My wife decided this morning to try out a Lutheran church on her own. Her reasoning being that she can check it out for her mom and I knowing that because it's very similar to Catholicism we would be more comfortable and willing to go next week.
She came home and let us know that the service is familiar as it's close to what a Catholic mass is like. I asked her if she liked it, and her answer was it's different, but that she's will not likely make that her home church or a church where we go as a family each week (which means that my MIL and I can go every week, but that she may not be joining us). The lack of a nursery is one of her contributing factors. She is also very fond of a pentecostal service and wants the Holy Spirit to lead service with signs of the Holy Spirit working through slayings in the spirit and tongues.
Okay, on to my questions.
Does the Lutheran church see a marriage is valid even if the husband and wife were not married in the Lutheran church?
I ask this because it is one of the biggest things keeping me from the Catholic church as I am a cradle Catholic, but walked away as a teenager. I came back to Christ when I met my wife and have been in and out of churches since. I did return to the Catholic church only to find that my marriage is invalid because we were not married by a priest in the Catholic church. I was also told that God doesn't recognize our marriage because the Catholic church doesn't. So we're living in sin if we will not live as brother and sister until we got convalidated or I got a radical sanation.
Does the Lutheran church require you go through classes in order to become Lutheran?
Is confession to a pastor required to partake of communion?
If it means anything or will havean effect on the answer, the Lutheran church that she went to is part of the NALC.
If you're looking for traditional Catholicism, it's much easier to find in the LCMS, ELS, or WELS. The ELCA or NLAC will be very contemporary for the average Roman-Catholic.
In Christianity, you're generally assumed to be married when two of the flesh join together as one, male and female. Being married in the flesh isn't exactly a holy matrimony, recognized by any Church, but this doesn't mean you can't make a confession of faith asking God for forgiveness. At some point, asking for God's blessing onto to you and your spouse in marriage should take place, especially if all you have is a marriage certificate from a courthouse. In such instances, some couples will ask their pastor for a holy matrimony, where they're essentially renewing their vows, only before God, rather than a judge.
As a congregational member of the LCMS, I can tell you that we aren't into the practice of calling into question existing marriages performed by Trinitarian clergy. The LCMS won't knowingly admit anyone into congregational membership while fornification is taking place or a family is outside of wedlock. Even though I'm already confirmed, I attended adult confirmation with my wife, so that she could join the congregation. While in adult confirmation on Sundays, my wife and I attended marriage counseling for a little over 6-months, whenever pastor had an opening in his schedule.
Adult confirmation through a catechesis class is required before membership into the congregation is granted. Congregational membership is a confirmation of your faith, stating that the Lutheran Confessional documents of faith found in the 1580 Book of Concord, are in keeping with the true Christian and catholic faith. Congregational membership in the LCMS grants access to the Lords Supper, voting rights at council meetings, participation on Church councils/boards, altar guilds, ushering/greeting, teaching/instructor, or the pursuit of a chairmanship on a council/board.
Tongues is an Old English term that simply means "foreign language" in our post-modern English. The Biblical account of "tongues" in the Book of Acts clearly mentions the specific foreign languages being spoken. The Holy Spirit very specifically, grants upon his will, the discernment of tongues among those in the crowd. The Bible places restrictions on the use of tongues, to include two or more must be available for translation of the tongues; when and where the Holy Spirit isn't granting the gift of discernment. An Angelic Tongue so to speak is only briefly mentioned in Scripture apart from any details; and is generally regarded throughout ancient Christianity as a Semitic language like Hebrew or Aramaic for instance. All LCMS pastors must complete two-years of Hebrew and Koine (Attic Greek) immediately upon entering our seminaries. They're also expected to have a general knowledge of Latin. The ELS, WELS, and LCMS pastors are well equipped in seminary to have a broad knowledge of the native tongues of our Bible. Extensive historical context is also part of their training to better understand the context of Biblical accounts.
Lutherans practice vicarious atonement (imputed faith) where God receives 100% of the credit in all matters pertaining to our belief. Pentecostals practice governmental atonement (God initiates, while mankind completes acts of faith) which is why you'll see exuberant enthusiasm exercised as a form of proof, works righteousness, or the Holy Spirit supposedly being present. Biblically, the Holy Spirit is only available where God's Word and Sacrament are present. Most Pentecostals practice Dispensational Theology which butchers the ancient context and interpretations of Scripture that have been passed down to Christians over the centuries. Pentecostals require a believer's baptism (Jesus as the Christ) and another baptism by fire (works righteousness displaying an abundance of the gifts given by the Holy Spirit). The Books of Corinthians contradicts Pentecostalism in that, the Holy Spirit gives various gifts accordingly to various people in accordance to how they have been called into service by God. Pentecostals believe they can coerce the Holy Spirit into giving them gifts according to how they want God to call them, rather than letting God reveal the/these gift(s) to us as he has predestined it. A cross is rarely present in Pentecostal congregations, because God's death on the cross is generally viewed by Pentecostals as unnecessary, because Pentecostals believe their works righteousness in the Holy Spirit can overcome original/actual sin. According the Bible, our natural nature is the flesh, which cannot believe in God, so our belief or faith is given to us by the Holy Spirit. So, technically, apart from receiving baptism (imputed faith from God) there's really no such thing as a believer's baptism or even a believer's prayer. As Lutherans, our role is a passive one in terms of our relationship with the Holy Spirit; while the Holy Spirit's role is an active one with us; just the opposite of Pentecostalism.
Yes, Lutheranism does require confession, before participation in the Lord's Supper. As mentioned by others, our liturgy includes a public confession of our sins in thought, word, and deed. The liturgy follows with a moment of silence for examination, by God, of our genuine nature in this confession of sins; and we will confess in our thoughts, any specific sins, that weigh heavily on our hearts and minds. Individuals, Spouses, families, or even multiple congregational members can request private/group confession/counseling in the pastor's chamber/office. Unlike Roman-Catholicism, private confession in Lutheranism is face-to-face with the pastor.
In our LCMS hymnal, each song has subscript at the bottom, which indicates which Bible verses you're singing from within the hymn. Also, the LCMS predominantly uses the 3-year lectionary which completes the New Testament and supporting Old Testament readings associated with or quoted by Christ Jesus and his apostles. The overwhelming abundance of Scripture from beginning to end of worship service maintains the focus on God thru his Word, rather than false piety or a smooth talking preacher. Some Lutheran congregations will speak aloud a gradual or chant from the Book of Psalms, my congregation chants from the Book of Psalms.
