Malagasy Lutheran Church

The Malagasy Lutheran Church (Malagasy: Fiangonana Loterana Malagasy, FLM; French: Église luthérienne malgache) is one of the largest Christian churches in Madagascar. It was formed in 1950 when about 1,800 Lutheran groups joined together in central and southern Madagascar. The very first of these groups began in the early 1800s when missionaries from the Norwegian Missionary Society (NMS) arrived.

Today, the church has almost 4 million baptized members, making it the third largest church in Madagascar and one of the fastest-growing Lutheran churches in the world. Much of this growth comes from a local movement called Fifohazana, which has inspired many people and helped the church grow since the early 1900s. Most leaders in the church are part of this movement.

The FLM also helps people stay healthy through a program called SALFA. This includes nine hospitals and thirteen smaller health centers that work on important issues like child survival, family planning, and HIV/AIDS prevention. Members of the church have also traveled to places like Cameroon, Papua New Guinea, and Thailand to share their beliefs and help others.

Organization

The Malagasy Lutheran Church is divided into 25 groups called synods, including one for Europe. Each synod has a leader chosen by local church representatives. Every four years, more than 300 representatives from all the synods meet to choose the church's leaders, including a President, Secretary General, Vice President, Vice Secretary General, and Treasurer. The main leader, called the presiding Bishop, is Rev. Dr. Denis Rakotozafy.

Fifohazana movement

The Fifohazana movement is a special group within the Malagasy Lutheran Church that focuses on the teachings of the Bible. It began in 1894 when a Christian named Dada Rainisoalambo started it. The movement teaches everyday people, called mpiandry, to help others learn about Christianity, especially those who still follow older Malagasy traditions.

All over Madagascar, the movement has created special places called toby where people can join church activities, get support, and receive medical care.

History

Norwegian missionaries John Engh and Niels Nilsen, sent by the Norwegian Missionary Society, arrived in Madagascar (Antananarivo) in 1866. That same year, they founded the first Lutheran church in Betafo in the south of the central region of the island. Later, in 1888, American Lutheran missionaries began work in the southwest.

The church became independent in 1950 under the name Malagasy Lutheran Church (or FLM: Fiangonana Loterana Malagasy). Pastor Rakoto Andrianarijaona was the first Malagasy pastor to lead this united church.

When it started, the Malagasy Lutheran Church had about 18,000 members. Today, it has around 3 million members and is the 9th largest church in the Lutheran World Federation. It was the first former mission church to join the LWF.

In 1989, the church opened the Lutheran Graduate School of Theology Malagasy: Sekoly Ambony Loterana momba ny Teolojia or SALT in Fianarantsoa. SALT replaced an earlier theological seminary at the same location. The first four women to graduate from SALT in 1977 were Mariette Razivelo, Hélène Ralivao, Noëline Lucie Rasoanandrasana, and Esther Razafindraketaka.

Relations with other churches

The Malagasy Lutheran Church joined the World Council of Churches in 1966. It is part of several groups, including the Lutheran World Federation, All Africa Conference of Churches, Malagasy Council of Christian Churches, and the Malagasy Council of Protestant Churches.

In 2018, the church decided to strengthen its ties with the Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod. Later that year, it became a full member of the International Lutheran Council during a meeting in Antwerp, Belgium. This decision sparked some discussion among church leaders.