WhatDoLutheransBelieve - Lutheran Church of the Resurrection

Lutherans are Christians who accept the teachings of Martin Luther (1483-1546). Luther was a German theologian who realized from studying scripture that there were significant differences between what he read in the Bible and the practices of the Roman Catholic church at that time. On October 31, 1517 he posted his "95 Thesis" to debate 95 theological issues. What started as a debate led to the Reformation, and a distinct separation between the Roman Catholic church of the time and those who accepted the basic principles of Luther's theological teachings, such as:

Grace alone - that we are saved by the grace of God alone, not by anything we do to earn it;

Faith alone - that we only need to trust God who is made known in Jesus Christ and who promises us forgiveness, life and salvation; and

The Word alone: The Bible is the norm for faith and life - the true standard by which standards and teaching doctrines are to be judged.

Lutherans are part of a reforming movement within the whole Christian church, which includes relationships with the Moravian Church, the Episcopal Church, the Reformed Church in America and the United Church of Christ.

The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, of which Resurrection is a part, has an ongoing dialogue with the Roman Catholic Church and in 1999 the representatives of the Lutheran World Federation and the Roman Catholic Church signed the Joint Declaration of Justification, representing an historic consensus on key issues of faith. Lutherans and Roman Catholics continue to engage in dialogue today. Lutheranism is a faith tradition that is open to all, regardless of background.