Book of Concord
To this day the Book of Concord is doctrinally normative among traditional and conservative Lutheran churches, which require their pastors and other rostered church workers to pledge themselves unconditionally to the Book of Concord. They often identify themselves as "confessional Lutherans." They consider the Book of Concord the "norma normata" (Latin, "the normed norm") in relation to the Bible, which they consider the "norma normans" (Latin, "the norming norm"), i.e. the only source of Christian doctrine (God's authoritative word). In this view the Book of Concord, on the topics that it addresses, is what the church authoritatively understands God's authoritative word to say. This is also called a ""quia" (because) subscription to the Lutheran confessions, i.e. one subscribes "because" the Book of Concord is a faithful exposition of the Scriptures.