The Church of the Lutheran Confession is a small, conservative Lutheran denomination that was formed in 1960, around the time of the breakup of the Evangelical Synodical Conference of North America.
Created largely from churches that had broken away from the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod and the Evangelical Lutheran Synod over what they believed to be doctrinal errors, the original members of the denomination also included some independent congregations which had left previously. The CLC held that the WELS and ELS misapplied the principles of Christian fellowship (unity of belief) by not breaking with the Synodical Conference and the Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod dur to publicly recognized doctrinal errors within these bodies.
The CLC holds to the doctrine of verbal inspiration and inerrancy of the Bible, and that there can be no unity with churches unless there is full agreement on matters of doctrine.
The CLC maintains that the Bible is the only authoritative source of church doctrine. It adheres to The Book of Concord, and all of the other historic Lutheran Confessions. It strongly supports the traditional Lutheran concept of sola scriptura, scripture alone, and to the idea that if it is not Scripture, it is not Lutheran.
Fellowship with the Church of the Lutheran Confession is contingent upon the confirmation that both church groups are in complete unity on matters of Scriptural doctrine and practice. The CLC is in fellowship with several synods around the world, some of them founded through CLC mission work.
Headquartered in Sleepy Eye, Minnesota, the denomination is strongest in Minnesota, South Dakota, and Wisconsin. There are also CLC congregations in Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Michigan, Missouri, Nebraska, New Mexico, North Dakota, South Carolina, Texas, Virginia, Washington, and Wyoming, as well as in the Canadian provinces of Alberta and British Columbia
Its publishing house is the CLC Bookhouse, which publishes The Lutheran Spokesman, Ministry by Mail, The Journal of Theology, God's Hand in our Lives, and Learn From Me. Located in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, Emmanual Lutheran High School, College & Seminary was founded in 1959 and became part of the Church of the Lutheran Confession in 1961.
The focal point of this category is on the Church of the Lutheran Confession. Topics should relate largely to the CLC and may include the denominational website and that of any of its affiliated agencies, corporations, or arms. Informational sites focused on the CLC are also appropriate for this category. Those representing member churches should be listed in the corresponding Local & Global category, however.
Recommended Resources
Church of the Lutheran Confession
The CLC is a confessional Lutheran denomination in the United States and Canada. The denominational website presents a profile of the church body, along with CLC missions, its educational programs and facilities, and a directory of member churches, schools, pastors, and leaders. A calendar of programs and events are published to the site, administrative contacts are posted, and a list of affiliate pages and sites are included.
http://www.clclutheran.org/
Church of the Lutheran Confession of India
Although missions work by churches that later became part of the CLC as far back as the early 1950s, the Church of the Lutheran Confession of India was registered in 1983, and it now has more than two hundred congregations, seminary, and Bible Institute. Its history and an introduction to some of the leaders of the church body are put forth, along with photographs, a list of member churches, and an overview of its ministries and programs.
http://clci.co.in/
Situated in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, the CLC Book House is the publishing arm and bookstore for the Church of the Lutheran Confession, offering Christian materials for church members and visitors at a reasonable cost. Its online shopping area offers Bibles, hymnals, theology books, children’s books, adult instruction guides, certificates, music CDs, cards, certificates, and other items. Subscriptions may also be available.
http://clcbookhouse.org/
Written and maintained by members of the Church of the Lutheran Confession for CLC members, the site is intended to serve as an online network for members of the denomination. Published by the webmaster and the Board of Education and Publications of the Church of the Lutheran Confession, a schedule of adult, family, and youth events are posted to the site, along with devotional and doctrinal documents, coordinating council reports, audio and visual files, and other articles.
http://clclutheran.net/
Created by the membership of the Church of the Lutheran Confession, God’s Hand in Our Lives is a Sunday School program series which can be used by the membership of the denomination, intended to help children become more familiar with the Bible. New and Old Testament lessons, Preschool lessons, and Reformation lessons may be read online or downloaded in PDF format. Suggested story sequences, teacher aids, and maps are also available.
http://godshand.clclutheran.org/
Immanuel Lutheran High School, College & Seminary
Located in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, Immanuel Lutheran College was created in 1959 and became part of the Church of the Lutheran Confession a couple of years later, after which the high school and seminary were added. Its history, an overview of its academic programs, schedules, a course catalog, and policy information are posted, along with a faculty and campus directory, campus publications, video, and photographs.
http://www.ilc.edu/
Foreign missions and congregations of the Church of the Lutheran Confession, which is particularly strong in Africa and in Asia, are highlighted here, with general information about their work, statistics, and contact data. Supported missionaries are introduced, and news and updates from the mission field, newsletters, and its Kids 4 Kinship program, designed to involve the children of CLC Sunday Schools and Christian day schools in mission work, are included.
http://lutheranmissions.org/
Published since 1958, the Lutheran Spokesman is owned and operated by the Church of the Lutheran Confession in Winter Haven, Florida. Available through an annual subscription, the publication includes articles on Lutheran history, doctrine, the sacraments, the Old and New Testaments, music, poetry, marriage, and Christian education. Also featured are devotions for several occasions, biographies of Lutheran leaders, missions work, and other topics.
http://lutheranspokesman.org/
The weekly publication of the Church of the Lutheran Confession offers the Gospel through printed sermons, which may be subscribed to at an annual cost. Foreign subscriptions are also available, and a discount is offered for bulk subscriptions, defined as more than three copies to one address. Available online is an archive of sermons, the current sermon, and administrative contacts. The Ministry by Mail staff is recognized.
http://ministrybymail.clclutheran.org
New User Guide to the Church of the Lutheran Confession
Created for those who are new to the CLC, the site is available online and in downloadable PDF format, offering an introduction to the denomination, with facts and statistics, a map showing the location of CLC denominations, its higher education facilities, organizational structure, and a history of the body. CLC publications and links are posted, and viewers may contribute to the denomination online.
http://clclutheran.org/clcnewuser/
