Expert: Brad Varvil - 8/5/2009

Question
What are the major Lutheran holidays? Are they different from Christian holidays? Are there any different holidays than Christians?

Answer
Dear Meghan,

By the way you ask this question, I think you may be under the mistaken impression that Lutherans are not Christians.  As a quick clarifying comment, Lutherans are a particular group of Christians that emerged from the Reformation era (16th century) in Europe, and rallied around a common confession of the Christian faith (usually known as the Augsburg Confession, or more broadly in the Book of Concord collected together in 1580.)  Lutherans are Christians of a particular confession or witness to the historic Christian faith, with heavy emphases on Scripture and the historic creeds (Apostle's, Nicene, and Athanasian,) which makes us both Evangelical (focussed on the Gospel of Jesus Christ) and catholic (part of the universal, historic Church of Christ which spans all time and places.)

Lutheran holidays are the historic Christian holidays, rooted in the history of the Church.  Christmas and Easter are the most commonly known, but we also celebrate many others that are familiar throughout the Christian Church (i.e., Pentecost, Transfiguration, Assumption, Lent, feasts days to remember great saints, and so forth.)  We also have a couple that are peculiar to our own history, including our celebration of Reformation Day on October 31st, generally regarded as the day when Martin Luther launched the Reformation (interestingly enough, it coincided with All Saints Day celebrations, where the Church remembers all who have died in Christ with the hope of salvation and redemption by His grace.)

I hope that helped answer your question.  If you would like more detail, or to pursue the question differently, please don't hesitate to ask.

Grace and peace be with you,
Pr. Brad