About - Lutheran Coalition for Renewal (CORE)

Our Purpose and Why We Exist

Our purpose can be summed up in two words–Network and Voice. As Network for confessing Lutherans, we support and connect Lutheran individuals and congregations who seek to live in accord with Biblical and confessional teachings and practices. As a Prophetic Voice, we advocate for Biblical authority and confessional fidelity among churches of the Lutheran community.

The Common Confession

The Common Confession is a seven-part statement of faith, highlighting some of the important biblical and confessional doctrines of traditional Lutheran theology. it has been adopted as the faith statement of Lutheran CORE, in addition to many other reform groups and individuals (refer to our Supporters page). This page is written with printing in mind or you may download the page in PDF format. An essay on the background plus some amplifying information on each article of the Confession is supplied via a link entitled “Commentary.” An Introduction to The Common Confession is also available, and a seven-part bible study on the Common Confession is available from Sola Publishing.

La Confesión Común está disponible en español PDF.

The seven page Commentary of the Common Confession can be read in its entirety here. Each declaration of the Common Confession also has its specific page of the commentary associated with it below.

1) The Lord Jesus Christ

We are people who believe and confess our faith in the Triune God – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. We trust and believe in Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord. Commentary

2) The Gospel of Salvation

We believe and confess that all human beings are sinners, and that sinners are redeemed by the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. God alone justifies human beings by faith in Christ – a faith that God creates through the message of the Gospel. As ambassadors for Christ, God uses us to speak his Word and build his kingdom. Commentary

3) The Authority of Scripture

We believe and confess that the Bible is God’s revealed Word to us, spoken in Law and Gospel. The Bible is the final authority for us in all matters of our faith and life. Commentary

4) A Common Confession of Faith

We accept and uphold that the Lutheran Confessions reliably guide us as faithful interpretations of Scripture, and that we share a unity and fellowship in faith with others among whom the Gospel of Jesus Christ is preached and the sacraments are administered in accordance with the Gospel. Commentary

5) The Priesthood of All Believers

We believe and confess that the Holy Spirit makes all who believe in Jesus Christ to be priests for service to others in Jesus’ name, and that God desires to make use of the spiritual gifts he has given through the priesthood of all believers. Commentary

6) Marriage and Family

We believe and confess that the marriage of male and female is an institution created and blessed by God. From marriage, God forms families to serve as the building blocks of all human civilization and community. We teach and practice that sexual activity belongs exclusively within the biblical boundaries of a faithful marriage between one man and one woman. Commentary

7) The Mission and Ministry of the Congregation

We believe and confess that the church is the assembly of believers called and gathered by God around Word and Sacrament, and that the mission and ministry of the church is carried out within the context of individual congregations, which are able to work together locally and globally. Commentary

Our Work and What We Do

As a Network for confessing Lutherans and a Voice for Biblical truth, we do the following:

Addressing from an orthodox and confessional viewpoint major theological issues confronting the Lutheran community today;
Challenging the ELCA to uphold its commitment to honor the bound conscience of those holding to a traditional view of human sexuality and marriage;
Advocating for pastors who are not being treated fairly because of their traditional views;
Supporting local gatherings of orthodox and Biblically and confessionally faithful pastors and lay people;
Supporting Latino and other ethnic ministries at the local level.

Rather than holding an annual convocation as in the past, we are supporting local gatherings, and we are communicating Biblical truth through our newsletter, mailings, and various forms of social media.