What We Believe: Overview of the Lutheran Confessions
All written confessions of faith, creeds, exist to either answer a question or defend against false doctrine. The confessions of the Lutheran Church are no exception. Indeed, that Christians do confess their faith is a natural outgrowth of that faith.
Jesus said, Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven. But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven. (Matthew 10:32-33)
Saint Paul understood the importance of this confession of faith when he wrote, That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. (Romans 10:9)
The Lutheran Confessions were collected into the Book of Concord in 1580. These confessions stand under Scripture and are accepted because they agree with Scripture. As Lutherans we accept the following creeds as a proper exposition of Scripture, and therefore as a proper touchstone for all teachings.
Lutheran Confessions
These Ecumenical Creeds were included in the Book of Concord to show that the Lutherans did not teach anything that was in opposition to the ancient church. Each of these three creeds is drawn from the Bible. Each has existed in the present form for well over 1500 years.
Ecumenical Creeds
Jesus said, Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven. But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven. (Matthew 10:32-33)
Saint Paul understood the importance of this confession of faith when he wrote, That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. (Romans 10:9)
The Lutheran Confessions were collected into the Book of Concord in 1580. These confessions stand under Scripture and are accepted because they agree with Scripture. As Lutherans we accept the following creeds as a proper exposition of Scripture, and therefore as a proper touchstone for all teachings.
Lutheran Confessions
- Augsburg Confession
- Apology of the Augsburg Confession
- Smalcald Articles
- Treatise on the Power and Primacy of the Pope
- Luther's Small Catechism
- Luther's Large Catechism
- Formula of Concord
These Ecumenical Creeds were included in the Book of Concord to show that the Lutherans did not teach anything that was in opposition to the ancient church. Each of these three creeds is drawn from the Bible. Each has existed in the present form for well over 1500 years.
Ecumenical Creeds
- Apostles' Creed
- Nicene Creed
- Athanasian Creed
