What is "The Church" ?

Lutherans share a common faith with other Christians who have been baptized, acknowledge Christ as the Son of God and our Savior, and accept the Bible as the true source of Christian love, guidance and doctrine. The Lutheran church makes no claim to have some revelation or truth denied to other Christians. We share with other Christian churches traditional statements such as the Apostles' and Nicene Creeds, in which early Christians expressed their faith. However we have distinctive ways of doing things and distinctive accents and angles of vision on the beliefs that we share with all Christians.

Then what does the "Lutheran church" teach?

That the Bible is the written Word of God, inspired by God’s Spirit speaking through its authors.

God is one God in three persons - Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

Christ our Savior died to save the world from sin.

A person can be justified (saved), only by God's grace.

God's Law demands perfection of heart, thought, word and deed. Whoever disobeys is a sinner.

The Lord's Supper, a sacrament, is the Body and Blood of Christ actually present and received "in, with, and under" bread and wine.

Baptism, also a sacrament, is the death of sin in us and our rebirth into a holy life with Christ.

Why is it called the Lutheran Church?

Lutheranism had its beginnings in 1517 when Martin Luther publicly called for the discussion of significant theological differences between what he read in the Bible and the practices of the church. Luther (born Nov 10, 1483 and died Feb 18, 1546) was a monk, professor of the Old Testament, author, composer of hymns, translator of the Bible, husband, and a father. What started as an academic debate escalated into a religious war and the start of Protestantism. As a result, there was not a reformation of the church but a separation. "Lutheran" was a name applied to Luther and his followers as an insult but adopted as a badge of honor by them instead. His ideas still stimulate new thinking in the church - he is respected but not worshiped.