Lutheranism vs. Reformed

This is a congolmeration of a series of articles I wrote for the White Rose Ministries and adapted for my blog.

imageWhile there are differences of specific issues like the ordination of women, abortion, and homosexuality that are present in most mainline denominations, there are some major theological differences between Lutherans and Reformed Christians.  The Reformed faith includes both the Reformed Church and the Presbyterian Church.

Before we look at the similarities and differences between the church it is important to note that the Presbyterian Church USA (PCUSA) and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), the largest denominations in each respective faith background, may differ greatly from the defining beliefs of each faith background.  These two denominations are considered liberal and non-confessional by their respective faith backgrounds.

With respect to our references the Lutheran Church, we will consider the churches which directly descend from The Evangelical Lutheran Synodical Conference of North America (which was made up of The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod, The Evangelical Lutheran Synod, and The Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod).  When we refer to the Reformed Church, we will generally consider the imagemembers of the North American Presbyterian and Reformed Council.

Some of the Lutheran Churches which would follow the Lutheran beliefs are:

  • The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod
  • Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod
  • Evangelical Lutheran Synod

Some of the Reformed Churches which would follow the Reformed beliefs are:

  • Evangelical Presbyterian Church
  • Presbyterian Church USA
  • Christian Reformed Church
Application of Grace (Means of Grace)

Lutherans believe in unconditional atonement and predestination to salvation only
Reformed believe in conditional atonement and double-predestination (some to heaven, some to hell)

  • Lutherans believe that regeneration, forgiveness, life, and salvation are brought by the means (Word, act of Baptism, act of Holy Communion).  I.e. the elements have the power.
  • Reformed believe that regeneration, forgiveness, life, and salvation are brought about by the Spirit to those who are the elect. I.e. it is the Spirit, not the elements that has the power.
Christ and Holy Communion

The fundamental difference comes down to the ubiquity of the body of Christ.  Does Christ come down from heaven to us or are we raised up to Christ in heaven? 

  • Lutherans believe in Christ’s real physical prsence at the sacrament (called sacramental union) in which Christ is present in, with, and under the elements.  They believe that the elements are actual means of God’s grace through which the Holy Spirit works.  Furthermore, Lutherans believe that the body and blood of Christ are present at the Lord’s Table and are partaken by the believer and non-believer alike.  For this reason, Lutherans practice "close(d) communion:, where only members of the church denomination are allowed to participate.  Often, this belief is incorrectly referred to as "consubstatiation" image
  • Reformed (traditionally) believe Christ is present spiritually, but is physically with God the Father in heaven and that Christ is present only by the power of the Holy Spirit uniting us with Jesus Christ.  The body and blood of Christ are partaken only by believers and those who are unbelievers partake of the outward sign only.  Because we cannot tell who is a member of the elect, Reformed generally allow all baptized Christians to commune.  They believe the eating and drinking of His body and blood are done by a mystical experience of the believer’s soul.
  • Arminians believe Christ is not present at all and Communion is only a meal of remembrance.  Calvin did not teach this and it is not a Reformed view, though it may appear in some Reformed bodies.

 

If one reads many Lutheran materials, such as that from Dr. Manteufel, you are presented that there are three major thoughts on Communion.  This is not correct.

There are five major views of communion.  Note that if you look at CPH produced materials, they often omit the Orthodox and Reformed views.

View Belief
Roman Catholic The Eucharist (Greek: ‘thanksgiving’) is a Sacrament, and like all Sacraments, it conveys grace to all who receive it worthily. The Eucharist also makes present Christ’s sacrifice on the Cross in an unbloody manner, for that reason it is sometimes known as the Holy sacrifice of the Mass. Through it, forgiveness of sin may be obtained.

On consecration, the bread and the wine change completely into the actual body and blood of Christ. This change is known as Transubstantiation and Christ’s presence in the elements is called the Real Presence.

From the Council of Trent (1545-1563):

"…By the consecration of the bread and wine there takes place a change of the whole substance of the bread into the substance of the body of Christ our Lord and of the whole substance of the wine into the substance of his blood. This change the holy Catholic Church has fittingly and properly called transubstantiation."
Orthodox The Orthodox church accepts the Eucharist as a Sacrament (though it uses the term ‘Mystery’ instead of ‘Sacrament’) and also accepts the doctrines of the Real Presence and the sacrificial nature of the Eucharist. However, it does not make any attempt to explain how the change occurs, preferring to regard it as a divine mystery.

The Eucharistic service is commonly known as the Divine Liturgy.
Lutheran In Lutheranism, there is a Sacramental Union of the bread and wine with the body and blood of Christ. In other words, Christ’s body and blood are present "in, with and under" the forms of bread and wine. This is sometimes known as Consubstantiation (although Luther himself did not use this term) and Lutherans repudiate this view.

Luther explained his view by using an analogy of an iron rod placed into a fire: both are united in the red-hot iron, yet both are also distinct.

Lutheranism rejects the view of the Eucharist as "making present" Christ’s sacrifice on the Cross.
Reformed The Reformed and Presbyterian view derives from the teachings of John Calvin: Christ is not present literally in the elements, but he is spiritually present.

Those who receive the elements with faith can receive the actual body and blood of Christ through the power of the Holy Spirit which works through the sacrament, a view sometimes known as Receptionism.

Calvin explained his view of the Eucharist in his Institutes:

"The rule which the pious ought always to observe is, whenever they see the symbols instituted by the Lord, to think and feel surely persuaded that the truth of the thing signified is also present. For why does the Lord put the symbol of his body into your hands, but just to assure you that you truly partake of him? If this is true let us feel as much assured that the visible sign is given us in seal of an invisible gift as that his body itself is given to us."
Others Many other groups (e.g. the Baptists) refer to the Eucharist as the Lord’s Supper or Holy Communion and deny any form of physical or spiritual presence of Christ in the bread and wine. Rather, the Lord’s supper is a remembrance of Christ’s suffering and a reminder of his power to overcome sin and death. This view derives from the teachings of the Swiss reformer Ulrich Zwingli and is commonly known as Memorialism.

The Anglican and Methodist Churches have a wide variety of views on this subject.
Baptism
  • imageLutherans believe that baptism regenerates the soul (the new birth) and imparts faith.  Lutherans do not go so far as to say that one cannot be saved if not baptized.  Lutherans do believe that baptism’s grace can be resisted and as such the baptized can be condemned.  Unless grace is overtly resisted, Lutherans believe that the baptized are considered saved and often refer back to the individual being baptized in questions of whether one is saved.
  • Reformed believe that baptism may be one of the ways that God regenerates the soul, but He may regenerate with another means.  Reformed believe that "the grace promised in baptism", including regeneration, "is not only offered, but really exhibited, and conferred by the Holy Ghost to such (whether of age or infants) as that grace belongs unto, according to the counsel of God’s own will, in his appointed time." (WCF 28:6).  Unlike the Lutherans, Reformed believe that the grace of regeneration is properly received only by faith.  Therefore, only the elect truly receive the grace of baptism.  Others, that is those who are not-elect, receive only the "common operations of the Spirit." (WCF 10:4; Hebrews 6:4-6) and only receive temporary and partial benefits.
 Law & Gospel
  • imageLutherans believe the law is a curb, mirror, and rule.  Lutherans do not believe the law is necessary in securing justification.  Lutherans believe the Gospel is the centrality of doctrine.
  • Reformed believe that the Law is a means for securing justification, strengthening one’s personal assurance of being saved, being of the elect, and for coming into the possession of the benefits and blessings of the covenantal relationship with God.  They believe that the Gospel reaffirms the law and shows its value. Reformed believe that the centrality of doctrine is the glory and sovereignty of God.
  Role of Women in The Church

It should be noted that all confessional Lutheran bodies (that is all but the liberal Evangelical Lutheran Church in America) forbid women in the pastoral office.  Some reformed denominations allow women in the pastoral office.

TULIP (As A Comparison)

imageAs Augustinians, Luther and Calvin generally were in agreement on the substance of the Five Points (remember the Five Points were formally adopted in 1618-19).  Luther believed in Total Depravity, Unconditional Election, Irresistible Grace, and the Perseverance of the Saints.  However, Luther waffled between a unlimited atonement and Christ only dying for the elect.  Luther also allowed for the possibility that some who had genuinely received grace might apostatize.  It was Phillip Melanchthon that moved Lutheranism toward an Arminian-like doctrine of salvation.  Melanchthon is considered the chief author of the Lutheran’s doctrinal confession, the Book of Concord. Recall, Arminian thought was that man is not totally deprived, election is conditioned on God’s foreknowledge of our acceptance of Christ, that Christ died for the purpose of saving all, saving grace is resistible, and that it is possible to be lost even after one is genuinely saved by grace.  Both bodies rejected Arminianism, however Lutherans did so in a different way than the Reformed did (i.e. still accepting unconditional salvation, resistance of grace, and the ability to fall away from saving faith).

Total Depravity:  Both teach that all descendants of Adam are by nature totally corrupt in spiritual matters.  Humans do not have freedom of the will to turn to God in faith or to cooperate in their conversions (Lutherans cite: Ephesians 2:1; John 3:5-6; Romans 8:7; Reformed cite: WC 6:2-4; Psalm 51:5, Jeremiah 17:9; John 8:34; Romans 5:12,15,17; Romans 8:7-8; Ephesians 2:1,4-5)

Unconditional Predestination:  Both teach that it is by God’s grace that the elect have been predestined to salvation and this is given to them by justifying faith.  It is free of any condition or cooperation fulfilled by them (2 Timothy 1:9; Ephesians 1:4-7; Philippians 1:29).  The Reformed believe some are predestined for damnation based on God’s good pleasure (WCF 3:5; Exodus 33:19; Romans 9:15; Matthew 22:14; John 15:16; Romans 9:11-23; Ephesians 1:4-5, 11-12).  Lutherans do not believe that the some are predestined to hell, but that God wants all to be saved (citing 1 Timothy 2:4). 

Limited Atonement:  Both agree that Christ died for the church and purchased it with His blood, shed on the cross (Ephesians 5:25; Acts 20:28).  They also both believe that His atoning death does not mean that all people are saved.  (1 Corinthians 1:18)  Lutherans believe that Jesus died for all (2 Corinthians 5:15) while the Reformed believe that Christ died only for the elect, that they are redeemed by Christ (WCF 3:6-7, Exodus 8:1-5; Romans 9; Jeremiah 17:9;  Matthew 1:21; John 10:26-28; John 6:44; John 6:65).

imageIrresistible Grace:  Both agree that God makes his believers alive by His mighty power, without our aid (Ephesians 2:5, John 1:1).  Lutherans believe that we can resist God’s call to faith (Matthew 23:37; Acts 7:51; 2 Corinthians 6:1).  Some do resist His grace or all would be saved (1 Timothy 2:4), and God warns us not to resist His grace (2 Corinthians 6:1; Hebrews 4:7).  The Reformed believe that God’s grace is irresistible, that is the elect are automatically drawn to saving faith.  While we may resist God’s grace for a while, it always brings about God’s intended effect and we are come voluntarily, drawn by the strongest desires of our heart. (WCF 10:1-2; John 6:37; Acts 13:48; Romans 9:15-16; 1 Corinthians 2:14; Philippians 2:13)

Perseverance in Grace:  Both teach that those predestined to salvation will not be lost, cannot be lost, but will continue with God’s power to be in faith to salvation (Romans 8:30; 1 Peter 1:5).  Both teach that His people should not persist in sin but live in repentance and faith (Romans 6:1-4).  Both teach that those who come to faith can lose that faith (Hebrews 6:4-6; 10:26-29; Psalms 51:11).  Reformed believe those who seem to fall away from the faith never had saving faith, were never the elect (1 John 2:19).

 

Sources:

  • Churches in America, Rev. Dr. Thomas Manteufel, Concordia Publishing House (1994).  (TULIP from page 41)  Stock # 22-2522.
  • Christian Dogmatics, John Theodore Mueller, Concordia Publishing House (1934), 519-20, 528 (on Consubstantiation)
  • Christian Dogmatics, Francis Pieper, Concordia Publishing House (1953), 3:326-27 (on Consubstantiation)
  • EPC Training Guide, Evangelical Presbyterian Church, Pages 94-97. Web Resource
  • The Lutheran Difference, Various authors, Concordia Publishing House (2010), Stock #12-4374
  • Orthodox Presbyterian Church Q&A: Differences between Lutheran and Presbyterian, Orthodox Presbyterian Church, Web Resource.