It is the largest Lutheran church body in the United States, formed in 1988 by the merger of three Lutheran denominations.
The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America began on 1 January 1988 through the merger of the Lutheran Church in America, the American Lutheran Church, and the Association of Evangelical Lutheran Churches. It confesses the Book of Concord as a true interpretation of Scripture and is organized in synods led by bishops. It is a member church of the Lutheran World Federation.
Sources
Primary
- Constitution of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
Secondary
- E. Clifford Nelson, editor, The Lutherans in North America