| Where did the Lutheran Church originate? Back | | | | South and Central America, they are gaining |
| around the 16th century, Martin Luther was a | | | | membership. The largest population of Lutherans |
| German monk in the Roman Catholic Church who | | | | is in Europe, then Africa, and then the United |
| was very dissatisfied with the way that the | | | | States. |
| church was being run. He felt that they had | | | | Here is a basic outline of their beliefs: |
| strayed from the original doctrines and principles | | | | 1. Baptism can be done when a person is any age |
| that Jesus Christ had taught and that he read in | | | | and both infants and adults are baptized as a sign |
| the Bible. He tried to get them to make changes, | | | | of renewal in the Lutheran Church. |
| but instead he was excommunicated and his life | | | | 2. Every member has the right to read and |
| was threatened. The Lutheran Church was his | | | | interpret the scriptures without the mediation of a |
| answer to all of the questions he had about the | | | | priest. In the Roman Catholic Church in Martin |
| misunderstandings of those doctrines and | | | | Luther's day this was not allowed. |
| principles. He and the other early Lutheran Church | | | | 3. The sacrament is a way to strengthen one's |
| founders wrote The Book of Concord as a | | | | faith and commitment to Jesus Christ. The bread |
| statement of their tenets and beliefs. It is still in | | | | and wine represent the sacrifice of the Savior, |
| use in the Lutheran Church today. | | | | but do not turn into the essence of the body and |
| After the Reformation, in order to escape | | | | blood of Christ. |
| persecution by other churches, many of the | | | | 4. People are saved by their belief in salvation |
| Lutheran Church in Germany and Scandinavia | | | | rather than by their good works or sacraments. |
| came to America for religious freedom and | | | | 5. Salvation is open to all human beings regardless |
| established homes, businesses, schools, colleges, | | | | of their station. It is not limited to a select few |
| and universities. | | | | privileged individuals. |
| The Lutheran Church today has around 66 million | | | | 6. If you want answers about the Gospel, go to |
| members. While in some parts of the world they | | | | the only true source-the Scriptures. |
| are losing members, in other areas such as in | | | | |