Lord of Light
About LOL
Mission Statement
Called by God, open to all, committed to serving Christ.
Vision Statement
By God's grace, we are a collegiate Lutheran community committed to Christ and empowered to respond to the needs of the world by enacting change and creating leaders. We embrace diversity, renewal and inclusivity through:
- Worship
- Student outreach
- Community service and social justice
- Education and reflection
- Mutual support and friendship
Our unity is in Christ, who calls all the baptized to pursue reconciliation and to seek wholeness. The Gospel challenges us to be the means of grace and healing in society. Therefore, with the Apostle Paul, we affirm that in Christ "there is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female" (Galatians 3:28). This reconciliation extends to people of all sexual orientations and gender identities.
While gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender persons and their families are often alienated by the Church, we affirm that people of all sexual orientations and gender identities are:
- Unique, sacred individuals created in the image of God.
- Welcome to participate fully in the ministries and leadership of this community.
Reconciling in Christ (RIC) is a program of Lutherans Concerned/North America, which works for the full inclusion of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender Lutherans in all aspects of the life of this church and its congregations. The RIC Program recognizes congregations that explicitly welcome lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender believers. Lord of Light was among the earliest ELCA congregations to be designated as RIC.
What we believe:
Lutheran Christians state their central beliefs in three ecumenical Creeds:
We believe in the Triune God, who is named Father, Son and Holy Spirit.*
* A Note About Language in Worship
We strive to use inclusive and imaginative language, faithful to the tradition of the church yet sensitive to God's Spirit moving afresh in our times. Where nouns and pronouns in the service do not adequately reflect our faith in the Triune God who is neither male nor female, we encourage worshipers to substitute words that better express their praise. Expect to experience occasional "dissonance" in our worship language since God exceeds our verbal description or understanding.
We believe in Jesus Christ.
Scripture tells us, "In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God. "(John 1:1). We understand the Word to be Jesus Christ who was born of a virgin by the power of the Holy Spirit and lived and died in Palestine during the governorship of the Roman administrator Pontius Pilate. We believe Jesus to be the long-awaited Messiah. Through Jesus, God demonstrated unparalleled love for the world. While we cannot understand the mystery, we believe Jesus Christ to be at the same time fully God and fully human. Jesus obeyed the will of God perfectly and gave his life as the price for our sins. By doing so, Jesus restored the relationship between God and humankind. However, death did not have the last word. On the third day after his execution, the day Christians observe as Easter, Jesus appeared among his followers as the risen, living Lord. By his resurrection, the gap between all that separated us from our Creator was bridged. The resurrection won for us eternal life.
The Church
The Church, sometimes called "the Body of Christ," is comprised of all who have been baptized in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Lutherans believe that they are a part of a community of faith that began when the Holy Spirit, God's presence with the people, arrived on the day of Pentecost. As a result, the church is the community of those who have been restored to God by Christ.
The church exists solely for the hearing and doing of God's Word. It can justify its existence only when it proclaims the living Word of Christ, administers the Sacraments and gives itself to the world in deeds of service and love. We recognize the Lutheran tradition to be "a reforming movement within the church catholic (which means universal) and are eager to work with other expressions of the Church in ecumenical endeavors.
Why "Lutheran?"
Martin Luther (1483-1546) is known as the Father of Protestantism. He had studied to become a lawyer before becoming an Augustinian monk and was ordained a priest in 1507. While continuing his studies in pursuit of a Doctor of Theology degree, he discovered significant differences between what he read in the Bible and the theology and practices of the church in his day. On October 31, 1517, he posted a challenge on the church door at Wittenberg University to debate 95 theological issues; the posting of these 95 Theses is considered the act that set off the Reformation.
Luther had hoped that the church would reform its practices and preaching to be more consistent with the Word of God as contained in the Bible. What started as an academic debate, however, escalated to a religious war, fueled by fiery temperaments and violent language on both sides. The result was not a reformation of the church but a separation. "Lutheran" was a name applied to Luther and his followers as an insult but they adopted as a badge of honor.
Lutherans still celebrate the Reformation on October 31 and still hold to the basic principles of theology and practice espoused by Luther, namely:
- We are saved by the grace of God alone -- not by anything we do;
- Our salvation is through faith alone -- we only need to believe that our sins are forgiven for Christ's sake, who died to redeem us;
- The Bible is the only norm of doctrine and life -- the only true standard by which teachings and doctrines are to be judged.
Another of Luther's principles was that Scriptures and worship need to be in the language of the people.
How do Lutherans understand the Bible?
While Lutherans recognize differences in the way the Bible should be studied and interpreted, it is accepted as the primary and authoritative witness to the church's faith. Written and transcribed by many authors over a period of many centuries, the Bible bears remarkable testimony to the mighty acts of God in the lives of people and nations. The Hebrew Bible or Old Testament vividly reveals God's covenant relationship to Israel while the New Testament focuses upon the new covenant God established through Jesus. Lutherans understand that the Bible to be the remarkable account of God's saving care for creation throughout the course of history.
What Sacraments do Lutherans recognize?
Lutherans accept two Sacraments, Baptism and Holy Communion. In Baptism, God freely offers grace and lovingly establishes a new community. In Baptism, people become members of the Church. In Holy Communion -- also called the Lord's Supper or the Eucharist -- those who come to the table receive in bread and wine the body and blood of the Lord. We believe Christ to be truly present in this Sacrament and that it conveys God's forgiveness and mercy and nourishes believers in union with God and one other.
How does one become a Lutheran?