| lutheran church | |
noun | |
| the Protestant denomination adhering to the views of Martin Luther |
A Protestant denomination that arose from the teachings of Martin Luther. Lutherans are known for their stress on the doctrine of justification by grace, through faith, and for their insistence on the Bible alone as a rule of faith. Lutherans practice baptism of infants and believe that Jesus is really, not just symbolically, present in the sacrament of Communion.
Note: The Lutheran Church is strongest among the people of Germany and Scandinavia, where it is an established church, supported by the government. In the United States, it is strongest among people descended from Germans and Scandinavians.