Good Shepherd is an Evangelical-Lutheran Church , which means that we subscribe to the Confessions of the Evangelical-Lutheran Church . These Confessions are printed in the Book of Concord. We subscribe to these confessions because they are a faithful exposition of the Holy Scriptures.
To avoid confusion, please note: "We mean that doctrine, which, having been derived from the Prophetic and Apostolic Scriptures, is contained in the three ancient Creeds, in the Augsburg Confession, presented in the year 1530 to the Emperor Charles V, of excellent memory, then in the Apology, which was added to this, in the Smalcald Articles, and lastly in both the Catechisms of that excellent man, Dr. Luther. Therefore we also have determined not to depart even a finger’s breadth either from the subjects themselves, or from the phrases which are found in them, but, the Spirit of the Lord aiding us, to persevere constantly, with the greatest harmony, in this godly agreement, and we intend to examine all controversies according to this true norm and declaration of the pure doctrine." (Preface to the Book of Concord, paragraph 23)
