Lutheranism

Evangelical Lutheran churches are Christian churches, whose denomination is founded on the Bible of the Old and New Testaments and in part on the formation of dogmas of the early church and the confessional writings of the Evangelical Lutheran Church, in the course of the Wittenberg Reformation of Martin Luther and other Lutheran theologians such as Philipp Melanchthon, were written. The Lutheran confessional family has about 74 million Christians.

• 4.1 Main directions
• 4.2 Lutheran churches altkonfessioneller embossing
• 4.3 Synod
• 4.4 ecumenism
• 4.5 Legal Status

• 5.1 Germany 5.1.1 organizations
• 5.1.2 Differing theological points between VELKD and SELK

Designation

The term Lutheran was originally a polemic name of the Roman Catholic side to identify the Protestants as heretics. John Eck used them in his 1520 published writing Adversus Lutheranos, et alios hostes ecclesiae ( "Against the Lutherans and other enemies of the Church ").

Only later was the term for self-designation to demonstrate a distinction to both the Roman Catholic and the Reformed.

Originally it was the main concern of Luther to reform the Roman Church. Only with the Confessio Augustana ( Augsburg Confession ) of 1530 it became clear that a reformation of the Old Believers was not possible.

Several of the Evangelical Church of the Lutheran churches call themselves after the Augsburg Confession.

Theology

Bible and Confessions

The Bible takes in the Lutheran theology the rank " norma normans " ( normative standard), while the Lutheran Confessions "normal normata " are ( standardized norm = Standard of the Bible standard). According to the Formula of Concord (FC) "From the summary term" "is" God's Word, the only rule and rule of all doctrine ... which none human writings same footing, but To him everything is to be subjected. " The confessional writings still have a very high dignity because ( quia bond) they taken from God's Word and in it firm and sure foundation " (FC: From the summary term ) are. According to Lutheran Free Church there is this quia bond as the relations of Scripture and Confession in Germany. Altkonfessionell only in the Lutheran churches, such as the Independent Evangelical Lutheran Church The Lutheran churches see the bond between Scripture and the Confessions not as quia ( because), but as " quatinus " ( so far ) bond. This results in different positions in teaching and life of the churches.

The Confessions ( BSLK ) are:

• The early church creeds

• The Augsburg Confession (CA - Confessio Augustana )
• The Apology of the Augsburg Confession ( Apology of the CA)
• The Small Catechism of Martin Luther
• The Large Catechism of Martin Luther
• The Smalcald Articles of Martin Luther
• The Formula of Concord (FC - Formula Concordiae )

Not all Lutheran churches have the Formula of Concord in their commitment level. Therefore, a distinction is made between Konkordien Lutheran and non - Lutheran churches of Concord.

Sola gratia, sola fide, sola scriptura, solus Christus

In four Latin formulas can be used, the principles of Lutheran theology summarize a little:

Lutherans reject the veneration of Mary, as practiced by the Roman Catholic Church, where the Papacy and the hierarchical constitution of the Church as jure divino ( by divine right that is unchangeable) from. In some Lutheran churches the historic episcopate is preserved in apostolic succession. The present-day Lutherans themselves off against Luther's anti-Judaism and confess often complicit in his influence.

Liturgy and worship

In Lutheran worship are preaching and communion service of central importance. In addition to preaching and the celebration of Holy Communion include the Holy Baptism and the Holy confession to the means of grace this denomination. Within the Lutheran Churches, it is disputed whether the confession may be regarded as a sacrament, as. Within the Roman Catholic Church and the Orthodox Churches

Lutheran churches donate usually infant baptism, but also reject baptism shortly before the confirmation or adulthood explicitly not expire. Communion services are regularly celebrated in the form of the German Trade Fair, which dates back to the liturgical reform by Martin Luther from the year 1526. The presence of Christ in the Holy Supper is understood as a real presence: the body and blood of Christ are dealt and received under the bread and wine. Children also may - at least within the VELKD and also in the Evangelical Church AB in Austria - the sacrament participate (children Supper ). The Independent Evangelical Lutheran Church ( SELK ) may participate in the Holy Communion, children and young people if they have previously been instructed in the Lutheran Lord's Supper. Here the SELK speaks of early communion. Confirmation and participate in the Holy Supper ( Communion breakfast ) are separated.

Organization

Main directions

The Lutheran churches today have three main directions, which are expressed in three global organizations:

• The Lutheran World Federation, founded in 1947 with 143 member churches and approximately 70 million members of the congregation to which, inter alia, the German Evangelical Lutheran Churches and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America include
• International Lutheran Council with 30 member churches and about 3.3 million members of the congregation to which, inter alia, the Independent Evangelical Lutheran Church and the Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod are
• Confessional Evangelical Lutheran Conference with 24 member churches and 500,000 members of the congregation to which, inter alia, the Evangelical Lutheran Free Church and the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod include

Lutheran churches altkonfessioneller embossing

A special form of the Lutheran churches form in Germany and in the countries where there is an established church, the Lutheran churches altkonfessioneller embossing ( confessional churches ).

Most Lutheran churches altkonfessioneller embossing are often considered more conservative. " Conservative " means primarily that they are very closely tied to the Lutheran Confessions, which are summarized in the Book of Concord of 1580. This binding, they reject any form of unionism ( church fellowship of different denominations ) and thus also the Leuenberg from.

Worldwide most Lutheran confessional churches in the International Lutheran Council are members. This covenant represents around 3.3 million Lutheran Christians.

Synod

Lutheran churches are organized synods and episcopal in most cases. At the top of each synod is a moderator or Präses. In Germany and Austria the Lutheran churches are headed by a bishop or a bishop, or the features of the ordination of law and the teaching supervision. The Independent Evangelical Lutheran Church is also headed by a bishop, who exercises the right to ordination and supervision of the teacher. He is responsible for the entire Federal Republic of Germany. The management function in the Evangelical Lutheran Free Church ( ELFK ) exerted by a Church President. The Danish Church in Southern Schleswig is headed by a provost and is (unlike the Danish National Church ) written synodal.

Ecumenism

The Lutheran churches in the World Council of Churches take part. Numerous members of the Lutheran confessional family work in the evangelical aligned with the Evangelical Alliance.

Legal Status

In Germany and some Scandinavian countries have Lutheran churches, in local church or staatsunabhänigiger form of organization, public status.

In other countries, such as Austria, Switzerland and the United States, the Lutheran Church is one of several churches because of stricter separation of church and state.

National

Germany

The special feature of the Lutheran churches in Germany is the bond to the State. This is, inter alia, clearly in the church tax system ( collection of church taxes by the tax office ) and for example when leaving the national church. The withdrawal is made at the district court or the registry office. The close ties between church and state arises from the historical connection of " throne and altar ". The monarch was simultaneously head ( summus episcopus ) of the Evangelical Lutheran Church. He also determined a long time the confession of his subjects ( cuius regio, eius religio ). Therefore, it can be stated for Germany a separation between church and state land that is clearly of a different nature than in France. Due to historical circumstances exist in a state church contracts regulated relations between national church and state.

Organizations

Joint Church and at the same time an umbrella organization of Lutheran churches in Germany, the United Evangelical Lutheran Church of Germany ( VELKD ). The member churches of the VELKD are member churches of the Evangelical Church in Germany (EKD ), which also includes the Reformed and United churches. However, a common membership in the EKD and VELKD is not mandatory. The Lutheran churches because of the Leuenberg full churches and altar fellowship with the Reformed, United and Methodist churches.

The Lutheran churches altkonfessioneller embossing have public status, but waive the collection of church taxes. Your church members voluntarily pay a church dues directly to the community. This derives a certain amount of the Universal Church checkout on. Likewise, a church withdrawal occurs not at the local court, but directly at the parish office in writing. Most of these Lutheran churches in Germany are today united in the Independent Evangelical Lutheran Church ( SELK ); and there is yet the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Baden and the Evangelical Lutheran Free Church. Although many questions regarding doctrine, understanding the tradition and organization of matches and in the other beliefs are great similarities between these churches, not all confessional Lutheran churches have found full churches and altar fellowship. Such churches and altar fellowship exists between the Independent Evangelical Lutheran Church and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Baden. The Evangelical Lutheran Free Church announced the church community to the SELK 1989. Between the other Lutheran Free Churches was no church and altar fellowship in the past.

The Danish Lutheran Church also in South Schleswig, which is responsible for the Danish minority in the north of Schleswig-Holstein church has, as a free church, the legal form of a registered association.

In Germany, both the Lutheran churches as well as the Independent Evangelical - Lutheran Church in the Association of Christian Churches working together with Catholic and Orthodox churches.

Because of the Agreement have the Leuenberger Lutheran churches church fellowship with other evangelical churches in Europe.

Differing theological points between VELKD and SELK

• The Last Supper: Both Lutheran churches see the Lord's Supper as a sacrament. However, there are differences. The member churches of the VELKD both wine and grape juice are allowed as an element. The SELK rejects grape juice in the Lord's Supper as an element of theological considerations. The VELKD has full churches and altar fellowship with denominational churches because of the different Leuenberger Agreement or bilateral agreements. The SELK rejects any unionism and asks how two different views of the sacrament can still lead to churches and altar fellowship (Example Reformed and Lutherans ).

• The Office of the Church: Both Lutheran churches have official. Both in the VELKD and in the SELK there are discussions about the ministry. The Bishops' Conference of VELKD has issued several opinions in which it states that the ministry is to be derived from the priesthood of all the baptized. The SELK passes against the ministry not from the priesthood of all the baptized from, but out of or under the apostolate. Consequently, only the ordained may publicly preach and administer the sacraments in the SELK. In this VELKD vicars and ministers is permitted. The VELKD not ordained women to the rectory, the SELK.

• Doctrine of Justification: The Joint Declaration on the Doctrine of Justification between the Lutheran World Federation and the Roman Catholic Church on 31 October 1999 in Augsburg also the positions have shifted. SELK and VELKD goods so far in agreement on this question, this teaching unit is called into question.

• Doctrine of Scripture: there are between VELKD and SELK also large differences in the doctrine of Scripture and hermeneutics.

• Binding commitment: Differences between the two Lutheran church bodies there are in the bond between the Holy Scriptures and the Lutheran Confessions ( see above).

Austria

The Lutheran Church of Austria is called the Evangelical Church of the Augsburg Confession (A. B.) in Austria. They borders ( Reformed Church, Helvetic Confession by Zwingli ) from the Evangelical Church Helvetic Confession in Austria; both churches are connected to form the Evangelical Church of the Augsburg and Helvetic Confessions in Austria, with a common general synod. The Lutherans ( 1555 reaching legal recognition of the Augsburg Confession ) - as well as the Reformed - is permitted from 1781 free practice of religion since the Edict of Toleration, and since the Protestants Act 1961 they are a recognized religion ( so today's legal formulation that today prevails in Austria full religious freedom ). Religious instruction about keeping the Lutherans and Reformed mostly from common.

Administrative Bodies of the Lutheran Church, the Synod as a theological, the OKR (elected for six years ) as an organizational and the bishop as spiritual direction. Divided is the church community in seven dioceses that Superintendenturen. In total, there are about 200 Lutheran congregations ( parishes ) in Austria.