Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tanzania

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The Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tanzania ( Swahili : Kanisa la Kiinjili la Kilutheri Tanzania (KKKT), English Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tanzania , (ELCT)) is an amalgamation of a number of Lutheran churches in Tanzania . With 6.3 million members in 26 dioceses, it is the second largest Lutheran church in the world and the largest Lutheran church in East Africa .

history

The roots of the Lutheran churches in Tanganyika lie in the activities of German, American and Swedish missionary societies in the 19th century, including the Berlin Mission , the Leipzig Mission and the Bethel Mission . During the British mandate as Tanganyika , there were seven Lutheran churches here. In 1938 they joined forces to form the Federation of Lutheran Churches in Tanganyika . On June 19, 1963, these churches merged to form the ELCT.

organization

The seat of the church is in Arusha . It is financed mainly from collections and donations as well as project grants from churches in the north.

The ELCT is led by a leading bishop, who is elected for four years, and 24 diocesan bishops who preside over dioceses with their own constitution. The current ELCT's Chief Bishop is Bishop Fredrick Onael Shoo.

Bishops
Period Surname annotation
1964-1976 Stefano Moshi
1976-1992 Sebastian Kolowa
1994-2007 Samson Mushemba
2007-2016 Alex Malasusa
2016 – today Fredrick Onael Shoo

1360 pastors (28 from overseas), 3000 evangelists and 300 parish helpers work in the church (2014 figures). Women are not ordained in all dioceses .

The growth of the church is remarkable, at around 8% annually.

The ELCT belongs to a number of organizations:

job

inland

In addition to the spiritual offer, the church is involved in the health and education system of the country, which it supports decisively. The ELCT maintains different types of schools from primary school to Tumaini University with theological and human science faculties in Makumira , Iringa and Dar es Salaam as well as a medical faculty. In addition, these are

  • the university in Mwika with theological and evangelistic training
  • the KCMC (Kilimanjaro Christian Medical Center) in Moshi
  • various facilities for the disabled, such as the deaf schools in Mwanga and Njombe
  • a teacher training college in Uyole / Mbeya
  • Secondary schools, Bible schools, vocational schools (craft and agricultural schools)

The ELCT is also responsible for 17 hospitals and over 100 rural health centers. It promotes and operates hydraulic engineering and land development projects. This makes the Tanzanian Church an important agency for development work and a contact for foreign donors.

The church operates a radio station , Sauti ya Injili (Voice of the Gospel).

foreign countries

The ELCT supported the building of Lutheran churches in Kenya and the Democratic Republic of the Congo .

The ELCT maintains a partnership relationship with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Bavaria , whereby a partnership relationship between the Bavarian dean's office in Coburg and the dean's office in Chimala in southern Tanzania (since 1962) was the first at dean's level. Today there are 30 such partnerships.

The cooperation between the ELCT and its partner churches in Europe and the USA takes place through a forum for Lutheran Missions in which the ELTC, its 24 dioceses and 13 partners from the north have a seat and vote. The areas of human resources, finances, grants, programs and projects are coordinated.

literature

  • Mary Laiser: Empowering Women in the Church . In: Tanzania. The East African Country and its Lutheran Church. Mission EineWelt, [Neuendettelsau], 2014, p. 29f.
  • NN: Our partner church in Tanzania. Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tanzania (ELCT) . In: Tanzania. The East African Country and its Lutheran Church. Mission EineWelt, [Neuendettelsau], 2014, p. 20.
  • Manfred Schreckenbach: The Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tanzania (ELCT) . In: Tanzania. The East African Country and its Lutheran Church. Mission EineWelt, [Neuendettelsau], 2014, p. 19f.

Web links

Remarks

  1. The numbers of members differ in the individual sources in the millions: Schreckenbach, p. 19, names " over 4 million members ", NN: Our partner church names "approx. 4 million ”, Laiser mentions 5.6 million (all figures from 2014).
  2. Lutheran Church of Northern Tanganyika
    * Usambara / Digo Lutheran Church in the northeast
    * Uzaramo / Uluguru Lutheran Church in the east
    * Augustana Lutheran Church of Irimba / Turu in the center of the country
    * Evangelical Lutheran Church in the North West Tanganyika
    * Iraqw Lutheran Church
    * Ubena / Konde Lutheran Church in the southern highlands

Individual evidence

  1. ELCT. Retrieved June 2, 2020 .
  2. Source: ELCT press release of February 28, 2013 (en)
  3. a b Silke Ross: Tanzania - nordkirche-weltweit.de. In: www.nordkirche-weltweit.de. Retrieved October 18, 2016 .
  4. Schreckenbach, p. 19.
  5. Schreckenbach, p. 19.
  6. NN: Our partner church .
  7. Schreckenbach, p. 19f.
  8. Homepage of the ELCT .
  9. Schreckenbach, p. 19.
  10. Information from Schreckenbach, p. 19.
  11. 5th Presiding Bishop To Be Installed, ELCT Press Release, Date: January 18, 2016 Press release No. 01/01/2016 .
  12. NN: Our partner church .
  13. Laiser, p. 30.
  14. Annual report of the Berliner Missionswerk (2008)
  15. Philemon Fihavango, Calvin Lyaro: The Most Important Evangelist of East Africa . In: Tanzania. The East African Country and its Lutheran Church. Mission EineWelt, [Neuendettelsau], 2014, p. 38f.
  16. Schreckenbach, p. 19.
  17. Schreckenbach, p. 20.
  18. Schreckenbach, p. 20.