Lutherans
Lutherans,Protestants who adhere to the teachings of Martin Luther. The views of the Evangelical Church, which stem from his principles, are conservative as compared with those of the Reformed Church, based on Calvinistic doctrines. Luther emphasized the responsibility of the individual conscience to God alone, taught that the Scriptures are the only necessary guide to truth and that baptism is essential for regeneration, and permitted the retention of altars and vestments. A synodical form of church organization has developed, but the unity is one of doctrine rather than of organization, since each church makes its own decisions. The first Lutherans in America came to Manhattan from the Netherlands (1623). Another congregation was established in Delaware by Swedish settlers (1638). Others were attracted by the tolerance of the Quakers in Pennsylvania, but the creation of the first Lutheran synod and its independence from European affiliation resulted from the...
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