Christianity: Details about 'Apostolic Lutheran Church Of America'
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The Apostolic Lutheran Church of America is a church established by Finnish-Americans in the early 20th century. The Finns came principally from northern Norway and were identified under the State Church. However, there were a number belonging to a party founded by Provost Lars Levi Laestadius, of Pajala, Sweden. Eventually, there were too many arguments between these and the other Lutherans and some of the followers of Laestadius were excluded from the Sacrament. Under the lead of Salomon Korteniemi the excluded formed a congregation of their own in December, 1872, under the name of the Salomon Korteniemi Lutheran Society. In 1879 this name was changed to the Finnish Apostolic Lutheran Congregation. As other congregations of Finns in Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, and Oregon were organized on the same basis, they came into fellowship with this body under the name of the Finnish Apostolic Lutheran Church, or, as it is usually called, the Apostolic Lutheran Church.In 1995, membership in the denomination measured 7,700 members in 60 congregations.1 It has sizeable congregations in Michigan, Minnesota, New Hampshire, Arizona, South Carolina and in various other countries. Church headquarters are at New York Mills, Minnesota . In general, the ALCA accepts the creeds of the Evangelical Lutheran Church and put emphasis on the necessity of regeneration and the practical importance of absolution from sin.It is one of the few Lutheran bodies in the world claiming to have apostolic succession back to Rome. This, however, is disputed by the Catholic Church. ReferencesEncyclopedia of American Religions, J. Gordon Melton, editor. 6th Ed., 1999. pp 93-94. Småførstefødte Apostolic Lutheran Church
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