Gifting The Twitter Church Series - Lutheran
Welcome back! On June 5th, I began a series in which I asked "What has [fill in the blank] tradition gifted the larger Church?" The one rule was the answers had to be edifying, which twitter people are (mostly). You can find the results of this twitter series on my blog or using the hashtag, #GiftingTheChurch (thanks for the idea Pastor Daniel).
Whether it's for good reasons or not, some church traditions we discuss are met favorably, while I recommend buckling up for others. The Methodists, Lutherans, Anglicans, seemed to be met rather favorably in this twitter series. I find it all endlessly fascinating. In this list, it can be hard to tell which gifts come from the church tradition Luther founded, versus which ones come from Luther himself.
Click here to read Day One - Methodist.
Day Two - Lutheran
- The concept of justification by grace alone, through faith alone, on account of Christ alone. Justification.
- The hymn, A Mighty Fortress Is Our God, written and composed by Martin Luther.
- The quote: "As sound is to the ear and the iron to fire so it the Jesus to the Eucharist" (unknown).
- Johann Sebastian Bach.
- Music. Music. Music. Congregational singing.
- Luther's Small Catechism.
- The five solas; Sola scriptura, sola fide, sola gratia, solus Christus, soli deo gloria.
- Lutheran deaconess movement in Germany to nurse the sick, which is where Florence Nightingale went for nursing training.
- A unified German language.
- Freedom - from religiosity, phoniness and the progressive sanctification project. Freedom to live.
- Trusting in Christ's finished work for real sinners. Trusting in the promises made to us in baptism.
- How they put Jesus at the center of everything. The strong Law and Gospel paradigm that helps show the Gospel in all scripture.
- A heritage that taught a high view of God's sovereignty and holiness. (This woman learned 100 verses for confirmation as a Lutheran school girl).
- Endless studies of John and Romans.
- The both/and lens; sinner and saint, law and gospel, etc.
- Dietrich Bonhoeffer (his book The Cost of Discipleship in particular).
- An emphasis on the priesthood of all believers.
- That the peasants' life is just as holy as the monks'. Vocation as holy.
- The church in Luther's time needed reform and he did what he could.
- Male and female pastors (ELCA).
- Adult education opportunities, including universities.
- A robust understanding of the use of Scripture that's a continuation of the ancient catholic tradition.
- Luther began the trend of translating the Bible in to common languages.
- Lutheran Hour Ministries was at the front of radio ministry and helped propel the North American church in that direction.
- The whole church calendar with bonus rounds of Oktoberfest and St. Lucia.
- Garrison Keillor and his lutefisk jokes.
- Martin Luther quote:
It is as impossible to separate faith and works as it is heat and light from a flame.