The Peruvian Evangelical Lutheran Church
Iglesia Luterana Evangelica Peruana (ILEP), a member of the Lutheran World Federation, h
as approximately 400-1,100 members and is comprised of over a dozen congregations and several mission starts or “faith communities,” as they are called in Peru.
ILEP communities are mostly found in and around Lima, Peru’s political and economic capitol, though the ILEP has grown near Trujillo, along Peru’s Northern coast, Iquitos in the Amazon Basin, and Huancayo and Cusco in the Central Andes (List of congregations in Peru). Visit ILEP website
The ILEP does not shy away from announcing God´s word and denouncing injustice when and where needed. ILEP is known for reminding the centers of power that they need to be held responsible for serving the people from whom their power is derived. As a national church body present in the lives of people relegated to society’s margins, the ILEP responds prophetically to the many injustices that impact impoverished, mostly forgotten Peruvians
Peru: The context in which the church serves
Peru gained its independence from Spain in 1821. Of its 28 million inhabitants, 45% are Amerindian, 37% are mixed Amerindian and White, 15% are White, and the other 3% are Black, Japanese, Chinese and other. Spanish and Quechua are the official languages, though Aymara is widely used in some areas.