The ELCA, on the other hand, does not require that its church workers and congregations pledge unqualified acceptance of the full doctrinal content of the Book of Concord.
The ELCA views the Lutheran Confessions as historical expressions of the faith held to be true at the time that they were written, but not necessarily as normative standards for teaching and practice today. Given its approach to the Holy Scriptures and the Lutheran Confessions, it comes as no surprise that the ELCA would consider it possible to enter into fellowship with churches that teach things that are clearly contrary to the Word of God and the Lutheran Confessions.
These sorts of fellowship arrangements are a reflection of the attitude that absolute truth is unable to be known, confessed and asserted. The LCMS believes that the Bible requires full agreement in doctrine before it is possible to join in altar and pulpit fellowship with other churches Rom. On the other hand, the ELCA believes that disagreement in important doctrinal truths does not prohibit altar and pulpit fellowship with other churches. A good example of this attitude is found in the documents the ELCA used to establish church fellowship with the three Reformed churches.
This has never before been the position of the Lutheran church, and reveals a decided movement away from historic Lutheranism on the part of the ELCA. All Lutherans have a wonderful opportunity to wrestle with the question of what it means to be a confessional Lutheran church in this day and age.
What does it mean to say that we embrace the Holy Scripture as the inerrant and inspired Word of God? What teachings will therefore be rejected? What truths will be raised high as positions that can never be compromised or bargained away for the sake of external church unity? What does it mean to say we agree unconditionally with the Lutheran Confessions as pure expositions of the Word of God?
Given this unqualified subscription to the Lutheran Confessions, what issues are non-negotiable and can never be surrendered or given up by Lutherans who wish to remain genuinely confessional Lutherans?
A qualified charitable distribution from your IRA can send missionaries, fund global mission work, prepare church workers, and more. Learn more. Explore resources for LCMS pastors, congregations, schools and individuals to recognize and celebrate Advent and Christmas.
President Harrison and the Rev. View video. Read article. Visit the U-Dom Project 24 site in Chepareria, Kenya, where children in need are cared for, taught about Jesus Christ and given a good education.
View photo essay. Learn more at lcms. Listen to podcast. The report follows several requests, in recent years, for the CTCR to address the question of whether or to what extent LCMS clergy should continue to serve as agents of the state in officiating marriages and signing civil marriage licenses. Visit Reporter. View calendar. Browse all resources. It is a member of the International Lutheran Council, and is in altar and pulpit fellowship with most of that group's members.
The current president is the Rev. Matthew C. Harrison, who took office on September 1, One of the signature teachings of the Lutheran Reformation is the teaching named Sola scriptura—"Scripture alone. It also holds that Scripture is explained and interpreted by the Book of Concord—a series of confessions of faith composed by Lutherans in the 16th century. Missouri Synod pastors and congregations agree to teach in harmony with the Book of Concord because it teaches and faithfully explains the Word of God.
Since the Missouri Synod is a confessional church body, its ordained and commissioned ministers of religion are sworn by their oaths of ordination or installation, or both, to interpret the Sacred Scriptures according to the Book of Concord.
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