Lutheranism

==Etymology==
The name Lutheran originated as a derogatory term used against Luther by German [[Scholasticism#High Scholasticism|Scholastic]] theologian [[Johann Eck|Johann Maier von Eck]] during the [[Leipzig Debate]] in July 1519.<ref name=OOE796>Espín, Orlando O. and Nickoloff, James B. ''An introductory dictionary of theology and religious studies''. Collegeville, Minnesota: Liturgical Press, p. 796.</ref> Eck and other [[Catholic Church|Roman Catholics]] followed the traditional practice of naming a [[Heresy in Christianity|heresy]] after its leader, thus [[Labelling#Labelling in argumentation|labeling]] all who identified with the [[theology of Martin Luther]] as Lutherans.<ref name=ENC3>Fahlbusch, Erwin, and Bromiley, Geoffrey William, ''The Encyclopedia of Christianity, Volume 3''. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Eerdmans, 2003. p. 362.</ref>

Martin Luther always disliked the term ''Lutheran'', preferring the term ''evangelical'', which was derived from {{lang|grc|εὐαγγέλιον}} ''euangelion'', a Greek word meaning "good news", i.e. "[[The gospel|Gospel]]".<ref name=OOE796/> The followers of [[John Calvin]], [[Huldrych Zwingli]], and other theologians linked to the [[Reformed tradition]] also used that term. To distinguish the two evangelical groups, others began to refer to the two groups as ''Evangelical Lutheran'' and ''Evangelical Reformed''. As time passed by, the word ''Evangelical'' was dropped. Lutherans themselves began to use the term ''Lutheran'' in the middle of the 16th century, in order to distinguish themselves from other groups such as the [[Anabaptism|Anabaptists]] and [[Calvinism|Calvinists]].

In 1597, theologians in [[University of Halle-Wittenberg|Wittenberg]] defined the title ''Lutheran'' as referring to the true church.<ref name=ENC3/>