06 August 2009

Old Lutheran Quote of the Day

[Okay, so it's longer than a "quote." From an article *The Augsburg Confession for Our Time* reprinted in *The Sacred Scriptures and the Lutheran Confessions* - pp. 190, 191 - by A. C. Piepkorn in which he derives these six principles from the last seven articles of the Augustana with particular reference to our need to reflect them in our own teaching and practice.]

First, central in the faith and life of the Church is the Gospel of God's love manifested through the atoning, sacrificial, victorious work of Jesus Christ our Lord. It must be central in our faith and life as well.

Second, the authority of Christ in His Church - as He exercises it through His Word and the Sacred Ministry of His Word - is supreme. We can acknowledge no other Lord.

Third, the Church in the process of Reformation must remain the Catholic Church. Above any denominational commitment is our obligation to our Mother, the Catholic Church.

Fourth, the concern of the Church and its pastors must be for the consciences of the people. This imposes upon us the obligation of careful instruction.

Fifth, the sacraments that our Lord instituted as channels of divine grace must be restored to their primitive place. This involves for us an increased appreciation of Baptism, at least the weekly availability and the frequent use of the Sacrament of the Altar, and the restoration of Holy Absolution to its ancient use.

Sixth, the Church and we with it need to repeat only only verbally but also practically the complete Creed and to stress a Christian secularism against a false spiritualism that disparages God's material creation and the legitimate and natural purposes and activities of human life and human society.

If we know these things, happy are we if we do them. For the patient and cheerful doing of them I implore upon us all the divine Assistance in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost. Amen.

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