Anglican and Lutheran church leaders from around the world gathered in Amman, Jordan, from 29 March to 2 April 2025 for the first full meeting of the Anglican–Lutheran International Commission for Unity and Mission (ALICUM). Under the theme “Our baptismal unity,” participants reflected on their shared identity in Christ, built deeper relationships, and committed to a variety of catechetical, evangelical, and missiological projects.

ALICUM was established in 2018 by the Lutheran World Federation (LWF) Council and the Anglican Communion’s Standing Committee as a new commission, built on the foundation of decades of agreements between Anglicans and Lutherans. In several parts of the world, Anglican and Lutheran churches are in relationships of full communion. Like the International Anglican-Roman Catholic Commission for Unity and Mission (IARCCUM), ALICUM pairs Anglican and Lutheran bishops and leaders with one another from various countries around the world in order to pursues shared teaching, evangelisation, and mission.

This inaugural gathering of the full Commission brought together ALICUM pairs from Cameroon, Colombia, the Holy Land, Malaysia, Tanzania, the USA, and the Porvoo Communion (including representatives from Ireland, Scotland, Finland, and Germany). While the members from Canada and Hong Kong were unable to attend in person, they remain involved in the work.

During the five-day summit, the Commission members worshipped together and engaged in theological discussions on baptismal ecclesiology and existing communion agreements. The members also undertook a pilgrimage to key biblical sites, including the Jordan River, where they renewed their baptismal vows; Mount Nebo, traditionally regarded as the place of Moses’ death; and the ancient mosaic map of the Holy Land in Madaba.

The Commission members shared stories of collaboration in theological education, evangelism and discipleship, public theology, youth work, and care for marginalised communities. These stories, and associated plans, demonstrated the creativity and energy of Anglican-Lutheran collaboration around the world. The Commission also addressed practical challenges of teaching and sharing the faith in circumstances that range from decline and secularisation to rapid growth and persecution. Members were amazed and grateful to hear stories of multiplying churches in contexts where Christians are minorities and lack material resources.

The Commission also explored how various agreements of full communion relate to one another and may be adopted more formally by churches in the Global South. The commission’s reflections on baptism raised questions about the place of confirmation and the Eucharist in the initiation and formation of Christians.

The summit concluded with a commissioning service at the Evangelical Lutheran Good Shepherd Church in Amman. Participants expressed deep gratitude for the hospitality of their Jordanian Christian hosts and pledged to stand in solidarity with churches in the Holy Land. 

Prof. Dr Dirk Lange, the Lutheran World Federation (LWF) Assistant General Secretary for Ecumenical Relations and co-secretary of ALICUM, said the meeting “proved to be extremely rich as the church leaders spent time bonding over shared worship and pilgrimage. New initiatives and joint projects were discussed, exploring ways of implementing the many ecumenical consensus statements and full communion agreements already reached by Anglicans and Lutherans.”

Dr Christopher Wells, Director of Unity, Faith and Order at the Anglican Communion Office (ACO) said that “Lutheran and Anglican commitments to bear witness together to the one faith and one Lord serves as a summons for the whole Church to give ourselves over to one another fully. We pray that all the Christian World Communions may catch fire in the power of the Spirit to profess the one faith and to share the Good News more surely with the waiting world.”

The ALICUM Steering Committee will mentor the pairs of church leaders as they put their projects into action over the next three years. The entire Commission will meet annually online and plans to hold a second in-person summit in 2028.

Read the full communiqué from the ALICUM summit, including a complete list of participants and outcomes.