Luther's Faith
The following is the second and final part of the latest iteration of my attempt at an introductory Lutheranism 101. The first dealt with a quick-and-dirty history of the Reformation in Luther's World. Here below, we deal with Lutheran theology and ecclesiology. I have covered this material in earlier posts, but it's been about a decade.
St John's Lutheran Church, by Kate Bars
LUTHER’S FAITH
The 3½ Lutheran Answers to Every Question
Lutheranism is a branch of, and reform movement within, the greater Christian Church. There are many ways that we could talk about what makes some Christians “Lutheran.” We could talk about history, or institutional organization, or the Book of Concord. But the best way that I know to explain Lutheranism is with these “3½ Answers.”
1. Salvation by Grace through Faith
Lutherans emphasize that salvation is God’s work, not our works-righteousness. We are not saved because we are worthy or have earned our place in Heaven. We are saved by the grace, love, and mercy of God, which we know by faith. This does not mean that good works are unimportant; faith without works is dead! But good works are the fruit of faith rather than the root of faith. Faith here is not simply belief, but trust in the faithfulness of God. Heresies at either extremity are Pelagianism and Antinomianism.
2. Law and Gospel
Lutherans interpret all of Scripture through the lens of Law and Gospel. Here Law is whatever reveals to us God’s justice and righteousness; Gospel is whatever reveals to us God’s mercy and grace. The Law shows us our unworthiness and our need for the Gospel—“kills” us. The Gospel reveals that God loves us and forgives us our sins—makes us alive. Without Law we do not run to Gospel; without Gospel we despair in our sins. Both Law and Gospel are found all throughout both Old and New Testaments. One word can be both! We have a great need for salvation; we have a great Savior for our need.
3. Theology of the Cross
God reveals Himself to us in the last place that we expect to find God. God is present in the poor and marginalized, in the suffering and oppressed. He is also found in the simplest things of life: bread, wine, hearth and home. God’s strength is perfected in weakness: His crown is thorns, His throne a Cross. We have a God Who knows exactly what it is to suffer, mourn, and die. The Cross is a sure mark of the Church, not as a symbol but as a way of life. Bearing the Cross is doing right regardless of the cost.
3½. The Two Kingdoms
The Two Kingdoms forge a way of living Christian life in but not of the world. It is not merely the separation of Church and State, nor is it quite “two swords.” With His “left hand,” God creates a Kingdom of order and justice for all people. With His “right hand,” God creates an eternal Kingdom for all Christians. In the Kingdom on the Right we are all equal; in the Left there is hierarchy. Christians live in both Kingdoms at once and must respect both as God’s work. The institutional Church is part of the Kingdom on the Left!
Lutherans are not the only Christians who have these “answers.” We emphasize them. Other Christians talk about these same ideas using language both different and familiar.
Bonus: Luther’s Seven Marks of the Church
1. Scripture
“Christian people are recognized by their possession of the holy Word of God.” While Luther criticized some books, he included the entirety of the Greek Old Testament.
2. Baptism
“Baptism is not just plain water, but it is the water included in God’s command and combined with God’s word. It works forgiveness of sins, rescues from death and the devil, and gives eternal salvation to all who believe this, as the words and promises of God declare … The Word of God in and with the water does these things … The Old Adam in us should by daily contrition and repentance be drowned and die with all sins and evil desires, and that a new man should daily emerge and arise to live before God.”
3. Eucharist
“It is the true body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ under the bread and wine, instituted by Christ Himself for us Christians to eat and to drink … In the Sacrament forgiveness of sins, life, and salvation are given us … That person is truly worthy and well prepared who has faith in these words: ‘Given … for you for the forgiveness of sins.’”
4. Absolution
“Confession has two parts. First, that we confess our sins, and second, that we receive absolution, that is, forgiveness, from the pastor as from God Himself, not doubting, but firmly believing that by it our sins are forgiven before God in heaven … Before God we should plead guilty of all sins, even those we are not aware of, as we do in the Lord’s Prayer … The Office of the Keys is that special authority which Christ has given to His church on earth to forgive the sins of repentant sinners.”
5. Ordination
“The church is recognized externally by the fact that it consecrates or calls ministers, or has offices that it is to administer.” Luther held to the three major offices.
6. Worship
“Christian people are externally recognized by prayer, public praise, and thanksgiving to God. Where you see and hear the Lord’s Prayer prayed and taught; or psalms or other spiritual songs sung, in accordance with the word of God and the true faith; also the creed, the Ten Commandments, and the catechism used in public.” We do not abolish the Mass. Lutherans maintain the Divine Liturgy and Daily Office.
7. Cross
“Christian people are externally recognized by the possession of the sacred cross. They must endure every misfortune and persecution, all kinds of trials and evil from the devil, the world, and the flesh”—the unholy trinity. We do not seek a cross. It finds us.
I read you posts regularly. However I do not comment often. Today I have a question. In scripture where does one 'word' reflect Law and Gospel? Thank you.
ReplyDelete"Blessed are the poor."
DeleteThat's going to be Law to some and Gospel to others.
Hi RDGStout,
ReplyDeleteI only discovered your tweets—and, by extension, this blog—recently, but I’ve greatly appreciated your thoughts, book quotations, etc. And I love this post.
Apologies for using your blog to ask for advice, but I wonder if you’d have any thoughts on my situation.
I’ve been dealing with some sort of spiritual problem for the last few years: I’m a Catholic who has grown gradually more and more convinced for Reformational, particularly Anglican and Lutheran, positions. In fact, when I’ve read about Luther’s life and conclusions, I feel a strange mix of astonishment and relief—we must have similar sorts of brains, as he sums up so many of my difficulties centuries before I was born (I know, of course, that it’s far from just me).
When I go through your points, and on other many Lutheran doctrines, I think, “Oh boy, I agree with that.” And that’s the problem. I’ve been trying to stick it out in the Catholic Church, but it’s been hard (and I’m not even sure why. Why can’t I just keep my head down, believe what I Lutheranly believe, and keep on keeping on in Catholicism? I’m not likely to get excommunicated, as Luther was).
A wise Lutheran pastor I chatted with advised me to stay Catholic and find charitable interpretations of the doctrines and dogmata I disagree with. That pastor is a better, and more Erasmian, man than I—I keep trying to do it, but then I’ll talk to a priest who tells me that unless I confess my sins, my salvation is in question. (I know Luther kept confession. But his, e.g., uncoupling the Eucharist from the confessional and making confession voluntary make far more sense to me than the Catholic position.) Let alone one of those Lay Internet Inquisitors (as @digesttom calls them) who say everyone and his mother is unequivocally hellbound.
Again, apologies for popping up here to talk about my woes, but if you have any thoughts at all, I’d appreciate them greatly. Thanks again for the Twitter account and the blog.
Of course I see typos right after I click “Publish.” Should be “convinced OF Reformational…”
DeleteDear Nalkarj,
DeleteApologies for not replying sooner. G-mail filters aren’t kind to Blogspot notifications, nor do I get terribly many comments to begin with. A colleague of mine kindly brought my attention to yours.
I remember a theologian once writing that every Lutheran ought constantly to ask himself why he is not Roman Catholic. Sometimes that question can be difficult to answer. Lutheranism in theory is a reform movement within the greater catholic Church; the Augsburg Confession argues that we teach nothing new. In practice, however, we often devolve into Generic Protestant Blend No. 57.
Because of this, most “Augustana Catholic” Lutherans I know tend to have bouts of “Rome fever.” I’ve had some rather acute cases myself. But just as I’ve long been too Catholic for most Lutherans, I would surely be too Lutheran for most Catholics. What’s kept me this side of the Tiber thus far has been the Societas Trinitatis Sanctae (STS) though we are few and far between.
I too would like to have a more Erasmian frame of mind. The RCC is so vast, her traditions so deep and so varied, that I’ve often wondered whether perhaps I could find myself a niche. Hardcore radtrads have reliably discouraged me, yet if we’re being honest, there are those of a similar mindset within every Christian tradition.
The transition between Lutheran, Anglican, and Catholic seems relatively smooth, so far as conversions go. But the grass is rarely greener on the other side. The Cross is a mark of the Church, and we all appear to suffer that in spades. I can only counsel patience and prayer. Yet if conscience continues to plague you, there comes a point where each must proclaim, “Here I stand. I can do no other. God help me.”
God be with you, wheresoever you may roam.
That’s very kind, thank you for the reply and no worries about not responding sooner (or at all).
Delete“There are those of a similar mindset within every Christian tradition.”
Oh yes. I just wish I could find more of that mindset in my tradition.
“The grass is rarely greener on the other side.”
This is one of the main things that have kept me Catholic. God must have had some reason for putting me here, mustn’t he? And I know too many denomination-switchers who jumped fence after fence, eternally expecting greener ecclesial grass.
“Patience and prayer.”
I hope I learn that lesson eventually. It’s been so discouraging these last few years (not only for this reason, but it’s one of them).
Thanks again. God be with you too.