Book of Concord

[Pacigoth13]

1. What exactly is the book of Concord? What kinds of things would one find in it?

2. Who wrote it? Where did it come from?

3. Where can I find a copy of the book of Concord?

Honestly, I hadn't heard about the book of Concord until you all started talking about it...

[Rechtgläubig]

Hi Pacigoth13! :wave:


It can be viewed here...

http://bookofconcord.org/

It includes all of the confessions, short histories of each writing telling who wrote what and all that stuff. Enjoy and God Bless!

:D

[JVAC]

1. The Book of Concord is "The Confessions of the Evangelical Lutheran Church" everything the Lutheran Church stands for can be found in this book. This book is understood to be the 'true' interpretation of the Holy Scripures.

2. The Reformers of Old, Luther, Melanchthon, etc. signed by the electors and princes of old. So basically the people who reformed the church back to its originality.

3. You can get a copy at the Augsburg Fortress. www.augsburgfortress.org (http://www.augsburgfortress.org)

-James

(ps I recomend this: http://www.augsburgfortress.org/store/item.asp?isbn=0800627407&clsid=15250 )

[ChiRho]

1. What exactly is the book of Concord? What kinds of things would one find in it?

2. Who wrote it? Where did it come from?

3. Where can I find a copy of the book of Concord?

Honestly, I hadn't heard about the book of Concord until you all started talking about it...


Is this a joke?

Pax Christi,

ChiRho

[Flipper]

I hope not - I'm not familiar with it either (remember, I'm a convert - I didn't grow up with this stuff).

[ChiRho]

I hope not - I'm not familiar with it either (remember, I'm a convert - I didn't grow up with this stuff).

Flipper,

If you are a member of an LCMS church you should have been instructed with the Confessions during your Adult Catechisis Class. If you have studied the Small Catechism then you have read the simplified essence of the Book of Concord. The Confessions expound upon, what the Small Catechism teaches, in a clear and very detailed manner. Going into great depth about what we confess and what we believe to be false. In reality, the Confessions were written to offer a formalized doctrine of our beliefs and to identify and counter the heresies within Christendom, while the Small Catechism was written with the intentions of instructing our own of our beliefs. Certainly to know the contents of the Small Catechism and agree with the truth revealed, is to be Lutheran, one does not have to be a Theologian to be a Lutheran....sorry if I implied something contrary. When you have questions concerning Lutheranism and our beliefs, it is best to study the Book of Concord and talk with your Pastor.

Pax Christi,

ChiRho

[Protoevangel]

Is this a joke?

Pax Christi,

ChiRho
Probably not ChiRho,

Pacigoth13 is ELCA (according to his profile). In my ELCA congregation, I think the only people who even know what the Book of Concord is, is out Pastor, me, and those I have told. I didn't even know about it until I began seeking out information on my own.

Everyone I mention it to looks at me like a deer in the headlights. Even my Pastor looked at me a little strangely when I informed him I was reading it. All they know is the Small Catchechism, and the first two creeds (Apostles & Nicene).

Officially, the ELCA accepts the creeds as "true declarations"; the Unaltered Augsburg Confession as "a true witness to the Gospel"; and the other confessional writings in the Book of Concord "as further valid interpretations of the faith of the Church". Unofficially, I am the only person in my whole church who even cares what it may say.

[ChiRho]

Probably not ChiRho,

Pacigoth13 is ELCA (according to his profile). In my ELCA congregation, I think the only people who even know what the Book of Concord is, is out Pastor, me, and those I have told. I didn't even know about it until I began seeking out information on my own.

Everyone I mention it to looks at me like a deer in the headlights. Even my Pastor looked at me a little strangely when I informed him I was reading it. All they know is the Small Catchechism, and the first two creeds (Apostles & Nicene).

Officially, the ELCA accepts the creeds as "true declarations"; the Unaltered Augsburg Confession as "a true witness to the Gospel"; and the other confessional writings in the Book of Concord "as further valid interpretations of the faith of the Church". Unofficially, I am the only person in my whole church who even cares what it may say.

:eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek:

[Protoevangel]

Makes you wonder what the "L" in ELCA really stands for, huh? ;)

[JMRE5150]

Makes you wonder what the "L" in ELCA really stands for, huh? ;)

Wait just a minute there, bud.

That must be yourr ELCA church.

Mine absolutely prides itself on it, encourages reading of it, and has studies on it all the time. Other than the "I show up for church only on Sundays because I think thats what I'm supposed to do" members, almost all our congregation talks of it.

Here is our statement about the Aygsburg Confession:
"This congregation accepts the Apostles', Nicene, and Athanasian Creeds as true declarations of the faith of this congregation. This congregation accepts the Unaltered Augsburg Confession as a true witness to the Gospel, acknowledging as one with it in faith and doctrine all churches that likewise accept the teachings of the Unaltered Augsburg Confession."

And my Senior Pastor absolutely loves to talk about the Book of Concord. He's tickled pink about our congregations love for it, and we display the book proudly in our library and church cafe for all to admire.

Guess not all ELCA churches are created equal :(

Robb

[JVAC]

I grew up a Catholic and converted to Lutheranism, and I knew about the BoC. I only really read and re-read the Creeds and Augsburg Confession, (Only lately have I been reading into the rest of it). However, I always keep the AC in mind whenever I go to council meetings, or teach sunday school. The AC is undoubtedly the best Christian document next to Holy Scripture.

-James

[Protoevangel]

Wait just a minute there, bud. :P

That must be yourr ELCA church.

Mine absolutely prides itself on it, encourages reading of it, and has studies on it all the time. Other than the "I show up for church only on Sundays because I think thats what I'm supposed to do" members, almost all our congregation talks of it.

Here is our statement about the Aygsburg Confession:
"This congregation accepts the Apostles', Nicene, and Athanasian Creeds as true declarations of the faith of this congregation. This congregation accepts the Unaltered Augsburg Confession as a true witness to the Gospel, acknowledging as one with it in faith and doctrine all churches that likewise accept the teachings of the Unaltered Augsburg Confession."

And my Senior Pastor absolutely loves to talk about the Book of Concord. He's tickled pink about our congregations love for it, and we display the book proudly in our library and church cafe for all to admire.

Guess not all ELCA churches are created equal :(

RobbCongratulations of having a truly Lutheran congregation. From what I have seen, that is the exception, not the rule, but then again, the ELCA is a lot bigger than the few places I have visited and the people I have talked to.
If a split does come after 2005, it will be over more than the homosexuality debate, that will simply be the last straw. The big problems I see are Scriptural Authority, the episcopacy, and the confessions.

[Flipper]

Flipper,

If you are a member of an LCMS church you should have been instructed with the Confessions during your Adult Catechisis Class. If you have studied the Small Catechism then you have read the simplified essence of the Book of Concord. The Confessions expound upon, what the Small Catechism teaches, in a clear and very detailed manner. Going into great depth about what we confess and what we believe to be false. In reality, the Confessions were written to offer a formalized doctrine of our beliefs and to identify and counter the heresies within Christendom, while the Small Catechism was written with the intentions of instructing our own of our beliefs. Certainly to know the contents of the Small Catechism and agree with the truth revealed, is to be Lutheran, one does not have to be a Theologian to be a Lutheran....sorry if I implied something contrary. When you have questions concerning Lutheranism and our beliefs, it is best to study the Book of Concord and talk with your Pastor.

Pax Christi,

ChiRho
A son who is smarter than his mom - what mom wouldn't be proud of that. :D

While I did have to take a class to become a Lutheran, it wasn't done in quite the way you describe. No Book of Concord, and no Small Catechism. I'm pretty sure the principles were covered, and while the books were suggested as extra reading if we chose, we weren't given the books to go through. I just never got around to reading them, and I never really understood what the Book of Concord was about. I am a little more familiar with some of Small Catechism because I lead a confirmation small group for two years - the small group meant to put in practice what they learned in the actual classes that pastor and the DCE taught. The workbooks came right from Small Catechim, so I learned quite a bit from that.

As you now know, my church seems to do quite a few things differently than most LCMS (or ELCA) churches. Differnent isn't necessarily bad or even wrong. If I had a better understanding of some things, I could better defend what my church does, but since I don't...

So, in the educational stance of my denomination - I know very little and I'm not afraid to admit it. However, I do know enough to give my faith a little bit of backbone, which is enough for me at the moment. This forum has been very educational and I am learning much.

[Protoevangel]

Hi Flipper,



There is nothing wrong with not knowing much about it. If you are interested in the history and confessions of the Lutheran Church, I highly recommend the BOC, it is very informative and useful. On the other hand, it certainly isn't "required" reading.

[Rechtgläubig]

While I did have to take a class to become a Lutheran, it wasn't done in quite the way you describe. No Book of Concord, and no Small Catechism. I'm pretty sure the principles were covered, and while the books were suggested as extra reading if we chose, we weren't given the books to go through. Same with me to some extent. We did get a Small Catechism, but we had no study of the other confessions. It was like a 15 week class and it covered the Lutheran basics. My pastor taught all of our classes from Scripture. It wasn't until one of the last classes on church history, that he talked about the Book of Concord. I read it now and I like quoting from it when people ask what it is the Lutherans believe, but it wasn't until very recently that I found it online.

[Protoevangel]

Same with me to some extent. We did get a Small Catechism, but we had no study of the other confessions. It was like a 15 week class and it covered the Lutheran basics. My pastor taught all of our classes from Scripture. It wasn't until one of the last classes on church history, that he talked about the Book of Concord. I read it now and I like quoting from it when people ask what it is the Lutherans believe, but it wasn't until very recently that I found it online.I would have expected the WELS to be the most rigid about teaching the BOC. Maybe even my ELCA church isn't so bad in that regard then...

oh yea Reich, maybe i'm back a little more than I thought... :doh: I'm a CF-aholic, what can I say?

[Rechtgläubig]

I would have expected the WELS to be the most rigid about teaching the BOC. Maybe even my ELCA church isn't so bad in that regard then... Nah, that is actually one of the criticisms I have seen, that they spend too much time in the Greek and Hebrew and not enough in the BOC! :P If they say the same thing though, why is that so bad? :D

oh yea Reich, maybe i'm back a little more than I thought... :doh: I'm a CF-aholic, what can I say?Yay-hoooooooo! :clap:

[Flipper]

Nah, that is actually one of the criticisms I have seen, that they spend too much time in the Greek and Hebrew and not enough in the BOC! :P If they say the same thing though, why is that so bad? :D


My church has been accused of that too. LOL

[filosofer]

Nah, that is actually one of the criticisms I have seen, that they spend too much time in the Greek and Hebrew and not enough in the BOC! :P If they say the same thing though, why is that so bad? :D



In my experience in the past 25 years I have found that there is not enough emphasis on Hebrew/Greek. Warmed over thoughts of others replace exegesis.

But I agree, if someone is teaching the Bible correctly, you can't help but end up with the BOC as a summary of the Christian faith.

Article IV of the Apology is one of the finest statements ever made (apart from Scripture) on justification, grace, faith, etc. That should be mandatory reading for every Christian, which I guess includes Lutherans.
:P

[JVAC]

I need to strive for balance in reading the Holy Scriptures and the BoC. I usually get to engrosed in one or the other, (sometimes even a third source, I can't wait to read "Cost of Discipleship" by one of our favorite Lutherans - Dietrich Bonhoeffer.)

-James

[Lotar]

Makes you wonder what the "L" in ELCA really stands for, huh? ;)
Evangelical Liberal Church of America ;)

:P

[Lotar]

My confirmation classes didn't use the BoC either, just the Small Catechism. It's not like the average layman needs to know why the Papacy is the seat of the anti-Christ ;) :D Plus, it's heavy reading for most 12-13 yr olds in the California public school system ;)

I've read most of it in bits and pieces.

BTW, Bonhoffer had a good story, but he was a flaming liberal pietist. I stick with Chemnitz, Melanchthon, Luther, Augustine, and the ECF. ;)

[ByzantineDixie]

Nah, that is actually one of the criticisms I have seen, that they spend too much time in the Greek and Hebrew and not enough in the BOC! :P If they say the same thing though, why is that so bad? :D



Absolutely PRICELESS!!! You WELS guys are so :cool: !!!

I'm all about spending time in Scripture. I am going to have to study Hebrew and Greek though. That WELS sem paper page has really captured my interest.

Peace

Rose

[Rechtgläubig]

Absolutely PRICELESS!!! You WELS guys are so :cool: !!!

I'm all about spending time in Scripture. I am going to have to study Hebrew and Greek though. That WELS sem paper page has really captured my interest.

Peace

RoseAwww shucks :blush:

Yeah that web page Rawks! I love the hard core scripture exgesis. The Wauwatosa theologians would be proud. LOL!

:D

[Rechtgläubig]

It's not like the average layman needs to know why the Papacy is the seat of the anti-Christ

Actually we did cover this in BIC. We didn't do the confessions, but we did run though *cough*2Thess2*cough* :D

[ChiRho]

I am not sure that I expressed myself as clearly as I could have. When I said that you should have been taught the Lutheran Confessions in Catechesis class, I meant that one should be introduced to the general idea of Lutheranism. I am not sure one could proclaim agreement with the Lutheran Church, without assenting with the faith that the Book of Concord confessess. Without actually studying the BOC, one can still be taught the position that is expressed in the BOC. Article IV, of the Augsburg Confession, is probably important to spend a little time on! Also, what I meant was that if one studies the Small Catechism, one in essence studies the Confessions of the Lutheran Church.

Pax Christi,

ChiRho