Hello everyone,

I just wanted to ask a question. I'm a born-again Christian and I been invited to visit this Lutheran church. I will like to know the different between a Christian and a Lutheran? Do they believe different? I don't want to be going somewhere where their beliefs are different. I'm new to this.

Thanks:-)

Adrienne, Lutherans are Christians.  It's one of the Protestant denominations of Christianity.  I'm not sure what denomination you are (if you are one), but I'd feel pretty safe in saying that you'd be okay going there without encountering differing beliefs.  

*disclaimer--I'm not Lutheran, so I don't know exactly what their worship services are like 

Also, I know Carole L. (fightpilotswife) is Lutheran, so you could always PM her and ask her any questions you might have.  I don't know how often, if ever, she reads this forum.

http://www.lutheran-resources.org/lutheran_beliefs_practices_contents.htm

Adrienne,

I have added a link that might help you.  I too am a born-again Christian, I believe you will be fine to go with your friend.  Have a great day.

Terri Lynn

I think that Lutherans are like Catholics, but without the strict rituals? (no holy water, etc.)  My mom and stepdad were married in the Lutheran church (we aren't Lutheran, that just happened to be where we were going at the time...we tried different churches, long story.  :o)  I do remember at their wedding they had communion that used real wine.

I do believe that the main belief is the same though.

I believe, but I could be wrong, that the Lutheran Church was the first protestant denomination when the Catholic Church split--and named for Martin Luther.  If you don't know who Martin Luther was then you are missing out on one of the most important men in the history of Christianity.   Seriously.  If it weren't for Martin Luther you'd all still be Catholics.

Adrienne, Lutherans are Christians.  It's one of the Protestant denominations of Christianity.

I think that Lutherans are like Catholics

Very true.  My mother (a Lutheran) says that Lutherans are the Catholics who decided not to obey the Pope.

Back when I was in grade school, the teacher asked who in the class was Christian and all but one little girl raised her hand.  The teacher asked her what religion she is, and she said "Lutheran."  lol

I've been to a Lutheran church with relatives a few times, and I've been to my friend's southern Baptist church.  In my experience nothing was said at the one that would make someone attending the other uncomfortable.  In both sermons, the message was about the importance of God in your own life and accepting that Christ sacrificed for you.  The major difference that I noticed was that the Lutherans had communion, but not everyone was required or expected to take it, and most didn't.  On the other hand, at my grandmother''s church (also Lutheran but a different branch) they didn't offer communion at all.  So that's not a universal.

Of course, when you get into the deeper underlying doctrinal differences there are differences (predestination is a big one for Lutherans, for example) but it is pretty rare for those to come up in a regular Sunday worship service.

I really don't think you'll experience anything that will make you uncomfortabe.

The one main difference (as learned in my religion classes) between Catholic, Lutheran, and other Protestant churches is that Lutherans believe communion to be both a symbolic gesture and the actual consumption of the body and blood of Christ.  Most other protestant groups believe the former, while Catholics believe the latter (although in our modern world, I believe the differences are more a matter of dogma than anything).  As a result of this belief, Lutherans will use wine instead of the now-traditional grape juice.

There are also different "branches" of the Lutheran church. Missouri Synod, which is stricter & have slightly different beliefs than others, ELCA, Lutheran Brethren Synod.

Hi everyone,

I'm a born and raised Lutheran and will likely be one all my life, so perhaps I can help here. 

Catholicism was the original Christian religion.  Martin Luther was a priest who disagreed with many things going on in the Catholic Church during his time, such as the granting of indulgences, and belived that everyone should be able to read the Bible for him/herself.  Prior to this, the Bible wasn't printed in the language of the general public.  He questioned the leadership of the church and eventually left.  The form of Christianity based on his beliefs is Lutheran.  Other forms of Christianity then broke off from there.

Regarding communion, Catholics believe the wine and crackers or unleavened bread is the blood and body of Christ.  Lutherans believe that it becomes the blood and the body once we consume it and general Protestants believe that the wine or grape juice and crackers or unleavened bread are purely representational.  That's why, as a Lutheran, I wouldn't take communion in a general Protestant church.  We also usually have communion once or twice a month, not at every service.

The differences between the different synods of Lutherans are rather small.  But, basically, each broke off from the Missouri Synod, but remain Lutheran in their core beliefs.

There are many other differences, but that seems to address most of the concerns here.  In short, you should be fine attending the service, but you may want to speak to your friend or the minister before taking communion.