What Are the Differences Between Catholics & Evangelical Lutherans?
Martin Luther led a revolt against the Roman Catholic Church on Oct. 31, 1517, when he posted a challenge on the door to Wittenberg University for a debate of 95 theological topics from the Bible that Luther believed the Catholic Church did not follow in either its practice or its teachings. Others followed him in his beliefs and the Lutherans became a movement and the Protestant Reformation began.
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Lutheran Beliefs
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Lutherans follow three basic principles. Five centuries after Luther's challenge, Lutherans follow three basic teachings that he fostered. First, humans are saved by the "grace of God alone" and not by anything or any action that we take. Secondly, human salvation comes through faith alone, a certain trust in God, who through Jesus Christ promised life, forgiveness and salvation. Finally, that the Bible is the standard and norm through which doctrines and teachings are to be evaluated.
Roman Catholic Beliefs
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Roman Catholics view actions and deeds as pathways to salvation or damnation. During the last four centuries, Roman Catholics' moral theology has centered on "natural law" -- a concern for the nature and destiny of people and their actions. Catholics believe that how they live and their actions impact their relationship with God and bring them closer to Christ. Their good works and deeds can enhance their pathway to him while their sins can create a rift with God. Essentially, Catholics can find salvation through good works and deeds, a concept Lutherans view as inconsistent with Biblical teachings.
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The Overarching Difference
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A key difference between Lutherans and Roman Catholics is the idea of "justiciation." One of the main points of disagreement between Roman Catholics and Lutherans is "justification," when a person becomes "justified" as right and true before God. For Lutherans, becoming justified requires them to acknowledge that they are hopelessly drowning in sin and that only by developing faith in Jesus and repenting all of their sins can they hope for eternal salvation. Roman Catholics believe a baby is born lost in sin and must be baptized to exorcise them of the evil. However, when they reach an age when they become responsible for themselves, their first sin erases the justification found in their baptism and they must repeatedly perform the sacrament of Penance or confession to again become justified.
Differences Not Withstanding
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Actually, Lutherans and Roman Catholics have more in common than they have differences. Lutheran theologian Thomas A. Nairn's writing in Let's Talk (Vol. 6, Issue 2), says that contemporary Roman Catholics and Lutherans likely have more that unites them than divides them. "This should not be a surprise since both communions depend upon a common scripture and, at least prior to the 16th century, shared a common history," he writes.
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It can be of help for mutual understanding and further fraternal dialogue.
