--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It is the distinctive position of the…" description: "\"“It is the distinctive position of the Reformation with which, over against Rome, it stands or falls, that that which properly constitutes, defines, an..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1df/charles-porterfield-krauth-908_doctrine_it-is-the-distinctive-position-of-the-re_2688647.jpg" --- # It is the distinctive position of the Reformation with… ![“It is the distinctive position of the Reformation with which, over against Rome, it stands or falls, that that which properly constitutes, defines, and perpetuates in unity a Church, is its doctrine, not its name or organization. While a Church retains its proper identity it retains of necessity…” quote by Charles Porterfield Krauth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1df/charles-porterfield-krauth-908_doctrine_it-is-the-distinctive-position-of-the-re_2688647.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1df/charles-porterfield-krauth-908_doctrine_it-is-the-distinctive-position-of-the-re_2688647.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1df/charles-porterfield-krauth-908_doctrine_it-is-the-distinctive-position-of-the-re_2688647.jpg) > ““It is the distinctive position of the Reformation with which, over against Rome, it stands or falls, that that which properly constitutes, defines, and perpetuates in unity a Church, is its doctrine, not its name or organization. While a Church retains its proper identity it retains of necessity its proper doctrine. Deserting its doctrine it loses its identity. The Church is not a body which bears its name like England, or America, which remain equally England and America, whether savage or civilized, Pagan or Christian, Monarchical or Republican. Its name is one which properly indicates its faith--and the faith changing, the Church loses its identity. Pagans may become Mohammedans, but then they are no longer Pagans--they are Mohammedans. Jews may become Christians, but then they are no longer Jews in religion. A Manichean man, or Manichean Church, might become Catholic, but then they would be Manichean no more. A Romish Church is Romish; a Pelagian Church is Pelagian; a Socinian Church is Socinian, though they call themselves Protestant, Evangelical, or Trinitarian. If the whole nominally Lutheran Church on earth should repudiate the Lutheran doctrine, that doctrine would remain as really Lutheran as it ever was. A man, or body of men, may cease to be Lutherans, but a doctrine which is Lutheran once, is Lutheran forever. Hence, now, as from the first, that is not a Lutheran Church, in the proper and historical sense, which cannot ex animo declare that it shares in the accord and unanimity with which each of the Doctrines of the Augsburg Confession was set forth.”” [Charles Porterfield Krauth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-porterfield-krauth/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A church’s identity rests on doctrine, not name; changing name without doctrine loses essence. **In simple terms:** Doctrine defines a church more than its name. Key Takeaway Preserve core beliefs over branding. Themes religion doctrine identity history faith Mood thoughtful serious reflective Type Doctrine:1 Lutheran:0 Lutheranism:0 Orthodox-lutheranism:0 Religion:0 Church Doctrine:0 Lutherans Doctrine:0 Lutheran Doctrine:0 Doctrine Lutheran:0 Nominally Lutheran:0 When to use this quote - church leadership decisions - denominational mergers - faith education - interfaith dialogue Key Concepts theology ecclesiology historical continuity Questions to Reflect On - What core doctrines define your faith? - How do you balance tradition with modern identity? A Different Perspective Names can hold cultural significance beyond doctrine. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Church Doctrine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/church-doctrine-1399970/) [Doctrine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doctrine/) [Doctrine Lutheran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doctrine-lutheran-2639997/) [Lutheran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lutheran/) [Lutheran Doctrine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lutheran-doctrine-2639996/) [Lutheranism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lutheranism/) [Lutherans Doctrine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lutherans-doctrine-2639995/) [Nominally Lutheran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nominally-lutheran-2639998/) [Orthodox-lutheranism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/orthodox-lutheranism-137435/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) ## Related quotes > [“The Pelagianizing Romanist says, Lust, or concupiscence, brings forth sin, therefore it cannot be sin, because the mother cannot be the child. We reply,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-porterfield-krauth/the-pelagianizing-romanist-says-lust-or-concupiscence-brings-forth/) [Charles Porterfield Krauth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-porterfield-krauth/) > [“Since in fact liturgical traditions, vestments, church vessels, etc., were immediately removed wherever Calvinism infiltrated or Reformed ideas even gained influence in the church's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernst-walter-zeeden/since-in-fact-liturgical-traditions-vestments-church-vessels-etc-were/) [Ernst Walter Zeeden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernst-walter-zeeden/) > [“God once spoke through the mouth of an ass. I will tell you straight what I think. I am a Christian theologian and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther/god-once-spoke-through-the-mouth-of-an-ass-i-will-tell-you-straight/) [Martin Luther](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther/) > [Dogmatics is the testing of Church doctrine and proclamation,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-barth/dogmatics-is-the-testing-of-church-doctrine-and-proclamation/) [Karl Barth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-barth/) > [“We sometimes look among our numbers to find one to whom we can point who agrees with us, so we can have company to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ezra-taft-benson/we-sometimes-look-among-our-numbers-to-find-one-to-whom-we-can-point/) [Ezra Taft Benson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ezra-taft-benson/) > [I am what is known as a benched Catholic and disillusioned by the church doctrine. I believe in things the Catholic Church does not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kitty-kelley/i-am-what-is-known-as-a-benched-catholic-and-disillusioned-by-the/) [Kitty Kelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kitty-kelley/) > [“It holds almost universally in the history of the church, that until a doctrine has been fully discussed in a controversial way by men…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-cunningham/it-holds-almost-universally-in-the-history-of-the-church-that-until-a/) [William Cunningham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-cunningham/) > [There is a statement often repeated in the Church, and while it is not in one of the Standard Church Works, it is accepted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/legrand-richards/there-is-a-statement-often-repeated-in-the-church-and-while-it-is-not/) [LeGrand Richards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/legrand-richards/) > [“In affirming my belief in Christ's teaching, I could not help explaining why I do not believe, and consider as mistaken, the Church's doctrine,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/in-affirming-my-belief-in-christ-s-teaching-i-could-not-help/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [It is my province to teach to the church what the doctrine is. It is your province to echo what I say or to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-r-mcconkie/it-is-my-province-to-teach-to-the-church-what-the-doctrine-is-it-is/) [Bruce R. McConkie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-r-mcconkie/) > [“Church doctrine has no place in secular law. You can't take away people's rights to meet your own religious criteria.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-sexton/church-doctrine-has-no-place-in-secular-law-you-can-t-take-away/) [Marie Sexton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-sexton/) > [“Nevertheless, the authority to distinguish right doctrine from heresy does not belong to church leadership, which Bultmann evidently understands to be merely an arm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hammann-konrad/nevertheless-the-authority-to-distinguish-right-doctrine-from-heresy/) [Hammann Konrad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hammann-konrad/) ## More by Charles Porterfield Krauth > [“The Pelagianizing Romanist says, Lust, or concupiscence, brings forth sin, therefore it cannot be sin, because the mother cannot be the child. We reply,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-porterfield-krauth/the-pelagianizing-romanist-says-lust-or-concupiscence-brings-forth/) [Charles Porterfield Krauth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-porterfield-krauth/) [Explore all 2 Charles Porterfield Krauth quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-porterfield-krauth/) ## More Doctrine quotes > [Any comprehensive doctrine, religious or secular, can be introduced into any political argument at any time, but I argue that people who do this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-rawls/any-comprehensive-doctrine-religious-or-secular-can-be-introduced/) [John Rawls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-rawls/) > [Our nation was born in genocide when it embraced the doctrine that the original American, the Indian, was an inferior race. ... 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