International Lutheran Fellowship

International Lutheran Fellowship

The Lutheran Church-International (LC-I) is an American Christian denomination established in 1967, based in Springfield, Illinois. Its President from 1967 to 1998 was Pastor E. Edward Tornow of North Dakota. From 1967 to 2011 the LC-I was known as the International Lutheran Fellowship. The LC-I has a mixed episcopal/congregational structure, with 4 dioceses in North America, including the Northeastern Diocese, the Mid-America Diocese, the Southern Diocese, and the Western Diocese. The current President of the LC-I is Archbishop Robert W. Hotes, who is in apostolic succession.

The Lutheran Church-International describes itself as "Confessional", "Orthodox", "Ecumenical", and "Evangelical". Confessionally, it adheres to the "Gospel of Jesus Christ as faithfully witnessed by the Augsburg Confession of 1530, and the Book of Concord". As an orthodox Christian body, "the LC-I maintains a traditional, faithful understanding of Lutheranism within the church catholic". Further, the LC-I will "work with faithful Christians globally", and "internally with those church bodies with whom theological cooperation is possible". Finally, the "LC-I is a church of the Great Commission", seeking to "make disciples of all nations".

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".

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 Rev. Larry J. Goodnough. Rev. Goodnough was commissioned as the OSF-L Superior by Bishop Bougher of the LC-I Northeastern Diocese.

In 2004, the Lutheran Church-International entered into a Concordat (Altar and Pulpit Fellowship) with the Southern Episcopal Church in the United States. The LC-I is exploring possible concordats with the Lutheran Church of St. Peter and St. Paul, and Iglesia Lutherana de Venezuela.