Nordic Countries

Holistic Mission. Proclamation, Diaconal service and Advocacy 

Opportunities for Holistic Mission

Member churches in the Lutheran Communion in the Nordic Countries’ holistic mission is to develop responses to the socioeconomic crisis in Europe. Its efforts focus on diakonia and advocacy amid an increasingly multicultural context. The LWF churches in the region learn from the practices and experiences of churches throughout Europe. Youth bring skills and enthusiasm to holistic mission work in the region. 

Some Nordic churches are challenged by the recent separation of church and State, by the plurality of religions and ideologies now found in the region and by growing secularization. 

Communion Relationships

Communion relationships are important as Nordic churches seek to strengthen the LWF’s engagement in the region amid different understandings of what global communion means in different European contexts. Therefore, networking with the Central Western European and Central Eastern European regions takes top priority.  

The Lutheran churches in the Nordic region also uphold strong ecumenical relations within the Nordic context. 

Minority Church Context 

The Evangelical Lutheran Free Church of Norway is one small church in the region. 

Networks 

Networks facilitate mutual accompaniment, especially for smaller churches.

Partners

Partners contribute to financial support and, in some cases, also serve on joint mission boards as a way of strengthening relationships and mutual learning.  

Arnfríður Guðmundsdóttir of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Iceland, LWF vice-president for the Nordic Countries. Photo: LWF/Albin Hillert

Rev. Dr Arnfríður Guðmundsdóttir

The Evangelical Lutheran Church of Iceland
Rev. Dr Ireneusz Lukas, Regional Secretary for Europe. Photo: LWF/S. Gallay

Rev. Dr Ireneusz Lukas

6
Member Churches
Six of LWF’s 150 member churches are in the Nordic region
18.8
Christians
18.8 million Christians are members of the Nordic region member churches
5
Countries
Member churches are in 5 countries in the Nordic region