Lutheran Church - International

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The Lutheran Church - International (LC-I)^[1] is an American Christian denomination established in 1967 and based in Lyons, New York. Its president from 1967 to 1998 was Pastor E. Edward Tornow of North Dakota.^[2] From 1967 to 2011 the LC-I was known as the International Lutheran Fellowship.^[3] The LC-I has a mixed episcopal/congregational structure, with four dioceses in North America, including the Northeastern Diocese, the Mid-America Diocese, the Southern Diocese, and the Western Diocese.^[4] A Missionary District for Latin and Caribbean ministries is based in Puerto Rico. The LC-I also has ministry outreach in India. The current president of the LC-I is Robert W. Hotes.

The Lutheran Church-International describes itself as "Confessional", "Orthodox", "Ecumenical (within the understandings based on the Book of Concord)", and "Evangelical".^[5] Confessionally, it adheres to the "Gospel of Jesus Christ as faithfully witnessed by the Augsburg Confession of 1530, and the Book of Concord".^[6] As an orthodox Christian body, "the LC-I maintains a traditional, faithful understanding of Lutheranism within the church catholic".^[7] The Lutheran Church - International teaches that its clergy are ordained in lines of apostolic succession.^[8] Further, the LC-I has stated that it will "work with faithful Christians globally", and "internally with those church bodies with whom theological cooperation is possible".^[9] Finally, the LC-I sees itself as "a church of the Great Commission", seeking to "make disciples of all nations".^[10]

The Lutheran World Parish is a unique ministry within the LC-I. A current LC-I brochure states that the Lutheran World Parish consists of "Individuals desiring to affiliate with the LC-I, but who are not near (a)...congregation".^[11]

Established in 2006, the Order of St. Francis-Lutheran (OSF-L) is another ministry of the Lutheran Church-International. The Order is based in St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada and is headed by the Rev. Larry J. Goodnough. Goodnough was commissioned as the OSF-L Superior by Bishop Bougher of the LC-I Northeastern Diocese. The Rev. William Babbitt of Florida serves as U.S. Superior. The OSF-L is a ministry of lay persons and clergy in the spirit of Francis of Assisi, not a religious order.