Culture or Confession?
by Pastor Rob Rose
I had a really good conversation with
some new folks here at Calvary. They
came from a large Lutheran church up
north. They were explaining how their
Lutheran church did things - robes, hymns,
individual cups at communion. They
explained how we do things at Calvary is
very different.
Yep, it is. But, the difference really is about
culture. Often, the style of a church
service gets confused with the substance
of a church service. Said another way,
the culture, the way we are used to
doing church, can get confused with
confession, the fundamentals of a church.
So what are the fundaments, the non-
negotiables of a Lutheran church. I found
an article written in 2007 by Kathryn A.
Kleinhans. At the time, she was dean
of Trinity Lutheran Seminary at Capital
University in Columbus Ohio. The following
are some highlights from what she wrote.
“What does it mean to be Lutheran?
For many in the ELCA who’ve grown up
Lutheran, religious identity is intertwined
with a sense of family and cultural
traditions: beer and brats for some, lefse
and lutefisk for others, familiar liturgy and
hymns for all. But the shape of Lutheranism
is changing.
While the majority of L
still live in Northern Eur
is growing rapidly in o
world, according to th
Federation. Today the
many Lutherans in Asi
East (7.4 million) as the
America (8.1 million),
Lutherans in Africa (15
are in Germany (13 m
So what does it mean
beyond cultural herita
location?
During the 16th centu
challenged the teach
structures of the Roma
He insisted that the ce
Christianity is the good
become reconciled t
through faith because
of Jesus Christ.
The word “Lutheran” a
an insult used by Luth
Luther later tried to di
supporters from callin
Lutherans since they r
Christ, not Martin Luth
“What is Luther?” he o
all, the teaching is no
crucified for anyone.”
It was the gospel mes
central for Luther, not
insisted: “I simply taug
wrote God’s Word. I d