Austria

Evangelical Lutheran Church of the Augsburg Confession in Austria

Who is the Evangelical Lutheran Church of the Augsburg Confession in Austria and what are its ministries?

The Evangelical Lutheran Church of the Augsburg Confession in Austria, a member church of the Lutheran World Federation (LWF), has 354,000 members in 192 parishes in seven dioceses.

When Emperor Joseph II signed the Deed of Tolerance in 1781, he ended the underground existence of this evangelical church, and characterized the Lutheran church by its particular confessional writing. The Evangelical Lutheran Church of the Augsburg Confession in Austria works closely with the Reformed Church in Austria, as both churches were banned during the persecution of evangelical worship.

The Evangelical Lutheran Church of the Augsburg Confession in Austria serves as a Protestant tradition of about 5 percent of the population of Austria. The church’s emphasis is on renewal and evangelism. Finding itself in the very centre of Europe, the church makes great efforts to promote dialogue with various Christian communities in neighboring nations, in particular in the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Slovenia, Croatia, Serbia and Montenegro, Italy, Germany and Switzerland. Through theological faculty in Vienna it contributes to the ongoing European theological debate.

A very vital part of the church’s ministry is its involvement in building a bridge to young people to enable them to understand ecumenical ideas and the reality of the ecumenical movement.

How do the Evangelical Lutheran Church of the Augsburg Confession in Austria and the Evangelical Luthern Church in America accompany one another in ministry

Through the churchwide ELCA Global Mission unit, the ELCA relates to and is in bilateral relationship with over 80 companion churches and institutions. The ELCA Global Mission unit stewards a church-to-church relationship with the Evangelical Lutheran Church of the Augsburg Confession in Austria.

An ELCA clergy person serves at the Vienna Community Church (VCC), an English-speaking international congregation that works closely with both Protestant churches in Austria, the Evangelical Lutheran Church of the Augsburg Confession and the Reformed Church.

The VCC started in 1957 after the Treaty of Vienna was signed in 1955 after the Allied troops and English-speaking chaplains left Vienna.   As one of the few English-speaking congregations, it serves English-speaking residents, such as those working at the UN and the Atomic Energy Commission, as well as tourists.

Austria: the context where the Evangelical Lutheran Church of the Augsburg Confession in Austria serves

Austria was divided into a British, a French, a Soviet and an American Zone and governed by the Allied Commission for Austria. On May 15, 1955, Austria regained full independence by concluding the Austrian State Treaty with the Four Occupying Powers. On October 26, 1955 Austria was declared to be neutral and proceeded to become a member of the European Union.

Austria is one of the 10 richest countries in the world in terms of GDP per capita, has a well-developed social market economy. Until the 1980s, many of Austria's largest industry firms were nationalized; in recent years, however, privatization has reduced state holdings to a level comparable to other European economies. Next to a highly-developed industry, international tourism is the most important part of the national economy.

The Evangelical Lutheran Church of the Augsburg Confession in Austria serves as a Protestant tradition of about 5 percent of the population of Austria. The church’s emphasis is on renewal and evangelism. Finding itself in the very centre of Europe, the church makes great efforts to promote dialogue with various Christian communities in neighboring nations, in particular in the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Slovenia, Croatia, Serbia and Montenegro, Italy, Germany and Switzerland. Through it theological faculty in Vienna it contributes to the ongoing European theological debate.