Any Lutherans in the house?

[JVS]

I know that Wannajumpmyscooter and I are Lutherans, do we have any others?

[murielm99]

1. I was raised Missouri Synod, and attended Valparaiso

University.

[JVS]

3. I was brought up in the ELCA, actually LCA back when I was little

but I didn't go to a Lutheran school. One of my friends brothers was contemplating goint to Thiel college and discovered that there is a scholarship there in memory of the man who baptised my older brother.

[The Straight Story]

2. X-Lutheran, was a member for some time

Was also batptist, pentecostal, buddhist, atheist and a few others (was a member of lutheran church for several years.)

Was just discussing all this with my brother last night. He is mormon, was raised baptist, but is leaning catholic (for a variety of esoteric reasons).

[katinmn]

4. Raised as a Lutheran n/t

[rucky]

5. Raised Jewish... Honorary Lutheran

and a student at Concordia University. Also worked for Brothers of the Good Shepherd for a few years.

If I were to convert, it would be to Lutheranism.

[JVS]

6. Which Concordia, there are a lot of Concordias. Was it St. Louis?

[rucky]

8. Portland, OR

great faculty!

[Dervill Crow]

32. Lutheran and Jewish

I like the Lutheran interpretation of the Bible, but when I started questioning parts of the New Testament there was a period of several years where I studied and wanted to convert to Judaism, but being married to a lapsed Catholic, I couldn't find a rabbi in Portland to instruct me. I know they tell you "no" three times to test your sincerity, but I finally got it that no meant no! It's nice to find a fellow hybrid, and a Portlander to boot.

[luaneryder]

7. Ex Lutheran -ELCA

[pamela]

9. I'm a Lutheran n/t

[justgamma]

10. I am. n/t

[shirlden]

11. Missouri Synod Lutheran

Born and raised in Ohio from a long line of German Lutheran immigrants dating back to early 1700's in this country. Left the church many years ago because the hypocrites took it over. The fundies are not the only lost Christians. I guess all of organized religion is losing out to the hypo-christian.
Still Lutheran in my heart and long for the day that the Christ of the sermon on the mount retakes his church.

:bounce:

[JVS]

12. From what I hear the moderate faction of the LCMS is running the show now

much to the chagrin of the conservatives in synod.

You ever give the ELCA a try?

[Lydia Leftcoast]

13. Brought up as Lutheran pastor's kid (LCA)

Attended an ALC college but afterwards attended either Episcopal or Lutheran churches, depending on where I was.

After attending an unsatisfactory Lutheran church in Portland, Oregon for a while, I finally decided to make my affiliation with the Episcopalians legal in 1991.

There's nothing wrong with the Lutherans, but I feel that the Episcopalians are more accepting of single people.

[Brentos]

14. Sort of

I attend a Lutheran Church (my wife is Lutheran), but I did not convert, as I don't believe a couple of the tenants of Lutheranism. I believe Baptism is symbolic, and the act of a pastor putting holy water on my head is not what saves me, also, I believe Holy Communion is symbolic of your relationship with Jesus through the Holy Spirit. I don't believe eating mass produced wafers and wine cleanse your soul. I also believe women should be allowed to be pastors, and half the Lutheran church doesn't believe that. Other than that, I enjoy my Lutheran church and lead an Old Testament Bible study there.

Thanks,
-Brentos, the Freshmaker

[JVS]

15. Well, I have to give you credit for knowing the Lutheran view on Communion

which is not always correctly known even by some Lutherans.

[Brentos]

16. Thanks!

I felt it important to understand the religion that I was attending, so that I could make my own decisions around it. I don't believe in blindly following, so I took the classes to learn about it. So, while I don't believe in those several points, the church gives me all the other spiritual needs I'm craving, so I still attend. In fact, my questioning is what led me to do my own Bible research (I now tons of Bible reference books from many points of view) and lead Bible studies.

Thanks,
Brentos, the Inquisitive

[Hardrada]

33. Consubstantiation

Christ is "in, with and under" the elements.

[WannaJumpMyScooter]

18. Man, good for you. You know you some Lutheranism

I have problems with some of our beliefs too, but given the alternatives for raising children with some kind of faith, ELCA is it for me.

At the risk of offense, which I do NOT mean, my biggest problem with LCMA, and indeed it seems like ELCA is following now, is the resistance to adjustment to need.

Adjusting and renewing the church is a constant process and needs to be argued over less. I mean, really, can anyone say for sure what the difference in the Lutheran sects are today?

At first it was Language and nationality, then theology, then practice.

Get over it.

Move forward. Stop worrying what Niels Pedersausen VanUmmkiss III did in 1732 to Olaf Krupenski on the ship coming over.

Focus on CHRIST! GRACE! FOREGIVENESS! FELLOWSHIP!

Who gives a crap what brand of cracker we eat, wine we drink, or Bible version we read.

/rant

[Brentos]

20. Awesome!

"Move forward. Stop worrying what Niels Pedersausen VanUmmkiss III did in 1732 to Olaf Krupenski on the ship coming over."

That has to be the funniest thing I've read in months! I nearly spit my Diet Coke out of my nose! I must be able to quote you on this!

Thanks,
-Brentos, the Freshmaker

[WannaJumpMyScooter]

21. By all means. Go right ahead.

Those are names that an old Lutheran pastor used in his sermons as "typical" Lutheran names when he was making a point.
Olaf was always the victim.
Neils had faith issues usually.

[TreasonousBastard]

17. Raised Lutheran...

first an LCA church, then Missouri Synod when the LCA wasn't conservative enough for the parents.

Lutheran grade school from 5th to 8th, then Lutheran high school. Almost went to Valpo, but chose New York City College instead. Eventually, I became a Quaker.

I still have a lot of respect for much Lutheran theology and social thought, although not all that much for the LCMS. Aside from he politics between the MS factions, which are bad enough, they lean toward some of the worst of both the Catholic and Protestant dogma and teachings, leaving much of the the good stuff out. Much too strict about the sacraments, specifically which way grace goes, and other questions best left undogmatic.

Not agreeing with joint communion with the Episcopalians was pretty much the last straw. Last I heard, they're playing pretty loose with Just War, and approve of the death penalty. In high school, they told us not to bother with the first chapters in the biology text-- the ones that talked about evolution. Not my kind of church.

There's an ELCA church not far from here that I should drop into sometime just to see what's doing.

[scavok]

19. Born and bred Lutheran

My dad was an LCMS pastor for 27 years. Now happily in the ELCA.

[AlabamaYankee]

22. Lutherpalian at the moment

Born and raised in the Lutheran Church (LCA the ELCA). I credit the Lutheran Student Parish at Penn State with shaping my faith and theology, particularly my discovering my pacifism in 1968. I'm in the Episcopal church now since the only Lutheran Church within 50 miles is LCMS, albeit very "liberal", and I can't buy into their various sexist and exclusionary doctrines.

I still prefer the priesthood of all believers over the Episcopalians' Roman view of ordination, but otherwise the theology and liturgy are close enough for comfort.

[WannaJumpMyScooter]

23. I had to do that for a while too.... sometimes the ELCA's

coverage is not so good in red states.

Episcopalians are pretty close, and I agree with you about the priesthood of all beilivers. I still remember when I realized that not everyone belived that. I was shocked.

I find it the nicest touch of Luther.

[JVS]

24. I'm not too keen on communion with denominations that don't believe it's..

the true blood and body of Christ. I'm not sure of the Episcopalains, but I know the Presbyterians don't buy into it and we have common communion with them.

[AlabamaYankee]

25. I think they follow Lutheran doctrine on this

That is, Real Presence rather than Transubstantiation. Christ is present in the elements, but they remain bread and wine. Episcopalian theology seems a bit fuzzy at times. As a College roommate of mine said, Lutherans have Theology, Episcopalians have Charity

[I_Make_Mistakes]

26. ELCA Lutheran

Mom was UCC and dad RCC. They married vs. dad's RCC parents wished. I chose Lutheran. I have limitedly studied other catholic/christian denominations and have found the ELCA to be the closest to Gospel Christ, then another other denomination. (OK, the Quaker's are pretty close).

[I_Make_Mistakes]

27. Excuse me on Charity

Within the last 4 years, I did substantial research into the main christian ( I use a small "c" for the same reason of a capital "c" in the terminology of catholicism) churches. My definition of christian churches relates to the RCC. The reasoning behind this decision, is their proximity to the true teachings of Christ, ( I mean there was only one Christianity, until approx., 1000+ AC).

The research as of 2000, was the that RCC was the largest population and charitable christian group in the US and the Lutheran Church was 3rd or 4th in population but the 2nd in charitable contributions.

I thought that spoke volumes. As a matter of fact, there are a number of RCC/ELCA co-sponsored charitable institutions in my area

[nemo137]

28. Evangelical Covenanter. Can some one explain the difference

between the Lutheran Churches (esp. ELCA) and the Evangelical Covenant Church and why we don't have common communion? I went through two years of Covenant confirmation and I still can't coherently explain why we're different from the Lutherans.

Also, on a side note, I'm looking for a church, and considering an ELCA church. Is there anything I should know, etc.?

[AlabamaYankee]

29. Looking at the ECC website it's difficult to say

Have you looked at the basic documents of the Lutheran Church, particularly Luther's Small and Large Catechisms? Offhand it looks like the ECC is less mired in "traditional" social mores, but optherwise little different. The ELCA is still trying to deal with gay ordained clergy, etc.

If you're looking for an ELCA congregation that is explicitly inclusive, look for one that is a "Reconciling in Christ" congregation. They are part of an organization that is devoted to inclusiveness, particularly in GLBT issues

[erinlough]

30. wels....need I say more?

I survived 16 years of the Wisconsin brand of Lutheran. Because of this post I looked up their web page. Nothing has changed. Women still get to be silent and obedient. I never was.

[Dervill Crow]

31. Missouri Synod for 15 years.

I taught Sunday school and raised my kids in the LCMS.

[Hardrada]

34. Iowegian Lutheran Background

Luther College
Luther Theological Seminary.

This was in the days of the old ALC with the "New Red Hymnal" that annoyed all the Norse Lutheran traditionalists. I spent a year at the Sem in St. Paul and have lots of fond memories except women were not admitted as sem students when I was there but this changed the next year or so. Am on conversant terms with Preuses and Ylvisakers. Hard to be too much more Norse Lutheran. Currently still read Lutheran and other theology and studies of liturgy but have totally demythologized so much (e.g. "Honest to God" by Anglican Bishop John A.T. Robinson with some help from Tillich and Bultmann) that I am a true believer in radical political movements. Wife was ALC too now is UCC. Her pastor is more of a cynical rad than I am!!


This is most certainly true.