Lutheran Church

1. 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

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.