The Mission Diocese, officially the Evangelical Lutheran Mission Diocese of Finland, (, ) is an independent confessional Lutheran "ecclesial structure" in Finland. The Mission Diocese considers itself to be "part of ‘the one, holy, catholic and apostolic church’" to be "truly a church" and to act "fully independently as a church", although it has not applied for state-recognition as a registered religious community. The Mission Diocese has its origins in the conservative movements of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland (ELCF) and it self-identifies as existing in the same continuum of Lutheran faith and congregational life of the ELCF whose spiritual heritage it cherishes, yet not being part of its administrative structures.
The Mission Diocese was founded in March 2013. Its first bishop, Risto Soramies, was consecrated on 4 May 2013.Etelä-Suomen Sanomat: Vanhoillinen Luther-säätiö valitsee tänään piispansa Lahdessa. Retrieved: 17 June 2015.
The Evangelical Lutheran Mission Diocese of Finland shares altar and pulpit fellowship with those in the Communion of Nordic Lutheran Dioceses, in addition to being a member of the International Lutheran Council. Since 2024, they have also established altar and pulpit fellowship with the Union of Independent Evangelical Lutheran Congregations in Finland. The ELMDF has also been influential in the establishment of the Istanbul Lutheran Church.
In 2025, the ELMDF had 92,000 total visitors and 2888 full members, representing a growth of 140 members in one year.
Background The Mission Diocese was founded by the 22 congregations of the Finland and three other Lutheran congregations in 2013. The Luther Foundation had been established in 1999, starting to celebrate the Divine Service on one location in Helsinki in 2000. By 2004, the Luther Foundation had become a supporting member of the Swedish Mission Province. Bishop Matti Väisänen had been consecrated in 2010 in order to serve the congregations in Finland,Missionsprovinsen i Sverige. Retrieved: 15 June 2015. which soon led to his being defrocked by the ELCF whose pastor he was. In 2012, the ELCF archbishop expressed his wish that the Luther Foundation establish its own church body. The founding of the Ev. Luth. Mission Diocese of Finland in 2013 marked independence from the Mission Province of Sweden, although contacts remained close. The ELCF continued to defrock its pastors now serving in the Mission Diocese: Bishop Risto Soramies was defrocked on 9 October 2013 and Dean Juhana Pohjola on 5 August 2014. On 8 April 2015, the Cathedral Chapter of the ELCF Archdiocese of Turku defrocked five ELCF pastors for breaking their ordination vows by serving in the Mission Diocese that the ELCF viewed a de facto different church body.
The Mission Diocese was founded in response to the perceived secularisation and liberalisation of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland and "to spread, maintain and renovate the true faith, to revive and strengthen Christian life and to implement Christian charity and diaconia" in Finland. According to the Mission Diocese, the ELCF had in many ways distanced itself from its doctrinal foundation, the Bible and the Lutheran Book of Concord.Evangelical Lutheran Mission Diocese of Finland — Founding Document. Retrieved: 15 June 2015. The Mission Diocese continues to serve those left "spiritually homeless" by the theological reforms in the ELCF. These comprise e.g. the acceptance of the ordination of women (1986), the exclusion of such men from ordination who will not co-operate liturgically with women pastors (2006) and the acceptance of same-sex relationships (2011). The Mission Diocese also reaches out to the unchurched and views the founding of Lutheran congregations as its principle in both domestic and foreign mission.
By the end of 2024, the number of Mission Diocese congregations has grown to 50 congregations and 4 missions.
Doctrine The Mission Diocese holds that "all teaching, practice and life should be tested, executed and guided by the word of God."Evangelical Lutheran Mission Diocese of Finland. Retrieved 15 June 2015. The Mission Diocese recognizes the Book of Concord as an accurate teaching of biblical doctrine.Evangelical Lutheran Mission Diocese of Finland. Retrieved: 15 June 2015.
Congregations As of 2025 the Mission Diocese has 44 organised congregations. In addition to this, Mass is celebrated on six other locations. Each congregation is part of one of the seven districts.Evangelical Lutheran Mission Diocese of Finland. Retrieved: 25 November 2025.
District of Tavastia Hämeenlinna: Matteuksen seurakunta Jyväskylä: Jesajan luterilainen seurakunta Lahti: Samuelin luterilainen seurakunta Tampere: Johanneksen seurakunta Kangasala: Johanneksen seurakunta District of Ostrobothnia Jakobstad: Sankt Jakobs församling (Swedish) Kokkola: Andreaksen luterilainen seurakunta Oulainen: Simeonin seurakunta Seinäjoki: Luukkaan seurakunta Pyhänkoski: Pyhän Ristin luterilainen seurakunta Vaasa: Mikaelin seurakunta Vaasa: Sankt Immanuels lutherska församling (Swedish) District of Uusimaa Espoo: Pyhän Tuomaksen seurakunta Helsinki: Pyhän Markuksen luterilainen seurakunta Helsinki: Koinonian luterilainen seurakunta Lohja: Pyhän Ristin luterilainen seurakunta Porvoo: Hyvän Paimenen luterilainen seurakunta Vantaa: Pyhän Kolminaisuuden luterilainen seurakunta Eastern district Iisalmi: Danielin luterilainen seurakunta Joensuu: Pyhän Nehemian luterilainen seurakunta Lieksa: Nurmes Jyväskylä: Jesajan luterilainen seurakunta Saarijärvi: Mikkeli: Tiituksen luterilainen seurakunta Pieksämäki: Pyhä Luukkaan luterilainen seurakunta Savonlinna: Pyhän Jaakobin luterilainen seurakunta Kuopio: Pyhän Pietarin luterilainen seurakunta Riistavesi: Riistaveden kappeli srk Northern district Kajaani: Filippuksen seurakunta Raahe: Pietarin luterilainen seurakunta Oulu: Timoteuksen seurakunta Meri-Lappi: Vapahtajan luterilainen seurakunta Rovaniemi: Stefanoksen seurakunta Kemijärvi: Sodankylä: Elian seurakunta Utsjoki: Joosefin luterilainen seurakunta Southeastern district Imatra: Joosuan seurakunta Kotka: Luterilainen Siilas seurakunta Kouvola: Pauluksen seurakunta Lappeenranta: Joonan seurakunta Parikkala: Pyhän Ristin luterilainen seurakunta Southwestern district Laitila: Aamoksen seurakunta Loimaa: Hyvän Paimenen luterilainen seurakunta Forssa: Pyhän Sanan luterilainen seurakunta Pori: Sakkeuksen seurakunta Kankaanpää: Pyhän Simeonin luterilainen seurakunta Rauma: Pyhän Marian seurakunta Salo: Apostoli Johanneksen luterilainen seurakunta Turku: Pyhän Paavalin luterilainen seurakunta Åbo: Sankt Gabriels församling (Swedish)
International Contacts In December 2014, Bishop Soramies consecrated Robert Kaumba as Bishop of the Lutheran Evangelical Church in Africa—Zambia Diocese.Evangelical Lutheran Mission Diocese of Finland. Retrieved: 24 June 2015. The Lutheran Heritage Foundation and Lutherans in Africa are the Mission Diocese's partners in foreign mission.
The Mission Diocese declared altar and pulpit fellowship with the Mission Province of Sweden and the Evangelical Lutheran Diocese of Norway in 2015 and with Lutheran Church—Canada in 2017.
The Mission Diocese has also begun fellowship talks with the Evangelical Lutheran Church of England, the Independent Evangelical Lutheran Church in Germany, and The Union of Independent Evangelical Lutheran Congregations in Finland. It is also applying for membership in the International Lutheran Council.
References
External links Evangelical Lutheran Mission Diocese of Finland Official Website