History of ELCT

The Lutheran Church began its activities in the country during the 19th Century. It has continued to bear fruit despite interruptions by the Hehe/German War in 1891, the Majimaji war of 1905-1906, the 1st World War 1914-1918 and later on the 2nd World War of 1939-1945. By 1938 there were seven Churches in Tanganyika, as the country was known at that time. These were: The Lutheran Church of Northern Tanganyika in the north. The Usambara/Digo Lutheran Church in the northeast. The Uzaramo/Uluguru Lutheran Church in the east. The Augustana Lutheran Church of Irimba/Turu, located in Central Tanganyika. The Evangelical Lutheran Church in the North West Tanganyika. The Iraqw Lutheran Church in the Northern Province The Ubena/Konde Lutheran Church in the Southern Highlands. In 1938, the Churches founded a federation known as the Federation of Lutheran Churches in Tanganyika, which brought together these seven churches. On June 19, 1963, the seven Churches, under the umbrella of a federation, merged to become a single Church, known as the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tanzania.