Lutherans

Lutheranism is a movement within Christianity that began with the theological insights of Martin Luther in the 16th century, which launched the Protestant Reformation of the Western church. The "confessions" or "symbolical writings" of the Lutheran Church are contained in the Book of Concord, published in German in 1580, and in Latin in 1584.

Today nearly seventy million Christians belong to Lutheran churches worldwide, with some four hundred million Protestant Christians tracing their history back to Luther's reforming work.

History
Lutheranism as a movement traces its origin to the work of Martin Luther, a German priest and theologian who sought to reform the practices of the Roman Catholic Church in the 16th century. The symbolic beginning of the Reformation occurred on October 31, 1517 when Martin Luther posted his 95 theses. Luther's ideas are generally held to have been a major foundation of the Protestant movement.

Luther and his followers began a large exodus from the Roman Catholic Church known as the Protestant Reformation. In the years and decades following Luther's posting of the 95 theses, large numbers of Europeans left the Roman Church, including the majority of German speakers.

Today, approximately 82.6 million people call themselves Lutheran, while there are an estimated 2.1 billion Christians. Thus, Lutherans make up about 4% of Christians.

The Holy Scripture and the Lutheran Confessions
The formal principle of Lutheranism and one of the signature teachings of the Lutheran Reformation is the teaching named Sola scriptura -- "Scripture alone." Lutherans believe that the Bible is divinely inspired and is the final authority for all matters of faith and doctrine. Lutherans also hold that the Holy Scripture is explained and interpreted by the Book of Concord -- a series of Confessions of faith composed by Lutherans in the 16th Century. Traditionally, Lutheran pastors, congregations and church bodies agree to teach in harmony with the Book of Concord because it teaches and faithfully explains the Word of God. For this reason, Lutherans who follow the Book of Concord closely, especially conservative Lutherans, often refer to themselves as Confessional Lutherans. Other Lutherans, who agree with the main teachings of the Lutheran Confessions, but may take exception to some of its doctrine, subscribe to the Book of Concord "in so far as" they are in harmony with Holy Scripture.

Some Lutherans, particular those in conservative and traditional churches, regard the Bible to be free from error [inerrant] while other Lutherans in the mainline Lutheran denominations regard the Bible to be essentially a human document and therefore capable of error, particular in historical and scientific matters.

Central doctrines
The material principle of Lutheranism is the Lutheran doctrine of Justification; that is, salvation by God's grace alone (Sola Gratia), through faith alone (Sola Fide) for the sake of Christ's merit alone (Solus Christus). Lutherans believe God made the world, humanity included, perfect, holy and sinless. However, Adam and Eve chose to disobey God, trusting in their own strength, knowledge and wisdom. Because of this Original Sin -- the sin from which all other sins come -- all descendents of Adam and Eve (thus, all humans) are born in sin and are sinners. For Lutherans, original sin could be characterized as the "chief sin, a root and fountainhead of all actual sins" (Formula of Concord).

Lutherans teach that sinners cannot do anything (i.e. "good works") to satisfy God's justice. Every human thought and deed is colored by sin and sinful motives. God has intervened in this world because He loves sinners and does not want them to be eternally damned and, by His grace alone -- His free gift of mercy -- a person is forgiven, adopted as a child of God, and given eternal salvation.

For this reason, Lutherans teach that salvation is possible only because of the eternal sacrifice made manifest in the birth, perfect life of obedience, sufferings, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. In the person of Jesus Christ, Lutherans believe God and Man meet. Because He is God, He is sinless and so a worthy sacrifice, without spot or blemish. Because He is a man, He could die. In His death, death is destroyed (in an ultimate sense), our debt paid, and our sins forgiven.

Lutherans believe that individuals receive this gift of salvation by faith alone -- a full and complete trust in God's promises to forgive and to save. Even faith itself is seen as a gift of God, created in the hearts of Christians by the work of the Holy Spirit through the means of God's grace, the Word and the Sacraments.

Lutherans generally speak of two sacraments: Holy Baptism and the Sacrament of the Altar, the Lord's Supper. The Lutheran catechism teaches that Holy Baptism is a work of God, founded on the word and promise of Christ, thus it is administered to both infants and adults. Lutherans believe that the bread and wine in the Lord's Supper are the true body and blood of Christ given to Christians to eat and drink, instituted by Christ Himself.

Lutherans believe that all who trust in Jesus alone can be sure of their salvation, for it is in Christ's work and his promises in which their surety lies. They teach that, at death, Christians are immediately taken into the presence of God in Heaven, where they await the resurrection of the body at the second coming of Christ. Lutherans do not believe in any sort of millennial kingdom of Christ either before, or after, his second coming on the last day.

Although Lutherans believe good works do not satisfy God's justice, this is not to say that good works play no role in the Christian life. Good works always and in every instance spring spontaneously from true faith, and have their true origin in God, not in the fallen human heart or in human striving; their complete absence would demonstrate that faith, too, is absent.

A substantial milestone was reached in ecumenical relations in 1999, when the Lutheran World Federation and the Roman Catholic Church were able to issue a Joint Declaration on the Doctrine of Justification, essentially adopting the Old-Catholic position of Justification by Grace through Faith working by Love:
 * "Together we confess: By grace alone, in faith in Christ's saving work and not because of any merit on our part, we are accepted by God and receive the Holy Spirit, who renews our hearts while equipping and calling us to good works."

A large number of Lutheran theologians in Germany rejected the Joint Declaration, and a number of Lutheran churches worldwide did not accept it.

With the majority of the Christian community, Lutherans believe that there is one God, existing in three persons. (see Trinity)

Religious practices
Many Lutherans place great emphasis on a liturgical approach to worship services; although there have always been substantial non-liturgical minorities (Hauge Lutherans from Norway, contemporary-worship oriented Lutherans today; see paragraph below). Music forms a large part of a traditional Lutheran service. Lutheran hymns are sometimes known as chorales, and Luther himself composed hymns and hymn tunes, the most famous of which is "A Mighty Fortress is Our God" ("Ein feste Burg ist unser Gott"). Lutheran hymnody is reputed for its doctrinal, didactic and musical riches. Many Lutheran churches are active musically with choirs, hand-bell choirs, children's choirs and sometimes carillon societies (to ring bells in a bell tower). Johann Sebastian Bach, a devout Lutheran, composed music for the Lutheran church.

Many Lutherans also preserve a liturgical approach to the Eucharist. Holy Communion (or the Lord's Supper) is considered the central act of Christian worship. Lutherans believe that the bread and wine are equally present with the body and blood of Jesus, as opposed to being replaced by or just symbolizing His body and blood. They confess in the Apology of the Augsburg Confession:
 * "...we do not abolish the Mass but religiously keep and defend it. Among us the Mass is celebrated every Lord's Day and on other festivals, when the Sacrament is made available to those who wish to partake of it, after they have been examined and absolved. We also keep traditional liturgical forms, such as the order of readings, prayers, vestments, and other similar things." (Apology of the Augsburg Confession, Article XXIV.1)

Many Lutheran churches since the 1970's also hold "contemporary" worship services for the purpose of evangelical outreach. These may be in various different styles, depending on the preferences of the congregation. Often these will be held alongside the more traditional services, to cater for those not comfortable with the more liturgical forms.

Catechism, especially children's, is considered fundamental in most Lutheran churches. Almost all maintain Sunday Schools, and many host or maintain private nursery-schools, primary schools, regional high schools and universities. Some Lutheran pastors and staff are repeatedly reminded that most evangelism occurs within the church, with children.

Life-long catechesis, since Martin Luther's day, was intended for all ages so that the abuses of the Church of that day would not reoccur. Reference: prefaces to Luther's Large and Small Catechisms. With the emphasis on proper life-long catechesis, the Lutheran Church has a heritage rich in theology and doctrine.

Pastors usually teach in the common language of the parish. In the U.S., some congregations and synods traditionally taught in German, Finnish, or Norwegian, but this custom has been in significant decline since the early/middle 20th century.

Pastors almost always have substantial theological educations, including Greek and Hebrew so that they can refer directly to the canonical Christian scriptures in the original language. Lutheran pastors may marry and have families.

Lutheran Churches in the United States use a number of hymnals as well as electronic projection media. The most widely uses are: Christian Worship (WELS), The Lutheran Book of Worship (ELCA and ELCIC), The Lutheran Hymnal (LCMS, WELS & CLC) and Lutheran Worship (LCMS). The Lutheran Church -- Missouri Synod recently approved a new hymnal, Lutheran Service Book, which will be available in the fall of 2006. The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) has also approved a new hymnal, Evangelical Lutheran Worship, which will be available in October 2006.

Ecumenism
Lutherans believe in ecumenism, the idea that there is a single Christian church, and a single Christian faith.

Traditionally, Lutherans have held that orthodox confessional Lutherans are the only church completely correct in doctrine. They teach that other Christian churches, while they too contain true Christians, also contain a mixture of truth and error. The Confessional Evangelical Lutheran Conference and International Lutheran Council aligned Lutherans agree with this, as does the Church of the Lutheran Confession (CLC) and many independent or loosely organized churches formerly associated with any of these three international groups.

Lutheran World Federation (LWF) aligned Lutherans do not believe any one church to be singularly true in its teachings. This belief is not ingrained in the principles of Lutheran confessions, but rather reflects the newer resurgence of Lutheranism as a reform movement rather than as movement into doctrinal correctness.

For that reason, a number of more doctrinally diverse Lutheran denominations, now largely separated from state control, are declaring fellowship and joint statements of agreement with other Lutheran or non-Lutheran Christian denominations. However, more traditional Lutherans strive to maintain historical distinctiveness while emphasizing doctrinal purity alongside ecumenical outreach. They state that the LWF Lutherans are practicing "false ecumenism" rather than true ecumenism by desiring church-fellowship outside of actual unity of teaching.

The largest organizations of Lutheran churches around the world are the Lutheran World Federation, the International Lutheran Council, and the Confessional Evangelical Lutheran Conference which together include the great majority of Lutheran denominations around the globe.

International bodies
The three largest international Lutheran bodies are the Lutheran World Federation (LWF), of which the ELCA and ELCIC are members; the International Lutheran Council (ILC), of which the LCMS and the LCC are members; and the Confessional Evangelical Lutheran Conference (CELC), of which the WELS and ELS are members. The Lutheran World Federation supports the activities of Lutheran World Relief, a relief and development agency active in more than 50 countries.

These three communions together consist of about 200 church bodies in about 80 nations.

Examples of the LWF include Lutheran Church of Taiwan (中華民國台灣基督教信義會) and the Taiwan Lutheran Church (基督教台灣信義會).

Examples of the ILC include China Evangelical Lutheran Church (中華福音道路德會) and The Lutheran Church—Hong Kong Synod (香港路德會).

Many Lutheran churches exist throughout the world which are not affiliated with the large LWF, ILC and CELC, such as those affiliated with the Church of the Lutheran Confession, especially active in Africa and India; and those affiliated with the Church of the Lutheran Brethren, which are especially active elsewhere in Asia.

Throughout the world
Lutheranism is present on all populated continents.