“Adiaphora,” while not a biblical term, was employed during the Reformation to refer to “ceremonies and Church practices … neither commanded nor forbidden in God’s Word, but … introduced into the Church with good intention, for the sake of good order and proper custom, or otherwise to maintain Christian discipline” (SD X 1). Already in the Augsburg Confession, the basic Lutheran position on adiaphora was articulated: “For the true unity of the Church it is … not necessary that human traditions, that is, rites or ceremonies instituted by men, should be the same everywhere” (AC VII 2–3).
However, a question soon arose: How should churches respond when a hostile government attempts to impose human traditions upon the church? During the Adiaphoristic Controversy (1548–1555), Roman Catholic-controlled governments attempted to impose certain outward traditions and trappings upon Lutheran churches in the territories they governed. Some Lutherans opined that compromise with the persecutors was acceptable, while others refused to budge. Article X insists that, when the Gospel and Christian freedom are at stake, even things that are, strictly speaking, adiaphora become matters of confession. Context is crucial for determining whether something is or isn’t an adiaphoron at a particular time or place. This article also upholds the usefulness of churchly traditions while acknowledging that they can be altered to meet local needs.
Rev. Carl Roth, pastor of Grace Lutheran Church in Elgin, TX, joins Andy and Sarah to talk about the “Searching Scripture” feature in the October 2026 issue of the Lutheran Witness titled “Article X: Church Practices” on Article X in the Formula of Concord. This year, “Searching Scripture” is themed “Following the Formula” and will walk through the Formula of Concord in the Augsburg Confession. Follow along every month!
This year, “Searching Scripture” is walking through the Formula of Concord (FC) from our Lutheran Confessions, exploring the biblical foundations for each topic. Before starting this study, it may be helpful to read FC Ep X on Church Practices (p. 496) in Concordia: The Lutheran Confessions (CPH, 2005). Or follow along with the full Formula of Concord monthly reading plan at witness.lcms.org/reading-plan.
Listen to the Coffee Hour episode with Rev. Brady Finnern on Article VIX at kfuo.org/2025/10/07/coffee-hour-100725-adiaphora-in-the-formula-of-concord, and find correlating Concord Matters episodes at kfuo.org/formulaofconcord.
Find online exclusives of the Lutheran Witness at witness.lcms.org and subscribe to the Lutheran Witness at cph.org/witness.
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Today’s episode of The Coffee Hour is underwritten in part by Concordia University, St. Paul. You can learn more about Concordia University, St. Paul at csp.edu.
