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Lutheran Confessions
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The Lutheran Confessions, as published in the Book of Concord (1580), consist of: - The Augsburg Confession (1530)
- The Apology of the Augsburg Confession (1531)
- The Smalcald Articles (1538)
- Luther's Small Catechism (1529)
- Luther's Large Catechism (1529)
- The Formula of Concord (1577)
Confessional Lutherans subscribe to these sixteenth-century apologetical writings because they are a correct exposition of the pure doctrine of the Word of God. For more information on the relationship between confessional subscription and the doctrine of sola scriptura ("Scripture alone"), visit our Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs). The following excepts from the Lutheran Confessions pertain especially to the Mission and Vision of The Hausvater Project.
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Augsburg Confession XIV: Of Ecclesiastical Order |
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Of Ecclesiastical Order they teach that no one should publicly teach in the Church or administer the Sacraments unless he be regularly called. |
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Augsburg Confession XVI: Of Civil Affairs |
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Of Civil Affairs they teach that lawful civil ordinances are good works of God, and that [2] it is right for Christians to bear civil office, to sit as judges, to judge matters by the Imperial and other existing laws, to award just punishments, to engage in just wars, to serve as soldiers, to make legal contracts, to hold property, to make oath when required by the magistrates, to marry a wife, to be given in marriage. |
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Augsburg Confession XXIII: Of the Marriage of Priests |
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All men cannot receive this saying, where He teaches that not all men are fit to lead a single life; for God created man for procreation. There has been common complaint concerning the examples of priests who were not chaste. [2] For that reason also Pope Pius is reported to have said that there were certain causes why marriage was taken away from priests, but that there were far weightier ones why it ought to be given back; for so Platina writes. [3] Since, therefore, our priests were desirous to avoid these open scandals, they married wives, and taught that it was lawful for them to contract matrimony. First, because [4] Paul says, 1 Cor. 7, 2. 9: To avoid fornication, let every man have his own wife. Also: It is better to marry than to burn. Secondly [5] Christ says, Matt. 19, 11: All men cannot receive this saying, where He teaches that not all men are fit to lead a single life; for God created man for procreation, Gen. 1, 28. [6] Nor is it in man's power, without a singular gift and work of God, to alter this creation. [For it is manifest, and many have confessed that no good, honest, chaste life, no Christian, sincere, upright conduct has resulted (from the attempt), but a horrible, fearful unrest and torment of conscience has been felt by many until the end.] Therefore, [7] those who are not fit to lead a single life ought to [8] contract matrimony. For no man's law, no vow, can annul the commandment and ordinance of God. For these reasons [9] the priests teach that it is lawful for them to marry wives. |
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Augsburg Confession XXVI: Of the Distinction of Meats |
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...that a husband should labor to support his wife and children and bring them up in the fear of God, that a wife should bear children and care for them... ... Such traditions [fasting, etc.] have also obscured the commands of God, for these traditions were exalted far above God’s commands. [9] This also was regarded as Christian life: whoever observed festivals in this way, prayed in this way, fasted in this way, and dressed in this way was said to live a spiritual and Christian life. [10] On the other hand, other necessary good works were considered secular and unspiritual: the works which everybody is obliged to do according to his calling--for example, that a husband should labor to support his wife and children and bring them up in the fear of God, that a wife should bear children and care for them, that a prince and magistrates should govern land and people, etc. [11] Such works, commanded by God, were to be regarded as secular and imperfect, while traditions were to be given the glamorous title of alone being holy and perfect works. Accordingly there was no end or limit to the making of such traditions. … |
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More Articles...
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Augsburg Confession XXVIII: Of Ecclesiastical Power
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Apology of the Augsburg Confession XVI: Of Political Order
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Apology of the Augsburg Confession XXIII (XI): Of the Marriage of Priests
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Apology of the Augsburg Confession XXVII (XIII): Of Monastic Vows
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Smalcald Articles III, XI: Of the Marriage of Priests
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Small Catechism, Preface
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Small Catechism, Fourth Commandment
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Small Catechism, Sixth Commandment
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Small Catechism, Tenth Commandment
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Small Catechism, Fourth Petition
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Large Catechism, Preface
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Large Catechism, Fourth Commandment
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Large Catechism, Fifth Commandment
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Large Catechism, Sixth Commandment
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Large Catechism, Eighth Commandment
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Large Catechism, Ninth and Tenth Commandments
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Large Catechism, Fourth Petition
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Formula of Concord, Epitome, XII: Other Heresies and Sects
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Formula of Concord, Solid Declaration, XII: Other Sects
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Source (Public Domain): Concordia Triglotta: The Symbolical Books of the Evangelical Lutheran Church, ed. F. Bente (St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1921). The excerpt from AC XXVI has been taken from Tappert’s English rendering of the German text, which more fully identifies the distinctive roles of husbands and wives than the Latin text that is the basis for Bente’s translation; moreover, it was the German, rather than the simultaneously produced Latin version, that was read before Emperor Charles V at the Diet of Augsburg. See The Book of Concord: The Confessions of the Evangelical Lutheran Church, ed. Theodore G. Tappert (Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 1959), 65. The full text of the Book of Concord is available at www.bookofconcord.org and much of it also is available at Project Wittenberg.
Copyright © 2008-2010 by The Hausvater Project, www.hausvater.org. All Rights Reserved. The material on this website may be copied and distributed for nonprofit use in your congregation or school so long as our copyright notice and website address are included.
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