I’m reading a lot on the history of Lutheranism in America, thanks especially to Dr. Charles Arand’s Testing the Boundaries: Windows to Lutheran Identity. I now know more about the various Lutheran denominations in the late nineteenth century than I knew before—which was next to nothing.
It may sound boring to you, but it is fascinating to me. Here are three reasons why.
Lutherans deeply love the Word.
Lutherans deeply love anything and anyone that gives a clear articulation of Law and Gospel. We love the Creeds and our Lutheran Confessions (all of the Confessions, by the way) because they give witness in a systematized and consistent way to the truths of Scripture. Praise Jesus!
Lutherans fight…a lot.
The nineteenth-century American Lutherans fought over the emphasis of Lutheran Confessions that churches and pastors should subscribe to as a clear exposition on the Word of God. Just the Augsburg Confession? All of the Book of Concord, including the “Formula of Concord”? Different denominations made different decisions. The LCMS subscribed to the entire Book of Concord. For this I am grateful.
When we fight (and when we don’t), we need our exegetes.
Why? They keep us focused on the Holy Scriptures. They are less prone to the petty denominational political power plays.
Dr. Arand made this assessment in his book. I believe the same is true today:
Exegetes, unite and speak.
Keep us focused on God’s Word revealed in Christ Jesus as the Savior of the world.
Keep us focused on the content, character, and craft displayed by Jesus and the early church.
Keep us focused on the mission of the Church to distribute Word and Sacrament for the sake of the sending of the found to reach the lost.
Keep us sound in our doctrine around our Lutheran distinctives.
Help us not lose love flowing from the cross of Christ.
Help us resist pharisaical or heretical tendencies.
Help us keep our eyes fixed on Jesus, the author and perfector of our faith.
Help keep us united in the Gospel.
This is one of the prayers of the ULC. uniteleadership.org
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