Formula of Concord

Definition and Meaning

The Formula of Concord (Latin Formula Concordiae) means "the formula that brings about unity." In Korean it is also known by the alternative names Hyeophwa Sinjo and the "Concord Creed." Written by Lutheran theologians in 1577, it is a confession of faith and the last of the confessional documents officially received by the Lutheran Church to be composed. It consists of two parts: a short "Epitome" and a "Solid Declaration" that sets out its contents in detail. It addresses twelve articles, including original sin, free will, justification by faith, good works, law and gospel, the third use of the law, the Lord's Supper, the person of Christ, and predestination.

Historical Background

After the death of Martin Luther in 1546, a series of doctrinal controversies arose within Lutheranism. On one side were the followers of Philipp Melanchthon; on the other were those who sought to adhere strictly to Luther's teaching. The two parties disagreed over the necessity of good works, the role of the law, the manner of Christ's presence in the Lord's Supper, and how to treat church ceremonies that are not strictly necessary (adiaphora). Jakob Andreae, Martin Chemnitz, and others led the effort to resolve these controversies, and the result was the Formula of Concord, completed in 1577.

In 1580 the Book of Concord, which includes the Formula of Concord, was published. The book also contains the three ecumenical creeds (the Apostles' Creed, the Nicene Creed, and the Athanasian Creed), the Augsburg Confession and its Apology, the Smalcald Articles, and Luther's Large and Small Catechisms. Not all Lutheran territories, however, accepted the Formula of Concord. Reformed theologians have criticized its articles on the person of Christ and the Lord's Supper, and the Formula itself contains material refuting Reformed views on these two subjects.

Use in Korean Churches

• Lutheran: The Lutheran Church in Korea accepts the Book of Concord as its confession of faith and regards the Formula of Concord as part of it. The Formula is a foundational document in Lutheran theological education, including at Luther University.
• Presbyterian and Reformed: Because these churches take the Westminster Confession of Faith and the Heidelberg Catechism as their doctrinal standards, they do not use the Formula of Concord as a doctrinal standard. It is, however, introduced in seminary courses on the history of doctrine and on the creeds as one of the confessional documents of the Reformation era. It is often discussed when explaining how Lutheran teaching differs from Reformed theology on the Lord's Supper and Christology.
• The third use of the law: The third use of the law is the teaching that the law serves as a guide for the lives of those who already believe. Article VI of the Formula of Concord addresses this explicitly. For this reason, when the "three uses of the law" are explained in Korean churches, this document is frequently cited together with the teaching of John Calvin.