DIFFERENCE BETWEEN EVANGELISM AND LUTHERANISM

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DOES SOMEBODY HERE KNOW THE DIFFERENCES BEWTEEN THESE 2?

-- PUNKER (GREG_PISAHOV@HOTMAIL.COM), January 10, 2005

Answers

Evangelism is spreading the Good News.

Lutheranism is following the teachings of Martin Luther.

-- Hugh (hugh@inspired.com), January 10, 2005.


Hello Punker/Greg/Giovanni.

"Evangel" means "Gospel" or "Good News". That is, the good news about the Kingdom of God and what Jesus has done for us.

"Evangelize" means to tell other people the Good News about God.

"Evangelical" is a term often used to describe certain more conservative protestant Christians who take Scripture in a concretely literal way, but without the fanaticism of so- called "fundamentalists".

Lutherans are nicknamed after Martin Luther, who was a German- speaking Catholic priest in the Holy Roman Empire, about 500 years ago. He translated the Bible from Latin, Greek and Hebrew into the common language of the people in his region, which was German. He was upset that people misunderstood indulgences, and thought they could pay for their salvation by giving money to the church. (That isn't actually what the Church taught, but it was misunderstood by some.) He taught that salvation--a right relationship with God--was a free gift of God, for Jesus' sake, and is given to us by grace, just by trusting Christ ("by faith alone, without works"). He ended up teaching that the Bible was the only true teaching, and believed that popes and councils of bishops could err. Yet he was really rather conservative, and kept most of the Catholic ceremonies of the Mass, crucifix, infant baptism, confirmation, statues, etc. The Catholics of northern Europe came to accept his teachings (some by free choice, some forced by their kings) and were nicknamed "Lutherans".

-- Michael (edwardsronning@prodigy.net), January 11, 2005.


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