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Our Lutheran Heritage | Martin Luther | The Singing Church
Home | Find a Church | Living in Community | Lutheran Schools | Resources | Caring for Others
Our Lutheran Heritage | Martin Luther | The Singing Church
The term Lutheran was deplored by
, reformer, and was initiated by his detractors as an insult. The church originally called
itself the Evangelical Church of the Augsburg Confession or simply the
Evangelical Church. The church grew rapidly in Germany and into the
Scandinavian countries.
As a result of the missionary movements of the 18th and 19th centuries, Lutheranism has become a worldwide communion of Christians and the largest Protestant denomination in the world, with about 63 million members.
Many northern European countries are heavily Lutheran. What may also surprise you is that there are almost as many Lutherans in Africa as there are in the United States. All of this growth is due to the missionary work which is still very important to the Lutheran Church.
There are sizeable Lutheran communities in many other countries including: Australia, Brazil, Canada, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Madagascar, Papua New Guinea, Tanzania, and the United States. Lutheran missions have also been established in many African countries like Sierra Leona.
Lutherans
in Georgia have a rich historical heritage which dates back to the earliest
days when we were still a colony of England in the early 1700's. Georgia was actually named for a Lutheran, King George II of Britain.
Although the King of England, he was a German speaking Lutheran who had
great sympathy for persecuted Lutherans in Austria near Salzburg. As a
result, these religious refugees, called Salzburgers, became some of the
first settlers of the new English colony. They built a settlement and church
in what is today Effingham County, just north of Savannah - Jerusalem
Lutheran Church. This active congregation is the oldest
continuously operating church building in the State of Georgia.
In the political area, early Lutherans made quite a contribution in Georgia as well. The first governor of Georgia after winning independence from England was John Adam Treutlen. He was a Lutheran of Salzburger heritage. Treutlen County is named for him.
Lutherans came to Atlanta in the late 1800s. There are over 80 Lutheran churches in Metro Atlanta. Our presence is growing in numbers and in outreach. We invite you to come grow together with us in God's grace.