Funny stuff in Lutheranism

[Daniel9v9]

First of all, this is not intended as a topic for bashing doctrine, but really just for pointing out quirky or non-offensive things.

What are some of the funny Lutheran things you've come across? Not sure if you guys find it funny at all, but two things come to my mind:

I've read it in a few places that Lutheran theologians often refers to our church as the Lutheran Church and everyone else as the "Errorists"

I've heard someone referring to the Lutherans as the "Vulcans of Christianity". I have to admit, I'm not really into Star Trek, but I know enough for it to make sense.

Also, here's another little non-Lutheran gem I stumbled across today:
https://i.stack.imgur.com/PsXDz.jpg

Sorry to our Baptists friends!

 

[FireDragon76]

Vulcans of Christianity? If anything, Lutheranism has a decidedly emotional appeal, even if it often drier than some other evangelical churches. Maybe the relative Quietism of Lutheran practice reminds people of Vulcans, perhaps?

 

[Tigger45]

The frozen chosen.

Although I have heard other denominations referred to this way also.

 

[AMM]

Vulcans of Christianity? If anything, Lutheranism has a decidedly emotional appeal, even if it often drier than some other evangelical churches. Maybe the relative Quietism of Lutheran practice reminds people of Vulcans, perhaps?

Uhhh what kind of emotional appeal does Lutheranism have? At least in the LCMS, emotionalism/mysticism/enthusiasm/etc. has been recently rejected by books such as Pastor Fisk's "Broken" and Pastor Wolfmueller's "Why American Christianity Has Failed".

Maybe we're just referring to different things.

 

[Daniel9v9]

Uhhh what kind of emotional appeal does Lutheranism have? At least in the LCMS, emotionalism/mysticism/enthusiasm/etc. has been recently rejected by books such as Pastor Fisk's "Broken" and Pastor Wolfmueller's "Why American Christianity Has Failed".

Maybe we're just referring to different things.

Yeah, I think the Vulcan reference comes from an external reputation of being a bit emotionless or cold, and perhaps the internal reputation for being quite systematic and logical. I can't remember the story precisely so I won't really do it justice, but I heard a pastor tell a story of various countries a long time ago receiving a task in writing a piece on the elephant - maybe as a gift for a king or something. For example, the Spanish described the visual features of the elephant, the French wrote some poetry, the Italians about the life of an elephant - but the Germans felt the need to write an all-comprehensive book on everything there is to possibly know about the subject.

On the point of some people finding Lutherans a bit emotionless, I thought that it perhaps may have to do with a German & Scandinavian culture that has been inherited. I'm originally from Norway and it's my impression from living abroad that Scandinavians, to at least some people, have a reputation for being somewhat cold and emotionless. Saying this, Luther himself was a pretty passionate chap, so who knows!

 

[ViaCrucis]

Uhhh what kind of emotional appeal does Lutheranism have? At least in the LCMS, emotionalism/mysticism/enthusiasm/etc. has been recently rejected by books such as Pastor Fisk's "Broken" and Pastor Wolfmueller's "Why American Christianity Has Failed".

Maybe we're just referring to different things.

Possibly different things, I can't speak for FireDragon, but I can think of my own experience. Lutheranism doesn't make an appeal to emotions, but it's hard for me not to admit that the first time I encountered the Gospel as preached within the Lutheran tradition--of the free justification of God by grace alone through faith apart from myself--that it was a deeply emotional encounter. When I read Luther's "tower experience" it further resonated with me, while Luther's upbringing was decidedly quite different from my own (seeing as I was raised in a Fundamentalist/Pentecostal one), Luther's talk about "the justice of God" and the cruelty it seemed to paint God with resonated deeply with my own way of having related to God. I could, of course, outwardly talk about God's love, but deep down I lived in a constant state of fear and dread, that I was not good enough, and my "spiritual" life was largely a yo-yo between "feeling" God and "not feeling" God--and in which I found myself frequently in constant despair. When Luther says, "All at once I felt that I had been born again and entered into paradise itself through open gates." that too was what I remember feeling when finally hearing the Gospel preached so nakedly and purely: It wasn't up to me to work my way constantly upward to God, God wholly and by Himself has done everything already and this was for me for no other reason than His loving kindness. It wasn't mystical enthusiasm that I felt, but a joyous wonder and gratefulness before the depths of such immense kindness.

-CryptoLutheran

 

[Daniel9v9]

Possibly different things, I can't speak for FireDragon, but I can think of my own experience. Lutheranism doesn't make an appeal to emotions, but it's hard for me not to admit that the first time I encountered the Gospel as preached within the Lutheran tradition--of the free justification of God by grace alone through faith apart from myself--that it was a deeply emotional encounter. When I read Luther's "tower experience" it further resonated with me, while Luther's upbringing was decidedly quite different from my own (seeing as I was raised in a Fundamentalist/Pentecostal one), Luther's talk about "the justice of God" and the cruelty it seemed to paint God with resonated deeply with my own way of having related to God. I could, of course, outwardly talk about God's love, but deep down I lived in a constant state of fear and dread, that I was not good enough, and my "spiritual" life was largely a yo-yo between "feeling" God and "not feeling" God--and in which I found myself frequently in constant despair. When Luther says, "All at once I felt that I had been born again and entered into paradise itself through open gates." that too was what I remember feeling when finally hearing the Gospel preached so nakedly and purely: It wasn't up to me to work my way constantly upward to God, God wholly and by Himself has done everything already and this was for me for no other reason than His loving kindness. It wasn't mystical enthusiasm that I felt, but a joyous wonder and gratefulness before the depths of such immense kindness.

-CryptoLutheran

That's very interesting. I think I can relate as I have a somewhat similar experience originally coming from a Charistmatic/Pentecostal house. In hindsight, it's a bit ironic to me, for I used to chase after feelings through elaborate forms of worship, but it's only when I came to study the Lutheran symbols that I felt firmly rooted in faith. The clear teachings on Law and Gospel; of justification; of free will; of the Sacraments; of righteousness; of predestination; of Scriptures; of the Church, ministry and the Creeds; of eschatology etc. I feel like I'm not swayed by every wind of doctrine, but I have a strong sense of relief that I may lean on sound teachings that are orthodox, tried and tested, well formulated and above all true to God's Word.

Is the Lutheran church a hands-in-the-air-party kind of church? Perhaps not. But at least in my experience there is a certain seriousness, sincerity, maturity and comfort to be found, that I'm very thankful of. My only regret is that because of where I live now (Osaka, Japan), I'm unable to participate in a Lutheran church. My Japanese is pretty terrible, so I'm having to go to an international non-denominational church. It's not too bad, but as you can imagine their idea of the Sacraments is very saddening to me.