Book of Concord Bible Class #5: Confessional Subscription

“The Word of God alone should be and remain the only standard and rule of doctrine” (FC SD Rule and Norm 9).  Concerning the church fathers and  church councils, we accept them in so far as they agree with the Word of God, “to which everything should be subjected” (9).   However, the church does need a “summary of our Christian doctrine… a unanimously accepted, definite, common form of doctrine, which all our evangelical churches together and in common confess, from and according to which, because it has been derived from God’s Word, all other writings should be judged and adjusted as to how far they are to be approved and accepted” (10).  This summary serves the church by maintaining a standard by which members can maintain the true doctrine.

A Lutheran Church by definition should subscribe unconditionally to the Book of Concord, because(Latin: quia) it agrees with the Word of God.  The Lutheran Confessions themselves speak of just that kind of subscription.  “Therefore we also have determined not to depart even a finger’s breadth either from the subjects themselves, or from the phrases which are found in them, but, the Spirit of the Lord aiding us, to persevere constantly, with the greatest harmony, in this godly agreement, and we intend to examine all controversies according to this true norm and declaration of the pure doctrine” (Preface to the Book of Concord).

Quiz #5 (tan sheet):  Quiz-5-for-Oct-6-Book-of-Concord-Prefaces.pdf
Handout 1 (white sheets with answers to the quiz on the second page): Subscription-What-Kind.pdf
Handout 2:  Historical-Introduction-6-7-.pdf

Posted in Bible Study, Book of Concord.