A wave of spiritual awakening or revival swept over a large part of the Midwestern United States shortly before the turn of the 20th century. Lutherans that were influenced by this fervor rejected several former beliefs as incompatible with their newfound spirituality. They rejected the idea of receiving the unconverted into full membership or admitting them to communion, replaced liturgical ceremonies with simple worship services, and formed new congregations to worship and serve according to these dictates of conscience. Five such Lutheran congregations met in Milwaukee, Wisconsin on December 17, 1900 and organized this synod. The Church of the Lutheran Brethren synod patterned their Constitution after the Constitution of the Lutheran Free Church of Norway. The Lutheran Bible School, forerunner of the current schools in Minnesota, was started in 1903 in Wahpeton, North Dakota.
The CLBA emphasizes the foundational place of the Bible, stating, "We believe the Bible is the inspired Word of God and free from error. It is authoritative for faith and conduct." Other beliefs include the triune Godhead; total depravity; the eternal Son-ship, virgin birth, sinless life, substitutionary atonement, bodily resurrection, and personal return of Jesus Christ; infant baptism; and Holy Communion. In addition to the denominational statement of faith, the church adheres to the following historic confessions - The Apostles' Creed, Nicene and Athanasian Creeds, the Augsburg Confession, and Luther's Small Catechism. Its strong emphasis on missions and evangelism, its stand for non-liturgical worship and a church composed only of confessing Christians differentiates it from most Lutherans in America. The CLBA considers itself to be "Lutheran in theological tradition and evangelical in practice."
The Church of the Lutheran Brethren has 123 congregations with almost 15,000 members in the United States (114) and Canada (9), as well as about 1500 congregations in Cameroon, Chad, Japan and Taiwan. Offices, Lutheran Brethren Seminary, Lutheran Center For Christian Learning, and Hillcrest Lutheran Academy are located in Fergus Falls, Minnesota.
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