| Church of the Lutheran Brethren of America | |
| Main Classification: | Protestant |
| Orientation: | Lutheran |
| Theology: | Conservative Christianity Pietistic Lutheranism |
| Founded Date: | 1900 |
| Founded Place: | Milwaukee, Wisconsin |
| Separated From: | United Norwegian Lutheran Church of America |
| Congregations: | 123 (2009) |
| Members: | 8,860 (2009) |
| Website: | www.clba.org |
| Headquarters: | Fergus Falls, Minnesota |
The Church of the Lutheran Brethren of America (CLBA) is a Lutheran denomination of Christians rooted in a Pietist Lutheran spiritual awakening at the turn of the 20th century.[1]
Following the occurrence of a Pietist spiritual revival that swept through a large part of the Midwestern United States in the 1890s, an assembly of Lutherans who were influenced by this fervor felt the need to reject several former beliefs as incompatible with their newfound spirituality.[1] [2] They rejected the idea of receiving the unconverted into full membership or admitting them to Communion, replaced liturgical ceremonies with simple worship services, and formed new congregations to worship and serve according to these dictates of conscience.
Five such Lutheran congregations from the United Norwegian Lutheran Church of America met in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, on December 17, 1900, and organized a synod named the Church of the Lutheran Brethren. Its constitution was patterned after that of the Lutheran Free Church of Norway. The Lutheran Bible School, forerunner of the current schools in Minnesota, was founded in 1903 in Wahpeton, North Dakota.
The CLBA emphasizes the foundational place of the Bible, stating, "We believe the Bible is the inspired Word of God and free from error. It is authoritative for faith and conduct." Other beliefs include the triune Godhead; total depravity; the eternal Son-ship, Virgin Birth, sinless life, substitutionary atonement, bodily resurrection, personal return of Jesus; infant baptism; and Holy Communion. It has been noted for practicing open communion, teaching premillennialism, and not having the laity receive absolution from the pastor.[3]
In addition to the denominational statement of faith, the church adheres to the following historic confessions: the Apostles' Creed, Nicene, and Athanasian creeds, the Augsburg Confession, and Luther's Small Catechism. Its strong emphasis on missions and evangelism and its stand for non-liturgical worship and a church composed only of confessing Christians differentiate it from most Lutherans in America. The CLBA considers itself to be "Lutheran in theological tradition and evangelical in practice".
The Church of the Lutheran Brethren has 123 congregations with about 8,860 baptized members[4] in the United States (114) and Canada (9), as well as about 1,500 congregations in Cameroon, Chad, Japan, and Taiwan. Its offices, the Lutheran Brethren Seminary, the Lutheran Center For Christian Learning, and the Hillcrest Lutheran Academy are located in Fergus Falls, Minnesota. The CLBA publishes a bimonthly magazine called Faith & Fellowship. The CLBA has been led by President Paul Larson since 2014.
The CLBA has been involved in a number of national and international missionary endeavours throughout its history. In 1966, the denomination, in partnership with several other missional bodies, instituted the China Lutheran Seminary in Hsinchu City, Taiwan.[5]