Often, guests wonder what we’re about – as a congregation, and as a denomination. The rest of the web site should give a pretty good idea what our congregation’s ministry is all about. So here, let’s tackle the question “What’s a Lutheran?”
In a nutshell, “Lutherans” are not all the same; we come in all shapes, sizes, ages, backgrounds, economic and political persuasions. This diversity is both a source of strength and, at times, a source of frustration. It might seem easier if we all believed the exact same thing, or liked all the same styles of music, or shared the same political or religious perspective. Instead, if you want, you can be “Lutheran” AND...
... a member of the Green Party or the John Birch Society;
... a Democrat or a Republican;
... think the best way to support the troops is to support the war in Iraq;
... think the best way to support the troops is to end the war now;
... drive a hybrid or an SUV;
... enjoy the music of J.S. Bach, or Steven Curtis Chapman
(or Dave Matthews, or Mary Blige or Thelonious Monk);
... love lutefisk and leftse or tacos and tamales.
This diversity is a source of strength, it seems to us, because it means that EVERYONE is welcome to be a “Lutheran”! So, what’s a “Lutheran”? A “Lutheran” is anyone...
... who sees themselves in need of God's love; and...
... who accepts that love is offered in the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ; and...
... who grounds themselves in the Bible and uses it as a guide for daily life and faith; and...
... who uses the writings of Martin Luther and his colleagues from the 16th century as a lens through which to understand the Bible; and...
... who seeks to live out their faith, sharing God's blessings with others, and leading them into a relationship with God.
How is this different than any other Christian denomination?
Some of the forms by which we organize ourselves, or express our faith in worship, or talk about our faith in groups here at church, or live out our faith in the world may distinguish us from our sisters and brothers in the Roman Catholic or Baptist or Assemblies of God or Episcopal churches. But that doesn’t make us any better or smarter or better looking than they are.
The bottom line: for Lutherans, the key thing is called “grace,” and that we are saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ (Ephesians 2.8-9) It’s the belief that God gives us what we need for life and for faith, especially forgiveness for our sins – not because of anything we can do to earn it or accomplish it on our own – simply because it’s God’s good pleasure to do so. Author Frederick Buechner puts it well when he writes,
Grace is something you can never get
but only be given.
There’s no way to earn it or deserve it
or bring it about any more than you can
deserve the taste of raspberries and cream
or earn good looks or bring about your own birth.
A crucial eccentricity of the Christian faith
is the assertion that people are saved by grace.
There’s nothing you have to do.
There’s nothing you have to do.
There’s nothing you have to do.
From Wishful Thinking, A Theological ABC
(San Francisco: Harper and Row, 1973)
For further reading, check out:
http://www.elca.org/communication/roots.html
(about our roots in Europe and North America)
http://www.elca.org/questions/history.asp
(FAQ's about Lutheran History and Theology)
|
