| The Lutheran church is
nearly 600 years old. Martin Luther (1483-1546) was an Augustinian monk
and an ordained priest in the Roman Catholic church who lived in Germany.
While pursuing a Doctor of Theology degree he discovered significant
differences between what he read in the Bible and the theology and
practices of the church of his day.
On October 31, 1517, he posted
a challenge on the church door at Wittenberg University to debate 95
theological issues. Luther's hope was that the church would reform its
practice to be more consistent with the Bible. What started as an academic
debate escalated to a religious war; as a result, there was not a
reformation of the church but a separation. "Lutheran" was a name applied
to Luther and his followers as an insult but they adopted it as a badge of
honor instead.
Lutherans still hold to the
basic principles of theology and practice espoused by Luther, such as:
- We are saved by the
grace of God alone-not by what we do;
- Our salvation is through
faith alone-we only need to believe that our sins are forgiven for
Christ's sake, who died to redeem us;
- The Bible is the only
norm of doctrine and life-the only true standard by which teachings and
doctrines are to be judged.
Luther's Small Catechism
(which contains basic teachings on the Ten Commandments, the Apostles'
Creed, the Lord's Prayer, Holy Baptism, and Holy Communion) is still used
to introduce people to the Lutheran faith, as is the more detailed
Augsburg Confession. These and other Lutheran confessional documents are
included in the Book of Concord.
Martin Luther's Seal
| Martin Luther created his seal while
he was a professor at Wittenberg University. The seal was meant to be
"expressive of his theology." The seal shows a cross on a heart at the
center of a rose. The Messianic rose symbolizes Christ and is enclosed
in a circle that denotes eternity. This explanation is taken from a
letter written to his friend, Herr Spengler, the town clerk of
Nuremberg. |
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The first thing expressed in my seal is a cross,
black, within the heart, to put me in mind that faith in Christ
crucified saves us. "For with the heart man believeth unto
righteousness."
Now, although the cross is black, mortified, and
intended to cause pain, yet it does not change the colour of the
heart, does not destroy nature - i.e., does not kill, but keeps
alive. "For the just shall live by faith," - by faith in the Saviour.
But this heart is fixed upon the centre of a white
rose, to show that faith causes joy, consolation, and peace. The
rose is white, not red, because white is the ideal colour of all
angels and blessed spirits.
This rose, moreover, is fixed in a sky-coloured
ground, to denote that such joy of faith in the spirit is but an
earnest and beginning of heavenly joy to come, as anticipated and
held by hope, though not yet revealed.
And around this groundbase is a
golden ring, to signify that such bliss in heaven is endless, and
more precious than all joys and treasures, since gold is the best
and most precious metal. Christ, our dear Lord, He will give grace
unto eternal life.
Amen,
Martin Luther
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Further information
on the history and beliefs of the Lutheran church is available on the
ELCA website.
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