Why are you a Lutheran?

[112657]

Hello all! I have a question...why are you Lutheran? I am working with/ for Lutherans. I am studying a bit. I like what I know about the Lutherans (the ELCA folks in particular) so far.

I have never found my "home" so to speak, so I have remained non-denominational. I feel ready to explore and possibly commit. But, when I ask Lutherans (as I have asked others I am curious about) why they chose to be Lutheran, they all sort of look at me blankly.

If you had to say, in the simplist terms possible, why you find yourself where you are--what would you say?

Thanks to anyone willing to share.

[Protoevangel]

Lutheranism has always stood on the solid Rock of Christ. Lutheranism is not simply another denomination, another opinion; it is the continuation of the Visible Church in the West. Rome may have dubbed us "protestant", but we are truly catholic. Scripture is the sole rule and norm; the teaching of the Church catholic throughout all ages, and the Lutheran Confessions are our witnesses.

I am Lutheran because I agree with the Lutheran Confessions completely.

If you would like to know what the Lutheran Confessions are, you can start with Luther's Small Catechism (http://www.christianforums.com/t686359-luthers-small-catechism.html), and The Augsburg Confession (http://www.christianforums.com/t3113200-the-augsburg-confession.html). And of course, feel free to keep asking questions.

[Melethiel]

For me, it just kind of happened...Lutheranism seemed the most obvious choice when I decided to convert from Baptist.

[SPALATIN]

I was baptized Lutheran and grew up Lutheran. I ventured away for 15 years in the desert of American Evangelicalism only to find my oasis back in the Lutheran Church and I shall not and will not leave it again.

And what Danhead said goes for me as well.

[Jim47]

As Dan said, cause I believe scripture as written without the need to change it.

[LilLamb219]

I'm Lutheran because it's the closest to what the Bible teaches concerning Christianity. Lutherans teach that salvation is 100% God's work and I haven't come across any other denomination who can claim that without adding on any other terms, whether it's you must accept Christ into your heart, surrender yourself, make a decision for Christ, etc... Lutherans say that faith is a gift from God and we believe because of that gift of faith. We don't have to work for it in any way. Lutherans are truly unique and worth looking into.

[Ravenonthecross]

I'm Lutheran because it's the closest to what the Bible teaches concerning Christianity. Lutherans teach that salvation is 100% God's work and I haven't come across any other denomination who can claim that without adding on any other terms, whether it's you must accept Christ into your heart, surrender yourself, make a decision for Christ, etc... Lutherans say that faith is a gift from God and we believe because of that gift of faith. We don't have to work for it in any way. Lutherans are truly unique and worth looking into.
I'll try and do that. :thumbsup:

[JVAC]

Cuz no one else would have me :P

I have a lutheran view of Law/Gospel (and if you have one of these you get kicked out of every other place you go to); an Orthodox view of Ecclesiology; a Roman Catholic view on the Sacraments, all in all just a screwed up person :D.

I like the term Stanley Hauerwas coined, "Ecclesial Cannibal".

[C.F.W. Walther]

Other people live by the law but we live by the gospel.

[ctay]

I was baptized and grew up as a Lutheran, I don't think I could change.......

[112657]

Other people live by the law but we live by the gospel.

I am finding myself more and more drawn to you Lutherans. Where do I sign-up?

[Melethiel]

I am finding myself more and more drawn to you Lutherans. Where do I sign-up?
Go talk to a pastor.

[Protoevangel]

You may be able to find a good local congregation here (http://lutheranliturgy.org/). (lutheranliturgy.org)

If not, you can try:
LCMS (http://www.lcms.org/ca/www/locators/nchurches/church.asp)
TAALC (http://www.taalc.org/Congregations.htm)
WELS/ELS (http://wels.locatorsearch.com/)
CLBA (http://www.clba.org/) (follow the "People of the CLB" link at the top of the page)
ELCA (http://www.elca.org/) (Liberal)

[Chemnitz]

I married a Lutheran.

I had been broadly "Evangelical" before that.

As for details, what Dan said goes for me as well.

[DaRev]

Cuz no one else would have me :P

I have a lutheran view of Law/Gospel (and if you have one of these you get kicked out of every other place you go to); an Orthodox view of Ecclesiology; a Roman Catholic view on the Sacraments, all in all just a screwed up person :D.

I like the term Stanley Hauerwas coined, "Ecclesial Cannibal".

Check out this church (http://www.ziondetroit.org).

[CaliforniaJosiah]

Hello all! I have a question...why are you Lutheran? I am working with/ for Lutherans. I am studying a bit. I like what I know about the Lutherans (the ELCA folks in particular) so far.

I have never found my "home" so to speak, so I have remained non-denominational. I feel ready to explore and possibly commit. But, when I ask Lutherans (as I have asked others I am curious about) why they chose to be Lutheran, they all sort of look at me blankly.

If you had to say, in the simplist terms possible, why you find yourself where you are--what would you say?

Thanks to anyone willing to share.


MY thoughts...
(I post not as an official representative of the Office of Information for any Lutheran denomination, synod or group - I speak only for me)...


1. I agree overwhelmingly with Lutheran doctrine. If you check out my beliefs thread (there's a link in the signature line of every one of my posts), you'll see a lot of Lutheran influences although I do NOT claim that it is an exposition of Lutheranism - ONLY a brief witness to what I believe in my own words. It is what I think/feel in my words.


2. My affirmation of Lutheran doctrine probably comes naturally. My mother is the daughter of a Lutheran pastor and went to Lutheran schools, K-8 and college. My father has his doctorate from a Lutheran seminary and considers himself theologically to be clearly Lutheran. I was homeschooled, and in K-8 that was from materials published by CPH (the LCMS publishing house) for Lutheran schools, and in high school, that involved 3 years of very intense study of the 3 vol. of F. Pieper's "Christian Dogmatics" - the same series used to teach theology to pastors in the LCMS and I think WELS. I also completed the course work for Lutheran Confirmation and a study of the Small Catechism and the Augsburg Confession. BUT, I've also studied many other expressions of Christian faith including Catholicism (I was actively involved in the CC for about 5 years - including Mass, a weekly Bible study and the Information Class for membership).


3. I'm very drawn to the humility and simplicity of Lutheran doctrine. Lutheranism is VERY Christ-centered and embraces - to it's very core - humility and servanthood. I've only recently come to understand that the very foundation - the Theology of the Cross - is something I've always embraced to my very core. Getting a better handle on that caused me to realize why Lutheran theology has always appealed a lot to me. I have a post on this in my "Beliefs Thread" (again, a link is found in the signature line below).


4. On the other hand, Lutherans are often a strongly cognative, didactive people - focused much on the head rather than heart and life; their "gift" to Christianity is doctrine. Some Lutheran groups are, sadly, notorious in all of the Christian world for their warrring, bickering, and exclusive attitude. MY experience is that this usually doesn't filter down to the congregational level any more than in any other faith community. MY experience has been that in spite of their reputation, Lutherans and Lutheran congregations are wecoming, embracing, loving and caring. Jesus said, "By this will people know that you are My disciples - if you have love." I've found that Lutheran's display that in real and genuine ways no less than any other Christian community and there are congregations that truely shine in this regard, in ways that make the Lord of the Church rejoice.


5. Be aware that Lutheranism is an old, large, diverse faith community. There are some 70 million members in nearly every nation on earth - perhaps the largest and oldest Protestant faith community in the world. And not infrequently, there are various sub-groups existing side by side (sometimes in harmony, sometimes in a state of war) wherever Lutherans are found. Often (but not always), Lutheranism is defined by the Lutheran Confessions. I doubt any two Lutherans always agree on all things, and yet most do embrace those Confessions and various central themes perhaps best expressed by Sola Gratia, Solus Christus, Sola Fide, Sola Scriptura and the Theology of the Cross. In a given community, there might be 3 or 4 different Lutheran congregations - each quite distictive in terms of customs, traditions, policies, etc. They may have very distinctive attitudes. But there is a commonality in their doctrine that clearly makes them all "Lutheran."


6. Much more I could add - the "Law/Gospel" dynamic (next to the Theology of the Cross, it is Lutheranism's greatest contribution to Christianity, IMO), their embrace of mystery, Tradition and community - and much more.


7. A book I'd highly recommend is entitled, "The Spirituality of the Cross" by Gene Edward Veith, Jr. It's published by cph (www.cph.org (http://www.cph.org)). It's a small, inexpensive, easy reading book that well defines Lutheranism. My girlfriend's father (a Lutheran pastor) gave me that book and it helped me realize how very Lutheran I am - and why.



MY views and perspectives....



- Josiah


.

[LutheranHawkeye]

First off I am Lutheran because it is part of my identity. I am german/czech and ironically enough both families are very lutheran and they have been lutheran as far as both families go back. I am Lutheran because it is the closest church to the bible. It is the original church, it just took the roman out of roman catholic, and has kept away from all the modern unbiblical stuff. Overall some branches may be liberal or conservative but as one lutheran church we have kept strong in the true faith and guided people through the grace of God. That is why I am Lutheran:).

[SPALATIN]

First off I am Lutheran because it is part of my identity. I am german/czech and ironically enough both families are very lutheran and they have been lutheran as far as both families go back. I am Lutheran because it is the closest church to the bible. It is the original church, it just took the roman out of roman catholic, and has kept away from all the modern unbiblical stuff. Overall some branches may be liberal or conservative but as one lutheran church we have kept strong in the true faith and guided people through the grace of God. That is why I am Lutheran:).

If the liberal branches change something in the faith, is it still the true faith or has it now been tainted?

[LutheranHawkeye]

If the liberal branches change something in the faith, is it still the true faith or has it now been tainted?

The liberal branches are just as much apart of the tree as the confessional/conservative branches are apart of the tree, its just the confessional branches bear fruit and don't fall off the tree occasionaly to be picked up by presbyterian folks walking in the park. :)

[Protoevangel]

The liberal branches are just as much apart of the tree as the confessional/conservative branches are apart of the tree, its just the confessional branches bear fruit and don't fall off the tree occasionaly to be picked up by presbyterian folks walking in the park. :)
"Communions calling themselves Christian but not accepting God's Word as God's Word and therefore denying the Triune God, according to God's Word are no churches but synagogues of Satan and temples of idols."
- CFW Walther

http://herchurch.org/
Is this of the Church you are talking about? Is the body in communion with this, the church you are talking about?

[LutheranHawkeye]

"Communions calling themselves Christian but not accepting God's Word as God's Word and therefore denying the Triune God, according to God's Word are no churches but synagogues of Satan and temples of idols."
- CFW Walther

http://herchurch.org/
Is this of the Church you are talking about? Is the body in communion with this, the church you are talking about?

Absolutley creepy church...This is not a lutheran church lol. It just has the title of Lutheran in it. That's just sick. This mutant branch fell off and got picked up right by a non trinitarian feminist parade.:(

[C.F.W. Walther]

Absolutley creepy church...This is not a lutheran church lol. It just has the title of Lutheran in it. That's just sick. This mutant branch fell off and got picked up right by a non trinitarian feminist parade.:(

Dan's trying to make a point NL that the liberal and confessional branchs are not synonymous.




:scratch:

[LutheranHawkeye]

Ok I can't take a hint.:scratch: That is fair to say about liberal churches but I think that there is a huge population of confessional members in the elca trying to reform it within the inside. Of course liberal churches shouldn't be part of the lutheran church as a whole. But we can't desert our lutheran brothers and sisters while their ship sinks. Great, I know what you all must be thinking...he started with branches n trees and now he's moved on to boats. GREAT! Just great! I'll stop with all the analogies because I'm actually starting to get confused by them.

[Chemnitz]

7. A book I'd highly recommend is entitled, "The Spirituality of the Cross" by Gene Edward Veith, Jr. It's published by cph (www.cph.org (http://www.cph.org)). It's a small, inexpensive, easy reading book that well defines Lutheranism. My girlfriend's father (a Lutheran pastor) gave me that book and it helped me realize how very Lutheran I am - and why.

Ditto that recommendation.

I cannot think of a better introduction to Lutheran Christianity.

[Protoevangel]

Ok I can't take a hint.:scratch: That is fair to say about liberal churches but I think that there is a huge population of confessional members in the elca trying to reform it within the inside. Of course liberal churches shouldn't be part of the lutheran church as a whole. But we can't desert our lutheran brothers and sisters while their ship sinks. Great, I know what you all must be thinking...he started with branches n trees and now he's moved on to boats. GREAT! Just great! I'll stop with all the analogies because I'm actually starting to get confused by them.
:)
You are correct. I was in a Bible study last night with a confessional brother from an ELCA congregation. When I was in the ELCA, I wa a member of Word Alone, and the WA meetings always drew a good crowd of confessional ELCA members from around the state.

[Protoevangel]

Spirituality of the CrossDitto that recommendation.

I cannot think of a better introduction to Lutheran Christianity.
Here's another vote for Spirituality of the Cross!

Great introduction to Lutheran spirituality!

[DaRev]

:)
You are correct. I was in a Bible study last night with a confessional brother from an ELCA congregation. When I was in the ELCA, I wa a member of Word Alone, and the WA meetings always drew a good crowd of confessional ELCA members from around the state.

"Word Alone" is a bit of an oxymoron since they still reject the clear Scriptural teaching that denies the ordination of women. I'm not sure of how they view the inerrancy of Scripture or the historicity of Genesis 1-11. Could you enlighten me on this?


Thanks in advance,
DaRev

[LutheranHawkeye]

:)
You are correct. I was in a Bible study last night with a confessional brother from an ELCA congregation. When I was in the ELCA, I wa a member of Word Alone, and the WA meetings always drew a good crowd of confessional ELCA members from around the state. :) They're trying to reform it, I dont think it can be done.

[Protoevangel]

"Word Alone" is a bit of an oxymoron since they still reject the clear Scriptural teaching that denies the ordination of women. I'm not sure of how they view the inerrancy of Scripture or the historicity of Genesis 1-11. Could you enlighten me on this?
You are correct about Word Alone's view of the ordination of Women.

I know of resolutions that ELCA synods defeated, that were submitted by Word Alone members, stating that the Bible is without error, inerrant, etc. The oficial statements, however, is much softer (The Bible is the final authority over the faith and life of the Church. The Bible is God's Word to us, spoken in Law and Gospel. It is a light to, rather than a reflection of, the world.)

Word Alone itself is not the lifeboat I once hoped it was. But the hope that is in Word Alone, is that it tends to draw the few Confessionals that are left, bringing them together, and allowing that light of confessional Lutheranism to grow. The Word Alone movement is itself, a movement meant to work within the ELCA, but it has, in many cases, given ELCA members and whole congregations the information they needed so they could make the decision to leave the ELCA.


They're trying to reform it, I dont think it can be done.
That which is dead, only God himslf bring to life.

[judaica]

Hello all! I have a question...why are you Lutheran? I am working with/ for Lutherans. I am studying a bit. I like what I know about the Lutherans (the ELCA folks in particular) so far.

I have never found my "home" so to speak, so I have remained non-denominational. I feel ready to explore and possibly commit. But, when I ask Lutherans (as I have asked others I am curious about) why they chose to be Lutheran, they all sort of look at me blankly.

If you had to say, in the simplist terms possible, why you find yourself where you are--what would you say?

Thanks to anyone willing to share.

I don't know if I qualify as a lutheran (since as I expressed elsewhere on this forum, I take strong issue with the synods and many lutherans today). But when I go to church, it's still a lutheran church that I attend, because out of all the churches, I can still count on the Gospel being preached correctly from the pulpit. So I guess you could say, it's the Gospel that keeps me here. If it weren't for that, I'd probably go East. (The liturgy of the Eastern Orthodox and Oriental Churches are dripping with the Gospel. They are really on par with the Lutheran Liturgies, if not even better, but there seems to be a disconnect between these Eastern Liturgies, and many of the theologians and pastors (priests) in her churches. And if I were to convert East, I could never be sure when I went to church on Sunday morning, that I would hear the Gospel clearly, or hear about me, or if I were to pick up a book/article by this or that theologian, that they would tell me about what I had to do, or what Christ has done. I don't have that assurance, that I still have in the lutheran church that I attend).

Judaica

[MORTANIUS]

Much like what Martin Luther told others, "I'm CHRISTIAN!"

Christ died on the Cross, not Luther.

We call ourselves Lutherans to identify with need for correction and adherence (much like the Orthodox of the Eastern part of the world).

Why am I Christian (i.e. Lutheran). I fear damnation and seperation from our Lord.