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<\/a><\/p>\nToday, June 25, is the 489th anniversary of the presentation of the Augsburg Confession<\/a>, which sets forth the definitive teachings of Lutheran theology.<\/p>\n This is very much a lay document, having been written not by Luther but by the great classical Renaissance scholar Philipp Melanchthon, a layman.\u00a0 Furthermore, the presenters were regional rulers and the elected representatives of self-governing cities\u2013laymen all\u2013who were confessing their faith to the Holy Roman Emperor, to whom they owed allegiance and who was concerned about the outbreak of the Reformation in his realm.<\/p>\n The Emperor held a diet\u2013a meeting of all of the rulers and city representatives under his jurisdiction\u2013at Augsburg in Germany.\u00a0 On June 25, 1530, thirteen years after the posting of the 95 Theses, those who held to the Reformation were brought before the assembly to give an account of themselves.]<\/p>\n The confessors wanted to correct misunderstandings about the Reformation and to refute false charges that were being said about it.\u00a0 Many of these misunderstandings and false charges\u2013for example, that these are new teachings, that the Reformation is anti-sacramental, that the Reformation rejects the liturgy, that the Reformation opposes good works, that the Reformation undermines social order\u2013are still common today!<\/p>\n The confessors showed that the so-called Lutherans are in continuity with the church catholic, while clearly stating the elements of the church that had departed from that catholicity and so was in need of reform.<\/p>\n After the document was read to the diet, one of the nobles, George of Brandenburg, put his life on the line, saying, \u201cRather than deny my God and suffer the Word of God to be taken from me, I will kneel down and have my head struck off.\u201d\u00a0 The Emperor quickly assured him that his head was safe.<\/p>\n But the Augsburg Confession became a defining document for the Reformation, with individuals, churches, rulers, municipalities, and nations deciding whether or not to accept it.\u00a0 And many people did give their lives in the course of confessing this faith.<\/p>\n To be sure, later Protestants rejected the Augsburg Confession because they thought it \u201ctoo catholic\u201d\u2013that is, too sacramental, too conservative, not radical enough\u2013so that it became a point of contention not only with Roman Catholics but with Reformed Protestants as well, thus setting the parameters of a distinctly Lutheran theology.<\/p>\n Read this detailed account<\/a> of the historical background of the confession and its presentation, as well as this tribute<\/a> to the confessors.<\/p>\n So in honor of this anniversary, I will present the Augsburg Confession to you.\u00a0 Those of you who are Lutherans would do well to review what your church stands for.\u00a0 Those of you who are not Lutherans, for whatever reason, may also find it interesting.<\/p>\n I will give the first few articles, then a summary of the others, which you can access at the link.\u00a0 From the Online Book of Concord:<\/a><\/p>\n 1]<\/span><\/a>\u00a0Our Churches, with common consent, do teach that the decree of the Council of Nicaea concerning the Unity of the Divine Essence and concerning the Three Persons, is true and to be believed without any doubting;\u00a0<\/a>2]<\/span><\/a>\u00a0that is to say, there is one Divine Essence which is called and which is God: eternal, without body, without parts, of infinite power, wisdom, and goodness, the Maker and Preserver of all things, visible and invisible; and\u00a0<\/a>3]<\/span><\/a>\u00a0yet there are three Persons, of the same essence and power, who also are coeternal, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost. And the term \u201cperson\u201d\u00a0<\/a>4]<\/span><\/a>\u00a0they use as the Fathers have used it, to signify, not a part or quality in another, but that which subsists of itself.<\/p>\n <\/a>5]<\/span><\/a>\u00a0They condemn all heresies which have sprung up against this article, as the Manichaeans, who assumed two principles, one Good and the other Evil: also the Valentinians, Arians, Eunomians, Mohammedans, and all such.\u00a0<\/a>6]<\/span><\/a>\u00a0They condemn also the Samosatenes, old and new, who, contending that there is but one Person, sophistically and impiously argue that the Word and the Holy Ghost are not distinct Persons, but that \u201cWord\u201d signifies a spoken word, and \u201cSpirit\u201d signifies motion created in things.<\/p>\n <\/a>1]<\/span><\/a>\u00a0Also they teach that since the fall of Adam all men begotten in the natural way are born with sin, that is, without the fear of God, without trust in God, and with\u00a0<\/a>2]<\/span><\/a>\u00a0concupiscence; and that this disease, or vice of origin, is truly sin, even now condemning and bringing eternal death upon those not born again through Baptism and the Holy Ghost.<\/p>\n <\/a>3]<\/span><\/a>\u00a0They condemn the Pelagians and others who deny that original depravity is sin, and who, to obscure the glory of Christ\u2019s merit and benefits, argue that man can be justified before God by his own strength and reason.<\/p>\n <\/a>1]<\/span><\/a>\u00a0Also they teach that the Word, that is, the Son of God, did assume the human nature in\u00a0<\/a>2]<\/span><\/a>\u00a0the womb of the blessed Virgin Mary, so that there are two natures, the divine and the human, inseparably enjoined in one Person, one Christ, true God and true man, who was born of the Virgin Mary, truly suffered, was crucified, dead, and\u00a0<\/a>3]<\/span><\/a>\u00a0buried, that He might reconcile the Father unto us, and be a sacrifice, not only for original guilt, but also for all actual sins of men.<\/p>\n <\/a>4]<\/span><\/a>\u00a0He also descended into hell, and truly rose again the third day; afterward He ascended into heaven that He might sit on the right hand of the Father, and forever reign and have dominion over all creatures, and sanctify\u00a0<\/a>5]<\/span><\/a>\u00a0them that believe in Him, by sending the Holy Ghost into their hearts, to rule, comfort, and quicken them, and to defend them against the devil and the power of sin.<\/p>\n <\/a>6]<\/span><\/a>\u00a0The same Christ shall openly come again to judge the quick and the dead, etc., according to the Apostles\u2019 Creed.<\/p>\n <\/a>1]<\/span><\/a>\u00a0Also they teach that men cannot be justified before God by their own strength, merits, or works, but are freely justified for\u00a0<\/a>2]<\/span><\/a>Christ\u2019s sake, through faith, when they believe that they are received into favor, and that their sins are forgiven for Christ\u2019s sake, who, by His death, has made satisfaction for our sins.\u00a0<\/a>3]<\/span><\/a>\u00a0This faith God imputes for righteousness in His sight. Rom. 3 and 4.<\/p>\n <\/a>1]<\/span><\/a>\u00a0That we may obtain this faith, the Ministry of Teaching the Gospel and administering the Sacraments was instituted. For through the Word and Sacraments, as through instruments,\u00a0<\/a>2]<\/span><\/a>\u00a0the Holy Ghost is given, who works faith; where and when it pleases God, in them that hear\u00a0<\/a>3]<\/span><\/a>\u00a0the Gospel, to wit, that God, not for our own merits, but for Christ\u2019s sake, justifies those who believe that they are received into grace for Christ\u2019s sake.<\/p>\n <\/a>4]<\/span><\/a>\u00a0They condemn the Anabaptists and others who think that the Holy Ghost comes to men without the external Word, through their own preparations and works.<\/p>\n <\/a>1]<\/span><\/a>\u00a0Also they teach that this faith is bound to bring forth good fruits, and that it is necessary to do good works commanded by God, because of God\u2019s will, but that we should not rely on those works to merit justification\u00a0<\/a>2]<\/span><\/a>\u00a0before God. For remission of sins and justification is apprehended by faith, as also the voice of Christ attests: When ye shall have done all these things, say: We are unprofitable servants.\u00a0Luke 17:10<\/a>. The same is also taught by\u00a0<\/a>3]<\/span><\/a>\u00a0the Fathers. For Ambrose says: It is ordained of God that he who believes in Christ is saved, freely receiving remission of sins, without works, by faith alone.<\/p>\n <\/a>1]<\/span><\/a>\u00a0Also they teach that one holy Church is to continue forever. The Church is the congregation of saints, in which the Gospel is rightly taught and the Sacraments are rightly administered.<\/p>\n <\/a>2]<\/span><\/a>\u00a0And to the true unity of the Church it is enough to agree concerning the doctrine of the Gospel and\u00a0<\/a>3]<\/span><\/a>\u00a0the administration of the Sacraments. Nor is it necessary that human traditions, that is, rites or ceremonies, instituted by men, should be everywhere alike.\u00a0<\/a>4]<\/span><\/a>As Paul says: One faith, one Baptism, one God and Father of all, etc.\u00a0Eph. 4:5-6<\/a>.<\/p>\n <\/a>1]<\/span><\/a>\u00a0Although the Church properly is the congregation of saints and true believers, nevertheless, since in this life many hypocrites and evil persons are mingled therewith, it is lawful to use Sacraments administered by evil men, according to the saying of Christ: The Scribes and\u00a0<\/a>2]<\/span><\/a>\u00a0the Pharisees sit in Moses\u2019 seat, etc.\u00a0Matt. 23:2<\/a>. Both the Sacraments and Word are effectual by reason of the institution and commandment of Christ, notwithstanding they be administered by evil men.<\/p>\n <\/a>3]<\/span><\/a>\u00a0They condemn the Donatists, and such like, who denied it to be lawful to use the ministry of evil men in the Church, and who thought the ministry of evil men to be unprofitable and of none effect.<\/p>\n <\/a>1]<\/span><\/a>\u00a0Of Baptism they teach that it is necessary\u00a0<\/a>2]<\/span><\/a>\u00a0to salvation, and that through Baptism is offered the grace of God, and that children are to be baptized who, being offered to God through Baptism are received into God\u2019s grace.<\/p>\n <\/a>3]<\/span><\/a>\u00a0They condemn the Anabaptists, who reject the baptism of children, and say that children are saved without Baptism.?<\/a>\u00a0\u2013<\/p>\n 1] Of the Supper of the Lord they teach that the Body and Blood of Christ are truly present, and are distributed 2] to those who eat the Supper of the Lord; and they reject those that teach otherwise.<\/p>\n [Keep reading. . .]<\/a><\/p>\n [A summary of the other articles, from Wikipedia<\/a>]:<\/p>\nArticle I: Of God.<\/h3>\n
<\/a>Article\u00a0<\/a>II: Of Original Sin.<\/h3>\n
<\/a>Article\u00a0<\/a>III: Of the Son of God.<\/h3>\n
<\/a>Article\u00a0<\/a>IV: Of Justification.<\/h3>\n
<\/a>Article\u00a0<\/a>V: Of the Ministry.<\/h3>\n
<\/a>Article\u00a0<\/a>VI: Of New Obedience.<\/h3>\n
<\/a>Article\u00a0<\/a>VII: Of the Church.<\/h3>\n
<\/a>Article\u00a0<\/a>VIII: What the Church Is.<\/h3>\n
<\/a>Article\u00a0<\/a>IX: Of Baptism.<\/h3>\n
<\/a>Article\u00a0<\/a>X: Of the Lord\u2019s Supper.<\/h3>\n