Estonian Evangelical Lutheran Church
The Estonian Evangelical Lutheran Church is a Christian Protestant church. It follows the teachings of Martin Luther, the German Reformation theologian.
Today the Estonian Evangelical Lutheran Church is the largest church in Estonia. The church helped to establish the Council of Estonian Churches in 1989. The purpose of this Council is to unite Christian churches and congregational alliances to improve spiritual development according to Christian principles.
The Archbishop is the highest pastoral position and governs the whole Estonian Evangelical Lutheran Church. The other Bishops conveys the orders from the Archbishop. The Dean, Deputy Deans and Pastors govern the congregation. Everyone works under the supervision of the Archbishop.
History
Estonia declared its independence as a republic on February 24, 1918.
The Estonian Evangelical Lutheran Church started in 1917 in Estonia, which at the time, was part of the Soviet Union. The first Estonian church congress took place at the same time, and the first Estonian bishop was elected.
They were silenced in 1940 when the Soviet Union invaded Estonia. Estonia was then occupied by the German Third Reich from 1941 until 1944. They was dissolved and their church buildings destroyed during World War II. Many of the bishops and theologians were deported to Siberia and religious gatherings were forbidden. The church remained silenced until 1988.
The Estonian Evangelical Lutheran Church was brought to life with the liberation movement. Today women are ordained and the congregations of The Estonian Evangelical Lutheran Church are growing. Funding for the church comes from outside the church. The main priority for the Estonian Evangelical Lutheran Church is the education of clergy and lay leadership.
Belief
The Estonian Evangelical Lutheran Church is based on the long tradition of Lutheranism following the Protestant Evangelical Lutheran confession.
The Estonian Evangelical Lutheran Church believe the Bible is divinely inspired and the only standard to be used in their teachings. Their belief that the Bible is inerrant is not shared by many Lutheran church denominations who hold to the belief that the Bible is a human doctrine and subject to error in non-spiritual matters. They also follow closely the Book of Concord, which is a series of Confessions of faith from the 16th century.
The Estonian Evangelical Lutheran Church believe God made the world perfect, holy, and sinless and it was because of Adam and Eve who chose to disobey God that caused original sin to mankind. They believe original sin is where all other sins come from, therefore, human beings are born in sin and are sinners. They believe it is not actual sins which condemn them because they were sinful from the start.
The Estonian Evangelical Lutheran Church believe salvation is by the grace of God alone, through faith alone for the sake of Christ’s merit alone. They believe the Faithful are saved by grace alone and that God gives his free gift of mercy and forgiveness to make them adopted children of His with eternal salvation. They believe they receive the gift of salvation by faith alone and this salvation is seen as a gift of God. This gift is believed to be created in the hearts of Christians by the work of the Holy Spirit when they are Baptized and hear the proclaimed Word of God.
The Estonian Evangelical Lutheran Church believe Jesus Christ makes salvation possible because of His birth, perfect life of obedience, suffering, death, and resurrection. They believe Jesus is God, and is sinless making Him a worthy sacrifice, without spot or blemish. They believe Jesus destroyed death and paid for the forgiveness of sin.
The Estonian Evangelical Lutheran Church believes at death Christians are immediately taken into the presence of God in Heaven, where they wait for the Second coming of Christ and the resurrection of the body.
The Estonian Evangelical Lutheran Church believe Baptism is for regeneration of believers and infant Baptism is accepted.
The Estonian Evangelical Lutheran Church believe in the Real Presence of the Body and Blood of Christ in the Bread and wine used for the Lord’s Supper.
Cite Article Source
MLA Style Citation:
Holstein, Joanne “Estonian Evangelical Lutheran Church:.” Becker Bible Studies Library Jan 2006.<https://guidedbiblestudies.com/?p=2677,>.
APA Style Citation:
Holstein, Joanne (2006, January) “Estonian Evangelical Lutheran Church:.” Becker Bible Studies Library. Retrieved from https://guidedbiblestudies.com/?p=2677,.
Chicago Style Citation:
Holstein, Joanne (2006) “Estonian Evangelical Lutheran Church:.” Becker Bible Studies Library (January), https://guidedbiblestudies.com/?p=2677, (accessed).
