LCMS Commission on Theology and Church Relations – Reports, evaluations, and opinions
The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod’s Commission on Theology and Church Relations (CTCR) document library includes reports, evaluations, and opinions.
Comfort in the Righteousness of God
In his 1545 preface Luther noted how he once hated “the righteousness of God,” of which Paul spoke in Romans 1:17...
What Did The Reformers Say About Angels?
As Western Christians celebrate the church festival of St. Michael and All Angels (also known as Michaelmas) during this season, it is fitting to explore the topics of interest regarding angels that occupied the thoughts of the Reformers—namely, their existence and how they intervene on God’s behalf in the lives of Christians—and examine what the Church actually confesses concerning these creatures as taught from Holy Scripture.
Lutheran Spotlight: Nicolaus Decius
The contributions of Nicolaus Decius to Lutheran hymnody, although few, actually predate the first published hymns of Martin Luther by one year.
On The Inerrancy of Scripture
Is the Bible true? Is it really reliable or is it full of errors? Doesn’t it contradict itself? Luther and other Lutheran Reformers answered these questions in no uncertain terms, defending the inerrancy of Scripture with gusto.
On the Clarity of Scripture
Since Martin Luther, Lutherans have held to the clarity of Scripture, insisting that Scripture is clear. But what does that mean?
On the Sufficiency of Scripture
During the years leading up to the Reformation, the Roman papacy had convinced much of Christendom that the Scriptures were not enough to settle questions of doctrine and life.
On the Authority of Scripture
Central to the project of the Lutheran Reformation was the restoration of the supreme authority of Scripture within the life of the Church.
Lutheran Spotlight: Johann Gerhard
Johann Gerhard (1582-1637) died as a professor of theology at the University of Jena, a post he had held for twenty-one years. His popularity there was evidenced by the fact that he received and turned down over twenty calls during his time as a professor.
Robert Barnes: A Lutheran Martyr in England
July 30 is the commemoration of Robert Barnes, Confessor and Martyr. But his name might not be well known, even among those who study the Lutheran Reformation in Germany.
Lutheran Spotlight: Johann Sebastian Bach
Bach’s connection and admiration of Luther stems from his childhood; in particular, his early education. Born in 1685 in Eisenach in Thuringia, Bach spent three years at the Latin school that Luther had attended two centuries prior.
Christ’s Presence in the Sacrament
The presence of Christ’s body and blood in the sacrament of the altar was a matter of great debate in the early sixteenth century. Particularly in the 1520’s this question was fiercely debated among different Reformers.
The Three Estates in Luther’s Theology
According to this schema Luther saw all of human life ordered across three spheres of structured relationships: the politia, the oeconomia, and the ecclesia.
The Method of Melanchthon’s Loci Communes
Locus is the Latin word for "place". Loci are places. And Loci Communes are common places where one may like to put things, either in the mind or in a book—organized, as if in a physical location, and easy to retrieve when needed.