Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod
Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod
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Classification | Lutheran |
Orientation | Confessional Lutheran |
Polity | Congregational |
Associations | Confessional Evangelical Lutheran Conference, formerly Synodical Conference (1869-1963) and General Council (1867-1869) |
Geographical area | United States and 24 other countries |
Origin | 1850 Milwaukee, Wisconsin |
Separated from | German mission societies (1868) |
Branched from | German Lutheranism |
Merge of | Wisconsin, Minnesota, Michigan, and Nebraska synods |
Separations | Protes’tant Conference (separated 1927); Church of the Lutheran Confession (separated 1960) |
Congregations | 1200 |
Members | 380,000 |
The Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod (WELS) is a North American religious denomination with practice rooted in the Lutheran tradition of Christianity. Characterized as theologically conservative, it was founded in 1850 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. As of 2005, it had a membership of over 398,000 in more than 1,200 congregations, in all 50 U.S. states as well as 24 countries. It is the third largest Lutheran denomination in the United States, following Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) and Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod (LCMS).
From: Wikipedia