by a General Bishop, who is elected from amongst the diocesan bishops, and remains a diocesan bishop in addition to his role as Primate. General Bishop (Primate and Metropolitan) – no fixed see, elected from amongst the diocesan bishops below Bishop of Western district Bishop of Eastern district
Germany
United Evangelical Lutheran Church of Germany
VELKD, established in 1948. All member churches are also members of the all-Protestant umbrella EKD. Only Lutheran member churches are listed below.
Single-diocese member churches State Bishop in Bavaria (Evangelical Lutheran Church in Bavaria) (Seat located in Munich) Six regional bishops lead regions of the Bavarian diocese State bishop in Brunswick (Evangelical Lutheran State Church in Brunswick) (Seat located in Brunswick) State Bishop of Hanover (Evangelical-Lutheran State Church of Hanover) (Seat located in Hanover) State bishop of the Evangelical Church in Middle Germany (Evangelical Church in Middle Germany) State bishop of Saxony (Evangelical Lutheran State Church of Saxony) (Seat located in Meissen) State bishop of Schaumburg-Lippe (Evangelical Lutheran State Church of Schaumburg-Lippe) (Seat located in Bückeburg)
Evangelical Lutheran Church in Northern Germany Established in 2012 from unions of several older denominations, and also part of the VELKD, but consisting of multiple internal dioceses. The State Bishop or Presiding Bishop is in overall charge. There are currently two Bishops of Mecklenburg and Pomerania (located respectively at Greifswald and Schwerin), but this is a temporary arrangement following mergers of denominations. Presiding bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Northern Germany. (Primate) (Seat located in Schwerin) Bishop of Hamburg and Lübeck (Seat located in Hamburg) Bishops of Mecklenburg and Pomerania. (Double staff seat located in Greifswald and Schwerin) Bishop of Schleswig and Holstein
Evangelical Lutheran Church in Oldenburg Bishop of Oldenburg (Seat located in Oldenburg in Oldenburg)
Evangelical State Church in Württemberg The Presiding Bishop (or State Bishop) is in overall charge,Details of Presiding Bishop. with the diocese divided into regions, which function as small dioceses.See cities indicated on map. Presiding bishop of Württemberg (Seat located in Stuttgart) Regional Bishop of Heilbronn Regional Bishop of Stuttgart Regional Bishop of Ulm Regional Bishop of Reutlingen
Asia
United Evangelical Lutheran Churches in India A group of Indian bishoprics with very different origins and founders, which retain their autonomy, but have united into a single denomination. Bishop of Tranquebar (Tamil Evangelical Lutheran Church) Bishop of the Andhra Evangelical Lutheran Church Bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Madhya Pradesh Bishop of the Gossner Evangelical Lutheran Church in Chotanagpur and Assam Bishop of the Jeypore Evangelical Lutheran Church Bishop of the South Andhra Lutheran Church
Protestant Christian Batak Church The ephorus of HKBP is the bishop and primate of the church, elected for a period of four years. The ephorus does not have a fixed see, although the ephorus would preside from HKBP's Headquarters at Pearaja, Tarutung, North Sumatra, Indonesia. Under the ephorus, the church is organized into districts, each headed by a praeses. Ephorus (Bishop) of the Protestant Christian Batak Church
Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land A single-diocese church operating in Jordan, Israel, and Palestine. Bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land
Evangelical Lutheran Church in Malaysia A single-diocese church operating in Malaysia. The Bishop's seat is located at Zion Cathedral, Brickfields, Kuala Lumpur.