Lucas Cranach the Younger, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons
A History of the Lutheran Church
Historically, Lutherans prefer to be called the Evangelical Church of the Unaltered Augsburg Confession; but that’s too many words. How did “Lutherans” come about? The Augustinian friar named Martin Luther questioned unbiblical teachings and practices that had crept into the Church. Among them was earning God’s favor as agents of our salvation. Luther returned to God’s word as the font of the faith. He affirmed that the heart of Christianity as, “In Christ, God was reconciling the world to Himself, not counting (their) trespasses against them” (2 Corinthians 5:19).
In order to debate his faith-questions, Brother Martin posted 95 thesis on a cathedral door in Wittenberg, Germany in 1517. His document ignited a fire storm. Luther’s reliance on Scripture and Christ catalyzed religious and social upheaval. In 1523 Charles the Fifth, emperor over much of Europe, called the German princes to explain their beliefs. They made their confession in Augsburg, summarizing the Christian faith. They hoped for reform. Instead, the immediate 50 years after were tumultuous. As a
mark of unity, Lutherans wrote confessions of faith. In 1580 these documents were assembled as the Book of Concord. Lutherans have historically been a confessing church, embracing the authority of
Scripture and the centrality of Christ. They have also held that the Book of Concord is an accurate explanation of Scripture.
The challenges to remain faithful to what the Church has always confessed continue in each generation. Each succeeding generation is tempted to re-invent God according to the values of the day. Pietism,
Rationalism, Romanticism, Pragmatism, Existentialism, Nihilism and Post Modernism offer candy and a car-trip to sweet-toothed babes. However, Luther’s famous “Here I Stand” remains true. We are “the Evangelical Church of the Unaltered Augsburg Confession.” Scripture is a faithful witness that reveals the God who is and who we are before God. For a succinct summary of this faith read Luther’s Small Catechism. You may also Go to http://www.lcms.org/lutheranconfessions.
Historically, Lutherans prefer to be called the Evangelical Church of the Unaltered Augsburg Confession; but that’s too many words. How did “Lutherans” come about? The Augustinian friar named Martin Luther questioned unbiblical teachings and practices that had crept into the Church. Among them was earning God’s favor as agents of our salvation. Luther returned to God’s word as the font of the faith. He affirmed that the heart of Christianity as, “In Christ, God was reconciling the world to Himself, not counting (their) trespasses against them” (2 Corinthians 5:19).
In order to debate his faith-questions, Brother Martin posted 95 thesis on a cathedral door in Wittenberg, Germany in 1517. His document ignited a fire storm. Luther’s reliance on Scripture and Christ catalyzed religious and social upheaval. In 1523 Charles the Fifth, emperor over much of Europe, called the German princes to explain their beliefs. They made their confession in Augsburg, summarizing the Christian faith. They hoped for reform. Instead, the immediate 50 years after were tumultuous. As a
mark of unity, Lutherans wrote confessions of faith. In 1580 these documents were assembled as the Book of Concord. Lutherans have historically been a confessing church, embracing the authority of
Scripture and the centrality of Christ. They have also held that the Book of Concord is an accurate explanation of Scripture.
The challenges to remain faithful to what the Church has always confessed continue in each generation. Each succeeding generation is tempted to re-invent God according to the values of the day. Pietism,
Rationalism, Romanticism, Pragmatism, Existentialism, Nihilism and Post Modernism offer candy and a car-trip to sweet-toothed babes. However, Luther’s famous “Here I Stand” remains true. We are “the Evangelical Church of the Unaltered Augsburg Confession.” Scripture is a faithful witness that reveals the God who is and who we are before God. For a succinct summary of this faith read Luther’s Small Catechism. You may also Go to http://www.lcms.org/lutheranconfessions.
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