Vicomte13
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- Jan 6, 2016
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That's a very simplistic explanation of Lutheranism, and somewhat erroneous on numerous points.
My church's worship has liturgy that is almost identical to Roman Catholics. That isn't rare among North American or Scandinavian Lutherans. While we consider worship a secondary matter, we have strong preferences for liturgical worship, and we generally are traditionalists.
We are not just generic Protestants. In terms of sacraments and a sacramental worldview, we are decidedly Catholic. In fact we affirm some of the same doctrines as Catholics do, such as the value of praying for the dead or the real presence of Christ at the altar. In terms of our ethical tradition, we have much less in common with other American Protestants.
I could go on but needless to say, I don't see how the "fundamentals" describe the essence of my faith. It's more of an Anglo-Reformed issue. Lutherans have other issues they have dealt with, and Fundamentalism is more an import from the Anglo-American churches that only has relatively recently been an issue (in the 1970's which lead to a split in the LCMS, and a small exodus to what later became the ELCA).
It is true: in my experience the Protestants most similar to Catholics in concepts and practices are Lutherans, Anglicans and Methodists, but the ones most similar to Catholics in MINDSET and cultural reference points are Midwestern American Lutherans.
The only real differences I've perceived in general outlook is that Lutherans seem to feel less guilty than Irish Catholics do.
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