Lutheran Theology

These studies come from the booklet Charts of Christian Theology and Doctrine by H. Wayne House. These are meant to teach historical facts about different theological systems. I personally am comfortable with some of the theology of Luther, though I would not hold to all if it.

Lutheran Theology

Theology-Theology builds around the three fundamental doctrines of sola scriptura (Scripture alone), sola gratia (Grace Alone), and sola fide (Faith Alone).

Christ-Christ is the center of Scripture. His person and work, especially his substitutionary death, are the basis of Christian faith and the message of salvation.

Revelation-Scripture alone is the authoritative source for theology and for church life and teaching. Scripture is the very Word of God and is a truthful and authoritative as God himself.

At the center of Scripture stands the person and work of Christ. Thus Scripture’s main purpose is soteriological—to proclaim the salvation message in Jesus Christ. The Word through Christ’s work is God’s mode of salvation.

Salvation-Salvation comes only by grace through faith. The source of salvation is God’s grace shown through Christ’s work, the ground of salvation. The means for receiving salvation is faith only.

People contribute nothing toward their salvation. They are totally without a free will in respect to salvation, and thus God is the efficient cause of salvation.

The Spirit works through the word of the Gospel (including baptism and the Eucharist) to bring salvation.

The Spirit uses the baptism of infants to produce faith in them and bring them to salvation.
The Eucharist involves the actual presence of Christ with the bread and the wine though these elements remain bread and wine (consubstantiation).

The theology of the cross is to be the mark of true theology. Instead of centering on the things about God’s invisible nature and works, which Luther calls a theology of glory; Christians are to focus on the humility of God revealed in the death of Christ on the cross. In a theology of the cross, the believers come to have a knowledge of God and also a true knowledge of themselves and their relationship to God.