The basic summary of the Christian faith is found in the three ecumenical creeds. Ecumenical means that these creeds are universally held by all who call themselves Christians. A creed is a statement of what someone believes. As Lutherans, we confess that we are a part of the Church that has existed since the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost. Therefore we confess what the Church of the ages has confessed and summarized in the Apostles' Creed, the Nicene Creed, and the Athanasian Creeds. These creeds date back to the first centuries after Jesus' resurrection and ascension. At Epiphany, these creeds are used in every service, connecting us with the whole Church, past and present.
The Apostles' Creed is the most basic of the three. It is not named the Apostles' Creed because they wrote it, but because it clearly summarizes what they taught, which is what Jesus taught them. |
All our beliefs come directly from God's Word, the Holy Bible. The plain teachings of the Bible have been condensed into Luther's Small Catechism, a basic primer on the faith. The Small Catechism explains the Ten Commandments, the Apostles' Creed, the Lord's Prayer, the Sacrament of Holy Baptism, the Office of the Keys (Confession and Absolution), and the Sacrament of the Altar. Thanks to our friends at Concordia Publishing House, the full text of the Small Catechism is available online free.
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The Book of Concord is the full collection of the beliefs of the Lutheran Church. It contains all of the original documents written by the Lutherans to confess their beliefs and to condemn the errors which had been taught in the Church. The full text of the Book of Concord is available online.
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