The 45 participants represented LWF member churches in the South Asia sub-region: NELC, and two churches in India that joined the LWF in 2025: the Bodo Evangelical Lutheran Church (BELC) and Manipur Evangelical Lutheran Church (MELC) of India.
The workshop focused on foundational elements of Lutheran theology and identity. “In addition to deepening our understanding of Lutheran identity, this seminar also reflected strong collaboration among three LWF departments, the Office of the General Secretary; Department for Theology, Mission and Justice; and World Service, working together in unity and shared commitment,” said Rev. Dr Rospita Siahaan, LWF Regional Secretary for Asia.
Close accompaniment on Lutheran Identity
The workshop embodied the LWF’s commitment to deepening Lutheran identity through shared theological reflection—a practice the LWF has engaged in throughout its history. Rev. Dr Songram Basumatary, Principal of Gurukul Lutheran Theological College and Research Institute in Chennai, India, highlighted that as Lutherans, “we are united in our common confession” and saved by God’s grace through faith in Jesus Christ.
“And it is through this liberating power of love that we are freed to serve others,” said Rev. Dr Joshuva Peter, Executive Secretary of the United Evangelical Lutheran Churches in India (UELCI). These fundamental Lutheran values of freedom, love, and service took on renewed significance in Kathmandu, offering a counter-witness to the discrimination, exclusion, and injustice present in many societies today.
Participants also reflected on the dynamic nature of Lutheran identity, exploring how a shared Lutheran tradition is embodied through a diversity of languages, cultures, forms of worship, spirituality, service, and expressions of public witness.
