To Recognize the Ceylon Evangelical Lutheran Church in Sri Lanka as a Self-Governing Partner Church

Preamble The Ceylon Evangelical Lutheran Church (CELC) of Sri Lanka is the fruit of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS) mission work dating back to 1925. An LCMS missionary working in southern India with Tamil-speaking people commuted in weekly to lead church services. Nearly 25 years later, the LCMS sent the Rev. Eric Prange to be its first resident missionary in Sri Lanka. Rev. Prange worked primarily with the Tamil-speaking people in the highlands where they worked on the tea and rubber plantations. Rev. Prange and those who followed him helped the Sri Lankan Lutherans to form their own church body in the 1970s, which they named the Lanka Lutheran Church (LLC). LCMS missionaries continued to serve alongside the LLC even during the civil war in Sri Lanka, which lasted from 1983 to 2009. The LLC was a full altar and pulpit partner of the LCMS as of the 2001 convention, and a member of the International Lutheran Council (ILC). The LLC was beset with tragic corruption in the early 2000s, leading to theft, violence, death, and the loss of their government registration as a legal church body. After the return of LCMS resident missionaries in 2013, LCMS personnel assisted the Lutheran church in obtaining a new registration. The church adopted the new name of the CELC to reflect its renewed identity. The CELC then adopted its revised constitution, prepared by members of their church with LCMS assistance, in May of 2022. At this same convention, they also elected leadership and recognized fellowship with the LCMS, requesting the same from the LCMS. The CELC joined the ILC immediately upon being reconstituted, but was dropped at an unknown date for non- payment of dues. The CELC is currently an observer member of the ILC, awaiting their opportunity to be recognized as full members of that body, as the LLC once was. They have expressed repeatedly their desire to be faithfully Lutheran, and their commitment to the Scriptures and the Lutheran Confessions.

WHEREAS, The CELC traces its origin to the efforts of the LCMS missionaries; and

WHEREAS, The CELC has committed itself to be faithful to the inerrant Scriptures and subscribes without reservation to the writings of the Book of Concord; and

WHEREAS, The CELC seeks in every way to be and remain a scripturally faithful, confessional Lutheran church body; and

WHEREAS, The CELC is established as an independent Lutheran church in Sri Lanka and has shared its constitution and other governing documents with the LCMS leadership; and

WHEREAS, The CELC, at its convening convention in September 2022, recognized altar and pulpit fellowship with the LCMS; and

WHEREAS, The CELC governing church council delivered a letter to President Matthew Harrison dated Feb. 8, 2023, formally requesting the LCMS recognize altar and pulpit fellowship with the CELC; and

WHEREAS, Appropriate protocol documents guiding interactions between the LCMS and the CELC have been developed and are currently being updated; and

WHEREAS, In the current year 2023, the CELC has applied for full membership in the ILC; and

WHEREAS, Bylaw 3.9.5.2.2 (d) states that “When a mission of the Synod applies for formal recognition as a self-governing partner church, such recognition shall be proposed at convention of the Synod by the Board for International Mission with the approval of the [Commission on Theology and Church Relations]”; and

WHEREAS, In compliance with Bylaw 3.9.5.2.2 (d), the Board for International Mission has requested and received the approval of the Commission on Theology and Church Relations to propose to the 2023 Synod convention that the CELC in Sri Lanka be recognized as a self-governing partner church; therefore be it

Resolved, That the Synod give thanks to God for the efforts of its missionaries and Sri Lankan national pastors of the CELC, that God, by His grace, has equipped and prepared the members of the CELC to give a faithful confessional Lutheran witness in Sri Lanka; and be it further

Resolved, That the Synod acknowledge with gratitude that His saints have been blessed by the growth of this “daughter church” of the LCMS and its establishment as a self-governing Lutheran church body; and be it further

Resolved, That the Synod acknowledge with gratitude the unity of confession that has been given to our churches under the guidance of the Holy Spirit; and be it further

Resolved, That the Synod declare its recognition of the CELC as a self-governing partner church with which the LCMS enjoys altar and pulpit fellowship; and be it further

Resolved, That we pray for God’s blessings in the coming years on this agreement in the confession of the Gospel, which we enjoy as partner churches, and for the power and blessing of the Lord upon the members and leaders of the CELC; and be it finally

Resolved, That in thanksgiving for this partnership in the Gospel, the convention assembly celebrate its approval by rising and singing the common doxology