. . . THAT TRUTH IS
SHARED
The Lutheran
church stands within the mainstream of Christian faith and makes no claim to have some
revelation or truth denied to other Christians. The largest Protestant denomination on
this planet, with members around the world, the Lutheran church dates back to the 1500s,
to the Reformation led by Martin Luther.
The Augsburg Confession, a faith statement which binds all
Lutherans together, declares that Lutheranism is not a sect but rather one expression of
the worldwide Christian community.
Lutherans also share with other Christians traditional statements
such as the Apostles’ and Nicene Creeds, in which early Christians expressed their
faith. So, in a real sense, Lutheranism really dates back to Christ.
. . . THAT GOD IS NOT SILENT
Lutherans have
put special emphasis upon the Word of God. They stress that God communicates - has spoken and
speaks - with human beings. God spoke in the beginning and the heavens and earth were
created. God spoke to Abraham and called him and his descendants to be a chosen people
through whom God’s will would be made known to all peoples (Gen. 12;1-2). God spoke
to Abraham’s descendants - first the Hebrews, then the Jews - through events in their
history and through inspired prophets. An important part of God’s communication to
them was the promise of the coming Christ, the one who would fulfill God’s will.
. . . THAT JESUS IS GOD’S BEST MESSAGE
This promise was
fulfilled, Lutherans believe, in Jesus of Nazareth who is referred to in John’s
gospel as “the Word’ (John 1:1-18). Lutherans believe that Jesus is the
clearest, the best of all the messages that God did - or ever will - give to us. That
message can be summarized in one sentence: God loves us more than anything else in the
universe, enough to come in person and die for us.
. . . THAT SCRIPTURE IS
CENTRAL
The Word that God
has spoken continues to speak to us through the words of Holy Scripture. Lutherans look to
the Scriptures as the final authority for belief and practice. The Scriptures’
message is shaped by ancient cultures, but their purpose and promises for us are as fresh
and reliable as tomorrow’s sunrise.
. . . THAT WE HAVE
FAILED GOD
Lutherans believe
that God’s message to us falls into two categories law and gospel. “Law”
includes all the demands that God makes upon us for right living. We are commanded to
love, obey, and serve God, and to love our neighbors as ourselves. But when we seriously
try to do this we know that we cannot - we always fail. It is not only because we do not
try hard enough: we fail because we are sin-full (our nature is corrupt and weak). But the
law keeps nagging at us. Its message to us is bad news.
. . . THAT GOD HAS PUT THINGS RIGHT
The word gospel
means “good news”. The good news that God brings to us is that what we fail to
do God has done for us in Christ.
In Christ we are
offered God’s forgiving grace (pardon which we need but do not deserve). God accepts
us where and as we are. We do not need to earn, deserve, or win God’s love: God
bestows it freely upon us. All that we need do is have faith - that is, trust - God’s
promise to us (God even assists us here, by creating faith in our hearts when we do not
resist the gift).
This
understanding of the gospel has been called justification by grace through faith. This
means that we are made right with God by God’s action for us which we receive in
faith.
. . . THAT GOD STILL SPEAKS TODAY
Lutherans believe
that God did not simply speak to us in the past. God continues to speak today. God speaks
where Christians faithfully interpret the words of Scripture to others.
Lutheran worship services give a central place to the sermon (the
pastor’s preaching) because this is a particular place where God’s Word is
interpreted among believers.
But the Sunday
sermon is not the only place where God speaks. God speaks through the Scripture, the
prayers, and the liturgy of the worship itself (these worship forms are, in some cases,
two and three thousand years old and bind today’s believers together with the
faithful who lived and died long ago).
And, Lutherans believe in the “priesthood of all
believers,” which means that God speaks through the words and actions of every
Christian, wherever and whenever daily life is lived and shared.
. . . THAT THE SACRAMENTS GIVE LIFE
God has also
given us two sacraments, Baptism and Holy Communion. Through these special actions he
speaks to us. In Baptism the words and the water are a down-to-earth expression of
God’s loving embrace of the one being baptized. Through Baptism God gives us new life
as members of his body, the church. In Holy Communion that life is nurtured as Christ
promises that he is with us, that all our sins are forgiven, and that our lives are
renewed. In Holy Communion we are also linked in fellowship with our fellow church
members, sharing a common forgiveness.
. . . THAT WE ARE
CALLED TO SERVE
Lutherans believe
that we ought to do the will of God - share his love - not because in this way we hope to
win God’s good favor or to get some advantage for ourselves (we already have
God’s love and approval in Christ) but because we have the joy of fellowship with
God. We love because we are thankful. We serve God not to be saved, but because we are
saved.
Some people
believe that Lutherans have a “cheap and easy” religion: God gives every good
thing as a gift, so why bother, then, to try to please God? To say this is to
misunderstand what Lutherans believe. While it is true that we cannot earn what we need
from God, Lutherans know and teach that when God’s gifts - his love and fellowship -
are experienced, a person naturally responds to God with love and gratitude. The result is
that, while it costs nothing to receive God’s benefits, it cost us everything - God
receives our whole life as a thankoffering - when we begin to live with what he gives.
Lutherans believe that the central calling - the vocation - of the
Christian life is to know and to do God’s will. To do God’s will is to serve our
neighbor. God the creator has no needs that we can fulfill. Therefore, to please God we
serve those whom God loves - our fellow human beings in the world. In particular, God
calls us to serve the weak and the helpless. As
we serve these, we serve Christ himself (see Matthew 25:41-46).
*
* * * * *
Lutherans believe in the Triune God. God created and loves all of
creation -- the earth and the seas and all of the world’s inhabitants.
We believe that God's Son, Jesus Christ, transforms lives through his
death on the cross and his new life, and we trust that God's Spirit is
active in the world.
We are part of God’s unfolding plan. When we gather for worship, we
connect with believers everywhere. When we study the Bible or hear God’s
word in worship, we are drawn more deeply into God’s own saving story.
The convictions shared by Christians from many different traditions are
expressed in statements of belief called creeds.
These ecumenical creeds that Lutherans affirm and use in worship confess
the faith of the church through the ages and around the world.
The Confession
of Faith of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America is part of our
founding constitution.
The ELCA accepts the following creeds as true declarations of the faith of
this church:
HISTORY
Lutherans are Christians
who accept the teachings of Martin Luther (1483 – 1546). Luther was a
German theologian who realized that there were significant differences
between what he read in the Bible and the practices of the Roman Catholic
church at that time. On October 31, 1517, he posted a challenge on the
door of Wittenberg University, titled “95 Theses” (to debate 95
theological issues). His hope was that the church would reform its
practice and preaching to be more consistent with the Word of God as
contained in the Bible.
What started as an academic debate escalated into a distinct separation
between the Roman Catholic church of the time and those who accepted
Luther’s suggested reforms. "Lutheran" became the name of the
group that agreed with Luther’s convictions.
Today, nearly five centuries later, Lutherans still celebrate the
Reformation on October 31 and still hold to the basic principles of
Luther’s theological teachings, such as Grace alone, faith alone,
Scripture alone. These comprise the very essence of Lutheranism:
- We are saved by the grace of God alone -- not by anything we
do;
- Our salvation is through faith alone -- we only need to trust
God made known in Christ who promises us forgiveness, life and
salvation; and
- The Bible is the norm for faith and life -- the true standard
by which teachings and doctrines are to be judged.
Over the years, different Lutheran church bodies have been established
and organized to meet the needs of Lutherans in communities and nations
all over the world. The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America is the
largest Lutheran group in North America, founded in 1988 when three North
American Lutheran church bodies united: The American Lutheran Church, the
Association of Evangelical Lutheran Churches and the Lutheran Church in
America. Learn more about the History
of the ELCA.
Lutherans are part of a reforming movement within the whole Christian
church; as a part of practicing their faith, the Evangelical Lutheran
Church in America and its predecessors have engaged in ecumenical dialogue
with other church bodies for decades. In fact, the ELCA has entered into
cooperative "full communion" agreements (sharing common
convictions about theology, mission and worship) with several other
Protestant denominations, including
- the Moravian Church
- The Episcopal Church
- the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)
- the Reformed Church in America
- the United Church of Christ
The ELCA has an ongoing dialogue with the Roman Catholic Church, and in
1999, representatives of the Lutheran World Federation and the Roman
Catholic Church signed the Joint Declaration on the Doctrine of
Justification. This represented a historic consensus on key issues of
faith and called for further dialogue and study together.
To learn more about these ecumenical relationships, visit Ecumenical
and Inter-Religious Relations.
Lutheranism is a faith tradition that is open to all, regardless of
background. The ELCA alone is almost five million members strong, with
nearly 10,500 congregations across the U.S., Puerto Rico and the Virgin
Islands. In fact, there’s probably an ELCA congregation right in your
community (Find
a congregation.) We welcome you to learn more about our church
and find out how we can help you along life’s path.
THE
SACRAMENTS
Lutherans use the term "sacrament" to
describe two parts of Christian life and worship where an earthly element
or sign is linked with God’s promise and Christ’s directive. The New
Testament tells us that Jesus Christ commanded Baptism
and Holy
Communion. For Lutherans, these are rituals of worship but
each also shapes broader understanding and daily living.
In the Sacrament of Holy Communion, after hearing and experiencing the
good news of Jesus
Christ in word, prayer and song, the community receives bread and
wine. They experience the tangible presence of Christ by eating and
drinking these elements.
The outward signs of the sacrament are simple earthly elements: bread
and wine. Yet, together with the spoken promise of God these elements
convey the presence of Jesus Christ to the assembly of believers. Martin
Luther said that Jesus is present “in, with, and under” the bread and
wine. We believe this because Jesus says it is so (Matthew 26:26-28, Mark
14:22-24, Luke 22:19-20) even when we cannot fully explain how it happens.
The presence of Jesus Christ in the sacrament of Holy Communion is a
great treasure that is received in faith. In the eating and drinking of
bread and wine, we experience love, forgiveness and life of Christ is
ours. In the sacrament, Christ takes on our sin while we take on
Christ’s righteousness. The sacrament’s emphasis is on God’s action
rather than the strength of our faith.
The variety of names Lutherans use for Holy Communion demonstrates the
many facets of our understanding about God’s action in the sacrament.
Those names may include:
- "The Lord’s Supper," which emphasizes that this is a
meal commanded and hosted by the risen Lord which also remembers
Jesus’ last supper with his disciples;
- "Holy Communion," which accentuates the community
established by the Holy Spirit as we encounter Christ in the meal –
community with God in Christ and community with others who share in
this meal;
- "Eucharist,"
which encourages us to see the whole meal as thanksgiving for God’s
gifts of creation and redemption through Jesus Christ;
- "The Meal," which indicates that God is feeding us
spiritually with promises of forgiveness, life, and eternal salvation;
- the "Divine Liturgy," which emphasizes the public action
carried out by a community of people; and
- "Divine Service," which helps us to see God’s service to
us. We are called to respond in service to others. (from Principle 36,
and Background 36A in The
Use of the Means of Grace)
The sacrament of Holy Communion is celebrated within the assembled
community at worship. In the meal, the worshiping assembly is bound
together as the body of Christ taking on the joys and sufferings of that
particular assembly as well as every Christian assembly of every time and
place. Therefore, Holy Communion is a meal that leads directly to the
ministry of the church to those in need in the community and the world.
With these shared understandings of the sacrament the practices
surrounding Holy Communion throughout the Lutheran Church vary. Martin
Luther urged churches to celebrate the sacrament often
in the worshiping assembly because the meal “nourishes and strengthens
the new creature -- developing and progressing in the life of faith,”
but actual practice varies (Martin Luther’s Large
Catechism) In different congregations, variations can also be seen in distribution
patterns, type
of bread, color of wine, age
of communicants, means by which the sacrament is provided for those
who are absent, and more.
"Believing in the real presence of Christ, this church practices
eucharistic hospitality. All baptized persons are welcomed to Communion
when they are visiting in the congregations of this church."
(Principle 49 of The
Use of the Means of Grace)
An ordained pastor
presides at the service of Holy Communion in the name of Christ. The
ordained pastor of the community is the one called to public
responsibility for the ministry of the sacrament in that congregation.
This includes overseeing the distribution of the sacrament to those
members of the community who cannot be present in worship. Lay
assisting ministers may serve a variety of roles within the
worship service including as those who prepare for the meal and servers of
Communion.
Because of the universal nature of the Church, Lutherans long for unity
in the celebration of Holy Communion among Christians across
denominational lines.. When visiting other churches, Lutherans will
respect the practices of the host congregation and make a decision about
participation informed by their Lutheran understanding of the sacrament.
Lutheran pastors may be involved in the celebration of Holy Communion in
other churches with which the ELCA has a reciprocal
ecumenical agreement. (See The
Use of the Means of Grace, Principle 50 and applications.)
SOME FAMOUS LUTHERANS
MARTIN LUTHER
(1483-1546) turned the Christian church toward rediscovering Bible study, risked his life
by following conscience, and started the Reformation.
PHILIP MELANCHTHON (1497-1560), Luther’s friend and partner,
was responsible for the Augsburg Confession which, first presented in 1530, binds all
Lutherans together.
J.S. BACH (1685-1750) turned his musical genius toward producing a
flood of stately, yet pious, music for Christian worship. His compositions for the organ
remain unmatched.
H.M. MUHLENBERG (1711-1787) guided hundreds of disunited Lutheran
congregations in colonial America into the first “synod” (union) of American
Lutherans.
SOREN KIERKEGAARD (1813-1855) issued a trumpet call to a church
grown lazy and comfortable, urging trust in Christ and his promises rather than systems of
doctrines.
ALBERT SCHWEITZER (1875-1965) set aside a career in Europe as a
brilliant theologian and musician to do medical work in Africa’s jungles.
DIETRICH BONHOEFFER (1906-1945) stood almost alone among German
Christians who defied the dictator Adolph Hitler and, for his defiance, lost his life at
age 39. |
