Part of the series on Lutheranism
Luther's Seal
History
Christianity Protestant Reformation Lutheran Orthodoxy Pietism Neo-Lutheranism
People
Martin Luther · Johann Sebastian Bach Dietrich Bonhoeffer · Albert Schweitzer Søren Kierkegaard · Philipp Melanchthon Henry Muhlenberg · Paul Gerhardt Trygve Lie · Dag Hammarskjöld C. F. W. Walther · Martin Chemnitz
Book of Concord
Augsburg Confession Apology of the Augsburg Confession Smalcald Articles Treatise on the Power and Primacy of the Pope Luther's Large Catechism Luther's Small Catechism Formula of Concord
Theology and Sacraments
Evangelical Catholic · Law and Gospel Sola scriptura · Sola gratia · Sola fide Holy Baptism · Confession The Eucharist · Sacramental union
Liturgy and Worship
Agenda · Divine Service Lutheran Liturgical Calendar
Denominations
Lutheran World Federation International Lutheran Council Confessional Evangelical Conference Laestadianism List of Lutheran Denominations This box: view • talk • edit

Lutheranism is a major branch of Western Christianity that identifies with the teachings of the sixteenth-century German reformer Martin Luther. The Luther seal or Luther rose is a widely-recognized symbol for Lutheranism. Christianity ( Greek Χριστιανισμός from the word Xριστός ( Christ)is a monotheistic Religion centered on the life and teachings The Protestant Reformation was a reform movement in Europe that began in 1517 though its roots lie further back in time Lutheran Orthodoxy was an era in the history of Lutheranism, which began in 1580 from the writing of the Book of Concord and ended at the Age of Enlightenment Pietism was a movement within Lutheranism, lasting from the late 17th century to the mid-18th century and later Neo-Lutheranism was a 19th century revival movement within Lutheranism which began as a reaction against theological rationalism and Pietism. Martin Luther (November 10 1483 February 18 1546 was a German Monk, theologian, university professor Father of Protestantism, and church reformer WikipediaWikiProject Composers#Lead section.2 This article is written in British English including maximised use of "-ise" Dietrich Bonhoeffer ˈdiːtrɪç ˈboːnhøfɐ ( February 4, 1906 &ndash April 9, 1945) was a German Lutheran Albert Schweitzer, MD, OM, (January 14 1875 &ndash September 4 1965 was an Alsatian theologian, Musician, Philosopher Søren Aabye Kierkegaard (ˈsœːɐn ˈkʰiɐ̯kəˌɡ̊ɒˀ in Danish Anglicized as;) Philipp Melanchthon (born Philipp Schwartzerd) ( February 16, 1497 &ndash April 19, 1560) was a German professor and theologian Henry Melchior Muhlenberg (an anglicanization of Heinrich Melchior Mühlenberg ( September 6, 1711 &ndash October 7, 1787) was a German Paul Gerhardt ( March 12, 1607 – May 27, 1676) was a German Hymn writer Trygve Halvdan Lie ( ( July 16, 1896 &ndash December 30, 1968) was a Norwegian politician Dag Hjalmar Agne Carl Hammarskjöld ( (29 July 1905 &ndash 18 September 1961 was a Swedish Diplomat, Christian mystic, and the second Secretary-General Carl Ferdinand Wilhelm Walther ( October 25 1811 – May 7 1887) was the first President of the Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod Martin Chemnitz ( November 9 1522 &ndash April 8 1586) was an eminent second-generation Lutheran theologian, reformer The Book of Concord or Concordia (1580 is the historic doctrinal standard of the Lutheran Church, consisting of ten credal The Augsburg Confession, also known as the "Augustana" from its Latin name Confessio Augustana is the primary confession of faith of the Lutheran The Smalcald Articles or Schmalkald Articles (Schmalkaldische Artikel are a summary of Lutheran doctrine written by Martin Luther in 1537 for a meeting The Treatise on the Power and Primacy of the Pope ( 1537) ( Latin, Tractatus de Potestate et Primatu Papae The Tractate Luther's Large Catechism consisted of works written by Martin Luther and compiled Christian canonical texts, published in April of 1529. Luther's Small Catechism was written by Martin Luther and published in 1529 for the training of children Formula of Concord ( 1577) ( Latin: Formula concordiae, " Harmony Concord " also the " Bergic Book " is an authoritative The term Evangelical Catholic is used by Christian believers who consider themselves both " Catholic " and " evangelical. The relationship between God's Law and the Gospel is a major topic in Lutheran and Reformed theology Sola scriptura ( Latin ablative, "by scripture alone" is the assertion that the Bible as God's written word is self-authenticating Sola gratia is one of the Five solas propounded to summarise the Reformers' basic beliefs during the Protestant Reformation; it is a Latin term Sola fide ( Latin: by Faith alone also historically known as the doctrine of justification by faith is a doctrine that distinguishes most In Christianity, baptism ( Greek, "immersing" "performing Ablutions " is the ritual act with the use of water by which one is admitted The confession of one's Sins is a religious practice important to many faiths e The Eucharist, also called Holy Communion or Lord's Supper and other names is a Christian Sacrament by which in a common interpretation those Sacramental union ( Latin, unio sacramentalis; German, sakramentliche Einigkeit) is the Lutheran theological Doctrine The name Agenda (“Things to be Done” Germ. Agende or Kirchenagende) is given particularly in the Lutheran Church, to the official books Divine Service is the term used in the Eastern Orthodox Church to describe the daily cycle of public services celebrated in the Temple (church building The Lutheran liturgical calendar is a listing which details the primary annual festivals and events that are celebrated liturgically by various Lutheran churches The International Lutheran Council is a worldwide association of confessional Lutheran denominations The Confessional Evangelical Lutheran Conference (CELC is the successor to the Evangelical Lutheran Synodical Conference of North America except that it is international Laestadianism is a conservative Lutheran revival movement started in the middle of the 19th century This is a list of Lutheran denominations grouped by affiliation with international Lutheran bodies Western Christianity is a term used to cover the Latin Rite of the Roman Catholic Church, the Churches of the Anglican Communion, the Lutheran Church Christianity ( Greek Χριστιανισμός from the word Xριστός ( Christ)is a monotheistic Religion centered on the life and teachings Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany ( ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant is a Country in Central Europe. Martin Luther (November 10 1483 February 18 1546 was a German Monk, theologian, university professor Father of Protestantism, and church reformer Luther's efforts to reform the theology and practice of the Roman Catholic Church launched the Protestant Reformation and, though it was not his original intention, left Western Christianity divided. The Protestant Reformation was a reform movement in Europe that began in 1517 though its roots lie further back in time Western Christianity is a term used to cover the Latin Rite of the Roman Catholic Church, the Churches of the Anglican Communion, the Lutheran Church ^[1]

The split between Lutherans and the Roman Catholic Church arose mainly over the doctrine of justification before God. In Christian theology, justification is God 's act of declaring or making a sinner righteous before God Specifically, Lutheranism advocates a doctrine of justification "by grace alone through faith alone because of Christ alone," distinct from the Roman Catholic view of works in addition to faith. Sola gratia is one of the Five solas propounded to summarise the Reformers' basic beliefs during the Protestant Reformation; it is a Latin term Sola fide ( Latin: by Faith alone also historically known as the doctrine of justification by faith is a doctrine that distinguishes most Solus Christus ( Latin: "Christ alone" sometimes referred to in the Ablative case as Solo Christo ("by Christ alone" Lutheranism is also distinct from the Reformed Churches, another major church which arose during the Reformation. The Reformed churches are a group of Christian Protestant Denominations formally characterized by a similar Calvinist system of doctrine historically Unlike the Reformed Churches, Lutherans have retained many of the sacramental understandings and liturgical practices of the pre-Reformation Church. A sacrament, as defined in Hexam's Concise Dictionary of Religion is "a Rite in which God is uniquely active A liturgy is the customary public worship done by a specific religious group according to their particular traditions Lutheran theology differs considerably from Reformed theology in its understanding of divine grace and predestination to eternity after death. In Christianity, divine Grace refers to the sovereign favour of God for humankind — especially in regard to Salvation — irrespective of actions Predestination (also linked with Foreknowledge) is a religious concept which involves the relationship between God and His creation

Today, millions belong to Lutheran churches worldwide;^[2] furthermore, the world's 400 million Protestant Christians^[3] can trace their tradition, at least in part, back to Luther's reforming work.

Contents 1 Doctrine 1.1 The Bible and the Lutheran Confessions 1.2 Central doctrines 1.3 Ecumenism with other Christians 1.4 Ecumenism among Lutherans 2 Practices 3 International bodies 4 Throughout the world 5 See also 6 Print sources 7 Footnotes 8 External links

Doctrine

The Bible and the Lutheran Confessions

Lutherans believe that the Bible, as a divinely inspired book, is the source of all revealed divine knowledge. Etymology According to the Online Etymology Dictionary, the word bible is from Latin biblia, traced from the same word through Medieval Latin and Late Latin Biblical inspiration is the doctrine in Christian theology concerned with the divine origin of the Bible and what the Bible teaches about itself Scripture alone (Sola scriptura) is the formal principle of the faith, the final authority for all matters of faith and doctrine. Sola scriptura ( Latin ablative, "by scripture alone" is the assertion that the Bible as God's written word is self-authenticating Formal principle and material principle are two categories in Christian Theology to identify and distinguish the authoritative source of theology (formal

The Book of Concord, published in 1580, contains ten documents which Lutherans believe are faithful and authoritative explanations of Holy Scripture. The Book of Concord or Concordia (1580 is the historic doctrinal standard of the Lutheran Church, consisting of ten credal Besides the three Ecumenical Creeds, which date to Roman times, the Book of Concord contains seven credal documents articulating Lutheran theology in the Reformation era. Ecumenical creeds is an Umbrella term used in the western church to refer to the Nicene Creed, the Apostles' Creed, and the Athanasian Creed The Roman Empire was the post-Republican phase of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial A creed is a statement of Belief — usually Religious belief — or Faith often recited as part of a religious service Traditionally, Lutheran pastors, congregations, and church bodies agree to teach in harmony with the Lutheran Confessions. The Book of Concord or Concordia (1580 is the historic doctrinal standard of the Lutheran Church, consisting of ten credal Some Lutheran church bodies require this pledge to be unconditional, while others allow their congregations to do so "insofar as" the Confessions are in agreement with the Bible.

Lutherans have understood the Bible as containing two distinct types of content, termed Law and Gospel (or Law and Promises). The relationship between God's Law and the Gospel is a major topic in Lutheran and Reformed theology ^[4] The Law, consisting of biblical commands, first governs all people and orders society and second shows Christians their guilt and need for salvation. The Gospel, consisting of God's promises of salvation, assures Christians of forgiveness. In the Lutheran view, properly distinguishing Law from Gospel allows a Christian to clearly understand the biblical message of justification by grace through faith alone.

Over the history of the Lutheran tradition, views on the nature of biblical authority have varied. Martin Luther and the Book of Concord taught that the Scriptures were the Word of God, and that it is the only reliable guide for faith and practice. The 17th century is termed the Orthodox period of Lutheran scholasticism, in which theologians emphasized biblical inerrancy. Lutheran Orthodoxy was an era in the history of Lutheranism, which began in 1580 from the writing of the Book of Concord and ended at the Age of Enlightenment Biblical inerrancy is the conservative evangelical doctrinal position that in its original form the Bible is totally without error and free from all contradiction During the eighteenth century, Rationalism, which advocated reason rather than authority as the final source of knowledge, began to influence Lutheranism. In Epistemology and in its broadest sense rationalism is "any view appealing to Reason as a source of knowledge or justification" (Lacey 286 Reason involves the ability to think understand and draw Conclusions in an Abstract way as in Human thinking Rationalism brought the authority of the Bible into question. Lutherans such as Gottfried Leibnitz sought to reconcile Christianity with the new philosophy, but in general, most of the Lutheran Laity continued to hold Supernaturalist beliefs. In religious organizations the laity comprises all persons who are not Clergy. The term supernatural or supranatural ( Latin: super, supra "above" + natura "nature" pertains to entities events ^[5] Beginning in the nineteenth century, Lutheran confessionalism emphasized a stricter adherence to the authority of the Bible and the Lutheran Confessions as expressed in the Book of Concord. Confessional Lutheran is a name used by certain Lutheran Christians to designate themselves as those who accept the doctrines taught in the Book of Concord Today, Lutheran groups vary on the nature and limits of biblical inerrancy, with each group claiming to represent the true Reformation position. Conservative groups tend to stress biblical inerrancy, confessionalism, and the orthodoxy of 17th century Lutheranism, while liberal groups seek to make use of the higher criticism method of biblical interpretation. Lutheran Orthodoxy was an era in the history of Lutheranism, which began in 1580 from the writing of the Book of Concord and ended at the Age of Enlightenment Historical criticism or higher criticism is a branch of literary analysis that investigates the origins of a text as applied in Biblical studies it naturally

Central doctrines

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Protestantism

The Reformation History Pre-Reformation Movements Waldensians  · Lollards  · Hussites Reformation churches Anglicanism · Anabaptism · Calvinism · Lutheranism · Zwinglianism Post-Reformation movements Baptists · Congregationalists · Pietism · Pentecostalism · Puritanism Great Awakenings Revivalism · Methodism · Evangelicalism Disciples of Christ Restorationism Adventism · Restoration Movement This box: view • talk • edit

The key doctrine, or material principle, of Lutheranism is the doctrine of justification. Christianity ( Greek Χριστιανισμός from the word Xριστός ( Christ)is a monotheistic Religion centered on the life and teachings Jesus of Nazareth (7–2 BC / BCE —26–36 AD / CE) Christ is the English term for the Greek ( Khristós) meaning "the anointed " The virgin birth of Jesus is a religious Tenet of Christianity and Islam which holds that Mary miraculously conceived Jesus while The crucifixion of Jesus is an event recorded in all four Gospels (;;) which takes place after his arrest and trial and includes his scourging Within the body of Christian beliefs the resurrection of Jesus is a core event on which much of Christian doctrine and theology depend Church (disambiguation Christian Church and the word church are used to denote both a Christian association of people and a Place of worship The term New Covenant (; Greek:, diathēkē kainē is used in the Bible (both in the Hebrew Bible and the Greek New Testament) to refer The Twelve Apostles (Greek apostolos, "someone sent out" e This article is about the canonical books of the New Testament The purpose of this timeline is to give a detailed account of Christianity from the beginning of the current era ( AD) to the present Etymology According to the Online Etymology Dictionary, the word bible is from Latin biblia, traced from the same word through Medieval Latin and Late Latin In Western Christianity, the Old Testament refers to the books that form the first of the two-part Christian Biblical canon. Books of the Bible are listed differently in the canons of Jews and Catholic, Protestant, Greek Orthodox Slavonic Orthodox Georgian Armenian Apostolic A Biblical canon or canon of scripture is a list or Set of Biblical books considered to be authoritative as Scripture by a particular religious The biblical apocrypha (from the Greek word ἀπόκρυφος meaning hidden) are books published in an edition of the Bible whose canonicity Christian Theology is discourse concerning Christian faith Christian theologians use biblical Exegesis, rational analysis and argument SSC RF "Troitsk Institute of Innovative and Termonuclear Research" or TRINITY for shprt Троицкий Институт инновационных и термоядерных In many religions the supreme Deity ( God) is given the title and attributions of Father. Christian views of Jesus consist of the teachings and beliefs held by Christian groups about Jesus including his divinity humanity and earthly life In mainstream Christianity, the Holy Spirit or Holy Ghost is one of the three entities of the Holy Trinity which make up the single substance This is an overview of the History of Christian Theology from the time of Christ to the present Christian Theology is discourse concerning Christian faith Christian theologians use biblical Exegesis, rational analysis and argument Christian apologetics is a field of Christian theology that aims to present a rational basis for the Christian faith, defend the faith against objections Christian tradition is a collection of Traditions of practice or belief associated with Christianity. Early Christianity is commonly defined as the Christianity of the three centuries between the Crucifixion of Jesus ( c This is a general introduction to ecumenical councils For the Roman Catholic councils, see Catholic Ecumenical Councils. A creed is a statement of Belief — usually Religious belief — or Faith often recited as part of a religious service See also Evangelism, Christianization A Christian mission has been widely defined since the Lausanne Congress of 1974 as that which The East-West Schism, or the Great Schism, divided medieval Christendom into Eastern (Greek and Western (Latin branches which later became known as the The Crusades were a series of military campaigns of a religious character waged by much of Christian Europe against external and internal opponents The Protestant Reformation was a reform movement in Europe that began in 1517 though its roots lie further back in time Denominationalism|List of Christian denominations|Church (disambiguation A Christian denomination is an identifiable religious body under a common name structure and doctrine within A sermon is an oration by a Prophet or member of the Clergy. Sermons address a Biblical, theological, or religious topic Prayer is an important theme in Christianity, and there are several different forms of prayer Ecumenism (also oecumenism, œcumenism) refers to initiatives aimed at greater Religious unity or cooperation Christianity and other religions appear to share some elements Christian movements are theological, political or philosophical interpretations of Christianity that are not generally represented by a specific church Christian music is music that is written to express either personal or a communal belief regarding Christian life A Liturgy is a set form of ceremony or pattern of worship Christian liturgy is a pattern for worship used (whether recommended or prescribed by a Christian congregation or The liturgical year, also known as the Christian year, consists of the cycle of liturgical seasons in Christian churches which determines when Christian symbolism is defined as the investing of outward things or actions with an inner meaning the expression of Christian ideas Christian art is Art produced in an attempt to illustrate supplement and portray in tangible form the principles of Christianity. Throughout the History of Christianity, a wide range of Christians and non-Christians alike have offered criticisms of Christianity, the Church, and Christians Protestantism refers to the forms of Christian faith and practice that originated in the 16th century Protestant Reformation. The Protestant Reformation was a reform movement in Europe that began in 1517 though its roots lie further back in time The History of Protestantism begins with the Reformation movement which began as an attempt to reform the Catholic Church and led to the fracturing of Christendom General description The earliest Waldensians believed in poverty and austerity promoting true poverty public preaching and the personal study of the scriptures Lollardy was the political and religious movement of the Lollards from the mid- 14th century to the English Reformation. The Hussites were a Christian movement following the teachings of Czech reformer Jan Hus or John Huss (c Anglicanism is a tradition of Christian faith Churches in this tradition either have historical connections to the Church of England or have similar beliefs Anabaptists ( Greek ανα (again twice + βαπτιζω (baptize thus "re-baptizers" are Christians of the Radical Reformation Calvinism (sometimes called the Reformed tradition, the Reformed faith, or Reformed theology) is a theological system and an approach to the The study of the theology of Huldrych Zwingli since the 1990s has been facilitated by a modern critical edition of his works Baptist is a term describing individuals belonging to a Baptist church or a Baptist denomination. Congregational churches are Protestant Christian churches practicing Congregationalist church governance, in which each congregation independently Pietism was a movement within Lutheranism, lasting from the late 17th century to the mid-18th century and later Pentecostalism is a renewalist religious movement within Christianity that places special emphasis on the direct personal experience of God through the Baptism A Puritan of 16th and 17th century England was an associate of any number of religious groups advocating for more "purity" of Worship and Doctrine, The Great Awakenings refer to several periods of rapid and dramatic Religious revival in Anglo-American religious history generally recognized as beginning in the 1730s Revival in a Christian context generally refers to a specific period of spiritual renewal in the life of the Church Methodism is a movement within Protestant Christianity represented by a number of denominations and organizations Evangelicalism is a theological movement tradition and system of beliefs most closely associated with Protestant Christianity, which identifies with the Gospel The Christian Church (Disciples of Christ is a Mainline Protestant denomination in North America For other usages see Restoration (general disambiguation Apokatastasis (universal restoration Christian Zionism (restoration of Israel and The term Adventist generally refers to someone who believes in the Second Advent of Jesus (popularly known as the Second coming) in the tradition of the Millerites This article is about the Stone-Campbell Restoration Movement and churches that have a historical and/or theological connection to it (e Formal principle and material principle are two categories in Christian Theology to identify and distinguish the authoritative source of theology (formal In Christian theology, justification is God 's act of declaring or making a sinner righteous before God Lutherans believe that humans are saved from their sins by God's grace alone (Sola Gratia), through faith alone (Sola Fide). Sin is a term used mainly in a religious context to describe an act that violates a moral Rule, or the state of having committed such a violation In Christianity, divine Grace refers to the sovereign favour of God for humankind — especially in regard to Salvation — irrespective of actions Sola gratia is one of the Five solas propounded to summarise the Reformers' basic beliefs during the Protestant Reformation; it is a Latin term Sola fide ( Latin: by Faith alone also historically known as the doctrine of justification by faith is a doctrine that distinguishes most Lutherans believe that this grace is granted for the sake of Christ's merit alone (Solus Christus). Solus Christus ( Latin: "Christ alone" sometimes referred to in the Ablative case as Solo Christo ("by Christ alone" Traditional Lutheran theology holds that God made the world, including humanity, perfect, holy and sinless. However, Adam and Eve chose to disobey God, trusting in their own strength, knowledge, and wisdom. Adam (אָדָם ʼĀḏām, "dust man mankind" آدم; Ge'ez: አዳ and Eve (חַוָּה Ḥawwā, "living ^[6][7] Consequently, people are saddled with Original sin, born sinful and unable to avoid committing sinful acts. Original sin is according to a doctrine in Catholic theology, humanity's state of Sin resulting from the Fall of Man. For Lutherans, original sin is the "chief sin, a root and fountainhead of all actual sins. "^[8]

Lutherans teach that sinners are not capable of doing any good works that can satisfy God's justice. ^[9] Every human thought and deed is colored by sin and sinful motives. Modern definitions of Concupiscence an ardent usually sensuous longing a strong sexual desire lust ^[10] Because of this, all humanity deserves eternal damnation in hell. Hell, according to many Religious beliefs, is a location in the Afterlife, which may be described as a place of suffering ^[11] God has intervened in this world because he loves all people and does not want anyone to be eternally damned. ^[12] By God's grace, made known and effective in the person and work of Jesus Christ, a person is forgiven, adopted as a child and heir of God, and given eternal salvation. Jesus of Nazareth (7–2 BC / BCE —26–36 AD / CE) ^[13] For this reason, Lutherans teach that salvation is possible only because of the grace of God made manifest in the birth, life, suffering, death, and resurrection, and continuing presence by the power of the Holy Spirit, of Jesus Christ ^[14]. In mainstream Christianity, the Holy Spirit or Holy Ghost is one of the three entities of the Holy Trinity which make up the single substance Jesus of Nazareth (7–2 BC / BCE —26–36 AD / CE)

Lutherans believe Jesus Christ is both by nature God and by nature man in one person, as they confess in Luther's Small Catechism that he is "true God begotten of the Father from eternity and also true man born of the Virgin Mary". Luther's Small Catechism was written by Martin Luther and published in 1529 for the training of children ^[15]

Lutherans are Trinitarian because they confess in the Athanasian Creed, "we worship one God in Trinity, and Trinity in Unity; Neither confounding the Persons, nor dividing the Substance. The Athanasian Creed ( Quicumque vult) is a statement of Christian Trinitarian doctrine and Christology which has been used in For there is one Person of the Father, another of the Son, and another of the Holy Ghost. In mainstream Christianity, the Holy Spirit or Holy Ghost is one of the three entities of the Holy Trinity which make up the single substance But the Godhead of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost is all one: the glory equal, the majesty coeternal". ^[16] Lutherans reject as error the idea that the Father and the Son are merely faces of the same person, because, they believe, both the Old Testament and the New Testament show them to be two distinct persons. ^[17] Lutherans believe the Holy Spirit proceeds from both the Father and the Son. ^[18]

Lutherans believe that individuals receive this gift of salvation through faith alone^[19] — a full and complete trust in God's promises to forgive and to save ^[20]. Even faith itself is seen as a gift of God, created in the hearts of Christians^[21] by the work of the Holy Spirit through his means of grace, which are the Word^[22] and the Sacraments ^[23]. It is important to note the words — through faith,^[24] not by faith. Faith is seen as an instrument that receives the gift of salvation, not something that causes salvation. ^[25] Thus, Lutherans reject the so-called "decision theology" which is common among modern evangelicals. Decision theology is a popularized form of Christian theological belief regarding the way one must receive or achieve Salvation in Jesus Christ Evangelicalism is a theological movement tradition and system of beliefs most closely associated with Protestant Christianity, which identifies with the Gospel

Traditionally, Lutherans have accepted monergism, which states that salvation is by God's act alone, and reject the doctrine that humans in their fallen state have a free will concerning spiritual matters. Monergism is the name for the belief held by some in Christian theology that through the preaching of the word the Holy Spirit alone can act to effectually bring about The question of free will ^[26] Lutherans believe that although humans have free will concerning civil righteousness, they cannot work spiritual righteousness without the Holy Spirit, since righteousness in the heart cannot be wrought in the absence of the Holy Spirit. ^[27] Lutherans believe that the elect are predestined to salvation. ^[28] Lutherans believe Christians should be assured that they are among the predestined. ^[29] However, they disagree with those that make predestination the source of salvation rather than Christ's suffering, death, and resurrection. Predestination (also linked with Foreknowledge) is a religious concept which involves the relationship between God and His creation Unlike Hyper-Calvinists, Lutherans do not believe in a predestination to damnation. ^[30] Instead, Lutherans teach eternal damnation is a result of the unbeliever's sins, rejection of the forgiveness of sins, and unbelief. ^[31]

Lutherans are not dogmatic about the number of the sacraments. A sacrament, as defined in Hexam's Concise Dictionary of Religion is "a Rite in which God is uniquely active Some speak of only two sacraments,^[32] Baptism and Holy Communion. In Christianity, baptism ( Greek, "immersing" "performing Ablutions " is the ritual act with the use of water by which one is admitted The Eucharist, also called Holy Communion or Lord's Supper and other names is a Christian Sacrament by which in a common interpretation those They teach that Baptism is a saving work of God,^[33] mandated and instituted by Christ. In Christianity, baptism ( Greek, "immersing" "performing Ablutions " is the ritual act with the use of water by which one is admitted Jesus of Nazareth (7–2 BC / BCE —26–36 AD / CE) ^[34] Thus it is administered to both infants^[35] and adults. ^[36] Children born to practicing Lutheran families are baptized shortly after birth. Absolution^[37] is also confessed by some to be a sacrament. Absolution is a traditional theological term for the forgiveness experienced in the traditional Churches in the Sacrament of Reconciliation. ^[38]

Lutherans hold that within Holy Communion, also referred to as the Sacrament of the Altar or the Lord's Supper,^[39] the consecrated elements of bread and wine are the true body and blood of Christ "in, with, and under the form" of bread and wine for all those who eat and drink it,^[40] a doctrine that the Formula of Concord calls the Sacramental union. The Eucharist, also called Holy Communion or Lord's Supper and other names is a Christian Sacrament by which in a common interpretation those Formula of Concord ( 1577) ( Latin: Formula concordiae, " Harmony Concord " also the " Bergic Book " is an authoritative Sacramental union ( Latin, unio sacramentalis; German, sakramentliche Einigkeit) is the Lutheran theological Doctrine ^[41] Some Lutherans use the term Eucharist to refer to Communion, noting its use in the Book of Concord; however, others reject the term on the basis that the word Eucharist ("thankgiving") puts the emphasis on the human response to the sacrament, which is contrary to the Lutheran emphasis on God's omnipotence and human powerlessness. The Eucharist, also called Holy Communion or Lord's Supper and other names is a Christian Sacrament by which in a common interpretation those The Book of Concord or Concordia (1580 is the historic doctrinal standard of the Lutheran Church, consisting of ten credal They note that in almost every case, the use of the term in the Book of Concord refers to doctrinal statements that are part of the Roman Catholic tradition.

Lutherans believe that all who trust in Jesus alone can be certain of their salvation, for it is in Christ's work and his promises in which their certainty lies. ^[42] The central final hope of the Christian is "the resurrection of the body and the life everlasting" as confessed in the Apostles' Creed, but Lutherans also teach that, at death, Christians are immediately taken into the presence of Jesus,^[43] where they await this resurrection and the second coming of Jesus on the Last Day. ^[44][45] Lutherans do not believe in any sort of earthly millennial kingdom of Christ either before or after his second coming on the last day. ^[46][47]

Although Lutherans believe that good works do not satisfy God's wrath, this is not to say that they hold good works to play no role in the Christian life. ^[48] Good works are the fruit of saving faith,^[49] and always and in every instance spring spontaneously from true faith. ^[50] Any true good works have their true origin in God,^[51] not in the fallen human heart or in human striving;^[52] their absence would demonstrate that faith, too, is absent. ^[53]

Ecumenism with other Christians

Although they decried the division of the Church, early Lutherans tended to avoid ecumenical fellowship with other Churches, believing that churches should not share Communion and exchange pastors if they do not agree upon doctrine. Ecumenism (also oecumenism, œcumenism) refers to initiatives aimed at greater Religious unity or cooperation The Eucharist, also called Holy Communion or Lord's Supper and other names is a Christian Sacrament by which in a common interpretation those A pastor is an official person within a Protestant group of people and related to the positions of Priest or Bishop within the Anglican, Roman Catholic

In the 18th century, there was some ecumenical interest between the Church of Sweden and the Church of England. The Church of Sweden (Svenska kyrkan Ruoŧa girkui is the largest church in Sweden. The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England, the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican John Robinson, Bishop of London, even fostered a plan for the union of the English and Swedish churches in 1718, supported by Count Gyllenberg, Swedish Ambassador to London. The plan fell through because of the opposition of most Swedish bishops, although Svedberg of Skara and Gezelius, Bishop of Turku (Finland) were in favour. Jesper Swedberg ( August 28, 1653 (OS&ndash July 26, 1735 (NS Bishop of Skara, Sweden, was one of Johannes Gezelius is the name shared by three Finnish bishops Johannes Gezelius the elder (1615 - 1690 Bishop of Turku 1664-1690 The reason for the opposition was that the Church of England was too Calvinist for them [1].

In 1817, King Frederick William III of Prussia ordered the Lutheran and Reformed churches in his territory to unite, forming the Evangelical Church of the Prussian Union. Early life The son of King Frederick William II of Prussia, Frederick William was born in Potsdam and became Crown Prince in 1786 when his father ascended Prussia ( Latin: Borussia, Prutenia; Prūsija Prūsija Prusy Old Prussian: Prūsa) was most recently a historic state The Reformed churches are a group of Christian Protestant Denominations formally characterized by a similar Calvinist system of doctrine historically The Prussian Union (Evangelical Christian Church ( Unionsurkunde) was the merger of the Lutheran Church and the Reformed Church in Prussia, by The unification of the two branches of German Protestantism sparked a great deal of controversy. Many Lutherans, termed Old Lutherans, chose to leave the established churches and form independent church bodies. Old Lutherans refers to those German Lutherans who refused to join the Prussian Union (Evangelical Christian Church in the 1830s and 1840s Many left for America and Australia. The dispute over ecumenism overshadowed other controversies within German Lutheranism. ^[54]

In the 18th and early 19th centuries, German Lutherans cooperated with German Reformed churches on the frontiers of the newly formed United States. The Reformed churches are a group of Christian Protestant Denominations formally characterized by a similar Calvinist system of doctrine historically Other American Lutherans, from the Old Lutheran dissenters, formed churches with stricter attitudes toward ecumenism. In the twentieth century, many of those stricter churches have combined into denominations, the major being the Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod, Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod and the Church of the Lutheran Confession (CLC). The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS founded in 1847 in Missouri, is the eighth largest Protestant denomination in the United States and the second-largest The Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod (WELS is a North American religious denomination with practice rooted in the Lutheran tradition of Christianity The Church of the Lutheran Confession (CLC is a conservative Christian religious body theologically adhering to confessional Lutheran doctrine

Presently, Lutherans are divided over how to interact with other Christian denominations. Typically, more conservative Lutherans assert that everyone must share the "whole counsel of God" (Acts 20:27) in complete unity (1 Cor. 1:10) before pastors can share each other pulpits or communicants commune at each other's altars. On the other hand, more liberal Lutherans are willing to share communion and to allow preachers from other Christian traditions in their pulpits.

Although the Lutheran World Federation has been in ecumenical dialogue with the Roman Catholic Church since shortly after the Second Vatican Council, it was not until 1999 that far-reaching ecumenical relations were established between the Lutheran World Federation and the Roman Catholic Church when they jointly issued a statement, the Joint Declaration on the Doctrine of Justification, that declared commonality of the Roman Catholic and Lutheran doctrines on Justification. The Second Ecumenical Council of the Vatican, or Vatican II, was the twentieth century Ecumenical Council of the Roman Catholic Church. The Joint Declaration on the Doctrine of Justification is a document created by and agreed to by clerical representatives of the Roman Catholic Church and the Lutheran [2]. While a number of Lutheran theologians saw this as a sign that the Roman Catholic Church was essentially adopting the Lutheran position, most Lutheran theologians disagreed, claiming that, considering the public documentation of the Catholic Church's position, this assertion does not hold up.

The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America has been actively involved in ecumenical dialogues with several denominations (the ELCA is one of the members of the LWF that signed the JDDJ). The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America ( ELCA) is a mainline Protestant denomination headquartered in Chicago Illinois. Recently, the ELCA has established "full communion" with several American Churches: the Moravian Church, the Episcopal Church, the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), the Reformed Church in America, and the United Church of Christ. Moravian Church in America is part of the world wide Moravian Church Unity The Episcopal Church is the official name of the Province of the Anglican Communion in the United States. The Presbyterian Church (USA or PC (USA is a mainline Protestant Christian denomination in the United States. The Reformed Church in America (RCA is a mainline Reformed Protestant denomination that was formerly a part of the Dutch Reformed The United Church of Christ ( UCC) is a mainline Protestant Christian denomination principally in the United States,

Although not an "ecumenical" movement in the formal sense, in the 1990s influences from the megachurches of American evangelicalism (eg Hybels' "Becoming a Contagious Christian" from Willow Creek and Warren's "Purpose Driven Life" from Saddleback Church) have become common, particularly among more socially, politically, and theologically conservative Lutherans. A megachurch is a church having around 2000 attendants for a typical weekly service William Hybels (born 1952 Kalamazoo, Michigan) is the founding and senior Pastor of Willow Creek Community Church in South Barrington Willow Creek Community Church (or simply Willow Creek Church) is a Non-denominational, Evangelical Christian Megachurch located in the Chicago Richard D "Rick" Warren (born January 28, 1954) is the founder and senior pastor of the Saddleback Church in Lake Forest California Saddleback Church is an Evangelical Christian Megachurch located in Lake Forest California, situated in southern Orange County, affiliated with Many of the largest Lutheran congregations in the United States have been heavily influenced by these "progressive Evangelicals. " These influences are sharply criticised by confessional Lutherans as being foreign to the Lutheran tradition. ^[55]

Ecumenism among Lutherans

The largest organizations of Lutheran churches around the world are the Lutheran World Federation, the International Lutheran Council, and the Confessional Evangelical Lutheran Conference. The International Lutheran Council is a worldwide association of confessional Lutheran denominations The Confessional Evangelical Lutheran Conference (CELC is the successor to the Evangelical Lutheran Synodical Conference of North America except that it is international These organizations together include the great majority of Lutheran denominations around the globe.

The Lutheran World Federation (LWF)-aligned churches do not believe that one church is singularly true in its teachings. According to this belief, Lutheranism is a reform movement rather than a movement into doctrinal correctness. For that reason, a number of doctrinally diverse LWF denominations, now largely separated from state control, are declaring fellowship and joint statements of agreement with other Lutheran and non-Lutheran Christian denominations.

By contrast, the Confessional Evangelical Lutheran Conference and International Lutheran Council as well as many unaffiliated denominations such as the Church of the Lutheran Confession (CLC) maintain that the orthodox confessional Lutheran churches are the only churches with completely correct doctrine. The Confessional Evangelical Lutheran Conference (CELC is the successor to the Evangelical Lutheran Synodical Conference of North America except that it is international The International Lutheran Council is a worldwide association of confessional Lutheran denominations The Church of the Lutheran Confession (CLC is a conservative Christian religious body theologically adhering to confessional Lutheran doctrine They teach that while other Christian churches teach partially orthodox doctrine and have true Christians as members, the doctrines of those churches contain significant errors. More conservative Lutherans strive to maintain historical distinctiveness while emphasizing doctrinal purity alongside Gospel-motivated outreach. They state that LWF Lutherans are practicing fake ecumenism by desiring church fellowship outside of actual unity of teaching. ^[56]

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). A liturgy is the customary public worship done by a specific religious group according to their particular traditions Hans Nielsen Hauge ( April 3, 1771 - March 29, 1824) was a revivalist Norwegian lay preacher who spoke up against the Church establishment Norway ( Norwegian: Norge ( Bokmål) or Noreg ( Nynorsk) officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Constitutional Music forms a large part of a traditional Lutheran service. Music is an Art form in which the medium is Sound organized in Time. Lutheran hymns are sometimes known as chorales, and Luther himself composed hymns and hymn tunes, perhaps the most famous of which is "A Mighty Fortress Is Our God" ("Ein feste Burg ist unser Gott"). A hymn is a type of Song, usually religious specifically written for the purpose of praise adoration or Prayer, and typically addressed to a deity/deities A chorale was originally a Hymn of the Lutheran church sung by the entire congregation A hymn tune is a musical composition to which a hymn text is sung " A Mighty Fortress Is Our God " (German Ein' feste Burg ist unser Gott) is the best known of Martin Luther 's Hymns Luther wrote Lutheran hymnody is reputed for its doctrinal, didactic, and musical riches. Didacticism is an artistic philosophy that emphasizes instructional and informative qualities in Literature and other types of Art. Many Lutheran churches are active musically with choirs, handbell choirs, children's choirs, and sometimes carillon societies (to ring bells in a bell tower). A carillon (/kaʁijɔ̃/ /ˈkærɪljɒn/ or /kəˈrɪljən/ is a Musical instrument consisting of at least 23 cast bronze cup-shaped bells which are played Johann Sebastian Bach, a devout Lutheran, composed music for the Lutheran church. WikipediaWikiProject Composers#Lead section.2 This article is written in British English including maximised use of "-ise"

Many Lutherans also preserve a liturgical approach to the celebration of Communion (or the Lord's Supper), emphasizing the sacrament as the central act of Christian worship. The Eucharist, also called Holy Communion or Lord's Supper and other names is a Christian Sacrament by which in a common interpretation those Lutherans believe that Jesus' actual body and blood are present in, with and under the bread and the wine. This belief is called Real Presence or Sacramental Union and is different than consubstantiation and transubstantiation. The Real Presence is the term various Christian traditions use to express their belief that in the Eucharist, Jesus Christ is really present in what was Sacramental union ( Latin, unio sacramentalis; German, sakramentliche Einigkeit) is the Lutheran theological Doctrine Consubstantiation is a theological doctrine that (like Transubstantiation) attempts to describe the nature of the Christian Eucharist in concrete metaphysical See also Eucharist (Catholic Church On the related belief that Christ is present in the Eucharist in body blood soul and divinity see Real Presence. Additionally Lutherans reject the idea that communion is a mere symbol or memorial. They confess in the Apology of the Augsburg Confession:

". . . we do not abolish the Mass but religiously keep and defend it. The Mass is the Eucharistic celebration in the Latin liturgical rites of the Roman Catholic Church. 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)

In the 1970s, many Lutheran churches began holding "contemporary" worship services for the purpose of evangelical outreach. These services were in a variety of styles, depending on the preferences of the congregation. Often they were held alongside a traditional service, to cater to those who were not comfortable with the more liturgical forms. As the Lutheran church enters the 21st century, some Lutheran congregations are holding "Contemporary Worship" services as their sole form of worship. Outreach is no longer given as the primary motivation, rather this form of worship is seen as more in keeping with the desires of individual congregations. Because Luther contemporized the worship service for his community, these congregations see their position as in keeping with "Confessional Lutheranism" (see Augsburg Confession article VII). Principle examples of this in the ELCA include Family of God, Cape Coral FL., The Well, Charlotte NC, Hosanna! of Lakeville, Minnesota, and Church of the Apostles, Seattle WA.. The Lutheran World Federation, the largest federation of international Lutheran Churches has in fact strongly recommended in the Nairobi Statement on Worship and Culture that Lutherans of the world make every effort to bring their services into a more contextually sensitive position.

"A given culture's values and patterns, insofar as they are consonant with the values of the Gospel, can be used to express the meaning and purpose of Christian worship. Contextualization is a necessary task for the Church's mission in the world, so that the Gospel can be ever more deeply rooted in diverse local cultures. " The Nairobe Statement

Catechism, especially children's, is considered fundamental in most Lutheran churches. A catechism (ˈkætəkɪzəm κατηχισμός is a summary or exposition of Doctrine, traditionally used in Christian religious teaching from New Testament Almost all maintain Sunday Schools, and some host or maintain private nursery schools, primary schools, regional high schools and universities. " Sunday school " is the generic name for many different types of Religious education pursued on Sundays by various denominations

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 recur. ^[57] 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, which attracted unfavorable attention during World War I, has been in significant decline since the early/middle 20th century. The German language (de ''Deutsch'') is a West Germanic language and one of the world's major languages. Finnish ( or suomen kieli) is the language spoken by the majority of the population in Finland (92% As of 2006) and by ethnic Finns outside Norwegian ( norsk) is a North Germanic Language spoken primarily in Norway, where it is an official language World War I (abbreviated WWI; also known as the First World War, the Great War, and the War to End All

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. Greek (el ελληνική γλώσσα or simply el ελληνικά — "Hellenic" is an Indo-European language, spoken today by 15-22 million people mainly All Lutheran pastors may marry and have families. Most Lutheran denominations, with the exception of the confessional-conservative synods, encourage female pastors.

While not an issue in the majority of Lutheran church bodies, some of them forbid membership in Freemasonry. Partly, this is because the lodge is viewed as spreading Unitarianism, as the Brief Statement of the Missouri Synod reads, "Hence we warn against Unitarianism, which in our country has to a great extent impenetrated the sects and is being spread particularly also through the influence of the lodges. Unitarianism as a theology is the belief in the single personality of God in contrast to the doctrine of the Trinity (three persons in one God The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS founded in 1847 in Missouri, is the eighth largest Protestant denomination in the United States and the second-largest "^[58] A 1958 report from the publishing house of the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod states that, "Masonry is guilty of idolatry. The Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod (WELS is a North American religious denomination with practice rooted in the Lutheran tradition of Christianity Its worship and prayers are idol worship. The Masons may not with their hands have made an idol out of gold, silver, wood or stone, but they created one with their own mind and reason out of purely human thoughts and ideas. The latter is an idol no less than the former. "^[59]

Lutheran Churches in the United States use a number of hymnals as well as electronic projection media. The most widely used are: The Lutheran Book of Worship (1978) and The Evangelical Lutheran Worship (2006, ELCA and ELCIC), Lutheran Worship (1982, LCMS), Christian Worship (WELS), and The Lutheran Hymnal (1941, LCMS, WELS & CLC). Lutheran Book of Worship is a Hymnal and Prayer book used by several Lutheran denominations in North America. Evangelical Lutheran Worship or ELW is the primary worship resource and hymnal for use in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and the Evangelical The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America ( ELCA) is a mainline Protestant denomination headquartered in Chicago Illinois. Lutheran Worship ( LW) is one of the official Hymnals of the Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod. The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS founded in 1847 in Missouri, is the eighth largest Protestant denomination in the United States and the second-largest The Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod (WELS is a North American religious denomination with practice rooted in the Lutheran tradition of Christianity The Lutheran Hymnal ( TLH) is one of the official Hymnals of the Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod. The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS founded in 1847 in Missouri, is the eighth largest Protestant denomination in the United States and the second-largest The Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod (WELS is a North American religious denomination with practice rooted in the Lutheran tradition of Christianity The Church of the Lutheran Confession (CLC is a conservative Christian religious body theologically adhering to confessional Lutheran doctrine In 2006, both the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and the LCMS, the two largest Lutheran denominations, released new hymnals: Evangelical Lutheran Worship (ELCA) and Lutheran Service Book (LCMS). The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS founded in 1847 in Missouri, is the eighth largest Protestant denomination in the United States and the second-largest Evangelical Lutheran Worship or ELW is the primary worship resource and hymnal for use in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and the Evangelical Lutheran Service Book ( LSB) is the newest official Hymnal of The Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod (LCMS and the Lutheran Church - Canada

In Australia, the official hymnal is the 'Lutheran Hymnal with Supplement' of 1986, which includes a supplement to the 'Lutheran Hymnal' of 1973, itself a replacement for the 'Australian Lutheran Hymn Book' of 1921. Prior to this time, the two Lutheran Churches in Australia (which amalgamated in 1966) used a bewildering variety of hymnals, usually in the German language.

International bodies

The three largest international Lutheran bodies are the Lutheran World Federation (LWF), which contains 140 member church bodies in 78 countries representing 66. 2 million of the world's 69. 7 million Lutherans. These numbers are disputed however, because they include millions of non-Lutherans that belong to merged Protestant church bodies containing Lutheran components. ^[60] The Lutheran World Federation supports the activities of Lutheran World Relief, a relief and development agency active in more than 50 countries. The other international bodies are 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 International Lutheran Council is a worldwide association of confessional Lutheran denominations The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS founded in 1847 in Missouri, is the eighth largest Protestant denomination in the United States and the second-largest The Confessional Evangelical Lutheran Conference (CELC is the successor to the Evangelical Lutheran Synodical Conference of North America except that it is international The Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod (WELS is a North American religious denomination with practice rooted in the Lutheran tradition of Christianity

Many Lutheran churches exist throughout the world which are not affiliated with the LWF, the ILC or the CELC, such as those affiliated with Augsburg Lutheran Churches or Church of the Lutheran Confession which are especially active in Africa and India; and those affiliated with the Evangelical Lutheran Free Church (UAC)or Church of the Lutheran Brethren, which are especially active elsewhere in Asia. The Church of the Lutheran Confession (CLC is a conservative Christian religious body theologically adhering to confessional Lutheran doctrine

Throughout the world

Main article: Lutheranism by region

Lutheranism is present on all populated continents. Lutheranism is present throughout various Regions of the world Countries in which Lutheranism is the largest religious group are Denmark, Estonia, Norway, Finland, Germany, Iceland, Latvia, Namibia and Sweden. The Kingdom of Denmark ( ˈd̥ænmɑɡ̊ (archaic ˈd̥anmɑːɡ̊ commonly known as Denmark, is a country in the Scandinavian region of northern Europe Estonia, officially the Republic of Estonia ( Eesti or Eesti Vabariik) is a Country in Northern Europe in the Baltic region Norway ( Norwegian: Norge ( Bokmål) or Noreg ( Nynorsk) officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Constitutional Finland, officially the Republic of Finland ( is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of northern Europe. Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany ( ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant is a Country in Central Europe. Iceland, officially the Republic of Iceland ( ( Ísland or Lýðveldið Ísland ( Latvia ( Latvija officially the Republic of Latvia (Latvijas Republika is a Country in Northern Europe in the Baltic region. Namibia, officially the Republic of Namibia, is a country in Southern Africa on the Atlantic coast "Sverige" redirects here For other uses see Sweden (disambiguation and Sverige (disambiguation.

While Namibia is the only country outside Europe to have a Lutheran majority, there are sizeable Lutheran communities in many other countries, including Australia, Brazil, Canada, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Madagascar, Papua New Guinea, Tanzania, and the United States. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Australia topics. |utc_offset = -2 to -4 |time_zone_DST = BRST |utc_offset_DST = -2 to -5 |cctld Country to "Dominion of Canada" or "Canadian Federation" or anything else please read the Talk Page NOTE This intro is the result of careful NPOV work Please do not make potentially controversial edits to it without first discussing on the talk page The Republic of Indonesia ( (Republik Indonesia is a Country in Southeast Asia. Madagascar, or Republic of Madagascar (older name Malagasy Republic) is an Island nation in the Indian Ocean off the southeastern Papua New Guinea (or ˈpæpjuːə in Tok Pisin: Papua Niugini) officially the Independent State of Papua New Guinea, is a country in Oceania Tanzania ˌtænzəˈniːə officially the United Republic of Tanzania (Jamhuri ya Muungano wa Tanzania is a country in East Africa bordered by Kenya The United States of America —commonly referred to as the Lutheran missions have also been established in many African countries like Sierra Leone. Sierra Leone, officially the Republic of Sierra Leone, is a country in West Africa.

Martin Luther is also credited with creating the very first Christmas Tree; he was said to have decorated a small tree in his house to symbolize the way the stars shone at night. A Christmas tree, Yule tree, holiday tree or Tannenbaum (fir tree is one of the most popular Traditions associated with the celebration Many Lutheran churches continue this tradition of an "Advent Tree" by decorating a tree in the sanctuary, narthex or gathering area in a similar fashion to the mainstream tradition, but only with white and gold colors, and only religious symbols (such as the cross, the orb, the Lamb, and the Shepherd's staff) instead of other more secular Christmas symbols as might be seen in American homes.

See also

• Confessional Lutheran
• High Church Lutheranism
• International Lutheran Council
• List of Lutheran denominations
• Lutheran Catholic Evangelical
• Lutheran Orthodoxy
• Lutheran World Federation
• Lutheran views of homosexuality
• Neo-Lutheranism
• Old Lutherans
• Pietism
• Porvoo Communion

Print sources

• ELCA Perspective: Braaten, Carl E. Confessional Lutheran is a name used by certain Lutheran Christians to designate themselves as those who accept the doctrines taught in the Book of Concord High Church Lutheranism is the European name for the Lutheran movement that emphasises worship practices and doctrines that are similar to those found within both Roman The International Lutheran Council is a worldwide association of confessional Lutheran denominations This is a list of Lutheran denominations grouped by affiliation with international Lutheran bodies The term Evangelical Catholic is used by Christian believers who consider themselves both " Catholic " and " evangelical. Lutheran Orthodoxy was an era in the history of Lutheranism, which began in 1580 from the writing of the Book of Concord and ended at the Age of Enlightenment Lutheran viewpoints concerning homosexuality are diverse because Lutherans are not centrally organized worldwide Neo-Lutheranism was a 19th century revival movement within Lutheranism which began as a reaction against theological rationalism and Pietism. Old Lutherans refers to those German Lutherans who refused to join the Prussian Union (Evangelical Christian Church in the 1830s and 1840s Pietism was a movement within Lutheranism, lasting from the late 17th century to the mid-18th century and later The Porvoo Communion is the community formed through an agreement between twelve European churches none of which are in communion with the Roman Catholic Church or (1983). Principles of Lutheran Theology. Philadelphia: Fortress Press.  

• General Council Historical Perspective: Krauth, Charles Porterfield (1875). The Conservative Reformation and Its Theology: As Represented in the Augsburg Confession, and in the History and Theology of the Evangelical Lutheran Church. 2nd ed. Philadelphia: J. P. Lippincott, 840.  

• LCMS Historical Perspective: Pieper, Franz (1950–1957). Franz August Otto Pieper ( June 27 1852 - June 3 1931) was a Confessional Lutheran theologian born at Carwitz (85 m Christian Dogmatics. Saint Louis, MO: Concordia Publishing House, 3 Volumes.  

• LCMS Historical Perspective: Engelder, Theodore E. W. (1934). Popular Symbolics: The Doctrines of the Churches of Christendom and Of Other Religious Bodies Examined in the Light of Scripture. Saint Louis, MO: Concordia Publishing House, 526.  

• LCR Perspective: McLaughlin, Wallace H. (1963). We All Believe in One True God: A Summary of Biblical Doctrine. Midland, Michigan: Cross of Christ Press.  

• Slovak Synod Historical Perspective: Richter, V. W. (1913). Why Should a Lutheran Not Join Any Sectarian Church?. Streator, Illinois: Svedok Publishing House.  

• WELS Perspective: Lange, Lyle W. (2006). God So Loved the World: A Study of Christian Doctrine. Northwestern Publishing House.  

Footnotes

External links

International Bodies

• Confessional Evangelical Lutheran Conference (CELC)
• International Lutheran Council (ILC)
• Lutheran World Federation (LWF)

Church Bodies

• Augustana Evangelical Catholic Communion (AECC)
• The American Association of Lutheran Churches (TAALC)
• Augsburg Lutheran Churches (ALC)
• The Church of Sweden
• The Church of the Lutheran Confession (CLC)
• Lutheran Evangelical Protestant Church (LEPC, GCEPC)
• CLC Lutheran Missions in Africa and India
• Concordia Lutheran Conference
• Evangelical Community Church-Lutheran (ECCL)
• The Old Lutheran Church (OLC)
• Evangelical Church in Germany (EKD)
• The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA)
• The Evangelical Lutheran Church in Brazil (IECLB)
• Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada (ELCIC)
• The Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland
• Evangelical Lutheran Synod (ELS)
• Lutheran Church of Australia (LCA)
• Lutheran Church - Canada (LCC)
• Lutheran Churches in Mission for Christ (LCMC)
• Lutheran Church -- Missouri Synod (LC-MS)
• Lutheran Churches of the Reformation (LCR)
• Lutheran Church in Singapore
• Independent Evangelical Lutheran Church (Germany)
• The Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod (WELS)

Other Links

• Lutheran Resources
• The Lutheran Blog Directory
• Famous Living Lutherans
• History of Lutherans in Canada
• Asia Lutheran News (ALN) and Lutheran Community in Asia
• Scholarly articles on the Lutheran Church from the Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary Library
• Historic Worship of the Lutheran Church
• The Book of Concord Online

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