Gnesio-Lutherans

Gnesio-Lutherans (from Greek γνήσιος gnesios "genuine, authentic") is a modern name for a theological party in the Lutheran churches, in opposition to the Philippists after the death of Martin Luther and before the Formula of Concord. In their own day, they were called Flacians by their opponents and simply Lutherans by themselves. Later, Flacian became to mean an adherent of Matthias Flacius' view of original sin, rejected by the Formula of Concord. In a broader meaning, the term Gnesio-Lutheran is associated mostly with the defence of the doctrine of Real Presence, along with the practice Eucharistic adoration.

Locations

The centres of Gnesio-Lutherans were Magdeburg and the University of Jena.

Notable proponents

Other notable Gnesio-Lutherans include Caspar Aquila, Joachim Westphal, Johann Wigand, Matthäus Judex, Joachim Mörlin, Erasmus Sarcerius, and Aegidius Hunnius.

Controversies

After the death of Martin Luther, several theological controversies arose among Lutherans due mostly to the teachings of Philip Melanchthon. Gnesio-Lutherans were profiled by defending Martin Luther's doctrine, led initially by Matthias Flacius. The Gnesio-Lutherans exercised strict doctrinal discipline, but they also opposed with equal determination what they considered to be the errors of their fellow combatants, such as von Amsdorf (Amsdorfians), Flacius (Flacians), Andreas Poach, and others.

Gnesio-Lutherans were involved in:

The Adiaphoristic controversy.