Lutheran

Lutheranism starter when Martin Luther objected to the Catholic doctrine of salvation by merit and sale of indulgence in Germany in 1517. Luther attacked the authority of the Pope, rejected the priests’ vow of celibacy, and recommended individual study of the Bible.  His Ninety-Five Theses, which he posted in Wittenberg, led to his ex-communication.

Although Lutheranism started at very early year, it took about 430 years before the Lutheran message of “justification of faith alone” reached the Philippines. The Lutheran Church Missouri Sybod (LC-MS) sent Dr. Alvaro A. Cariño to be the first missionary to the Philippines.  In 1940, Cariño made a survey of the Philippines with Dr. Otto H. Schmidt, the Executive Secretary of the Board for Missions.  The Lutheran Mission to the Philippines was delayed when World War II broke out, but in July 1949 Rev. Cariño finally returned to become the “Father of the Lutheran Church in the Philippines” (LCP).

As of the First half of 1981, the LCP had 15,460 baptized members, 5,538 communicants, 95 organized congregations, and 74 mission congregations.  The LCP emphasizes the congregation, although its members hold a convention every four years at which time the LCP President is elected.  The convention sets the general direction of the Church.  In the interim, the Board of Directors is the highest governing body.  It is composed of the LCP President and the presidents and lay representatives of four digits – The North Luzon Highland District, the North Luzon Lowland District, the South Luzon and the Mindanao Districts.

The LCP relies on the Scripture as spelled out in Confessions and other creeds such as the Apostle’s Creed and Nicene’s Creed.  The main distinctive tenets of the Lutherans are: that Scripture is the sole rule of faith, and that all creeds and confessions are subordinate to it.  The LCP belongs to the liturgical church.  Their order of worship is a simple formal liturgy, with emphasis on the sermon.

Generally, the personal and social ethics of Lutheranism is conservative. Lutherans believe in the doctrine of  “Two Kingdoms” (wordly and holy) which supports conservatism in secular affairs .  In the Philippines, the LCP is engage in a wide variety of the ministries in mass media, medicine, agriculture, education, youth, work and theological training.  The LCP emphasizes evangelism, Christian education, stewardship and theological education.

The special rites of the LCP are Baptism and Lord’s Supper where bread and wine are considered the body and blood of Christ.  For Lutherans, salvation can only be obtained by faith through grace.