Are Lutherans generally not Calvinistic?

Is Calvinism taught in the Bible? Does man have free-will? Can a Christian apostatize? Discuss all related questions here.

Moderator: grand_puba

Post Reply
User avatar
m273p15c
Posts: 2788
Joined: Tue Sep 28, 1999 10:45 am

Are Lutherans generally not Calvinistic?

Post by m273p15c » Fri Feb 22, 2008 4:34 pm

I skimmed parts of your web-site and noted that you were not Calvinist. FWIW, I too am not Calvinistic:

http://www.insearchoftruth.org/articles ... #calvinism

I am just curious if most modern Lutherans are like you, in that they too are adamantly opposed to Calvinism.

Many thanks,

m273p15c--
May God help us to love truth sincerely and supremely (II Thessalonians 2:11-12)

User avatar
email
Non-Member
Posts: 2994
Joined: Thu Mar 24, 2005 1:23 pm
Location: ether
Contact:

Re: Are Lutherans generally not Calvinistic?

Post by email » Fri Feb 22, 2008 4:48 pm

Thanks for your message.

Just as is the case within the large general "tent" that is known as "Calvinism" or "Reformed" there are all kinds of people who call themselves Lutheran.

I am a pastor in a church called The Lutheran Church--Missouri Synod. Our church began here in the USA in 1847 as a result of German immigrants who came to America to escape being forced into a merger of Calvinism and Lutheranism in the lands of Prussia, that was ordered by the King of Prussia in 1817. As a result, our founding fathers realized that the only way they could remain true to their identify as Lutherans was to leave. Our theological roots go directly back to Martin Luther in Saxony and we are very much committed to the Lutheran faith as it is set forth in what is called "The Book of Concord." And hence, yes, we still believe what is set forth as our confession of the faith in that book; consequently, our Synod would be the most close to the historic Lutheran rejections of various beliefs of Calvinism.

You can read more about why we are opposed to Calvinism by consulting the Book of Concord, which I'm pleased to tell you is available for free at www.bookofconcord.org

There is a special "reader's edition" of the book that contains a lot of helpful explanatory material, and you can read more about it at:

www.cph.org/concordia

I hope this information is helpful to you.

Cordially, in Christ
The above presented views do not necessarily represent any specific individual, registered on this forum or otherwise.
Who is "email"?

User avatar
m273p15c
Posts: 2788
Joined: Tue Sep 28, 1999 10:45 am

Re: Are Lutherans generally not Calvinistic?

Post by m273p15c » Fri Feb 22, 2008 4:59 pm

Thank you for the swift and concise answer. That was very helpful!

Many thanks!

m273p15c
May God help us to love truth sincerely and supremely (II Thessalonians 2:11-12)

User avatar
email
Non-Member
Posts: 2994
Joined: Thu Mar 24, 2005 1:23 pm
Location: ether
Contact:

Re: Are Lutherans generally not Calvinistic?

Post by email » Fri Feb 22, 2008 5:15 pm

You bet!

After I hit "send" I realized I should have said:

But of course both you and I are in total agreement that the "liberal" incarnations of our respective Reformation traditions are neither authentically Lutheran or Calvinist, but that sad mish-mash of Western liberalism which can no longer take a stand for any specific Christian truth.

Blessings in Christ our Lord
The above presented views do not necessarily represent any specific individual, registered on this forum or otherwise.
Who is "email"?

User avatar
m273p15c
Posts: 2788
Joined: Tue Sep 28, 1999 10:45 am

Re: Are Lutherans generally not Calvinistic?

Post by m273p15c » Fri Feb 22, 2008 5:39 pm

Yes, I too am very disappointed with the liberal trend that is advancing. It seems there are many attacks on God's Word as His will revealed for us. Whether it is the emotional, subjective preference to being "Spirit led" (i.e, "The Spirit told me sin-X was OK, and I don't have to obey the Bible.") or the materialistic, casual dismissal of the Bible's inspiration or textual integrity ("Everyone knows you can't trust the Bible. So, many translations, copies, interjections..."), the result is the same. "Every man did what was right in his own eyes."

I greatly respect the Lutherans emphasis on the Holy Writ. ... Personally, I firmly believe that unity, in addition to moral purity, benevolence, and evangelism, is a significant task laid on the church and its saints (John 17:20-21). So, may I pause to ask you this question? What do you think about this verse?
10 Now I plead with you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.
11 For it has been declared to me concerning you, my brethren, by those of Chloe's household, that there are contentions among you.
12 Now I say this, that each of you says, "I am of Paul," or "I am of Apollos," or "I am of Cephas," or "I am of Christ."
13 Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul?
14 I thank God that I baptized none of you except Crispus and Gaius,
15 lest anyone should say that I had baptized in my own name.
(I Corinthians 1:10-15)
This verse seems to condemn us dividing into sects, especially those that wear a man's name. For me, this is a primary reason I am not a member of the Lutheran church, or any other denomination. (Please forgive me, if you do not consider the Lutheran church to be a denomination. I don't mean to offend.) I know you have great respect for the Bible, so I wanted to hear your thoughts on this.

I ask only because I too wear the name of Christ, and I seek His glory in all things, as I believe you want to do too.

May God help us to have a sincere love of the truth,

m273p15c
May God help us to love truth sincerely and supremely (II Thessalonians 2:11-12)

will
Posts: 357
Joined: Sat Jul 16, 2005 3:47 pm

Re: Are Lutherans generally not Calvinistic?

Post by will » Fri Feb 22, 2008 9:35 pm

I did a Google on "Lutheran Church--Missouri Synod". Their website and Wikip. are interesting. They don't go as far w/ this as one might think. Very denom mindset and a lot of R.C trappings, etc..

BTW he says, "Division, though tragic, is necessary in our fallen world in order to preserve the truth of God's Word". I don't think division preserves God's word!!
In Him for truth.

Post Reply