The Lutheran church is nearly 600 years old. Martin Luther (1483-1546) was an Augustinian monk and an ordained priest in the Roman Catholic church who lived in Germany. While pursuing a Doctor of Theology degree he discovered significant differences between what he read in the Bible and the theology and practices of the church of his day.

On October 31, 1517, he posted a challenge on the church door at Wittenberg University to debate 95 theological issues. Luther's hope was that the church would reform its practice to be more consistent with the Bible. What started as an academic debate escalated to a religious war; as a result, there was not a reformation of the church but a separation. "Lutheran" was a name applied to Luther and his followers as an insult but they adopted it as a badge of honor instead.

Lutherans still hold to the basic principles of theology and practice espoused by Luther, such as:

- We are saved by the grace of God alone-not by what we do;

- Our salvation is through faith alone-we only need to believe that our sins are forgiven for Christ's sake, who died to redeem us;

- The Bible is the only norm of doctrine and life-the only true standard by which teachings and doctrines are to be judged.

Luther's Small Catechism (which contains basic teachings on the Ten Commandments, the Apostles' Creed, the Lord's Prayer, Holy Baptism, and Holy Communion) is still used to introduce people to the Lutheran faith, as is the more detailed Augsburg Confession. These and other Lutheran confessional documents are included in the Book of Concord.

Further information on the history and beliefs of the Lutheran church is available on the ELCA's web site.

http://www.elca.org/co/brief.html


 

I believe in God, the Father almighty,
creator of heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord.
He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit
and born of the virgin Mary.
He suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died, and was buried.
He descended into hell.*
On the third day he rose again.
He ascended into heaven,
and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again to judge the living and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy catholic Church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and the life everlasting. Amen.

*or "He descended to the dead."

 

We believe in one God,
the Father, The Almighty,
maker of heaven and earth,
of all that is, seen and unseen.

We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ,
the only Son of God,
eternally begotten of the Father,
God from God, Light from Light,
true God from true God,
begotten, not made, of one Being with the Father.
Through him all things were made.
For us and for our salvation
he came down from heaven;
by the power of the Holy Spirit
he became incarnate from the virgin Mary,
and was made man.
For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate;
he suffered death and was buried.
On the third day he rose again
in accordance with the Scriptures;
he ascended into heaven
and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again in glory
to judge the living and the dead,
and his kingdom shall have no end.

We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life,
who proceeds from the Father and the Son.
With the Father and the Son he is worshipped and glorified.
He has spoken through the prophets.
We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church.
We acknowledge on Baptism for the forgiveness of sins.
We look for the resurrection of the dead,
and the life of the world to come. Amen
 

The Biblical Basis of Baptism

Baptism was established and commanded by Jesus (Matthew 28:19). Other passages are also part of the biblical tradition of the origin and meaning of baptism. One such source is the account of Jesus' own baptism at the River Jordan. (Matthew 3:13 ff.) In two other places where Jesus speaks of his own baptism, he refers not to being washed in the Jordan River, but to his impending death.(Luke 12:50; Mark 10:38) It is that death to which we are joined in baptism, according to the witness of Paul. (Romans 6:3)

In Holy Baptism, God delivers us from the forces of evil, puts our sinful self to death, gives us new birth, adopts us as children, and makes us members of the body of Christ, the Church. Holy Baptism is received by faith alone. Baptism inaugurates a life of discipleship in the death and resurrection of Christ. Individuals are baptized, yet baptism forms a community. It is for children. It is for adults. It is done only once, yet it is for all of our life.

Baptism involves daily dying and rising. Believers are at the same time sinners and justified. We experience bondage to sin from which we cannot free ourselves and, at the same time, "rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit." (Titus 3:5) The baptismal life is expressed each time the baptized confess their sins and receive forgiveness. There are many ways to encourage this daily dying to sin and being raised to live before God. They include confession and absolution, the reading of the Scriptures, preaching, the mutual comfort and consolation of the sisters and brothers, daily prayer and the sign of the cross, the remembrance of the catechism, and the profession of the creed. Christians continue in the covenant God made with them in baptism by participation in the community of faith, by hearing the Word and receiving Christ's Supper, by proclaiming the good news in word and deed, and by striving for justice and peace in all the world.



Baptism is for all ages.

Some candidates for baptism are adults and older children who have heard the Gospel of Jesus Christ, declare their faith, and desire Holy Baptism. Others are the young or infant children of active members of the congregation or those children for whom members of the congregation assume sponsorship. In either case, Baptism is God's gift of overwhelming grace. We baptize infants as if they were adults, addressing them with questions, words, and promises that their parents, sponsors, and congregation are to help them know and believe as they grow in years. We baptize adults as if they were infants, washing them and clothing them with God's love in Christ.

When infants and young children are baptized, the parents and sponsors receive instruction and the children are taught throughout their development. With adults and older children, the baptismal candidates themselves are given instruction and formation for faith and ministry in the world both prior to and following their baptism. The instruction and formation of sponsors, parents, and candidates prior to baptism deals especially with faith in the triune God and with prayer. In the case of adults and older children this period of instruction and formation is called "the catechumenate." Indeed, all of the baptized require life-long learning, the daily re-appropriation of the wonderful gifts given in baptism.

Adapted from The Use of the Means of Grace, a statement on the practice of Word and Sacrament, adopted by the ELCA for guidance and practice. The full text may be read at http://www.elca.org/dcm/worship/sacpracst.html

 

Holy Communion

Holy Communion is one of the two sacraments in the Lutheran Church (baptism being the other). Holy Communion was established and commanded by Jesus. (I Corinthians 11:23 ff.) At the table of our Lord Jesus Christ, God nourishes faith, forgives sin, and calls us to be witnesses to the Gospel. In this sacrament the crucified and risen Christ is present, giving his body and blood as food and drink. The Augsburg Confession states: "It is taught among us that the true body and blood of Christ are really present in the Supper of our Lord under the form of bread and wine and are there distributed and received." The 'how' of Christ's presence remains as inexplicable in the sacrament as elsewhere.

The celebration of Holy Communion includes both Word and sacramental meal. These two parts of Holy Communion are so intimately connected as to form one act of worship. We gather in song and prayer, confessing our need of God. We read the Scriptures and hear them preached. We profess our faith and pray for the world, sealing our prayers with a sign of peace. We gather an offering for the poor and for the mission of the church. We set our table with bread and wine, give thanks and praise to God, proclaiming Jesus Christ, and eat and drink. We hear the blessing of God and are sent out in mission to the world.

According to the Apology of the Augsburg Confession, Lutheran congregations celebrate the Holy Communion every Sunday and festival. This confession remains the norm for our practice. We celebrate communion frequently because we need the sacrament, the means by which the Church's fellowship is established and its mission as the baptized people of God is nourished and sustained.

Believing that Christ is present in the sacrament, this church practices eucharistic hospitality. Admission to the sacrament is by invitation of the Lord, presented through the church to those who are baptized, therefore all baptized Christians are welcomed to commune when they are visiting in ELCA Lutheran churches.

Adapted from The Use of the Means of Grace, a statement on the practice of Word and Sacrament, adopted by the ELCA for guidance and practice. The full text may be read at http://www.elca.org/dcm/worship/sacpracst.html