Who is the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Denmark and what are its ministries?
The Evangelical Lutheran Church in Denmark (ELCD), a member of the Lutheran World Federation (LWF), is a national (state) church which is Evangelical Lutheran by law. The ELCD has nearly 1400 congregations served by 1800 ordained pastors, of whom 300 are women. In addition to baptisms and confirmations, most weddings and burials are conducted at local churches. The church is congregationally organized, and elected congregational councils manage the affairs of local churches. The church’s pastors are educated by the theological faculties at the universities of Copenhagen and Aarhus. Other schools provide continuing education for pastors and training for deacons and deaconesses. The Danish church, as a folk church, has tended to experience renewal on an individual basis. Pietism accentuated religious freedom. Voluntary organizations have been an important part of the life of Danish Christians, and many of the outreach and service functions of the church have been carried out by independe
