Key Difference – Lutheran vs Evangelical
To an outsider, Christianity may appear to be monolith, but there are many different churches and denominations within the fold of this religion. Lutherans happen to be the followers of Martin Luther and are believed to be the first of the Protestants who sought to reform the Roman Catholic Church of its evils. There is another church called Evangelical that is made up of many different Christian movements. There are even Lutheran Evangelicals to confuse people further. Despite many similarities, there are differences between Lutherans and Evangelicals that will be talked about in this article.
What is Lutheran?
Lutheran, as the name implies, is the Church or denomination within the fold of Christianity that stands for the teachings of Martin Luther; a reformist from 16th century Europe. Luther was peeved by the ills in the practices and beliefs in Roman Catholic Church that he found inconsistent with the scriptures, specifically the Holy Bible. He introduced the reforms in the shape of The 95 Theses that were rejected but the clergy in his times that indulged in the practice of indulgence. Luther desired to remain within the Roman Catholic Church, but his followers were driven out of the Church and had to make a new denomination within Christianity that came to be known as Lutheranism.
Today, Lutheran Church is one of the most important denominations among the reformist Protestants around the world. In fact, Lutherans are believed to be the first of the Protestants. There are more than 66 million Lutherans around the world today. Martin Luther believed that salvation came with belief and faith in God, and certain practices in the Roman Catholic Church were corrupt and, in fact, stumbling blocks to salvation.
What is Evangelical?
The term evangelical comes from the Greek euangelion that roughly equates with gospel or the good news. This is not a faith or denomination but a bunch of denominations that believe in good news brought to the sinners by Jesus. Evangelicalism is a movement within protestant reformists that began in the 17th century and continued in later centuries to spread to all parts of the world.
Evangelical is one denomination that appeals to believers and non-believers alike and has been the most important one to draw faithful within the fold of Christianity. There are several characteristics that bind evangelicals throughout the world. Among these are the supremacy of the Bible, emphasis on the sacrifice of Jesus for the salvation of the humanity, and the demonstration of faith through missionary work and social reform. Bible is the sole authority for all evangelicals, and it governs their lives and actions.
What is the difference between Lutheran and Evangelical?
Definitions of Lutheran and Evangelical:
Lutheran: Lutheran is the Church or denomination within the fold of Christianity that stands for the teachings of Martin Luther; a reformist from 16th century Europe.
Evangelical: Evangelical is not a faith or denomination but a bunch of denominations that believe in good news brought to the sinners by Jesus.
Characteristics of Lutheran and Evangelical:
Denomination:
Lutheran: Lutheran is a denomination.
Evangelical: Evangelical is not a denomination.
Specialty:
Lutheran: Lutherans are the oldest of the protestants, and they form an important denomination within the fold of Christianity even today.
Evangelical: Evangelicals are characterized by their belief in the good news of salvation through the sacrifice of Jesus.
Image Courtesy:
1. “St. John’s Lutheran Church, Zanesville” by User:Nyttend – Own work. [Public Domain] via Commons
2. “St. John’s Evangelical Lutheran Church, 804 West Vliet Street, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Window” by Wrokic – Own work. [CC BY-SA 3.0] via Commons