Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land

The origins of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land ( ELCJHL ) date back to the mid-19th century, when German and English missionaries came to Palestine. Theodor Fliedner founded in 1851 and Emperor deaconess s boarding Talitha Kumi in Jerusalem. Built in 1860 the son of a Württemberg Pietists, Johann Ludwig Schneller, there the Syrian Orphanage for Christian boys from Lebanon who had become after a massacre of Christians to orphans. This mission facilities were supported by the Jerusalem club. As a result, Christian communities arose in what was then Palestine, as in Jerusalem, Bethlehem, Beit Jala, Beit Sahour, Ramallah and Amman, who together formed the " Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan " ( ELCJ ). At that time the West Bank was under Jordanian sovereignty.

The official establishment of the ELCJ took place on 17 May 1959, the official recognition by the Jordanian King Hussein. Until 1979 the church was led by a provost from Germany. Since 1979, directs an Arab Episcopal church. Since 1998 Munib Younan has held this position, succeeding Daoud Haddad ( 1979-1986 ) and Naim Nassar ( 1986-1997 ). On 14 January 2005, the Synod of the ELCJ unanimously decided to expand the name to " and the Holy Land ."

The ELCJHL belongs to the minority of Christians in the Holy Land. This group includes in the Palestinian Territories, including East Jerusalem two percent of the total population. The ELCJHL counts 3,000 members. In Bethlehem, Beit Sahour and Ramallah, the Church maintains schools with a total of 1,200 students. For Talitha Kumi school in Beit Jala (860 students), the ELCJHL shares the pedagogical responsibility with the school authorities, the Berlin Mission. The ordination of women is allowed in the ELCJHL.