Lutheran Stuff Trivia Quiz

Answer: Reformation Day

On October 31, 1517, Martin Luther wrote to the Archbishop of Mainz, protesting against the sale of indulgences and enclosing a copy of his Ninety-Five Theses (arguments for reform). According to tradition, Luther also nailed a copy of the Theses to the door of the castle church in Wittenberg, Germany -- which makes for a much better story.

Answer: being branded an outlaw by the Emperor

Luther was excommunicated from the Roman Catholic Church by Pope Leo X in early January of 1521. The Diet (assembly) convened later that month to enforce the penalty. Emperor Charles V declared Luther a "notorious heretic" and an outlaw. Fortunately, Luther left the Diet before the sentence was pronounced.

Answer: Philipp Melanchthon

The Augsburg Confession drew upon the earlier Marburg and Schwabach Articles written by Luther, but the Confession and the longer Apology for the Augsburg Confession were the work of Luther's friend and colleague Phillipp Melanchthon. The Confession was written for the Diet of Augsburg, an unsuccessful attempt to calm rising tensions between Protestant reformers and the Roman Catholic Church.

Answer: Three -- Baptism, Communion and Absolution

Lutheran clergy perform marriages, funerals and other services, but only Baptism, Communion and Absolution are deemed to be sacraments. (It should be noted that some Lutherans do not include Absolution, and only include Baptism and Communion as sacraments, in line with many other Protestant groups.) Despite those ugly rumors, "covered dish supper" is not a religious rite!

Answer: Pastor

Pastor works for either gender. "Father" or "Brother" may get you an amused smile, but it's not offensive. Although Lutheran Pastors almost always have graduate degrees, a Doctorate is not required for ordination.

Answer: The Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod

Despite its name, The Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod is very much a nationwide organization.

Answer: "Evangelical Catholic"

"Lutheran" was originally a pejorative term - "don't listen to him, he's a crazy *&^%$ Lutheran." After a few years of resistance, Lutherans gave up and accepted it. It's easier to say than Melanchthonian.

Answer: Yes and no; it depends on what kind of Lutheran church

Since 2000, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America has been in "full communion" with the Episcopal Church. The Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod practices "close communion" limited to members. Both welcome visitors -- and please stay for coffee after the service.

Answer: all three of these nations

Lutherans form the largest religious denomination in Namibia, formerly German Southwest Africa.

Answer: Most of them weren't Lutherans

Technically, there weren't any "Lutherans" before the Reformation, but even as to commemorations of people who died after 1517, about half were members of other Christian denominations -- including Michelangelo, John and Charles Wesley, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Bishop Oscar Romero and (Pope) John XXIII.

Answer: 1620, in present-day Manitoba

In 1619, King Christian IV of Denmark dispatched an expedition to explore North America. The captain's journal records that Pastor Rasmus Jensen gave a sermon on January 23, 1620. The expedition ended tragically, with only the captain and two other survivors returning to Denmark. Pastor Jensen was not among them.

Answer: The Lutheran Book of Worship

The green "LBW" replaced the red "Service Book and Hymnal" several years ago. As of late 2006, the LBW is scheduled to be replaced (slowly) by a new book, "Evangelical Lutheran Worship," with even more hymns, more music, more Psalms, more rubrics . . .

Answer: Cathedrals

There are some large Lutheran churches in the U.S., but they aren't called "cathedrals". Lutheran bishops in the U.S. are elected from among the pastors in the Synod, and serve a fixed term of office. Episcopal bishops are bishops for life.

Answer: New Revised Standard Version

The NRSV isn't mandatory, but it is the most popular translation. Given the traditional Lutheran emphasis on using the vernacular in worship, non-English speaking Lutherans in the U.S. use Bibles in their preferred languages.

Answer: 13.5 million; fourth

Roman Catholic (72 million), Baptist (48 million), Methodist / Wesleyan (20 million), Lutheran (13.5 million). The statistics are for baptized individuals.
(see see www.adherents.com)

Answer: "And also with you."

Any of these responses is o.k. (well, maybe not "You bet!"), but "And also with you" is customary these days; the others are not typical. Now, try it in Swedish!

Answer: Bingo cards

Lutheran congregations (almost) never use raffles or other games of chance as fund-raisers. "Free-will offerings" predominate.

Answer: Secretary-General of the United Nations

Trygve Lie and Dag Hammarskjold served as Secretary-General during the early years of the U.N. There has been one Lutheran Chief Justice (William Rehnquist). Haven't done the Oscars, yet.

Answer: Sweden

Although Lutherans generally favor the separation of church and state, it remains the nominal "official" religion of Norway, Denmark and Finland. These nations guarantee freedom of religion as a matter of law. The "official" status in Sweden was abolished in 2000.

Answer: Chicago, Illinois - go Bears!

Football was not, in fact, a consideration. As of 2007, the Presiding Bishop of the ELCA is Mark Hanson. "Presiding Bishop" is a somewhat high-sounding title for normally unpretentious Lutherans. The position and the Chicago headquarters are administrative rather than theological.