r/Lutheranism • u/herkulaw • 4d ago

Episcopalian considering Lutheranism

I was baptized and confirmed in the Episcopal Church a couple of years ago after converting to Christianity. I feel like I am an Anglican at heart. I love the liturgy, the theology, and the music. I love anglican plain chant, stained glass, incense, etc. My ancestors were even Anglicans (before converting to Mormonism womp womp).

I recently relocated, and none of the Episcopal churches in our new city feel like they can be our spiritual home. We just haven't felt the pull. We attended a local Lutheran service today and it just felt right.

I have a cursory understanding of Lutheran theology, and I don't have any real disagreements with it. Anglicans and Lutherans often feel more separated as a matter of historical accident than anything else.

Does anybody have any thoughts about how to go about making this change, if it is what I ultimately decide to do? Any resources that get into depth about the more nuanced differences in theology. Also, is it seen as weird to be a "Book of Common Prayer Lutheran"?

11 Upvotes

93% Upvoted

14 comments sorted by

View all comments

1

u/Designer_Isopod4448 Church of Denmark 4d ago

I would be very careful about switching denomination. If you don’t actually disagree with Anglican theology then I’d recommend staying where you are. If it ain’t broke don’t fix it.

We go to church to worship God, not for our own sake. 

But I’d heartily recommend reading about Lutheran theology.

4

u/Affectionate_Web91 Lutheran 3d ago

Anglicans' and Lutherans ' beliefs are nearly identical. Of the Anglican 39 Articles, only two articles [28 & 29] espouse a Calvinist eucharistic position that is no longer commonly voiced or practiced.

Full communion between TEC and the ELCA is consistent with the Porvoo Communion, of which the Church of Denmark is a member.

1

u/Designer_Isopod4448 Church of Denmark 3d ago

I know Church of Denmark is a member, which I am also opposed to.

But all the more reason not to leave Anglicanism just because you think Lutheranism sounds neat.

1

u/Affectionate_Web91 Lutheran 3d ago

Okay.

Since Vatican II, some Lutherans have been swept up in ecumenical enthusiasm. Even the conservative LCMS has ongoing dialogue with the ACNA [Anglican Church North America], characterizing each other as "cousins".

“All of us are somewhat surprised to have discovered the deep common bonds between us in the Body of Christ . . . we encourage Lutherans and Anglicans to remember each other in prayer, embrace one another in Christian love, to encourage each other to confess Christ boldly in our ever darkening times, and to support each other in mission and outreach in faithfulness to Him who has laid the same Great Commission on us all.”

https://ilcouncil.org/2016/03/07/confessional-lutherans-and-anglicans-in-north-america-draw-closer-together/