The 18th International Theological Seminar is held in Wittenberg from 3-17 November. The theme of the seminar is "Learning Spirituality with Luther".

By reading the bible together, discussing Luther’s understanding of it and transferring it to their own respective contexts, the participants are encouraged to friendly, fruitful interaction. While getting to know each other, talking and learning together they deepen their understanding of Lutheran Communion and strengthen their Lutheran identity, in the historic setting and unique atmosphere of the city of Luther.

The seminar is led by Prof. Dr Sarah Hinlicky-Wilson, USA and Prof. Dr Theodor Dieter, Strasbourg (France).

Since 2009, the LWF has offered seminars for theologians from member churches around the world. They stay in Wittenberg for two weeks to work on issues of Lutheran theology with professors from universities in Germany and abroad.

The seminars are organized by the LWF Wittenberg Center.

The Executive Committee is one of the governing bodies of the LWF. It oversees the proper functioning of the LWF between Council meetings. The Executive Committee shall normally meet semiannually, with one meeting in conjunction with the Council meeting.

More information:

Executive Committee

Note: As of May 2018, the Meeting of Officers is called Executive Committee.

24th session of the Conference of Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change

At the COP24, the LWF advocates for climate justice ensuring the implementation of climate action through the local to global concept with the ecumenical partners.

The LWF delegation, brings along some of the experienced climate leaders and some new leaders for supporting the churches’ presence and vibrant witness in the world.

LWF has been clear about our need to care of creation, advocate for the poor and vulnerable and recognize the intergenerational effects of climate change. The LWF understands climate change as a matter of Justice, peace and human rights between individuals, people and their governments and between generations of humans and all beings.

The LWF, as a faith based organization sends a young delegation to advocate, campaign and be the voice of the voiceless from a faith perspective along with the ecumenical partners (WCC, ACT).

Find more information on this  subject at:

• LWF on Climate Justice
• LWF COP Delegations
• LWF Assembly Resolution on Climate Change
• ACT Alliance: Climate Change Advocacy Framework Position (2016 – 2018)

The event will be in English.

View More News

News on COP 24

A strong basis to implement climate agreement but the poor have been left behind 18 December 2018 KATOWICE, Poland /GENEVA Climate change destroys livelihoods and ecosystems, LWF delegates remind world leaders 7 December 2018 KATOWICE, Poland/GENEVA Care for creation and future generations key issues for LWF delegation at COP 24 3 December 2018 KATOWICE, Poland/GENEVA COP24: Global church bodies urge transformative action to protect the most vulnerable 30 November 2018 GENEVA

The Lutheran Communion in Central and Eastern Africa (LUCCEA) 6th General Assembly

The General Assembly of LWF member churches in the LUCCEA sub-region takes place every four years. It brings together heads of churches, youth and women representatives.

The meeting will receive various reports from the LUCCEA member churches and the Nairobi-based sub-regional office. Participants will engage in discussion on the theme, keynote message, and receive greetings from the LWF General Secretary Rev. Dr Martin Junge. They will also reflect on the LWF 2019-2024 Strategy and identify ways of linking it to the program plans in the sub-region. New LUCCEA officials, Board of Trustees & Auditor, will be elected.

Theme: “Rediscovering Our Unity Interdependency and Diversity as Christ’s Body” I Cor. 12:12

Department: Department for Mision and Development

Languages: English and French( assisted by whispering interpreter)

DMD Africa

The Africa sub-regions are platforms for close cooperation and dialogue, for building communion and strengthening common understanding among member churches as well as opportunities for joint initiatives in holistic mission. The sub regions also help in fostering spaces for reconciliation when needed and accompanying emerging churches. It is a space for wider relations in the LWF communion and ecumenical movement.

Workshop on the UN Agenda 2030 for churches from Colombia and Latin America

The LWF Department for Mission and Development, together with the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Colombia (IELCO) and the Fundación Camino de Emaús, is planning a workshop on the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for LWF member churches from the Latin American and Caribbean region. They will be joined by representatives of Colombian churches that participate in the ‘Waking the Giant’ initiative.

The purpose of the workshop is to:

• Raise awareness on SDGs and their relevance to the work of the churches
• Gather existing experience on working with SDGs from the region
• Provide churches with tools for relating their work to SDGs (by introducing ‘Waking the Giant’ SDG self-assessment tool)
• Promote the ‘Waking the Giant’ initiative within the region
• Further plan implementation of the ‘Waking the Giant’ initiative in Colombia.

Waking the Giant

16 Days of Activism Against Gender Based Violence

Together We Can End Gender Based Violence and Promote Gender Justice

This year's slogan is "Walk Our Talk", together we can end Gender Based Violence and promote Gender Justice.

A new look at some key documents in our GBV work and commitment as a Communion. Where are we with these commitments? Time to get past the talking stage and commit to take measurable action to:

1. Raise awareness about Gender Based Violence as a human rights issue at the local, national, regional and international levels,
2. Strengthen local work around violence against women,
3. Establish a clear link between local and international work to end violence against women,
4. Provide a forum in which organizers can develop and share new and effective strategies,
5. Demonstrate the solidarity of women around the world organizing to overcome violence against women,
6. Create and feature tools for this work in the churches, along with tools to pressure governments to implement promises made to eliminate violence against women,
7. Springboard into planning for year-long focus on overcoming Gender Based Violence and promoting Women’s empowerment,

to end Gender Based Violence.

Reference resources

Download as PDF

Gender Justice Policy

Download as PDF

A biblically-rooted framework for the Lutheran global communion of churches to take concrete steps to implement the policy...

Department for Theology and Public Witness (until 2019) Download as PDF

Churches say “No” to Violence against Women | Action Plan for the Churches

Download as PDF

This action plan for the churches is a challenge to LWF member churches to face the painful issue of violence against women in all its forms present in each church’s respective context.

Department for Theology and Public Witness (until 2019) Download as PDF

LWF Staff Code of Conduct Regarding Sexual Exploitation and Abuse, Abuse of Power, Fraud and Corrupt

Download as PDF

The LWF Code of Conduct outlines the responsibilities of all staff to safeguard the dignity and rights of people with whom they work.

Office for Human Resources Download as PDF

16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence - Liturgical resources

Download as PDF

LWF Communion Prayer for the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence Campaign

Department for Theology and Public Witness (until 2019)

Women in Church And Society

Workshop with the Lutheran Church of Peru

Many LWF member churches operate in disaster-prone contexts. If a tsunami, an earthquake or a sudden violent outbreak hits, churches have to be prepared and know how to respond to such emergency situations.

The overall objective of the workshop is to enhance participants’ understanding and skills for improved engagement in humanitarian response. An important element of the training is theological reflection on disaster preparedness and emergency response. Through biblical stories participants gain a deeper understanding of the church’s role in the face of human loss and suffering – and explore common ground between faith and humanitarian principles in a people-centered approach which affirms the dignity of every person. They acquire practical skills relating to psychosocial support, risk analysis and contingency planning, and learn about other humanitarian networks and actors in their context.

DRR & Emergency Preparedness and Response

Department: Department for Mision and Development with Department for World Service

Program: Capacity for Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Response (CDPER)

Languages: Spanish

Morning Prayer with the LWF Ecumenical Commitments

“To be Lutheran is to be ecumenical.” This conviction is at the heart of the Ecumenical Commitments that The Lutheran World Federation (LWF) will launch during a morning prayer service at the Ecumenical Center Chapel in Geneva on Wednesday, 16 January 2019.  

Launching this publication during an ecumenical prayer service reiterates the Lutheran communion's commitment to ecumenical spirituality and to deepening spiritual life together in the body of Christ.  

The general aim of the document is to promote ecumenism or unity among Christians around the world, and to give expression to the unity of the body of Christ. The first part of the document offers theological reflections about ecumenism, and looks at the ecumenical relations of the LWF and Lutheran understanding of ecumenism. The second part is the core of the document. It contains “six commitments.” Each of these six commitments includes a strong self-commitment to ecumenism as well as suggestions for practical application.  

The sixth and final commitment focuses on ecumenical spirituality, pledging to pray together and to translate the results of official ecumenical dialogues into ways of worshiping together. 

Language: English

Department: Department for Theology and Public Witness

Morning Prayer - Liturgy

LWF Ecumenical Commitments Publication

Ecumenical Relations

Launching the LWF’s Ecumenical Commitments document

“To be Lutheran is to be ecumenical.” This conviction is at the heart of the LWF’s Ecumenical Commitments document.

We are launching the LWF’s Ecumenical Commitment document during the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity in order to express LWF’s continuous commitment to Christian unity.

Starting off with a general introduction into the document on the first day of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity (Friday, 18 January 2019), the six Ecumenical Commitments will be introduced during the following days. We would like to encourage you all to discuss and share these Ecumenical Commitments.

Brief description of the LWF’s Ecumenical Commitments document:

The general aim of the document is to promote ecumenism, and to give expression to the unity of the body of Christ. The first part of the document offers theological reflections about ecumenism, and looks at the ecumenical relations of the LWF and the Lutheran understanding of ecumenism. The second part is the core of the document. It contains “six commitments”. Each of these six commitments includes a strong self-commitment to ecumenism as well as suggestions for practical application.

The LWF’s Ecumenical Commitments is a working document.

It is commended for reception and study, and feedback is welcome.

Language: English, German, French and Spanish

Department: Department for Theology and Public Witness

LWF Ecumenical Commitments Publication

Ecumenical Relations

LWF member churches and funding partners gathering

Since its founding, the LWF has relied on the faithful and generous financial support of some member churches and other church-related organizations. These partners meet each year to review the LWF’s work, understand the current priorities and agree the working relationship for the forthcoming year. With the approval of the new LWF strategy by the council in the summer, this is a key opportunity to present it to partners.

The focus for February in particular will be to update partners on the work of the LWF, engage partners in the LWF new strategy and operational implications and to review the LWF-partner Strategic Agreements.

At this meeting, partners will also have the opportunity to share their own organizational plans and priorities.

LWF Strategy 2019 – 2024