It was 475 years ago last month that Charles V, emperor of the Holy Roman Empire, issued an imperial summons for a general assembly to be held in the city of Augsburg, Germany to settle the religious disputes which were troubling his empire.

"The Augsburg Confession was written and presented because Christian laymen were faithful confessors of God’s Word. Philip Melanchthon, a fellow professor of theology with Martin Luther, became the chief author of the Augsburg Confession because Martin Luther, since he had been declared an outlaw, was unable to attend the assembly in Augsburg.

Melanchthon was assisted by several notable princes and theologians. There was Elector John of Saxony who, at first, expected to make a defense of the teachings of the Lutheran church only in his lands. Several documents were used in preparation for the assembly in Augsburg. There were the Schwabach Articles and the Marburg Articles, both of which were written one year earlier. Elector John requested that an additional set of articles be written which would address the abuses in the church. This document became known as the Torgau Articles. Armed with these three documents, Elector John, along with Melanchthon and his advisors, set out for Augsburg.

However, when they arrived in Augsburg, they found that John Eck, Luther’s foe from the Leipzig Debates, had prepared Four Hundred and Four Articles against the reformers. It soon was decided that the confession had to be a more complete statement of what the Lutherans believed and publicly taught. The task of writing the new confession fell to Melanchthon. He was able to contact Luther at the Coburg Castle, using a messenger to make the three-to-four-day journey. The new confession was written in less than a month.

On June 25 it was Charles Beyer, a lawyer, who stood before the emperor and in a loud clear voice read the confession in German so that all those present could hear and understand. The reading lasted approximately two hours. At the conclusion of the reading another layman, Chancellor Brueck, presented a written copy of the confession to the emperor; he also had written the Introduction to the twenty-eight articles and had urged the Emperor that the confession be read in the German language.

At times Melanchthon indicated a willingness to compromise for the sake of unity; but the laymen remained steadfast and firm. They refused to compromise their faith and teachings. These same men earlier had refused to kneel to receive the Papal blessing when the emperor arrived in Augsburg. It was also these men who rose to their feet when the Augsburg Confession was read before the emperor. They did so at the risk of their reputation, position, land, and possibly even their lives!

The Augsburg Confession was signed by seven prominent German rulers and representatives from two free cities. After its reading, representatives of five free cities immediately added their signatures. It is because of these dedicated laymen that the Augsburg Confession became the defining confessional document of the Lutheran Church.

Today, 475 years later, dedicated laymen and laywomen are still vitally important to our congregations and synod. It is incumbent upon us Christians both to read and study the confessions of the Lutheran Church and to study the inspired Scripture which forms the basis of such confessions. In doing so, we too are capable of doing that which informed laymen did at Augsburg, Germany. We too can “speak of Your testimonies also before kings, and will not be ashamed” (Psalm 119:46).

Craig A. Ferkenstad is pastor of Norseland Lutheran Church near St. Peter, Minnesota and of Norwegian Grove Lutheran Church near Gaylord, Minnesota.