| Church of the Lutheran Brethren of America | |
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| Classification | Protestant |
| Orientation | Lutheran |
| Theology | Conservative Christianity Pietistic Lutheranism |
| Headquarters | Fergus Falls, Minnesota |
| Origin | 1900 Milwaukee, Wisconsin |
| Separated from | United Norwegian Lutheran Church of America |
| Congregations | 123 (2009) |
| Members | 8,860 (2009) |
| Official website | www.clba.org |
TheChurch of the Lutheran Brethren of America (CLBA) is aLutheran denomination ofChristians rooted in aPietist Lutheran spiritual awakening at the turn of the 20th century.[1][2]
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Following the occurrence of aPietist spiritual revival that swept through a large part of theMidwestern 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 toCommunion, 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 theUnited Norwegian Lutheran Church of America met inMilwaukee, Wisconsin, on December 17, 1900, and organized a synod named the Church of the Lutheran Brethren. Its constitution was patterned after that of theLutheran Free Church of Norway. The Lutheran Bible School, forerunner of the current schools inMinnesota, was founded in 1903 inWahpeton, North Dakota.
The CLBA emphasizes the foundational place of theBible, stating, "We believe the Bible is theinspired Word of God and free from error. It is authoritative for faith and conduct." Other beliefs include thetriune Godhead; total depravity; the eternal Son-ship,Virgin Birth, sinless life,substitutionary atonement, bodilyresurrection, personal return ofJesus;infant baptism; andHoly Communion. It has been noted for practicingopen communion, teachingpremillennialism, 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: theApostles' Creed,Nicene, andAthanasian creeds, theAugsburg Confession, andLuther's Small Catechism. Its strong emphasis onmissions andevangelism 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) andCanada (9), as well as about 1,500 congregations inCameroon,Chad,Japan, andTaiwan. Its offices, theLutheran Brethren Seminary, the Lutheran Center For Christian Learning, and theHillcrest Lutheran Academy are located inFergus Falls, Minnesota. The CLBA publishes a bimonthly magazine calledFaith & 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 theChina Lutheran Seminary inHsinchu City,Taiwan.[5]
First, a number of small, ethnic, and Pietistic denominations, such as the Laestadians or the Church of the Lutheran Brethren of America, continue to flourish in the rural Midwest and Pacific Northwest, relatively untouched by the debates within...
The CLBA have pietistic roots that can still be seen in their doctrinal stance. The CLBA wants its members to have a personal experience of salvation.