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We Are Lutheran |
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There are more than 70 million Lutherans worldwide. Ascension is a member congregation of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (the ELCA) - a Christian community of nearly 5 million Lutherans across the United States, Ontario Canada, and in the Caribbean. We are one of the 26 congregations represented by the Slovak Zion Synod - ELCA. | | | | |
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Why a Lutheran Church? |
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Martin Luther (b. November 10, 1483, in Eisleben, Germany, d. February 18, 1546 in Eisleben) is known as the Father of Protestantism. He had studied to become a lawyer before becoming an Augustinian monk in 1505, and was ordained a priest in 1507. While continuing his studies in pursuit of a Doctor of Theology degree, he discovered significant differences between what he read in the Bible and the theology and practices of the church. On October 31, 1517, he posted a challenge on the church door at Wittenberg University to debate 95 theological issues. Luther's hope was that the church would reform its practice and preaching to be more consistent with the Word of God as contained in the Bible.
What started as an academic debate escalated to a religious war, fueled by fiery temperaments and violent language on both sides. 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. | | Lutherans still celebrate the Reformation on October 31 and still hold to the basic principles of theology called for by Luther, such as "Sola Gratia", "Sola Fide" & "Sola Scriptura" (or God's Grace Alone, Faith Alone, God's Word Alone):
We are saved by the grace of God alone — not by anything we do; Our salvation is through faith alone — we only need to believe that our sins are forgiven for Christ's sake, who died to redeem us; The Bible is the only norm of doctrine and life — the only true standard by which teachings and doctrines are to be judged. Another of Luther's principles was that Scriptures and worship need to be in the language of the people. Today, the World's more than 400 million Protestants can all at least in part, trace their tradition back to Luther's Reforming work. Many Lutherans still consider themselves as a reforming movement within the Church catholic, rather than a separatist movement, and Lutherans have engaged in ecumenical dialogue with other church bodies such as the Roman Catholic Church and other Protestant churches for decades. In fact, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America has entered into cooperative "full communion" agreements with several other Protestant denominations, namely the United Church of Christ, the Episcopal, Presbyterian, Reformed, Moravian and United Methodist Churches. |
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Who are Lutherans? |
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We are....
- Open
- Community people, not liking extremes
- Cheerful
- Resolute, but ready for compromise
- We love songs, music and culture
- We Hold together |
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What does "Evangelical Lutheran" mean? |
Evangelical, adj. - Having to do with the Gospel, bringing good news
Evangelical is a translation of the word Lutherans in Europe use to refer to themselves: German: Evangelisch, Hungarian: Evangelikus, Slovak: Evanjelicka, etc.It simply means Lutheran, or Protestant. It derives from the Latin and German word "Evangelium" (or in Greek, the language the New Testament was first written in, Euangelion.) This means means Gospel, the Good News about Jesus Christ. Lutherans called their church Evangelical because it is based on the teachings of the Gospel, rather than the edicts of popes and church higher-ups. Lutherans in other parts of the world still call themselves "Evangelical" In America, we use the term "Evangelical Lutheran", to distinguish our special heritage from other Protestants here. Evangelical comes first because we aren't after all a church based on the teachings of Martin Luther, but on the Gospel. We teach Jeus Christ, and bring the Good News that He died to save all people, and rose again. We have been "Evangelical" for close to 500 years now. Our name doesn't really have much to do with other newer groups who also use the term evangelical but we do stand in solidarity and faith with all Christians everywhere united in Jesus Christ, and pray and work for peace and brotherhood
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Where do Lutherans come from? |
Everywhere, and anywhere!
The Reformation began in Germany. There, Lutheranism would become the State Church in most of the Northern, Central, and Eastern provinces. Germany is still home the world's largest number of Lutherans. Quickly, the movement jumped the Baltic and North Seas to Scandinavia, where Lutheran State Churches were established in Sweden, Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Denmark, Norway, Iceland, Greenland and the Faroe Islands as well. The Lutheran Church also spread in particular to large parts of what are now Poland, Lithauania, the Czech Rebublic, Slovakia, Hungary and elswhere.From the earliest colonial times, Lutherans came to the United States, Canada, and Australia - the English speaking lands that would become their second natural home
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| | Through the early efforts of missionaries and teachers strong Lutheran churches grew up in, among other countries: Namibia (where the majority of inhabitants are Lutheran!) Tanzania, Sumatra in Indonesia, Papua New Guniea, Cameroon and Southern India.
Some Lutherans later immigrated and brought their faith to South Africa, and the South American nations of Brazil, Argentina & Chile. Other Lutherans come from Russia, Siberia, Romania and Yugoslavia. There are Lutherans in Holland & France. And did you ever hear of the Wendish, Windish, Masurian and East Prussian peoples? - They are Lutheran too!But Lutherans today come from everywhere and anywhere. We are united by our faith in Jesus Christ rather than by national or ethnic ties. Membership in ELCA congregations is open to all, regardless of nationality, age, race, gender
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Dr. Martin Luther |
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God's Grace alone. Faith alone. God's Word alone. |
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For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God (Ephesians 2:8)Lebo milosťou ste spasení skrze vieru. A to nie sami zo seba; je to dar Boží
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