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Lutheranism is a major branch of Protestant Christianity that identifies with the teachings of the sixteenth-century Germany reformer Martin Luther. Luther's efforts to reform the theology and practice of the Church launched the Protestant Reformation and, though it was not his intention, left Western Christianity divided.MSN Encarta, s.v. " Lutheranism" by George Forell; Christian Cyclopedia, s.v. " Reformation, Lutheran" by Theore Hoyer.

The split between Lutherans and the Roman Catholic Church arose mainly over the doctrine of justification (theology) before God. Specifically, Lutheranism advocates a doctrine of justification "by Sola gratia through Sola fide because of Solus Christus," distinct from the Roman Catholic view. Lutheranism is also distinct from the Reformed Churches, another major church which arose during the Reformation. Unlike the Reformed Churches, Lutherans have retained many of the sacramental understandings and liturgy practices of the pre-Reformation Church. Lutheran theology differs considerably from Reformed theology in its understanding of Divine Grace and predestination to eternity after death.

Today nearly 70 million Christians belong to Lutheran churches worldwide;Lutheran World Federation, "Slight Increase Pushes LWF Global Membership to 66.2 Million", The Lutheran World Federation, http://www.lutheranworld.org/ (accessed May 18, 2006). furthermore, the world's 400 million Protestant Christians" Major Branches of Religions Ranked by Number of Adherents," adherents.com http://www.adherents.com/adh_branches.html#Christianity (accessed May 22, 2006). can trace their tradition, at least in part, back to Luther's reforming work.

History Early history Lutheranism as a movement traces its origin to the work of Martin Luther, a German monk 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, which Lutherans and other Protestants regard as Reformation Day, when Doctor Luther posted an open invitation to debate his 95 theses concerning the "power and efficacy of indulgences": the idea that time in purgatory could be reduced by making donations to the church.

Luther's insights are generally held to have been a major foundation of the Protestant movement. The relationship between Lutheranism and the Protestant tradition is, however, ambiguous: some Lutherans consider Lutheranism to be outside the Protestant tradition, while some see it as part of this tradition.

Between 1517 and 1520, Luther preached and published his criticisms of what he considered false doctrine of the church of his day in books and pamphlets. His ideas were supported by many other Christian theologians, and they also had a certain populist appeal. As a result, Luther gained many supporters and followers from all levels of society, from peasants who considered him a folk hero, to knights who swore to protect him, to rulers of German lands who wanted more independence from papal interference in their domestic policies. Luther also gained some powerful enemies, including the Pope in Rome and the youthful Holy Roman Emperor Charles V.

Concerned about the "problem" of Luther, the Pope and Roman officials decided to send representatives to Luther to discuss his concerns and to persuade him to retract his challenges to papal authority. The effort was largely unsuccessful. Luther continued to discover new areas in need of reform. Finally, the papal bull called the Exsurge Domine was issued in 1520, calling on Luther to condemn and abandon his ideas. Luther replied by burning the bull and volumes of canon law in a bonfire at Wittenberg. Finally, a new bull excommunicating Luther and those who agreed with him was issued, Decet Romanum Pontificem (January, 1521).

Charles V wanted to outlaw the now excommunicated Luther and his followers, but he was warned by advisors that doing so outright would cause a revolt, since Luther had become so popular. More importantly, the ruler of Luther's land, Elector Frederick the Wise, refused to allow any of his subjects to be condemned without trial. So instead, Luther was to be summoned to appear before the Diet of Worms. Luther went to Worms, but when called upon by imperial and papal officials to retract his ideas, Luther replied: "I cannot submit my faith either to the Pope or to the Councils, because it is clear as day they have frequently erred and contradicted each other. Unless therefore, I am convinced by the testimony of Scripture and plain reason ... I cannot and will not recant ..." --Martin Luther, April 16, 1521

The emperor had granted Luther a promise of safe conduct to travel to and from his trial, but remembering how a similar promise had been violated in the case of Jan Hus, Luther's supporters prevailed upon him to escape from Worms in the dark of night, before he too could be seized and executed. Luther remained in hiding for some time at the Wartburg Castle in Eisenach, all the while continuing to write and develop his ideas. Shortly after Luther escaped, Charles V issued the Edict of Worms, which outlawed Luther and his followers, declared Luther and his followers heretics, and banned Luther's writings and teachings.

Religious war What had started as a strictly theological and academic debate had now turned into something of a social and political conflict as well, pitting Luther, his German allies and Northern European supporters against Charles V, France, the Italian Pope, their territories and other allies. The conflict would erupt into a religious war after Luther's death, fueled by the political climate of the Holy Roman Empire and strong personalities on both sides.

In 1526, at the First Diet of Speyer, it was decided that, until a General Council could meet and settle the theological issues raised by Martin Luther, the Edict of Worms would not be enforced and each Prince could decide if Lutheran teachings and worship would be allowed in his territories. In 1529, at the Second Diet of Speyer, the decision of the previous Diet of Speyer was reversed — despite the strong protests of the Lutheran princes, free cities and some Zwinglian territories. These states quickly became known as Protestants. At first, this term Protestant was used politically for the states that resisted the Edict of Worms. Over time, however, this term came to be used for the religious movements that opposed the Roman Catholic tradition in the sixteenth century.

Lutheranism would become known as a separate movement after the 1530 Diet of Augsburg, which was convened by Charles V to try to stop the growing Protestant movement. At the Diet, Philipp Melanchthon presented a written summary of Lutheran beliefs called the Augsburg Confession. Several of the German princes (and later, kings and princes of other countries) signed the document to define "Lutheran" territories. These princes would ally to create the Schmalkaldic League in 1531, which lead to the Schmalkald War in 1547, a year after Luther's death, that pitted the Lutheran princes of the Schmalkaldic League against the Catholic forces of Charles V.

After the conclusion of the Schmalkald War, Charles V attempted to impose Catholic religious doctrine on the territories that he had defeated. However, the Lutheran movement was far from defeated. In 1577, the next generation of Lutheran theologians gathered the work of the previous generation to define the doctrine of the persisting Lutheran church. This document is known as the Formula of Concord. In 1580, it was published with the Augsburg Confession, the Apology of the Augsburg Confession, the Large and Small Catechisms of Martin Luther, the Smalcald Articles and the Treatise on the Power and Primacy of the Pope. Together they were distributed in a volume entitled The Book of Concord. This book is still used today.

Results of the Lutheran Reformation 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 on the door of the Wittenberg church, large numbers of Europeans left the Roman Church, including the majority of German speakers (the only German speaking areas where the population remained mostly in the Catholic church were those under the domain or influence of Catholic Austria and Bavaria or the electoral archbishops of Mainz, Cologne, and Trier). Because Luther sparked this mass movement, he is known as the father of the Protestant Reformation, and the father of Protestantism in general.

Today, approximately 82.6 million people call themselves Lutheran. Out of an estimated 2.1 billion Christians in the world, roughly 1 in 25 are Lutheran.

Doctrine The Bible and the Lutheran Confessions Lutherans believe that the Bible, as a Biblical inspiration book, is the source of all revealed divine knowledge. Scripture alone (Sola scriptura) is the formal principle of the faith, the final authority for all matters of faith and doctrine.

The Book of Concord, published in 1580, contains ten documents which Lutherans believe are authoritative explanations of Holy Scripture. Besides the three Ecumenical Creeds, which date to Roman Empire times, the Book of Concord contains seven Creed documents articulating Lutheran theology in the Reformation era. Traditionally, Lutheran pastors, congregations, and Church body agree to teach in harmony with the the Book of Concord. 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).Apology of the Augsburg Confession IV, 5) The Law, consisting of biblical commands, shows people their guilt and need for salvation. The Gospel, consisting of God's promises of salvation, assures people of forgiveness. In the Lutheran view, properly distinguishing Law from Gospel allows a Christian to clearly understand the biblical message of justification by 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 are the only reliable guide for faith and practice. The 17th century is termed Lutheran Orthodoxy, in which theologians emphasized biblical inerrancy. During the eighteenth century, Rationalism, which advocated reason rather than authority as the final source of knowledge, began to influence Lutheranism. 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 Supernaturalism beliefs.{{Citation| year=1974 | contribution=Lutheran Churches | editor-last=Benton | editor-first=William | editor-link=William Benton | title=Encyclopaedia Britannica | edition=15 | place=Chicago | publisher=Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc. | publication-date= | volume=11 | pages=197-198 | id=ISBN 0-85229-290-2 -->. Beginning in the nineteenth century, Confessional Lutheran confessionalism emphasized a stricter adherence to the authority of the Bible and the Lutheran Confessions as expressed 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 Lutheran Orthodoxy, while liberal groups seek to make use of the higher criticism method of biblical interpretation.

Central doctrines The key doctrine, or material principle, of Lutheranism is the doctrine of Justification (theology). Lutherans believe that humans are saved from their sins by Divine grace alone (Sola Gratia), through faith alone (Sola Fide). Lutherans believe that this grace is granted for the sake of Christ's merit alone (Solus Christus). 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.Paul R. Sponheim, "The Origin of Sin," in Christian Dogmatics, Carl E. Braaten and Robert W. Jenson, eds. (Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 1984), 385–407.Franz August Otto Pieper, "Definition of Original Sin," in Christian Dogmatics (St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1953), 1:538. Consequently, people are saddled with Original sin, born sinful and unable to avoid committing sinful acts. Ps. 51:5, John 3:6, Rom. 5:12, Eph. 2:1–3, 4:22 For Lutherans, original sin is the "chief sin, a root and fountainhead of all actual sins."Formula of Concord, Original Sin.

Lutherans teach that sinners are not capable of doing any good works that can satisfy God's justice. Rom. 7:18, 8:7 1 Cor. 2:14 Every human thought and deed is colored by sin and Concupiscence. Gen. 6:5, 8:21, Mat. 7:17 Because of this, all humanity deserves eternal damnation in hell. Dt. 27:26, Rom. 5:12, 2 Th. 1:9 Rom. 6:23 God has intervened in this world because he loves all people and does not want anyone to be eternally damned. 1 Tim. 2:4 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. Rom. 10:4 Gal. 4:4–5For 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 ( Gal. 3:13).

Lutherans believe Jesus Christ is both by nature God ( Col. 2:9) and by nature man ( 1 Tim. 2:5) in one person ( John 1:14), 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".

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. For there is one Person of the Father, another of the Son, and another of the Holy Ghost. But the Godhead of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost is all one: the glory equal, the majesty coeternal." Athanasian Creed , Book of Common Prayer translation, used in the Triglot ed. of the Book of Concord. Lutherans reject as error the idea that the Father and the Son are merely faces of the same person, because both the Old Testament ( Is. 63:8-9) and the New Testament ( Heb. 1:5) shows them to be two distinct persons. Lutherans believe the Holy Spirit proceeds from both the Father and the Son John 16:14-15, Rom. 8:9, Gal. 4:6, Phil. 1:19, 1 Pet. 1:11, see The Nicene Creed and the Filioque: A Lutheran Approach by Rev. David Webber for more information.

Lutherans believe that individuals receive this gift of salvation through faith alone — a full and complete trust in God's promises to forgive and to save ( Heb 11:1). Even faith itself is seen as a gift of God, created in the hearts of Christians ( Ps. 51:10) by the work of the Holy Spirit his means of grace, the Word ( John 17:20, Rom. 10:17) and the Sacraments ( Mat. 26:28, Tit. 3:5). It is important to note the words — through faith ( Rom. 3:22), not by faith. Faith is seen as an instrument that receives the gift of salvation, not something that causes salvation ( Eph. 2:8). Thus, Lutherans reject the so-called "decision theology" which is common among modern evangelicalism.

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 ( 1 Cor. 2:14, 12:3, Rom. 8:7). 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 (). Lutherans disagree with those that make predestination the source of salvation rather than Christ's suffering, death, and resurrection. Unlike some in Calvinism, Lutherans do not believe in a predestination to damnation ( 1 Tim. 2:4, 2 Pet. 3:9).

Lutherans are not dogmatic about the number of the sacraments. Some speak of only two sacramentsLuther's Large Catechism IV, 1.: Baptism and eucharist. They teach that Baptism is a saving work of God ( 1 Pet. 3:21), mandated and instituted by JesusMartin Luther, Small Catechism 4. Thus it is administered to both infants ( Mat. 19:14, Acts 2:38–39) and adults ( 1 Cor. 1:14). Children born to practicing Lutheran families are usually baptized shortly after birth. Absolution ( John 20:23) is also confessed by some to be a sacrament. The Apology of the Augsburg Confession XIII, 3, 4 reads: "If we define the sacraments as rites, which have the command of God and to which the promise of grace has been added, it is easy to determine what the sacraments are, properly speaking. For humanly instituted rites are not sacraments, properly speaking, because human beings do not have the authority to promise grace. Therefore signs instituted without the command of God are not sure signs of grace, even though they perhaps serve to teach or admonish the common folk. Therefore, the sacraments are actually baptism, the Lord’s Supper, and absolution (the sacrament of repentance).

Lutherans hold that within eucharist, also referred to as the Sacrament of the Altar or the Eucharist ( 1 Cor. 11:20), 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 ( 1 Cor. 10:16, 11:27), a doctrine that the Formula of Concord denotes the Sacramental union. 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. 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 ( Rom. 8:33). 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 ( Luke 23:42-43, 2 Cor. 5:8), where they await this resurrection and the second coming of Jesus on the Last Day ( 1 Cor. 15:22–24).Francis Pieper, Christian Dogmatics, 505-515; Heinrich Schmid, The Doctrinal Theology of the Evangelical Lutheran Church, 624-632; John Mueller, Christian Dogmatics, 616-619 Lutherans do not believe in any sort of earthly millennial kingdom of Christ either before or after his second coming on the last day ( John 18:36).

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 ( Tit. 2:14). Good works are the fruit of saving faith ( John 15:5), and always and in every instance spring spontaneously from true faith ( 2 Cor. 9:8). Any true good works have their true origin in God ( Phil 2:13), not in the fallen human heart or in human striving ( Rom. 7:18, Heb 11:6); their absence would demonstrate that faith, too, is absent ( Mat. 7:15–16, Tit. 1:16).

Ecumenism with other Christians Although they decried the division of the Church, early Lutherans tended to avoid ecumenism fellowship with other Churches, believing that churches should not share Eucharist and exchange pastors if they do not agree upon doctrine.

In the 18th century, there was some ecumenical interest between the Church of Sweden and the Church of England. John Robinson (1650-1723), 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 Jesper Svedberg of Skara and Johannes Gezelius , Bishop of Turku (Finland) were in favour. The reason for the opposition was that the Church of England was too Calvinist for them .

In 1817, Frederick William III of Prussia of Prussia ordered the Lutheran and Reformed churches in his territory to unite, forming the Prussian Union (Evangelical Christian Church). 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. Many left for America and Australia. The dispute over ecumenism overshadowed other controversies within German Lutheranism.{{Citation| year=1974 | contribution=Lutheran Churches | editor-last=Benton | editor-first=William | editor-link=William Benton | title=Encyclopaedia Britannica | edition=15 | place=Chicago | publisher=Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc. | publication-date= | volume=11 | pages=198 | id=ISBN 0-85229-290-2 -->.

In the 18th and early 19th centuries, German Lutherans cooperated with German Reformed churches on the frontiers of the newly formed United States. 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).

Presently, Lutherans are divided over how to interact with other Christian denominations. Typically, more conservative Lutherans assert that there should be substantial unity in teaching before pastors can share each other pulpits or communicants commune at each other's altars. On the other hand, more moderate-to-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 wasn't 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.. While many Lutheran theologians from some Lutheran traditions saw this as a sign the Roman Catholic Church was essentially adopting the Lutheran position, other Lutheran theologians disagreed.

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). Recently, the ELCA has established "full communion" with several American Churches: the American Provinces of the Moravian Church, the Episcopal Church, the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A), the Reformed Church in America, and the United Church of Christ.

Although not an "ecumenical" movement in the formal sense, in the 1990s influences from the megachurches of American evangelicalism (eg Bill Hybels "Becoming a Contagious Christian" from Willow Creek Community Church and Rick Warren "Purpose Driven Life" from Saddleback Church) have become common, particularly among more socially, politically, and theologically conservative Lutherans. These influences are sharply criticised by both conservative-confessional Lutherans and by liberal-progressive Lutherans as being foreign to the Lutheran tradition.

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. 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. 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.see Ecumenism: Facts and Illusions by Kurt E. Marquart for a short explanation of the modern ecumenism movement from a Confessional Lutheran perspective

Practices Many Lutherans place great emphasis on a liturgy approach to worship services; although there have always been substantial non-liturgical minorities (Hans Nielsen 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, perhaps 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, handbell 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 celebration of Communion (or the Eucharist), emphasizing the sacrament as the central act of Christian worship. 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. 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 (liturgy) 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)

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". Principle examples of this in the ELCA include Family of God, Cape Coral FL., The Well, Charlotte NC, 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 Nairobe 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. Almost all maintain Sunday Schools, and some host or maintain private nursery schools, primary schools, regional high schools and universities.

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. Reference: preface to Luther's Luther's Large Catechism and preface to Luther's Small Catechism. 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 language, Finnish language, or Norwegian language, but this custom, which attracted unfavorable attention during World War I, has been in significant decline since the early/middle 20th century.

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

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, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and ELCIC), Lutheran Worship (1982, Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod), Christian Worship (Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod), and The Lutheran Hymnal (1941, Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod, Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod & Church of the Lutheran Confession). In 2006, both the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and the Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod, the two largest Lutheran denominations, released new hymnals: Evangelical Lutheran Worship (ELCA) and Lutheran Service Book (LCMS).

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; and the International Lutheran Council (ILC), of which the Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod and the LCC are members; and the Confessional Evangelical Lutheran Conference (CELC), of which the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod 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.

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.

Throughout the world Lutheranism is present on all populated continents.

See also

Print sources

Footnotes

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Lutheranism is a major branch of Protestant Christianity that identifies with the teachings of the sixteenth-century Germany reformer Martin Luther. Luther's efforts to reform the theology and practice of the Church launched the Protestant Reformation and, though it was not his intention, left Western Christianity divided.MSN Encarta, s.v. " Lutheranism" by George Forell; Christian Cyclopedia, s.v. " Reformation, Lutheran" by Theore Hoyer.

The split between Lutherans and the Roman Catholic Church arose mainly over the doctrine of justification (theology) before God. Specifically, Lutheranism advocates a doctrine of justification "by Sola gratia through Sola fide because of Solus Christus," distinct from the Roman Catholic view. Lutheranism is also distinct from the Reformed Churches, another major church which arose during the Reformation. Unlike the Reformed Churches, Lutherans have retained many of the sacramental understandings and liturgy practices of the pre-Reformation Church. Lutheran theology differs considerably from Reformed theology in its understanding of Divine Grace and predestination to eternity after death.

Today nearly 70 million Christians belong to Lutheran churches worldwide;Lutheran World Federation, "Slight Increase Pushes LWF Global Membership to 66.2 Million", The Lutheran World Federation, http://www.lutheranworld.org/ (accessed May 18, 2006). furthermore, the world's 400 million Protestant Christians" Major Branches of Religions Ranked by Number of Adherents," adherents.com http://www.adherents.com/adh_branches.html#Christianity (accessed May 22, 2006). can trace their tradition, at least in part, back to Luther's reforming work.

History Early history Lutheranism as a movement traces its origin to the work of Martin Luther, a German monk 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, which Lutherans and other Protestants regard as Reformation Day, when Doctor Luther posted an open invitation to debate his 95 theses concerning the "power and efficacy of indulgences": the idea that time in purgatory could be reduced by making donations to the church.

Luther's insights are generally held to have been a major foundation of the Protestant movement. The relationship between Lutheranism and the Protestant tradition is, however, ambiguous: some Lutherans consider Lutheranism to be outside the Protestant tradition, while some see it as part of this tradition.

Between 1517 and 1520, Luther preached and published his criticisms of what he considered false doctrine of the church of his day in books and pamphlets. His ideas were supported by many other Christian theologians, and they also had a certain populist appeal. As a result, Luther gained many supporters and followers from all levels of society, from peasants who considered him a folk hero, to knights who swore to protect him, to rulers of German lands who wanted more independence from papal interference in their domestic policies. Luther also gained some powerful enemies, including the Pope in Rome and the youthful Holy Roman Emperor Charles V.

Concerned about the "problem" of Luther, the Pope and Roman officials decided to send representatives to Luther to discuss his concerns and to persuade him to retract his challenges to papal authority. The effort was largely unsuccessful. Luther continued to discover new areas in need of reform. Finally, the papal bull called the Exsurge Domine was issued in 1520, calling on Luther to condemn and abandon his ideas. Luther replied by burning the bull and volumes of canon law in a bonfire at Wittenberg. Finally, a new bull excommunicating Luther and those who agreed with him was issued, Decet Romanum Pontificem (January, 1521).

Charles V wanted to outlaw the now excommunicated Luther and his followers, but he was warned by advisors that doing so outright would cause a revolt, since Luther had become so popular. More importantly, the ruler of Luther's land, Elector Frederick the Wise, refused to allow any of his subjects to be condemned without trial. So instead, Luther was to be summoned to appear before the Diet of Worms. Luther went to Worms, but when called upon by imperial and papal officials to retract his ideas, Luther replied: "I cannot submit my faith either to the Pope or to the Councils, because it is clear as day they have frequently erred and contradicted each other. Unless therefore, I am convinced by the testimony of Scripture and plain reason ... I cannot and will not recant ..." --Martin Luther, April 16, 1521

The emperor had granted Luther a promise of safe conduct to travel to and from his trial, but remembering how a similar promise had been violated in the case of Jan Hus, Luther's supporters prevailed upon him to escape from Worms in the dark of night, before he too could be seized and executed. Luther remained in hiding for some time at the Wartburg Castle in Eisenach, all the while continuing to write and develop his ideas. Shortly after Luther escaped, Charles V issued the Edict of Worms, which outlawed Luther and his followers, declared Luther and his followers heretics, and banned Luther's writings and teachings.

Religious war What had started as a strictly theological and academic debate had now turned into something of a social and political conflict as well, pitting Luther, his German allies and Northern European supporters against Charles V, France, the Italian Pope, their territories and other allies. The conflict would erupt into a religious war after Luther's death, fueled by the political climate of the Holy Roman Empire and strong personalities on both sides.

In 1526, at the First Diet of Speyer, it was decided that, until a General Council could meet and settle the theological issues raised by Martin Luther, the Edict of Worms would not be enforced and each Prince could decide if Lutheran teachings and worship would be allowed in his territories. In 1529, at the Second Diet of Speyer, the decision of the previous Diet of Speyer was reversed — despite the strong protests of the Lutheran princes, free cities and some Zwinglian territories. These states quickly became known as Protestants. At first, this term Protestant was used politically for the states that resisted the Edict of Worms. Over time, however, this term came to be used for the religious movements that opposed the Roman Catholic tradition in the sixteenth century.

Lutheranism would become known as a separate movement after the 1530 Diet of Augsburg, which was convened by Charles V to try to stop the growing Protestant movement. At the Diet, Philipp Melanchthon presented a written summary of Lutheran beliefs called the Augsburg Confession. Several of the German princes (and later, kings and princes of other countries) signed the document to define "Lutheran" territories. These princes would ally to create the Schmalkaldic League in 1531, which lead to the Schmalkald War in 1547, a year after Luther's death, that pitted the Lutheran princes of the Schmalkaldic League against the Catholic forces of Charles V.

After the conclusion of the Schmalkald War, Charles V attempted to impose Catholic religious doctrine on the territories that he had defeated. However, the Lutheran movement was far from defeated. In 1577, the next generation of Lutheran theologians gathered the work of the previous generation to define the doctrine of the persisting Lutheran church. This document is known as the Formula of Concord. In 1580, it was published with the Augsburg Confession, the Apology of the Augsburg Confession, the Large and Small Catechisms of Martin Luther, the Smalcald Articles and the Treatise on the Power and Primacy of the Pope. Together they were distributed in a volume entitled The Book of Concord. This book is still used today.

Results of the Lutheran Reformation 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 on the door of the Wittenberg church, large numbers of Europeans left the Roman Church, including the majority of German speakers (the only German speaking areas where the population remained mostly in the Catholic church were those under the domain or influence of Catholic Austria and Bavaria or the electoral archbishops of Mainz, Cologne, and Trier). Because Luther sparked this mass movement, he is known as the father of the Protestant Reformation, and the father of Protestantism in general.

Today, approximately 82.6 million people call themselves Lutheran. Out of an estimated 2.1 billion Christians in the world, roughly 1 in 25 are Lutheran.

Doctrine The Bible and the Lutheran Confessions Lutherans believe that the Bible, as a Biblical inspiration book, is the source of all revealed divine knowledge. Scripture alone (Sola scriptura) is the formal principle of the faith, the final authority for all matters of faith and doctrine.

The Book of Concord, published in 1580, contains ten documents which Lutherans believe are authoritative explanations of Holy Scripture. Besides the three Ecumenical Creeds, which date to Roman Empire times, the Book of Concord contains seven Creed documents articulating Lutheran theology in the Reformation era. Traditionally, Lutheran pastors, congregations, and Church body agree to teach in harmony with the the Book of Concord. 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).Apology of the Augsburg Confession IV, 5) The Law, consisting of biblical commands, shows people their guilt and need for salvation. The Gospel, consisting of God's promises of salvation, assures people of forgiveness. In the Lutheran view, properly distinguishing Law from Gospel allows a Christian to clearly understand the biblical message of justification by 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 are the only reliable guide for faith and practice. The 17th century is termed Lutheran Orthodoxy, in which theologians emphasized biblical inerrancy. During the eighteenth century, Rationalism, which advocated reason rather than authority as the final source of knowledge, began to influence Lutheranism. 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 Supernaturalism beliefs.{{Citation| year=1974 | contribution=Lutheran Churches | editor-last=Benton | editor-first=William | editor-link=William Benton | title=Encyclopaedia Britannica | edition=15 | place=Chicago | publisher=Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc. | publication-date= | volume=11 | pages=197-198 | id=ISBN 0-85229-290-2 -->. Beginning in the nineteenth century, Confessional Lutheran confessionalism emphasized a stricter adherence to the authority of the Bible and the Lutheran Confessions as expressed 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 Lutheran Orthodoxy, while liberal groups seek to make use of the higher criticism method of biblical interpretation.

Central doctrines The key doctrine, or material principle, of Lutheranism is the doctrine of Justification (theology). Lutherans believe that humans are saved from their sins by Divine grace alone (Sola Gratia), through faith alone (Sola Fide). Lutherans believe that this grace is granted for the sake of Christ's merit alone (Solus Christus). 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.Paul R. Sponheim, "The Origin of Sin," in Christian Dogmatics, Carl E. Braaten and Robert W. Jenson, eds. (Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 1984), 385–407.Franz August Otto Pieper, "Definition of Original Sin," in Christian Dogmatics (St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1953), 1:538. Consequently, people are saddled with Original sin, born sinful and unable to avoid committing sinful acts. Ps. 51:5, John 3:6, Rom. 5:12, Eph. 2:1–3, 4:22 For Lutherans, original sin is the "chief sin, a root and fountainhead of all actual sins."Formula of Concord, Original Sin.

Lutherans teach that sinners are not capable of doing any good works that can satisfy God's justice. Rom. 7:18, 8:7 1 Cor. 2:14 Every human thought and deed is colored by sin and Concupiscence. Gen. 6:5, 8:21, Mat. 7:17 Because of this, all humanity deserves eternal damnation in hell. Dt. 27:26, Rom. 5:12, 2 Th. 1:9 Rom. 6:23 God has intervened in this world because he loves all people and does not want anyone to be eternally damned. 1 Tim. 2:4 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. Rom. 10:4 Gal. 4:4–5For 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 ( Gal. 3:13).

Lutherans believe Jesus Christ is both by nature God ( Col. 2:9) and by nature man ( 1 Tim. 2:5) in one person ( John 1:14), 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".

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. For there is one Person of the Father, another of the Son, and another of the Holy Ghost. But the Godhead of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost is all one: the glory equal, the majesty coeternal." Athanasian Creed , Book of Common Prayer translation, used in the Triglot ed. of the Book of Concord. Lutherans reject as error the idea that the Father and the Son are merely faces of the same person, because both the Old Testament ( Is. 63:8-9) and the New Testament ( Heb. 1:5) shows them to be two distinct persons. Lutherans believe the Holy Spirit proceeds from both the Father and the Son John 16:14-15, Rom. 8:9, Gal. 4:6, Phil. 1:19, 1 Pet. 1:11, see The Nicene Creed and the Filioque: A Lutheran Approach by Rev. David Webber for more information.

Lutherans believe that individuals receive this gift of salvation through faith alone — a full and complete trust in God's promises to forgive and to save ( Heb 11:1). Even faith itself is seen as a gift of God, created in the hearts of Christians ( Ps. 51:10) by the work of the Holy Spirit his means of grace, the Word ( John 17:20, Rom. 10:17) and the Sacraments ( Mat. 26:28, Tit. 3:5). It is important to note the words — through faith ( Rom. 3:22), not by faith. Faith is seen as an instrument that receives the gift of salvation, not something that causes salvation ( Eph. 2:8). Thus, Lutherans reject the so-called "decision theology" which is common among modern evangelicalism.

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 ( 1 Cor. 2:14, 12:3, Rom. 8:7). 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 (). Lutherans disagree with those that make predestination the source of salvation rather than Christ's suffering, death, and resurrection. Unlike some in Calvinism, Lutherans do not believe in a predestination to damnation ( 1 Tim. 2:4, 2 Pet. 3:9).

Lutherans are not dogmatic about the number of the sacraments. Some speak of only two sacramentsLuther's Large Catechism IV, 1.: Baptism and eucharist. They teach that Baptism is a saving work of God ( 1 Pet. 3:21), mandated and instituted by JesusMartin Luther, Small Catechism 4. Thus it is administered to both infants ( Mat. 19:14, Acts 2:38–39) and adults ( 1 Cor. 1:14). Children born to practicing Lutheran families are usually baptized shortly after birth. Absolution ( John 20:23) is also confessed by some to be a sacrament. The Apology of the Augsburg Confession XIII, 3, 4 reads: "If we define the sacraments as rites, which have the command of God and to which the promise of grace has been added, it is easy to determine what the sacraments are, properly speaking. For humanly instituted rites are not sacraments, properly speaking, because human beings do not have the authority to promise grace. Therefore signs instituted without the command of God are not sure signs of grace, even though they perhaps serve to teach or admonish the common folk. Therefore, the sacraments are actually baptism, the Lord’s Supper, and absolution (the sacrament of repentance).

Lutherans hold that within eucharist, also referred to as the Sacrament of the Altar or the Eucharist ( 1 Cor. 11:20), 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 ( 1 Cor. 10:16, 11:27), a doctrine that the Formula of Concord denotes the Sacramental union. 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. 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 ( Rom. 8:33). 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 ( Luke 23:42-43, 2 Cor. 5:8), where they await this resurrection and the second coming of Jesus on the Last Day ( 1 Cor. 15:22–24).Francis Pieper, Christian Dogmatics, 505-515; Heinrich Schmid, The Doctrinal Theology of the Evangelical Lutheran Church, 624-632; John Mueller, Christian Dogmatics, 616-619 Lutherans do not believe in any sort of earthly millennial kingdom of Christ either before or after his second coming on the last day ( John 18:36).

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 ( Tit. 2:14). Good works are the fruit of saving faith ( John 15:5), and always and in every instance spring spontaneously from true faith ( 2 Cor. 9:8). Any true good works have their true origin in God ( Phil 2:13), not in the fallen human heart or in human striving ( Rom. 7:18, Heb 11:6); their absence would demonstrate that faith, too, is absent ( Mat. 7:15–16, Tit. 1:16).

Ecumenism with other Christians Although they decried the division of the Church, early Lutherans tended to avoid ecumenism fellowship with other Churches, believing that churches should not share Eucharist and exchange pastors if they do not agree upon doctrine.

In the 18th century, there was some ecumenical interest between the Church of Sweden and the Church of England. John Robinson (1650-1723), 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 Jesper Svedberg of Skara and Johannes Gezelius , Bishop of Turku (Finland) were in favour. The reason for the opposition was that the Church of England was too Calvinist for them .

In 1817, Frederick William III of Prussia of Prussia ordered the Lutheran and Reformed churches in his territory to unite, forming the Prussian Union (Evangelical Christian Church). 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. Many left for America and Australia. The dispute over ecumenism overshadowed other controversies within German Lutheranism.{{Citation| year=1974 | contribution=Lutheran Churches | editor-last=Benton | editor-first=William | editor-link=William Benton | title=Encyclopaedia Britannica | edition=15 | place=Chicago | publisher=Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc. | publication-date= | volume=11 | pages=198 | id=ISBN 0-85229-290-2 -->.

In the 18th and early 19th centuries, German Lutherans cooperated with German Reformed churches on the frontiers of the newly formed United States. 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).

Presently, Lutherans are divided over how to interact with other Christian denominations. Typically, more conservative Lutherans assert that there should be substantial unity in teaching before pastors can share each other pulpits or communicants commune at each other's altars. On the other hand, more moderate-to-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 wasn't 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.. While many Lutheran theologians from some Lutheran traditions saw this as a sign the Roman Catholic Church was essentially adopting the Lutheran position, other Lutheran theologians disagreed.

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). Recently, the ELCA has established "full communion" with several American Churches: the American Provinces of the Moravian Church, the Episcopal Church, the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A), the Reformed Church in America, and the United Church of Christ.

Although not an "ecumenical" movement in the formal sense, in the 1990s influences from the megachurches of American evangelicalism (eg Bill Hybels "Becoming a Contagious Christian" from Willow Creek Community Church and Rick Warren "Purpose Driven Life" from Saddleback Church) have become common, particularly among more socially, politically, and theologically conservative Lutherans. These influences are sharply criticised by both conservative-confessional Lutherans and by liberal-progressive Lutherans as being foreign to the Lutheran tradition.

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. 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. 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.see Ecumenism: Facts and Illusions by Kurt E. Marquart for a short explanation of the modern ecumenism movement from a Confessional Lutheran perspective

Practices Many Lutherans place great emphasis on a liturgy approach to worship services; although there have always been substantial non-liturgical minorities (Hans Nielsen 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, perhaps 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, handbell 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 celebration of Communion (or the Eucharist), emphasizing the sacrament as the central act of Christian worship. 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. 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 (liturgy) 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)

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". Principle examples of this in the ELCA include Family of God, Cape Coral FL., The Well, Charlotte NC, 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 Nairobe 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. Almost all maintain Sunday Schools, and some host or maintain private nursery schools, primary schools, regional high schools and universities.

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. Reference: preface to Luther's Luther's Large Catechism and preface to Luther's Small Catechism. 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 language, Finnish language, or Norwegian language, but this custom, which attracted unfavorable attention during World War I, has been in significant decline since the early/middle 20th century.

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

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, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and ELCIC), Lutheran Worship (1982, Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod), Christian Worship (Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod), and The Lutheran Hymnal (1941, Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod, Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod & Church of the Lutheran Confession). In 2006, both the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and the Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod, the two largest Lutheran denominations, released new hymnals: Evangelical Lutheran Worship (ELCA) and Lutheran Service Book (LCMS).

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; and the International Lutheran Council (ILC), of which the Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod and the LCC are members; and the Confessional Evangelical Lutheran Conference (CELC), of which the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod 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.

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.

Throughout the world Lutheranism is present on all populated continents.

See also

Print sources

Footnotes

External links Church Bodies



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