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Lutheran Monk said:

We baptize people of all ages, like tampasteve said.

As for what it actually "looks like" -- most often we pour/sprinkle water on the head three times, but I've known some Lutherans who do immersion as well.

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Hm.... Okay. I'm sure I'll have more questions later but for now that's all I had to ask.

In Lutheranism its water and Word that's important not the amount of water.

Tigger45 said:

In Lutheranism its water and Word that's important not the amount of water.

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Sorry if I offended you, I do not mean to be insulting. I was just wondering how you viewed and carried out baptisms.

DeerGlow said:

Sorry if I offended you, I do not mean to be insulting. I was just wondering how you viewed and carried out baptisms.

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You didn't offend me at all. A lot in communication gets lost when reduced to writing

Tigger45 said:

You didn't offend me at all. A lot in communication gets lost when reduced to writing

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Okay, I realised what I said could have been taken in a bad way and I must have misread your post. I can be bad at picking up tone online.

Do Lutherans consider yourselves Catholic, Protestant, or something else?

DeerGlow said:

Do Lutherans consider yourselves Catholic, Protestant, or something else?

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Yes.
Protestant because we protest the errors of Rome.
Catholic because we believe that in our doctrines, "there is nothing that varies from the Scriptures, or from the Church Catholic, or from the Church of Rome as known from its writers."

"Catholic" means "universal" (more or less) so that just means that we believe we are part of the universal church, but also means that we believe we are the real Roman Catholics (i.e. without the errors of the pope.)

Lutheran Monk said:

Yes.
Protestant because we protest the errors of Rome.
Catholic because we believe that in our doctrines, "there is nothing that varies from the Scriptures, or from the Church Catholic, or from the Church of Rome as known from its writers."

"Catholic" means "universal" (more or less) so that just means that we believe we are part of the universal church, but also means that we believe we are the real Roman Catholics (i.e. without the errors of the pope.)

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So, to clarify, is the pope over your church? Like the higher authority?

DeerGlow said:

So, to clarify, is the pope over your church? Like the higher authority?

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No, we reject that the pope is the divine head of the church. We view all bishops and pastors as equal in authority.

Lutheran Monk said:

No, we reject that the pope is the divine head of the church. We view all bishops and pastors as equal in authority.

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I read through a bit of the small catechism and wondered about the confessor part. You confess known sins that bother you, and the confessor asks if you believe he grants you God's forgiveness in Jesus's name according to a commandment, do you have to confess your sins to a confessor/pastor/priest or do you pray to God for forgiveness or both? And do you believe the mortal/venial sin thing?

Lutheranism teaches that the general confession during the worship service 'is' sufficient for the forgiveness of sins but still retains the option of private confession but it is not mandatory.

Tigger45 said:

Lutheranism teaches that the general confession during the worship service 'is' sufficient for the forgiveness of sins but still retains the option of private confession but it is not mandatory.

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What is general confession?

DeerGlow said:

What is general confession?

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Its the part of a liturgical service where the whole congregation invokes forgiveness together as recited below.


DIVINE SERVICE
Setting One
151
CONFESSION AND ABSOLUTION
A HYMN OF INVOCATION
may be sung.

Stand

The sign of the cross may be made by all in remembrance of their Baptism.

Pastor
In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.

Congregation
Amen.

Matthew 28:19b; [18:20]

Pastor
If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.

Congregation
But if we confess our sins, God, who is faithful and just, will forgive our
sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
1 John 1:8–9

Kneel/Stand

Silence for reflection on God’s Word and for self-examination.

Pastor
Let us then confess our sins to God our Father.

Congregation
Most merciful God, we confess that we are by nature sinful and unclean. We
have sinned against You in thought, word, and deed, by what we have done
and by what we have left undone. We have not loved You with our whole
heart; we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. We justly deserve Your
present and eternal punishment. For the sake of Your Son, Jesus Christ, have
mercy on us. Forgive us, renew us, and lead us, so that we may delight in
Your will and walk in Your ways to the glory of Your holy name. Amen.

Pastor
Almighty God in His mercy has
given His Son to die for you and
for His sake forgives you all your
sins. As a called and ordained
servant of Christ, and by His
authority, I therefore forgive you
all your sins in the name of the
Father and of the Son and of
the Holy Spirit.
[John 20:19–23]

Congregation
Amen.

Hope this helps

Tigger45 said:

Its the part of a liturgical service where the whole congregation invokes forgiveness together as recited below.


DIVINE SERVICE
Setting One
151
CONFESSION AND ABSOLUTION
A HYMN OF INVOCATION
may be sung.

Stand

The sign of the cross may be made by all in remembrance of their Baptism.

Pastor
In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.

Congregation
Amen.

Matthew 28:19b; [18:20]

Pastor
If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.

Congregation
But if we confess our sins, God, who is faithful and just, will forgive our
sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
1 John 1:8–9

Kneel/Stand

Silence for reflection on God’s Word and for self-examination.

Pastor
Let us then confess our sins to God our Father.

Congregation
Most merciful God, we confess that we are by nature sinful and unclean. We
have sinned against You in thought, word, and deed, by what we have done
and by what we have left undone. We have not loved You with our whole
heart; we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. We justly deserve Your
present and eternal punishment. For the sake of Your Son, Jesus Christ, have
mercy on us. Forgive us, renew us, and lead us, so that we may delight in
Your will and walk in Your ways to the glory of Your holy name. Amen.

Pastor
Almighty God in His mercy has
given His Son to die for you and
for His sake forgives you all your
sins. As a called and ordained
servant of Christ, and by His
authority, I therefore forgive you
all your sins in the name of the
Father and of the Son and of
the Holy Spirit.
[John 20:19–23]

Congregation
Amen.

Hope this helps

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It does, thanks.

What about mortal and venial sins? Do you believe that?

tampasteve said:

I believe, though I could be wrong (being a reformed Catholic myself) that yes, technically Lutherans do make a distinction between mortal and venial sins. However, since absolution by a Priest is not necessary for forgiveness, the distinction between them is not as "hard" as it may be in Catholicism and I do not believe that there is any set "this is a mortal sin" such as in Catholicism. So, while there may be a distinction between the two, forgiveness is the same. But I do not think it is a well defined dogma or even base theology really. Some say that the only "mortal sin" are those that could be committed by non-Christians. IE, Christians can only commit venial sins and remain a Christian.

As one person said:A Lutheran Beggar: Thoughts on Mortal and Venial Sins

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I am not sure I understand the beggar blog point of view.

tampasteve said:

I think that what he is getting at is that a sin starts and may be "venial", perhaps telling a single lie, but then it snowballs from one to two, to many more, and a downward spiral of sin, thereby becoming a mortal sin that separates one from God because you no longer care to repent, or the repentance is only on the surface. At least, that is how I read it.

But I hope a more adept Lutheran theologian chimes in, I would hate to be leading us both off track!

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Yeah that sounds like losing salvation to me. I'll wait before my other questions though if someone else wants to explain.

DeerGlow said:

I am not sure I understand the beggar blog point of view.

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I believe this last portion of the blog gets to the point of their position.

"Therefore it is not what the sin is, but whether the sin results in the expulsion of the Holy Spirit and ones faith, that makes it a mortal sin or not."

Pretty much the expulsion of the HS and ones faith would cause that person to loose their salvation.