|
Author
|
Topic: Difference
|
helpforhomeschoolers
Advanced Member
Member # 15
|
posted
You just solved a little mystery for me RIO; ![[Big Grin]](biggrin.gif)
I did not know that EV Free came out of the Lutheran Church of Denmark, Norway and Sweden. I was having a conversation with my girls paternal grandparents the other day and they are ELCA Lutherans.
Their church changed back in the 70/80's from LCA in the doctrinal fights that occurred between the synods. This battle caused doctrinal issues even between families. In our family, our parents became ELCA and the adult children remained Missouri Synod, and our parents weren't welcome to take communion when visiting in the Missouri Synod churches of their children!
They (the grandparents)are now in their 80's and still attend the same church today, but today they have a woman as associate pastor. The ELCA ordains women.
I was telling her (grandma)that my girls go to youth at an EV free church because it is closer than the church we attend and on Wednesdays it works better. I was explaining that we are Friends with the pastor but dint want to change churches because we are a little more conservative than the EV Free, and she replied. "More Conservative than them!!???"
I thought is was funny that she would know anything of the EV free. I try to stay away from discussions on religion with them because the differences in our doctrines are just so different and I don't see the point. So I just let the conversation go on to something else, but now I understand. Grandpa's family immigrated here from Sweden and brought their Lutheran heritage with them. Surely they would have know about EV Free. He he he, very interesting indeed!
Thinking about all the doctrinal battles they must have witnessed over the years and now realizing that this must have also included the ones that brought about the birth of the EV Free, I can see why my statement of our own conservatism must have dismayed her. ![[biglaugha]](graemlins/biglaugha.gif)
By the way:
quote:
Most people join a congregation because they like the minister and the form of worship. All too often they fail to look at the doctrinal or positions of the church until much later and then they have problems.
A big Amen to this. I would doubt that after an 80 year lifetime in the Lutheran Church my dad (ex father in law) knows... really knows the doctrines of the church he attends, even though the church for them really is their daily life. They are very active in their congregation and I know that they both love the Lord with all their hearts, but I doubt that they could discuss church doctrine on issues like Baptism, the Sacraments, or millennial views, or Bible inerrancy. Maybe they could though, My mom has been reading the left behind books, so I wonder if they are thinking about the endtimes differently.
Posts: 4684 | From: Southern Black Hills of South Dakota | Registered: Jun 2002
| IP: Logged | 
|
|
RioLion
unregistered
|
posted
I belonged to an Evangelical Free Church for the past 12 years. It has been one of the few that I really feel comfortable in.
Most people join a congregation because they like the minister and the form of worship. All too often they fail to look at the doctrinal or positions of the church until much later and then they have problems.
Unlike Baptist churches, the Evangelical Free Church is more careful of those that would join. If one does not have a testimony of Christ, they they either get one or go some place else.
I find that they are rather strict on many issues such as Biblical inerrancy, abortion and homosexual rights.
They believe in church discipline even to the point of dismissing someone from the church. It is rare, but I have seen it at least once.
One point that I have not cared for is that they seem not to recognize church traditions hardly at all. There will be an Easter celebration but you seldom see anything pertaining to Christmas or other events on the traditional church calendar.
The 12 point doctrinal statement is fairly simple and emcompasses all the basics of the faith. For one that does not believe in the Bible as the very words of God, it will not be sufficient. The congregation elects elders and deacons who govern
the church; the head minister considered to be one of the elders. Generally, there is two congregational meetings per year to sort out different issues that may come up in the church.
The origin of the Evangelical Free church is that it is a breakaway from the state sponsored Lutheran Church of Denmark, Sweden, and Norway. These various groups consolidated sometime during the 1920's into the Evangelical Free Church of America. Doctrinal, Lutherans range from conservative Missouri Synod to more liberal Evangelical Lutheran Church of America.
Lutheran denominations seems to be more in sharp conflict with each other than those of non-Lutheran denominations. Ordination of homosexual clergy is an issue in the ELCA as is Biblical inerrancy.
IP: Logged |
|
|
helpforhomeschoolers
Advanced Member
Member # 15
|
posted
There are both organizational and doctrinal differences.
Organizational:
Evangelical Free Churches believe that the local congregational body governs the local church.
Local Lutheran congregations are members of the one Lutheran Church in America. The Church is divided into areas called Synods. The Lutheran Church of the Missouri Synod differs in doctrine and is more conservative than the rest of the other synods all which fall under the authority and governing body known as the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America. So depending on which synod you are a member congregation of you are governed by either the Lutheran Church of the Missouri Synod,(LCMS) or the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America (ELCA)
Major Doctrinal differences: (not intended to be a comprehensive list.)
EV Free - believe in a millennial reign and the blessed hope of Christ's imminent return for his bride/church.
Lutheran - believe that the Kingdom of God is here now and there will be no millennial reign, but the kingdom will be here until the earth end. Lutheran's see that all of the prophesy in the Bible regarding the Anti Christ are fulfilled in the office of the papacy. (Not in an individual pope, but in the office of the papacy.)
EV Free believe in adult baptism and that it is an ordinance for the church today; but not that it is necessary for salvation
Lutheran's believe in infant baptism and that we are through baptism dead and raised in Christ (Baptismal Regeneration)
EV Free believe that the Lord's supper is an ordinance for the church today done in remembrance of Christ.
The two Lutheran Churches in America (ELCA & Missouri Synod) differ in their view of communion in that the Missouri Synod believes that the body and blood of Christ is received by the one who eats the bread and drinks the wine of communion. It is a communion with the body and blood of Christ. Missouri Synod practices a closed communion.
This gives you a brief overview of the differences that I am aware of. I used to be a Missouri Synod Lutheran and I have a dear friend who is an EV Free pastor, so I have some limited knowledge.
But if you want to read their creeds yourself here are some links. I will caution you though, because I spent most of my life a Lutheran and did not recognize much of the doctrinal error that I now see. Sometimes we can read these creeds and think, oh that sounds right, but we have to look deeper and see how it lines up with scripture. I am thankful that Martin Luther nailed that 95 Thesis to the door, but no matter how you cut it, much of Roman Catholicism was still alive and well in his veins.
Here are the links to the statements of faith or doctrines. May God bless you and His Holy Spirit guide you in all things.
Doctrinal Statement Lutheran Church of the Missouri Synod (1932)
Confession of Faith Evangelical Lutheran Church of America
Evangelical Free Church of America Statement of Faith
Posts: 4684 | From: Southern Black Hills of South Dakota | Registered: Jun 2002
| IP: Logged |
|
|
All4Him
Advanced Member
Member # 2212
|
posted
I was wondering what the difference is between Lutherns and Evengeical Free??
Posts: 35 | From: USA | Registered: Oct 2003
| IP: Logged |
|
|
|
Printer-friendly view of this topic
