North American Lutheranism

[RileyG]

What are their basic tenants and are they considered confessional?

Thanks

 

[tampasteve]

Yes, these Lutheran churches would be considered "Confessional". The major one in the USA that would not be considered "Confessional" is the ELCA, even though they have their own interpretation of what "Confessional" means and they say they follow that.

 

[RileyG]

interesting

 

[MarkRohfrietsch]

What are their basic tenants and are they considered confessional?

Thanks

We define "Confessional" as those Churches that fully subscribe to the unaltered 1580 edition of the Book of Concord as an exposition and explanation of the application of the theology of the Bible. That being said, Scripture is primary, the BoC is secondary.

 

[Daniel9v9]

It can perhaps be helpful to think of the broader Lutheran Church as those who:

(A) Embrace the full Concordia (the Lutheran Confessions), who are commonly referred to as Confessional or Orthodox Lutherans.

(B) Embrace the parts of the Concordia that were formally received by their country, but still value the whole Concordia — these are also Orthodox Lutherans.

(C) Accept the Concordia in so far as they believe it to be consistent with the Bible. These would not be Confessional Lutherans. They tend to be liberal.

In North America, WELS and LCMS have a strong presence, though there are many smaller bodies that are confessional as well. They would all more or less be exclusively described as (A) above (B is more typical to Scandinavian churches).

Confessional or Orthodox Lutherans, to mention a few marks that are relevant to our time, have male-only clergy, reject LGBTQIA+ doctrine, are firmly against abortion, are not syncretistic, mostly practice closed Communion, and do not embrace social gospel theory. Many if not most Lutherans that are not described as Confessional, such as the ELCA, for example, are the opposite of this. Interestingly, both Orthodox and Liberal wings value the liturgy, though there are many low-churches/contemporary style churches on both ends. It's also worth pointing out that on a local level, a congregation that formally belongs to a liberal body may be orthodox and vice versa.

What I found very helpful for understanding the difference between what we can think of as Orthodox and Liberal Lutherans, is that the Orthodox Lutheran Church believe that the Bible is God's Word. The Liberal Lutheran Church tend to believe that the Bible contains God's Word. This is why the two theological frameworks are so different. They have a common name and heritage, but theologically speaking, they are very different.

Maybe to add one more thing: To be a Confessional or Orthodox Lutheran does not mean that we need to belong to the same outward organisation. It's measured by a doctrinal standard, and not outward membership. That is, those who subscribe to the Concordia are Confessional and can be thought of as one body, though they are different in an organisational sense, or even if they have theological differences. It's perhaps comparable to different orders in the Roman Catholic Church.

Hope this helps! Blessings!

 

[RileyG]

Thank you both for your response! It was immensely helpful.

BTW, I was referring to the denomination referred to as "North American Lutheranism,", they ordain women, have open communion, but reject LGBTQIA+ lifestyles.

 

[tampasteve]

Thank you both for your response! It was immensely helpful.

BTW, I was referring to the denomination referred to as "North American Lutheranism,", they ordain women, have open communion, but reject LGBTQIA+ lifestyles.

Ah, do you mean the North American Lutheran Church (NALC)? They split from the ELCA over sexuality issues, primarily. I am not sure if they are considered "Confessional" or not, but their Confession of Faith says:

The Unaltered Augsburg Confession as a true witness to the Gospel, acknowledging as one with it in faith and doctrine all churches that likewise accept the teachings of the Unaltered Augsburg Confession.

The other confessional writings in the Book of Concord, namely, the Apology of the Augsburg Confession, the Smalcald Articles and the Treatise, the Small Catechism, the Large Catechism, and the Formula of Concord, as further valid interpretations of the faith of the Church.​

 

[Daniel9v9]

Thank you both for your response! It was immensely helpful.

BTW, I was referring to the denomination referred to as "North American Lutheranism,", they ordain women, have open communion, but reject LGBTQIA+ lifestyles.

Ah, do you mean the North American Lutheran Church (NALC)? They split from the ELCA over sexuality issues, primarily. I am not sure if they are considered "Confessional" or not, but their Confession of Faith says:

The Unaltered Augsburg Confession as a true witness to the Gospel, acknowledging as one with it in faith and doctrine all churches that likewise accept the teachings of the Unaltered Augsburg Confession.

The other confessional writings in the Book of Concord, namely, the Apology of the Augsburg Confession, the Smalcald Articles and the Treatise, the Small Catechism, the Large Catechism, and the Formula of Concord, as further valid interpretations of the faith of the Church.​

Oh, right, I've heard of the NALC but I regret to say I'm not familiar with what they believe — I didn't know they ordained women.

I can't say I'm familiar with any Confessional Lutheran bodies that have female pastors, so this is new to me. I just know that historically, there have been two paths to female ordination: One via influence from charismatic churches, and the other a step towards liberalism — the difference being that the former tends to consider the Bible as God's Word, but the latter is moving towards an understanding that the Bible contains God's Word.

Like @tampasteve, I'm not sure if people consider the NALC Confessional — at least I think it's fair to say that female ordination is not a mark of what is ordinarily understood as Confessional or Orthodox Lutheran theology and practice. I guess they are the via media of the broader Lutheran Church in our time.

 

[MarkRohfrietsch]

Thank you both for your response! It was immensely helpful.

BTW, I was referring to the denomination referred to as "North American Lutheranism,", they ordain women, have open communion, but reject LGBTQIA+ lifestyles.

Female ordination and open communion preclude fellowship with the Synods I mentioned. Male only ordination and closed communion are clearly supported by the Bible and the BoC BTW. Doing so places those Churches outside what we define as "confessional".

 

[RileyG]

Ah, do you mean the North American Lutheran Church (NALC)? They split from the ELCA over sexuality issues, primarily. I am not sure if they are considered "Confessional" or not, but their Confession of Faith says:

The Unaltered Augsburg Confession as a true witness to the Gospel, acknowledging as one with it in faith and doctrine all churches that likewise accept the teachings of the Unaltered Augsburg Confession.

The other confessional writings in the Book of Concord, namely, the Apology of the Augsburg Confession, the Smalcald Articles and the Treatise, the Small Catechism, the Large Catechism, and the Formula of Concord, as further valid interpretations of the faith of the Church.​

Yep! Thanks!

 

[Shane R]

Perhaps I have more real-life experience with NALC than some of the regulars here. I've visited their churches in three different areas and know something of a fourth. First question: Are they confessional? Lutheranism has a spectrum like Anglicanism and those to the right of NALC will generally say 'no.' How NALC people view themselves is ambiguous; I've met some who would say 'yes' and others who would decline to answer. I can say this, it is my understanding that they do not expect quia subscription to the Book of Concord from the clergy.

I last visited one of their churches on Christmas Eve. I took my children and brother to a service of lessons and carols at the NALC in my boyhood hometown. I've been out there enough times to have struck up a relationship with the pastor. He's fairly freshly minted from North American Lutheran Seminary (which is really a department of Trinity School for Ministry in Ambridge, PA). He's more high church than his parishioners but still only broad. This brings me around to a general observation: the liturgical culture of NALC simply doesn't have the highs that are occasionally seen in LCMS, particularly in the heartland. However, it is my observation that most NALC parishes have weekly communion. The only parish I can think of off-hand that doesn't is the one that came out of my grandparents' old ELCA church. Their church split not long after they both passed, approximately 50-50. It was a rural ND church and as an ELCA had been accustomed to quarterly communion. I don't know what the NALC people are doing now but weekly communion is a non-starter in that area.

I'll close with this: NALC and ACNA formed within a year of each other for very similar reasons. They share a seminary. They both believe themselves to be more conservative than they really are. Both are thoroughly moderate. However, I don't think NALC has the charismatic influences that drive so much of what goes on in ACNA.

 

[RileyG]

Perhaps I have more real-life experience with NALC than some of the regulars here. I've visited their churches in three different areas and know something of a fourth. First question: Are they confessional? Lutheranism has a spectrum like Anglicanism and those to the right of NALC will generally say 'no.' How NALC people view themselves is ambiguous; I've met some who would say 'yes' and others who would decline to answer. I can say this, it is my understanding that they do not expect quia subscription to the Book of Concord from the clergy.

I last visited one of their churches on Christmas Eve. I took my children and brother to a service of lessons and carols at the NALC in my boyhood hometown. I've been out there enough times to have struck up a relationship with the pastor. He's fairly freshly minted from North American Lutheran Seminary (which is really a department of Trinity School for Ministry in Ambridge, PA). He's more high church than his parishioners but still only broad. This brings me around to a general observation: the liturgical culture of NALC simply doesn't have the highs that are occasionally seen in LCMS, particularly in the heartland. However, it is my observation that most NALC parishes have weekly communion. The only parish I can think of off-hand that doesn't is the one that came out of my grandparents' old ELCA church. Their church split not long after they both passed, approximately 50-50. It was a rural ND church and as an ELCA had been accustomed to quarterly communion. I don't know what the NALC people are doing now but weekly communion is a non-starter in that area.

I'll close with this: NALC and ACNA formed within a year of each other for very similar reasons. They share a seminary. They both believe themselves to be more conservative than they really are. Both are thoroughly moderate. However, I don't think NALC has the charismatic influences that drive so much of what goes on in ACNA.

I wasn't aware they had weekly communion or considered themselves that conservative. Interesting! Thanks for all the information!