page_title: Lutheranism
section_title: Divine providence
hierarchical_section_title: Lutheranism / Doctrine / Divine providence
caption_attribution_description: English: The broad and the narrow path, by Charlotte Reihlen (idea) and Paul Beckmann (execution), poster version as sold by Johannis-Verlag in 2008. Biblical passages according to the Luther Bible of 1984. The original eye of providence was retouched in this version. Deutsch: Das Bild Der breite und der schmale Weg nach Charlotte Reihlen (Idee)/Paul Beckmann (Ausführung), wie es im Jahr 2008 vom Johannis-Verlag als Plakat verkauft wird. Bibelstellen nach der Lutherbibel 1984. Das im Original vorhandene Auge der Vorsehung wurde in dieser Version herausretuschiert.
context_page_description: Lutheranism is one of the largest branches of Protestantism that identifies with the teachings of Martin Luther, a 16th-century German reformer. Luther's efforts to reform the theology and practice of the church launched the Protestant Reformation. The reaction of the government and church authorities to the international spread of his writings, beginning with the 95 Theses, divided Western Christianity. During the Reformation Lutheranism became the state religion of numerous states of Northern Europe, especially in northern Germany and the Nordic countries, Lutheran clergy became civil servants and the Lutheran churches became part of the state.
  The split between the Lutherans and the Catholics was made public and clear with the 1521 Edict of Worms: the edicts of the Diet condemned Luther and officially banned citizens of the Holy Roman Empire from defending or propagating his ideas, subjecting advocates of Lutheranism to forfeiture of all property, half of the seized property to be forfeit to the imperial government and the remaining half forfeit to the party who brought the accusation.
context_section_description: According to Lutherans, God preserves his creation, cooperates with everything that happens, and guides the universe. While God cooperates with both good and evil deeds, with evil deeds he does so only inasmuch as they are deeds, but not with the evil in them. God concurs with an act's effect, but he does not cooperate in the corruption of an act or the evil of its effect. Lutherans believe everything exists for the sake of the Christian Church, and that God guides everything for its welfare and growth.
  The explanation of the Apostles' Creed given in the Small Catechism declares that everything good that people have is given and preserved by God, either directly or through other people or things. Of the services others provide us through family, government, and work, "we receive these blessings not from them, but, through them, from God." Since God uses everyone's useful tasks for good, people should not look down upon some useful vocations as being less worthy than others. Instead people should honor others, no matter how lowly, as being the means God uses to work in the world.
caption: The Broad and the Narrow Way, a popular German Pietist painting, 1866
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