Perhaps what wisdomseeker means is the general belief that there is no Pope and people are free to interpret the Bible however they please (in most cases, with the exception of a few core beliefs that the church upholds).
So, how are they doing without the Pope?
Your OP isn’t about how you address individuals. It was asking how others would address your question. But, clearly, you are smart enough to ask, “how are Lutherans doing without a pope”.
And this is the flaw; you are not asking about a belief system. you are trying to group together various belief systems, as if they were one. Lutheranism, for instance, is not the
The same as Catholics did with a Pope, they split. But you already knew that
Well, that wouldn’t describe Lutherans, and we certainly acknowledge that there is a pope - the Bishop of Rome. And I admire him as a great Christian leader.
So tell me again, what denomination teaches you are able to interpret the Bible however they please? Because if individuals espouse this view in spite of what their denomination teaches, it is the same as when Catholics do not follow their churches teachings. Right?
Is that so? Not from what other Lutherans have told me. And there may in fact be a “pope” but what I meant was, you believe he is not who he says he is, otherwise, you’d probably be following him, yes? That’s my point.
You misunderstand. I did mention that most denominations have exceptions “(in most cases, with the exception of a few core beliefs that the church upholds)”.
Can you give some examples?
If a Lutheran you know claims he can personally interpret scripture in a way that contradicts the Lutheran confessions, then he is 1) sadly mistaken, 2) not a Lutheran.
Okay so Lutherans do not believe this.
The thrid generation is liable because the offspring of the ‘original groups’ are the ones asking the question, on their forum.
Nor do Episcopalians.
??? Name any protestant denomination?
Exactly what I meant! You have the Lutheran confessions, then…and everything else is up for grabs. Like I said. Twice.
Are you asking if one adheres to the Lutheran confession (or in my case, the 39 articles) whatever is not listed in those items is up for interpretation?
I would like to know that, please. Unless there is only one other thing, like the Apostle’s Creed, which I believe all or most Christians also believe.
And Catholics are free to believe things not dogmatically defined by their Church, too. Doctrine is doctrine, adiaphora is adiaphora. Example: Was the Blessed Virgin assumed before her death, or after? Catholics are free to believe either way.
What I’m getting at is that I believe of the pope what the early Church believed of the pope, what Orthodoxy still believes of the pope.