The Augsburg Confession is divided into “Articles of Faith and Doctrine” and “Articles Concerning Dissension, and Corrected Abuses.”  In order to better understand the two-fold structure of the Augsburg Confession, this study began with a quick review of the historical events from 1517 to 1530 (page 3 of last week’s handout).  Due to the conciliatory and gentle demeanor of Emperor Charles’ invitation to the Diet of Augsburg, the Lutherans were expecting quite a different kind of meeting than what transpired.  We saw from the preface to the Augsburg Confession that the Lutherans were still desiring a “general, free, and Christian council” in 1530.  Following the diet of Augsburg, that expectation quickly faded away.

When the “Evangelicals”(what the Lutherans were called) arrived in Augsburg, they discovered that the pamphlet, “The Four Hundred Four Articles of John Eck,” had been circulated, in which they were accused of practically every heresy that had ever been condemned by the church.  Therefore, the first 21 articles were added to the Augsburg Confession after they arrived, in order to reprove Eck’s slanderous document and show the orthodoxy of Lutheran doctrine.

This study worked its way through an overview of the first five articles of The Augsburg Confession.  Having arrived at the fifth article , we made the observation that Tappert’s translation included an erroneous and misleading footnote(#4 on page 31), which claimed “that the Reformers thought of ‘the office of the ministry’ in other than clerical terms.”

Quiz #6 (green sheet):  Quiz-6-for-Oct-20-Book-of-Concord-Subscription.pdf
Handout 1 (from October 6): Subscription-What-Kind.pdf
Handout 2:  Handout-Articles-of-the-Augsburg-Confession-Overview.pdf

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“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

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The Lutheran theologians explain, in the preface to the entire Book of Concord, that they never intended teach anything new, but only hold “to the ancient consensus which the universal and orthodox church of Christ has believed, fought for against many heresies and errors, and repeatedly affirmed” (Preface, 3).

First, “We believe, teach, and confess that the prophetic and apostolic writings of the Old and New Testaments are the only rule and norm according to which all doctrines and teachers alike must be appraised and judged…. Other writings of ancient and modern teachers, whatever their names, should not be put on a par with Holy Scripture. Every single one of them should be subordinated to the Scriptures and should be received in no other way and no further than as witnesses to the fashion in which the doctrine of the prophets and apostles was preserved in post-apostolic times….  The ancient church formulated symbols (that is, brief and explicit confessions) which were accepted as the unanimous, catholic, Christian faith and confessions of the orthodox and true church, namely, the Apostles’ Creed, the Nicene Creed, and the Athanasian Creed. We pledge ourselves to these, and we hereby reject all heresies and teachings which have been introduced into the church of God contrary to them” (FC Ep Rule and Norm, 1-3).  Concerning the non-doctrinal canons of the councils, “Nothing should be changed in the accustomed rites without good reason, and to foster harmony those ancient customs should be kept which can be kept without sin or without great disadvantage” (Ap XV 50).

Note: At the beginning of each class, there will be a 5-minute quiz, which will be included in the links below. Immediately after the quiz, we will go over the answers to that quiz.  If you don’t want to hear the answers, take the quiz first, then start the audio of the class.  Written answers will be included in the second link, which is the present class outline.

Quiz #4 (blue sheet):  Quiz-4-for-Sep-22-Book-of-Concord-Scripture-Like-Creeds.pdf
Handouts (white sheet with answers to the quiz on the back):  Class-4-Book-of-Concord-and-Councils.pdf

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Simply put, this Bible class examines the Scriptures to see the newly-formed Christian church engage in creed-like statements of faith.  There are both professions of who Jesus is and His work on our behalf.  We the profession of faith used with baptism, the pledging of men into the Pastoral Office, and the rejection of heresy.

Note: At the beginning of each class, there will be a 5-minute quiz, which will be included in the links below. Immediately after the quiz, we will go over the answers to that quiz.  If you don’t want to hear the answers, take the quiz first, then start the audio of the class.  Written answers will be included in the second link, which is the present class outline.

Quiz #3 (Grey sheet):  Quiz-for-Sep-15-Book-of-Concord-Creeds-Part-2.pdf
Handouts (white sheet with answers to the quiz on the back):  Book-of-Concord-Class-3.pdf
Extra Source Materials:  Where-did-we-get-the-Creeds.pdf

The following is a reading guide (through December) for those who would like to read along with us.
Reading Guide for Tappert, Kolb, English only of Triglotta, Concordia Reader’s Edition: Book-of-Concord-Reading-2019-2020-Chart-1-Page-1-2.pdf
Reading Guide for Triglotta, Jacobs, Henkel, Die BekenntnisSchriften, Tappert, Kolb: Book-of-Concord-Reading-2019-2020-Chart-2-pages-1-2.pdf

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This Bible class presented an overview of the historic and ecumenical creeds of the Christian church.  The Apostles’ Creed is the oldest of the creeds.  Although it is first quoted at the end of the fourth century (390 and then 404), it has its roots in the old Roman Creed of the second century.  The Nicene Creed was approved at the council of Nicea in 325 A.D. and revised at the Council of Constantinople of 381 A.D.  The third Council of Toledo of 589 A.D. added the words, “And from the Son” (filioque).  This creed confesses the full divinity of the Son and the Holy Spirit against the Arians and others.  The Athanasian Creed was most likely not written by Athanasius, even though the topics which it addresses are contemporaneous with Athanasius.  It was already in use in the 6th century and serves as a detailed explanation of the Trinity and the person of Christ.

The relationship between the Scripture and the Creeds can be summed up by two Latin phrases:  Scripture is norma normans (“the rule that rules”) but the creeds are norma normata (“a rule that is ruled”). Finally, we took a look at Mark 8:27-29 in which Jesus asks Peter, “But who do you say that I am?”

Note: At the beginning of each class, there will be a 5-minute quiz, which will be included in the links below. Immediately after the quiz, we will go over the answers to that quiz.  If you don’t want to hear the answers, take the quiz first, then start the audio of the class.  Written answers will be included in the second link, which is the present class outline.

Quiz #2 (Pink sheet):  Quiz-for-Sep-8-Book-of-Concord-Creeds.pdf
Handouts (white sheet with answers to the quiz on the back):  Book-of-Concord-Class-2-Student-Guide.pdf
Extra Source Materials: Three-ecumenical-creeds.pdf  and Apostles-Creed-Background.pdf

The following is a reading guide (through December) for those who would like to read along with us.
Reading Guide for Tappert, Kolb, English only of Triglotta, Concordia Reader’s Edition: Book-of-Concord-Reading-2019-2020-Chart-1-Page-1-2.pdf
Reading Guide for Triglotta, Jacobs, Henkel, Die BekenntnisSchriften, Tappert, Kolb: Book-of-Concord-Reading-2019-2020-Chart-2-pages-1-2.pdf

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This Bible class is the beginning of a 9-month course on the Book of Concord, the confessions of the Evangelical Lutheran Church.  A creed is a summary statement of the religious belief of a certain group of people. We begin this course by responding to five common reasons which groups give for being non-creedal (or even anti-creedal). After that, we examine the five ways in which creeds have served the church.

Note: At the beginning of each class, there will be a 5-minute quiz, which will be included in the links below. Immediately after the quiz, we will go over the answers to that quiz.  If you don’t want to hear the answers, take the quiz first, then start the audio of the class.  Written answers will be included in the second link, which is present class outline.

Non-creedal (or even anti-creedal):

1. The Bible alone: No creed but the Bible
2. Sinful man is incapable of making a sinless statement of faith.
3. Experience: No creed but Jesus
4. Creeds impinge on the individual Christian’s freedom of conscience by establishing a “binding authoritative confessions of faith”
5. Creeds divide, rather than unite people

 Why have creeds?

1. Liturgical: Profession of catholic faith (i.e. universal, the faith of the Christian church), Standard to the World
2. Ministers: A guide for preaching/instruction, Principle of Interpretation, Meaning of Scripture.  It tells what is most important or the guiding principles.
3. Discipline: State the truth in response to heresy. Serves as signposts to Heresy – shutting out the heretic, and setting boundaries for authentic Christian theology and life.
4. Baptism: Teaching for conversion to the Christian faith (into which one is baptized)
5. Holy Communion: Catechetical teaching for the baptized, Catechism

Quiz #1 (Green sheet):  Quiz-for-Sep-1-Book-of-Concord-Introduction.pdf
Handouts (white sheet with answers to the quiz on the back):  Book-of-Concord-Intro-Student-Guide.pdf

The following is a reading guide (through December) for those who would like to read along with us.
Reading Guide for Tappert, Kolb, English only of Triglotta, Concordia Reader’s Edition: Book-of-Concord-Reading-2019-2020-Chart-1-Page-1-2.pdf
Reading Guide for Triglotta, Jacobs, Henkel, Die BekenntnisSchriften, Tappert, Kolb: Book-of-Concord-Reading-2019-2020-Chart-2-pages-1-2.pdf

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Dust off your Book of Concord and start reading.  Sunday, September 1, we will begin a new 9-month Bible study on the Book of Concord.

• You keep saying that you are going to read through it.  Well, here is your chance.
• I have provided a reading guide, so your new Adam can whack that recalcitrant old Adam with it each day.
• “The Lutheran Church differs from all other churches in being essentially the Church of the pure Word and unadulterated Sacraments. Not the great number of her adherents, not her organizations, not her charitable and other institutions, not her beautiful customs and liturgical forms, etc., but the precious truths confessed by her symbols in perfect agreement with the Holy Scriptures constitute the true beauty and rich treasures of our Church, as well as the never-failing source of her vitality and power.  Wherever the Lutheran Church ignored her symbols or rejected all or some of them, there she always fell an easy prey to her enemies. But wherever she held fast to her God-given crown, esteemed and studied her confessions, and actually made them a norm and standard of her entire life and practice, there the Lutheran Church flourished and confounded all her enemies.   Accordingly, if Lutherans truly love their Church, and desire and seek her welfare, they must be faithful to her confessions and constantly be on their guard lest any one rob her of her treasure” (Concordia Triglotta, p.3).

The following is a reading guide (through December) for those who would like to read along with us.
Reading Guide for Tappert, Kolb, English only of Triglotta, Concordia Reader’s Edition: Book-of-Concord-Reading-2019-2020-Chart-1-Page-1-2.pdf
Reading Guide for Triglotta, Jacobs, Henkel, Die BekenntnisSchriften, Tappert, Kolb: Book-of-Concord-Reading-2019-2020-Chart-2-pages-1-2.pdf

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