Lutheran numbers up in Africa, down in Europe: Called an African Renaissance
The numbers of Lutherans in Africa has grown by 9 per cent over two years, but Lutheran church membership in Europe and North America has declined in the same period, according to statistics released last month by the Geneva-based Lutheran World Federation.
“The politicians call it ‘Africa Renaissance.’ We in the church see it as a reawakening of the African spirit which was crushed by slavery and colonialism,” noted Bishop Zephania Kameeta of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in the Republic of Namibia, who is the LWF vice president for the Africa region.