Lutherans are Christians whose tradition grew from the sixteenth-century Reformation associated with Martin Luther and other reformers in the German-speaking lands. Lutheran churches today are found worldwide and differ in polity, worship style, biblical interpretation, and social teaching.
Origins of Lutheranism
Martin Luther criticized practices and teachings in the late medieval Western Church and argued for reform based on scripture and the gospel of God’s grace. The Augsburg Confession of 1530 became one of the most important statements of Lutheran belief.
Justification by grace through faith
Lutheran theology places strong emphasis on justification: sinners are reconciled to God by grace through faith because of Christ, not because they earn salvation through moral or religious achievement. Good works are expected as the fruit of faith rather than the basis on which salvation is earned.
Scripture and the creeds
Lutherans receive the Bible as authoritative scripture and also use the ancient Apostles’, Nicene, and Athanasian Creeds. Historic Lutheran churches use confessional writings collected in the Book of Concord, though the level of formal subscription differs among church bodies.
Baptism and Communion
Lutherans generally recognize Baptism and Holy Communion as sacraments. Infant baptism is common. In Communion, Lutheran teaching affirms the real presence of Christ’s body and blood with the bread and wine, though Lutheran explanations differ from both Roman Catholic transubstantiation and purely symbolic interpretations.
Worship
Many Lutheran churches use a structured liturgy with scripture readings, preaching, hymns, creeds, prayer, and Communion. Others use contemporary forms of worship while retaining Lutheran teaching.
Church organization
There is no single worldwide Lutheran authority. Some Lutheran churches are led by bishops, while others use presidents or synodical structures. Major Lutheran bodies cooperate through organizations such as the Lutheran World Federation, while some confessional Lutheran churches belong to other international associations.
Lutherans and other Christians
Lutherans share the basic Trinitarian and Christological beliefs of historic Christianity. Ecumenical dialogue has addressed older disputes with Catholics, Reformed Christians, Anglicans, Methodists, and others. The 1999 Joint Declaration on the Doctrine of Justification marked an important Catholic-Lutheran agreement on central aspects of justification.
Lutheranism is therefore a family of churches rooted in the Reformation, united by a strong emphasis on Christ, grace, faith, scripture, Baptism, and Communion, but diverse in modern organization and practice.
