Lutherans believe WHAT?

[Lamb]

In the news you might hear various things proclaimed by Lutherans. But the problem is that is their viewpoint LUTHERAN? If it's in the news many times NO. But then again it also depends on which Synod that Lutheran belongs to. Synod means walking together.

I belong to the LCMS which is very conservative. We have close communion and do not ordain women.

The ELCA is the largest synod in the US and they are the most liberal believing in open communion and they do ordain women.

 

[Cassia]

I like that the Lutheran Orthodox Church actually 'believe' that women should and have been ordained rather than something they have 'allowed' as a concession to pressure

 

[Tigger]

I've been all over the Christian denominational map and have found a home in Lutheranism. Its biblical theology and church history is very scholarly. And the proper division between law and Gospel gives me clarity and peace.

 

[Josiah]

.

Lamm and Tigger do a great job of relating the heart and message of Lutheranism.....


I too am LCMS. Former Catholic who thankfully quickly found a home in traditional/conservative Lutheranism.


At CH, we don't have active representatives of "liberal Lutheranism." At CF, there was one in particular who as a teen seeker and new Lutheran persecuted me, harassed, ridiculed me and until my final days at CF made my life miserable (he was an Admin there); he was a frequent spokesperson for liberal "Lutheranism" (and seemed enormously bothered by my leaning toward and then embracing conservative Lutheranism). But again, none of our active Lutherans here seem to be from that perspective - at least not passionately so. Yes.... as in most Protestant denominational groups, there is a conservative and a liberal branch.



- Josiah the (now) Lutheran

 

[Cassia]

.

Lamm and Tigger do a great job of relating the heart and message of Lutheranism.....


I too am LCMS. Former Catholic who thankfully quickly found a home in traditional/conservative Lutheranism.


At CH, we don't have active representatives of "liberal Lutheranism." At CF, there was one in particular who as a teen seeker and new Lutheran persecuted me, harassed, ridiculed me and until my final days at CF made my life miserable (he was an Admin there); he was a frequent spokesperson for liberal "Lutheranism" (and seemed enormously bothered by my leaning toward and then embracing conservative Lutheranism). But again, none of our active Lutherans here seem to be from that perspective - at least not passionately so. Yes.... as in most Protestant denominational groups, there is a conservative and a liberal branch.



- Josiah the (now) Lutheran

Can we safely say that you speak for the minority of Lutheranism?

 

[Josiah]

Can we safely say that you speak for the minority of Lutheranism?

I think we can say that Lamm, Tigger and I speak for historic, confessional, traditional Lutheranism. Lutheranism TODAY is very big, with over 70 million worldwide, and as such is NOW quite diverse. True... there are SOME things out of the Church of Sweden or even the ELCA here in the USA that we would disagree with and that is not reflective of the Lutheran Confessions and traditional Lutheran teachings and practices. Sorry... but the traditional/conservative vs. new/liberal divide is (sadly) common is almost all Protestant communities (and in some ways in Catholicism, too).

But again, SOMEHOW, you found the website of an extremely TINY "Lutheran" denomination in the USA (I think they have a few dozen house churches) that is quite out of synch with any other form of Lutheranism - conservative or liberal. If you are American, I would refer you to 2 denomiations: the ELCA (the more liberal group) and the LCMS (the more conservative/traditional group). Those two denominations will give you the pov of contemporary American Lutheranism. Lamm and I both belong to the LCMS.

 

[Cassia]

I think we can say that Lamm, Tigger and I speak for historic, confessional, traditional Lutheranism. Lutheranism TODAY is very big, with over 70 million worldwide, and as such is NOW quite diverse. True... there are SOME things out of the Church of Sweden or even the ELCA here in the USA that we would disagree with and that is not reflective of the Lutheran Confessions and traditional Lutheran teachings and practices. Sorry... but the traditional/conservative vs. new/liberal divide is (sadly) common is almost all Protestant communities (and in some ways in Catholicism, too).

But again, SOMEHOW, you found the website of an extremely TINY "Lutheran" denomination in the USA (I think they have a few dozen house churches) that is quite out of synch with any other form of Lutheranism - conservative or liberal. If you are American, I would refer you to 2 denomiations: the ELCA (the more liberal group) and the LCMS (the more conservative/traditional group). Those two denominations will give you the pov of contemporary American Lutheranism. Lamm and I both belong to the LCMS.

I'm not sure who tigger is on the other forum but a tigger had posted that on the egalitarian forum on cf. So ... I think that your speaking about an administrator from that site that wasn't pleased with what I thought was from your form of Lutheranism.

 

[MoreCoffee]

My guess is that "liberal" Litheranism is a majority.

 

[Josiah]

http://steadfastlutherans.org/images/whatabout/wa_elca-lcms.pdf

 

[TurtleHare]

You know what I can stand is when the papers post about the Lutherans siding with something and we know it isn't representing all Lutherans and then we have to go round explaining to everyone that nope we don't agree with that and the papers need to be more aware. Don't lump me in that group and it's kind of like when talking about Baptists too because they're all over the board in their beliefs so to classify all thougts as Baptist is when we know it's not is what the papers do with Lutherans but they remain uneducated in their journalistic lives.

 

[George]

Why do they ordain women?

 

[Cassia]

Why do they ordain women?

To keep the boys accountable.

 

[Lamb]

Why do they ordain women?

The ELCA ordains women but the LCMS (which I belong to) and WELS do not. Most conservative Lutheran synods do not ordain women.

The ELCA is a large synod because it was a combination of other synods back in the 1980s. Not ALL people who remain in the synod agree with what the synod is pushing! All they know is they're in the same church with the same people for years and years. They are afraid to leave until it affects them personally.