High church Lutheranism
| Part of a series on |
| Lutheranism |
|---|
High church Lutheranism is a movement that began in 20th-century Europe and emphasizes worship practices and doctrines that emphasize the sacraments and liturgy, along with a robust devotional life. In the more general usage of the term, it describes the general high church characteristics of Lutheranism in Nordic and Baltic countries such as Sweden, Finland, Estonia and Latvia. The mentioned countries have more markedly preserved pre-Reformation, Catholic traditions and eschewed Reformed theology. From the earliest part of its development, Lutheranism as a whole has employed elaborate liturgies and ornate sacred art. Lutheranism has viewed its faith and practice as "deeply and fundamentally catholic". It is closely related to the concept of Evangelical Catholicism, which emphasizes the catholicity of Lutheranism.