- Denominational Profile
- Trends
- Related Surveys
- Data Sources
Denominational Profile
History
split into Association of Evangelical Lutheran Churches (1976) |
The Association of Evangelical Lutheran Churches, the newest and the smallest body to enter into the 1988 merger to form the ELCA, was formed in 1976 by ministers and churches that withdrew from the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod.
A Lutheran family tree is available here.
Membership Data
| Year | Clergy | Churches | Members |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1977 | 377 | 210 | 95,186 |
| 1978 | 545 | 250 | 106,684 |
| 1979 | 532 | 283 | 113,942 |
| 1980 | 680 | 268 | 107,782 |
| 1981 | 676 | 270 | 109,434 |
| 1982 | 665 | 272 | 110,934 |
| 1986 | 672 | 250 | 103,263 |
Source
Data were taken from the National Council of Churches' Historic Archive CD and recent editions of the Yearbook of American and Canadian Churches. Denomination descriptions provided by Dr. J. Gordon Melton, Director, Institute for the Study of American Religion (ISAR). [More information on data sources]
