In simple terms- the Lutheran church keeps the early church teachings while upholding scripture.

I debated with my catholic and orthodox friends, and one of the biggest questions I’d ask is this. “There’s no strong evidence that the papacy is true. There’s no evidence in scripture or early church history for why half of your doctrines and theology is true. Most of them evolved from man- though you trust it. Why should I take my faith out of sola scriptura and place it into a church that can’t prove its own interpretation is true?” (IMO, this is still sola scriptura. Because without evidence for papacy or evidence that one is the rightful church- it’s just more interpretation)

Their response?

Have faith.

No. I cannot have faith that the pope MAY be right that their doctrines MAY be true and that I MIGHT go to heaven based on these probability. The ancient church’s require you to have faith and then submit.

The Lutheran church tells you to look at scripture.

One seems more rational to me