Paul has previously served as pastor of the India Evangelical Lutheran Church and taught at The Gurukul Lutheran Theological College, Chennai, and The United Theological College, Bangalore, in India. He has also served as Executive Secretary for Interfaith Studies and Relations at the Lutheran World Federation, Geneva, Switzerland. He is the author and editor of many books and numerous essays.

Contents

Preface

HISTORY

1. What is the Lutheran Church?
2. Why is it called Lutheran?
3. What is distinctive of the Lutheran faith?
4. Where do we find Lutherans in the world?
5. How did the Lutheran tradition come to India?
6. How many Lutheran denominations are in India?
7. Do Lutherans in India have relations with other denominations?
8. How are Lutherans engaged in Indian society?

THEOLOGY

9. What does theology mean?
10. What are the basic foundations of Lutheran theology?
11. What about the Scriptures?
12. How do Lutherans understand the Scriptures?
13. Do Lutherans confess the Creeds of the Church?
14. What is the Augsburg Confession?
15. What is the Book of Concord?
16. What do Lutherans mean by “Justification by Faith?”
17. What is faith?
18. How is faith related to salvation?
19. What is the Lutheran understanding of “sacraments”?
20. What does baptism signify?
21. What does the Lord’s Supper or Holy Communion signify?
22. What is the rite of confirmation?
23. What is the Lutheran understanding of mission and evangelism?
24. How do Lutherans view the salvation of non-believers or people of other religions?
25. Do Lutherans believe in heaven and hell?
26. Do Lutherans believe in the “Second Coming” of Christ?

WORSHIP

27. How do Lutherans worship God?
28. Why do Lutherans follow a “liturgy”?
29. What is the meaning of confession and forgiveness?
30. What is a lectionary?
31. What are the liturgical seasons in the Christian calendar?

GOVERNANCE

32. How are Lutherans organized?
33. Is ordination necessary to be a pastor?
34. Do Lutherans ordain women?

BECOMING A LUTHERAN

35. Am I welcome in the Lutheran Church?
36. What is required of me to become a member?

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

The Rev. Dr. J. Paul Rajashekar is Luther D. Reed, Professor of Systematic Theology Emeritus at the United Lutheran Seminary, Philadelphia, Director of the Asian Theological Institute, and former Academic Dean. He is originally from India and is a rostered minister of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. He is married to Esther, a rostered minister of the ELCA.