Can someone compare the beliefs of these two denominations with respect to:
- purpose of baptism
Anglican liturgy affirms baptismal regeneration, although “low-church” Anglicans have interpreted this language as conditional. Lutherans don’t always like to use the phrase “baptismal regeneration,” because historically they have associated this with what they see to be a Catholic theology of baptism that ignores the Word and faith. However, they believe that forgiveness of sins is offered in baptism, not only to adult believers but to infants as well. The Smalcald Articles refer to baptism as “the Word in the water,” and that may be the best and most distinctive statement of the Lutheran position.
Anglican positions range from a Calvinist “spiritual presence” (the position that appears to be taught in the 39 Articles) to an essentially Catholic view (with accompanying practices, such as Benediction). Lutherans believe that the Body and Blood of Christ are truly present in, with, and under the bread and wine, in a local and bodily manner. However, many Lutherans believe that this presence exists only during the Liturgy.
Most Anglican liturgies today, of which I’m aware, include prayer for the dead, although this was not the case for some centuries. Lutherans do not, to my knowledge, have a strong position on the subject.
The 39 Articles affirm this in a succinct and non-dogmatic way. Anglican soteriology today, even more than some other things, is all over the map. I think it’s fair to say that Anglican theology has always affirmed the importance of good works, whether in a classical Protestant fruit-of-faith way or in a more Catholic sense–or even in a sense that orthodox Catholics (at least those of a more Thomist/Augustinian bent) might find too close to Pelagianism. The low-church Calvinist Anglican scholar and bishop FitzSimmons Allison has argued (in his
The Rise of Moralism) that seventeenth-century Anglicanism moved away from a Reformed soteriology to a form of Semi-Pelagianism.
Lutherans, of course, invented justification by faith alone! However, it’s important to distinguish their doctrine from the more modern Baptist/evangelical versions of it. The classic Lutheran doctrine is not based on a “conversion experience” and does not involve eternal security. It does rest on the reception of God’s grace as offered in Word and Sacraments.
Between the Reformation and the 19th century, Anglicans did not regularly practice private confession to a priest. We did (and do) practice corporate confession in the liturgy like other Reformation churches, and people were encouraged to confess their sins when sick or troubled in conscience. But this confession seems to have been regarded as pastoral rather than sacramental. In the 19th century private confession as a sacramental practice was revived, against great opposition. Today most Anglicans would say “all may, none must, some should.” Only the very Anglo-Catholic churches have regular times and places for confession. Most of us confess by special appointment with a priest, and some priests are uncomfortable hearing confessions regularly.
Lutherans practiced and taught private confession for the first century or so, but the practice seems to have waned or lapsed in the Enlightenment era. It appears to have been revived since the 19th century (as in Anglicanism), at least among the more high-church Lutherans. Lutherans believe that it is impossible to confess every sin. The purpose of confession is rather to confess one’s sinfulness in general (but giving specific examples) and receive a declaration of Christ’s forgiveness.
- any special reverence for Mary
Anglicans have always celebrated saints’ days, including some of the traditional Marian feasts. Anglo-Catholics often celebrate the same days Catholics do, and practice the same forms of Marian veneration. Other Anglicans simply see Mary as an example to follow, but I’d say that on the whole Anglicans are not “nervous” about honoring Mary in the way that many other Protestants are.
I’m not too sure about the Lutheran stance, but it seems to be similar to that of non-Anglo-Catholic Anglicans, and there are some Lutherans who do honor Mary in ways similar to Catholics. The main Lutheran objection to Catholic Marian piety is its possible conflict with justification by faith alone. In other words, Lutherans would insist that Mary and other saints were also sinners who needed to be saved by grace, and they would deny that the saints have any merits for themselves or others. Rather, the saints are examples of faith. Lutherans have always regarded Mary as the supreme example of faith. Luther wrote a commentary on the Magnificat, and Lutherans (like Anglicans) have regularly used the Magnificat in worship.
Also could these beliefs vary widely between congregations?
Yes, especially in Anglicanism. Lutherans have more detailed confessional statements and are more likely to treat those statements as binding. The Anglican 39 Articles are fairly vague, and many Anglicans ignore them. I was never asked to subscribe to them, and my Anglo-Catholic priest regarded the teaching of the pre-Reformation Church as more authoritative than the Articles.
I’m sure that some of my statements about Lutheranism have been erroneous or incomplete, and I welcome correction from Lutherans. (My fellow Anglicans may differ with what I’ve written as well, but I’m surer of my ground there!)
Edwin
