Ask a Lutheran anything ...

[Resha Caner]

... even though it's unlikely I can give you a satisfactory answer.

 

[Davian]

What brand and model of tire do you recommend for a commuter vehicle that sees rain but is unlikely to be driven in snow?

 

[Ana the Ist]

A horse is a horse, of course of course,
and no one can talk to a horse of course,
that is of course, unless the horse...?

 

[Resha Caner]

What brand and model of tire do you recommend for a commuter vehicle that sees rain but is unlikely to be driven in snow?

It just so happens I was rear-ended on the way to work yesterday. It had been raining lightly and the lady who hit me said her car went into a skid and she couldn't get stopped. I suspect there may have been other factors such as speed and a focus on electronic devices.

Anyway, maybe I could ask what tires were on her car. If skidding on wet pavement was really the sole cause of the accident, I would recommend you not use the same tires as she.

 

[Resha Caner]

A horse is a horse, of course of course,
and no one can talk to a horse of course,
that is of course, unless the horse...?

I've never watched Mr. Ed. but for some strange reason I suspect the horse was never actually talking ... that it was some amazing technical innovation ... probably beyond the capability of my small mind to grasp.

Still, I can imagine other scenarios that might allow one to talk to a horse such as if the species evolved the Broca area of the brain along with the proper structure of the teeth, tongue, palate, and lips ... naw, that would be crazy. Silly me.

 

[Paradoxum]

Why does the Lutheran symbol here look like a football (soccer ball) with a cross on it? It looks like that to me anyway.

What makes Lutheranism different from other denominations? Is there anything which particularly stands out? Denominations that I know enough about to compare it to are charismaticism, evangelicalism, Calvinism, the Roman Catholic church, and the Church of England (the first two, and Arminianism, being my old faith).

I quickly wiki'ed it, and I saw that baptism and the eucharist are seen as having some magical qualities (for lack of a better word). I mean... in my old church baptism and communion were seen as symbolic, rather than having any power in themselves. So I don't get it.

 

[andy b]

who came up with the name lutheran its to similar to lucifer

 

[Paradoxum]

who came up with the name lutheran its to similar to lucifer

Martin Luther - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[Resha Caner]

who came up with the name lutheran its to similar to lucifer

Some questions are obviously meant as humor. Some are obviously serious. And then some questions ...

 

[FireDragon76]

I quickly wiki'ed it, and I saw that baptism and the eucharist are seen as having some magical qualities (for lack of a better word). I mean... in my old church baptism and communion were seen as symbolic, rather than having any power in themselves. So I don't get it.

Most magisterial Protestants (Lutherans, Presbyterians, and Episcopalians/Anglicans) see them as a means of grace, ie., they contribute to a person's salvation in some way. It's not that different from the Roman Catholic belief.

 

[PsychoSarah]

What sect of Christianity would you say is the most similar to Lutheran?

 

[Resha Caner]

Why does the Lutheran symbol here look like a football (soccer ball) with a cross on it? It looks like that to me anyway.

It's called Luther's rose: Luther rose - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

What makes Lutheranism different from other denominations? Is there anything which particularly stands out? Denominations that I know enough about to compare it to are charismaticism, evangelicalism, Calvinism, the Roman Catholic church, and the Church of England (the first two, and Arminianism, being my old faith).

I quickly wiki'ed it, and I saw that baptism and the eucharist are seen as having some magical qualities (for lack of a better word). I mean... in my old church baptism and communion were seen as symbolic, rather than having any power in themselves. So I don't get it.

I come from the Confessional branch of Lutherans, so I'll only address those beliefs. We are called Confessional because we still hold to (confess) the Book of Concord as the proper exposition (interpretation) of the Bible. The Book of Concord is what Luther and his followers put together to explain what they saw as the necessary reforms of the Roman Catholic Church (RCC).

So, in that regard, you could say the unique thing about Lutherans is that we never intended to leave the RCC (while other reformers openly advocated for a break). Concord was simply a petition to the pope to reform the church, but since Luther was excommunicated as a result, they were forced to worship outside the RCC.

The Lutheran view, therefore (though I'm sure my RCC brothers would disagree) is that all we have done is remove what the RCC had added and changed over the years. In that regard, we are very similar to the RCC and maybe even more similar to the Orthodox Church. You will find many former Lutherans in the Orthodox Church and many former Orthodox in Lutheran churches. Some of the key differences are that we don't venerate Mary or pray to the Saints. Neither do we have an episcopal structure (pope, bishops, etc.) Rather, we have a congregational structure.

In terms of Calvinism and Arminianism, you could say we fall in between the two. We believe only God can call someone to faith, but we believe that call can be rejected - no double predestination or once-saved-always-saved.

I wouldn't say the sacraments (the Eucharist and Baptism) are "magical". Rather, they are two of the physical means by which God calls people to faith. People are always asking "blind faith" and "supernatural" questions ... How can you know God if there is no evidence? How can God interact with us if he's not physical? Stuff like that. The sacraments are 2 ways he physically interacts with us. There are others such as the Word and prayer. [edit] Oops. I goofed the first time and wrote "I would say the sacraments are magical" rather than "wouldn't".

So, we believe the water causes a change in a person when they are baptized. And, similarly, we believe the bread and wine cause a change in a person - that Christ is physically present. Unlike the RCC we don't believe the bread and wine are body and blood, but rather that Christ is physically present during the sacrament. As such, by taking the bread and wine we are "participating" in the body of Christ (1 Corinthians 10:16). So, it's not that the Eucharist is cannibalism - that we're munching on someone's body - but that we're allowing the present Christ to physically change us. It's why we take St. Paul's warning so seriously (1 Corinthians 11:29).

 

[Ana the Ist]

I've never watched Mr. Ed. but for some strange reason I suspect the horse was never actually talking ... that it was some amazing technical innovation ... probably beyond the capability of my small mind to grasp.

Still, I can imagine other scenarios that might allow one to talk to a horse such as if the species evolved the Broca area of the brain along with the proper structure of the teeth, tongue, palate, and lips ... naw, that would be crazy. Silly me.

Sorry I'm afraid it was a trick question. Anyone can talk to a horse...they just don't talk back.

 

[Resha Caner]

What sect of Christianity would you say is the most similar to Lutheran?

As I said to Paradoxum, we're probably closest to the Orthodox, with Catholics being a close second. Some of the differences are that we don't venerate Mary or pray to the Saints, and we don't have an episcopal structure (pope & bishops), but a congregational one.

We also differ from the Orthodox on what Tradition and the Church means, and we differ from the Catholics in that we are monergist (only God saves) and they are synergist (the person works with God to be saved).

 

[Resha Caner]

Sorry I'm afraid it was a trick question. Anyone can talk to a horse...they just don't talk back.

OK. You got me.

 

[Resha Caner]

Most magisterial Protestants (Lutherans, Presbyterians, and Episcopalians/Anglicans) see them as a means of grace, ie., they contribute to a person's salvation in some way. It's not that different from the Roman Catholic belief.

Sort of, but be careful. The sacraments aren't required for salvation. Rather, they are a gift from God that brings faith.

 

[Ana the Ist]

OK. You got me.

So let me get this straight...on this thread I can ask a Lutheran anything?

 

[Resha Caner]

So let me get this straight...on this thread I can ask a Lutheran anything?

I'm the Lutheran you'll be asking ... though I wouldn't ban other Lutherans from answering I guess. But I only speak for myself here.

Yes, you can ask anything. However, I may choose to play the part of the horse in terms of an answer. So, if you're going to ask me to give you all my money or something like that ... well, let's just be reasonable.

 

[Ana the Ist]

I'm the Lutheran you'll be asking ... though I wouldn't ban other Lutherans from answering I guess. But I only speak for myself here.

Yes, you can ask anything. However, I may choose to play the part of the horse in terms of an answer. So, if you're going to ask me to give you all my money or something like that ... well, let's just be reasonable.

Anything?

 

[Resha Caner]

Anything?

Yes. And I'll answer however I choose.

So what are you setting me up for? Or is this question itself just another joke?