Lutheran Church
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 (see also 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.
notes for Lutheran Church
The Lutheran Church is strongest among the people of
Germany and
Scandinavia, where it is an
established church (see also
established church), supported by the government. In the United States, it is strongest among people descended from Germans and Scandinavians.