Confessions
The Book of Concordwhat Lutherans confess
The Lutheran Confessions gather the creeds of the early church and the writings in which the Reformers stated, from Scripture, what the church teaches. They are read here in the 1911 Jacobs edition, which is in the public domain. Where the edition numbers its sections you can link straight to a line, and each page links to the printed page it comes from.
The Three CreedsThe Apostles’, Nicene and Athanasian Creeds: the faith held by the whole church. The Augsburg Confession1530. Twenty-eight articles presented to the emperor at Augsburg; the main statement of Lutheran teaching. The Apology of the Augsburg Confession1531. Melanchthon’s defence of the Confession against Rome, above all on justification by faith. The Smalcald Articles1537. Luther’s statement of what could and could not be conceded to Rome, with the Treatise on the Pope’s power. The Small Catechism1529. Luther’s short teaching on the Commandments, the Creed, the Lord’s Prayer and the sacraments, written for the home. The Large Catechism1529. Luther’s fuller teaching on the same five parts, for pastors and preachers. The Formula of Concord1577. The Epitome and the Solid Declaration, settling the disputes among Lutherans after Luther’s death.
Together these make up the Book of Concord, published in 1580.