The Lutheran Confessions

1. The Lutheran Confessions A Word That Frees

2. But first, some shameless self-promotion Martin Luther and the Called Life Due out in April A “catechism” on vocation

3. What are the Confessions? • Apostolic, Nicene and Athanasian Creeds • Augsburg Confession (1530) • Apology to the Augsburg Confession (1531) • Smalcald Articles (1537) • Small and Large Catechisms • The Formula of Concord (1577)

4. Together they make up the Book of Concord (1580)

5. Why are they called confessions? Typical understanding of the word “confess.”

6. Another definition One confesses one’s core beliefs or values. The Bible has many confessions: Jesus is the Messiah (Jewish context) Jesus is Lord (Roman context)

7. The church continues to confess Jesus as Lord in different contexts. This is why we have confessional documents called creeds.

8. Faceoff in the early church: Arius vs. Athanasius

9. The big question: Is Jesus really God??

10. The answer is a confession of faith: The Nicene Creed

11. The Lutherans also felt a need to make confessions in the 1500’s. How come? • Translate Luther’s ideas into forms that could be taught and preached • Confess their faith in the face of alternative models of reforming the church • The need to have a summary of their beliefs for political authorities

12. Thinking about the importance of the Confessions… Don’t see them as simply “legal” documents that lecture you on the proper way to believe and behave.

13. Boring!!

14. Rather see them as pointers and anchors

17. The Augsburg Confession (1530) • Written by Phillip Melanchthon • Political document • Irenic document • We are not the innovators!

18. The central concern of Augsburg Confession: God’s gospel of freedom! What was the context that called for a confession??

19. Grounded in the story of Martin Luther

20. The situation in the late middle ages (1300-1500)

21. The sacramental system • Not a “sign” or “symbol” • the tangible presence of Christ in the life of the believer

22. The sacraments • Baptism (to remedy original sin) • Penance (for sins after baptism) • Eucharist or Lord’s Supper (Christ himself—transubstantiation as the great miracle on the altar)

23. On one level, for the average person in the middle ages, a great comfort • Sacramental grace in contrast with the brutal reality of daily life • The medieval truth: life as nasty brutish and short • Illness, superstition, plagues

24. The picture of God as a severe Judge

25. Psalm 50 1 The Mighty One, God, the LORD, speaks and summons the earth from the rising of the sun to where it sets. 2 From Zion, perfect in beauty, God shines forth. 3 Our God comes and will not be silent; a fire devours before him, and around him a tempest rages. 4 He summons the heavens above, and the earth, that he may judge his people: 5“Gather to me this consecrated people, who made a covenant with me by sacrifice.”6 And the heavens proclaim his righteousness,for he is a God of justice.

26. But was it comforting?? • The problem with the sacrament of penance • 3 parts: confession, absolution, work of satisfaction • The burdens: confessing all known sins and completing the work of penance And then there were the catechisms meant to aid the penitent in their confessions…

27. Catechism for children…sample questions • Have you loved your father and mother more than God? • Have you thrown rocks or snowballs at others? • Have you ever believed in magic? • Have you failed to kneel on both knees during mass? • Have you killed the emperor with a double-bladed axe?

29. Some sample questions for adults… • Have you muttered against God because of poverty or the death of a child? • Have you loved friends, relatives, or other creatures more than God? • Have you girl-watched or exchanged adulterous glances in church? • Have you insulted, cursed, or wished the clergy dead? • Have you thought of committing adultery?

31. Rank your own sins! • Kissing someone who is not your “significant other” • Cheating on a final exam • Shouting at your parents • Stealing 20 dollars • Dumping a small bucket of trash in a lake • Spreading gossip about a friend • Spitting on a busy public sidewalk

32. The lure of indulgences • How the system “worked” • The role of the “treasury of merits” and the belief in purgatory

34. Why Martin Luther was popular • Luther’s early life • The thunderstorm and the decision to leave law school and become a monk

35. The life of a monk • A literal imitation of Jesus • We must suffer like Christ in order to truly follow him

36. Luther’s routine in the monastery • Worshipped seven times a day • Confessed his sins every day • Wore rough clothing • Fasted (went without food) for long periods of time • Beat his own body in order to punish it NOTE: GRACE WAS EVERYWHERE!!

37. Luther’s breakthrough • Reading the Bible • What is God really like?? • Is God only a demanding judge or does God mean mercy, grace and love??

38. Luther’s new understanding of the cross • At first, he thought he was supposed to suffer like Jesus • Now he comes to understand that Jesus does something for him

41. Luther is now free from fear • “The Great Exchange” that happens on the cross • The judge judged in our place • A real example of agape love

42. Luther’s core belief • We are made “right” with God by faith and not by our works or efforts • “Justification by grace through faith” is the way it is said in theology.

43. What about good works?? • Good works are now for your neighbor…they are for other people in the world. Good works are only for this life. That is where they belong. God doesn’t need your good works but your family, friends and neighbors are the ones who need them.

44. Luther opposes the church • The selling of indulgences and the power of the pope • The posting of the 95 Theses in 1517—they are nailed to a church door in Wittenberg, Germany. • The importance of a printing press

46. Samples of 95 Theses: “All those who believe themselves certain of their own salvation by means of letters of indulgence, will be eternally damned, together with their teachers.” (32) “Christians should be taught that one who gives to the poor, or lends to the needy, does a better action than if he purchases indulgences.” (43)

47. The meeting in Worms, Germany, in 1521 • Luther is asked to take back his teaching but he refuses. He is thrown out of the church

49. Which brings us to the heart and soul of the Augsburg Confession: Article Four “It is also taught among us that we cannot obtain forgiveness of sin and righteousness before God by our own merits, works or satisfactions, but that we receive forgiveness of sin and become righteous before God by grace, for Christ’s sake, through faith, when we believe that Christ suffered for us and that for his sake our sin is forgiven and righteousness and eternal life are given to us. For god will regard and reckon this faith as righteousness, as Paul says in Romans 3:21-26 and 4:5.”

50. A Word that Frees: Unpacking Article Four • Our lack of freedom: We confess that we are in bondage to sin… • The Small Catechism and the “demonic trinity”: sin, death and the devil. • Our battle with time and our inability to live in the present