Lutheran Church

Lutheran Church, Thf, was founded by the followers of Martin Luther (q.v.), whose tenets differed in many points from those of the Reformed Church (q.v.) or Calvinists. The whole body of Lutheran doctrine is based on nine creeds or confessions - the Apostles', Nicene, and Athanasian Creeds; and six documents of the 16th centurv viz. the Augsburg Confession (q.v.), the Apology for the Augsburg Confession, the Smalkald Articles, Luther's two Catechisms, and the Form of Concord. Only the three creeds and the Augsburg Confession' are accepted by all Lutherans; the shorter cafe, chism, however, is almost universally recognisefl Lutheran theology as a whole may be said to be summed up in the doctrine of justification by faith. The main cause of the discussion between the "Evangelical" and "Reformed" Churches has been the difference in their viev.'s regarding the nature of the Lord's Supper (q.v.). Owing mainly to the excessive anxiety of its members to preserve the reformer's teaching free from corruption or change, as well as the depressing influence of the Thirty Years' War, there grew up in the Lutheran Church a spirit of narrow orthodoxy which opposed as innovations all efforts after a deeper religious life. This was especially noticeable in the case of Pietism (q.v.). At a later date Rationalism (q.v.) throve apace amidst the prevailing formality and listlessness, and gained a footing within the Church itself which it never afterwards lost. The efforts made by Friedrich Wilhelm III., after the close of the Napoleonic War, to effect a reconciliation between the Lutheran and Reformed Churches, and found a "United Evangelical Church." met with partial success - at least as far as Prussia was concerned - although a large number of the former body seceded under the name of" Old Lutherans." The views of the "New Lutherans," who aim at promoting a more liberal spirit in regard to dogma, were first promulgated about 1848. Lutheranism is the national religion of Sweden, Norway, and Denmark, and there is also a Lutheran Church in many other lands. In Germany the Church is under the general superintendence of the Cultus Minister in Berlin, but each state has its own clerical council, presided over by the civil ruler.