What it means to subscribe to the Lutheran confesssions

Quia means one subscribes the Lutheran Confessions BECAUSE they are a faithful exposition of Scripture - every Lutheran likes to think he's a quia. The nasty alternative is quatenus - subscribing insofar as the Confessions agree with Scripture.

True or False:

1. Virginity is a higher gift than marriage.

2. Mary prays for the Church

3. Mary is called the most holy virgin

4. Prayer for the dead is not useless

5. It would be wicked thing for private absolution to disappear from the church

6. The bread in the Lord’s Supper is Christ’s body.

7. Pastors do not commune those they have not examined and absolved.

8. Mary is the Mother of God.

9. Justification can mean “to declare righteous” or “to make righteous” because Scripture speaks both ways.

10. 2 Maccabees is Scripture.

11. In the Eucharist the flesh of Christ given for the life of the world is our food and makes us alive by joining us to Christ.

12. We should teach people that church rites (made by humans) are to be kept if they can be observed without sin and contribute to peace and good order.

13. The best way for the Church to be governed is to have one head, Christ, and all the bishops – equal in office – keep diligently together in unity of teaching, faith, sacraments, prayers and works of love.

14. When the church is deprived of valid judicial process, you can’t remove ungodly teachings and impious forms of worship.

15. An ordination performed by a pastor in his own church is valid by divine right.

16. Children should be taught to make the sign of the cross.

17. The baptized children of God have free will and cooperate with the Holy Spirit.

18. After Baptism, the inborn corruption is to daily decrease so that we become increasingly gentle, patient, and meek, breaking away from greed, hatred, envy, and pride.

According to the Lutheran confessions, all 18 of these should be marked "true."