Lutheran Communities in Lviv, Ukraine, Differ in Doctrine and Practice

Lutherans in Lviv began meeting together for prayer in the late 1980s. The group numbered over 100 people, and some members had German roots while others came to the faith through their families. From that single community, doctrinal and ceremonial differences led to separate bodies. Three are active in Lviv today: the Brother Evangelical Lutheran Church (BELZ), the Ukrainian Lutheran Church (ULC), and the German Evangelical Church (NELZ).

The Ukrainian Lutheran Church community in Lviv was registered in 1999 and has 16 members. It gathers on Sundays and holidays in a rented hall. The ULC has 25 communities in Ukraine, with the largest in Kyiv, Ternopil and Sevastopol, according to the report.

Ukrainian Lutherans practice two sacraments, Baptism and Holy Communion, according to the source. Confession, a conversation with the priest together with a shared prayer of repentance during the liturgy, is practiced but is not counted as a sacrament. The source says the ULC has no fixed canons on how often confession or Communion should be received, and that it does not practice open Communion. The ULC follows the Julian calendar and uses a liturgy associated with St. John Chrysostom. The source describes it as the only church in the Lutheran world that holds to an Eastern ritual in this way.

The Brethren church, the Brother Evangelical Lutheran Church, is described as more conservative in its approach to worship and belief. Its older brother, Sergey Gavrilov, said the church does not support liberal Lutheran theology and rejects the ordination of women. The source says the church is shaped by Pietism, a movement emphasizing personal devotion and moral self-improvement. Services include a blessing prayer, alternating prayer and songs, and two Bible texts chosen each Sunday, with two brothers preaching the sermon. Members meet in a room with a large central table, and the source says services are conducted in Ukrainian and Russian. A group of members who wanted to study Scripture on their own between Sundays formed a Bible-reading community. Gavrilov said this tradition helped keep the Lutheran church alive when it was persecuted and when pastors were repressed. Psalm 78:4 is cited here only as a reference point for passing on the faith.

The Brethren church has no single bishop, and its communities are described as self-governing, though they may join in certain alliances. A reunification with a similar community has been discussed, according to the source, but the two groups have not joined because of differences over church governance. Gavrilov said the church is tolerant toward other churches, but it does not take part in joint prayer with other faiths. Instead, it has joined a round table at the Ukrainian Catholic University on current events.

The community’s social work is limited by a lack of funds. Gavrilov said that when possible, the church distributes humanitarian aid sent by Lutheran brothers across the border, and that it distributes literature without proselytizing. The church believes in the Second Coming of Christ and a millennial kingdom centered on Israel, and Gavrilov said the church holds that Israel will return and that God will save it. The source also reports that Gavrilov spoke about political stability in the Middle East and the status of Jerusalem, but the report’s wording on this point is unclear.

Members observe a fast on the first Friday of each month for the church and for personal needs. The church keeps the Eastern calendar, though Gavrilov said the western calendar would be easier to follow, since in Ukraine religious holidays are observed at the state level.

Source: Read the original report (translated from Ukrainian)