tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4778905687600416321.post6417248664070281982..comments2023-11-05T02:55:10.230-06:00Comments on Gottesdienst Online: Caerimonia In MemoriamPr. H. R.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16756503062523543708noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4778905687600416321.post-55001764615359160172015-04-17T00:20:20.411-05:002015-04-17T00:20:20.411-05:00I am still sorting through why the Church in Ameri...I am still sorting through why the Church in America--the Lutherans as well as the Calvinists--decided to confess such a low Christology. Isn't it the clearest thing in the world? "Thou art the Christ, the son of the living God." "Art thou the Son of the Most Blessed?" "I am." "My Lord and my God." I come of a family of New England pastors, some of them well known, including the founder of a leading evangelical seminary. But some of them abandoned the teaching of the divinity of Christ, and I still do not understand that. To me it is the clearest thing in the world. Our Lord is indeed our God, the Son of the Father begotten before all worlds, God of God, Light of Light, Very God of Very God, begotten, not made. Just so, it is the clearest thing in the world: "This is my body." Very well, then, this is His Body. This is His Blood. And, these things being true, how can our worship not confess that in every possible way?Kenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00138551532926411195noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4778905687600416321.post-74254898649166403352015-04-15T11:01:27.608-05:002015-04-15T11:01:27.608-05:00I think that the Church in America suffers from an...I think that the Church in America suffers from an over-emphasis on the humanity of Christ and an under-emphasis on the divinity and kingship of Christ. As I said to my Bible class the other day, if Christ is Pantocrator, then our worship will reflect that. Rev. Paul L. Beiselhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16165560935974759610noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4778905687600416321.post-86107783034610793702015-04-14T15:42:55.246-05:002015-04-14T15:42:55.246-05:00I grew up in a very protestant German congregation...I grew up in a very protestant German congregation. We didn’t make the sign of the cross (too Catholic), the minister wore a plain white surplice over a black cassock and never work any shirt with his collar other than a black one. There was never a chasuble put on for communion (or even a communion assistant). Whenever visiting dignitaries from Synod or other clergy came in and had a alb with a cinch around the waist, the whispers would go around (too Catholic).<br />There was solemnity and dignity, but little ceremony. However, we had the hymnal and the lovely liturgy. I still recite it to comfort myself at times.<br /><br />Now, where I attend, there is ceremony as well as dignity and solemnity but there is little liturgy. There are some great customs and things are done well.<br /><br />However, it seems that repetition is the new thing verboten. I feel sorry for the new and newer members that are taken with our faith but don’t know liturgy. We don’t show them. As I talk with people, it is those my age and older who think that non-traditional is a must – for both their jadedness and to attract young people (I am still looking for the youth, I can’t find them). These older, jaded types comprise the praise team, they run the worship board. They talk about compromise but I find too much of essential worship thrown out – whole Sundays with no Kyrie, no Creed, sometimes no Confession and Absolution as if the whole makes up for the loss of parts.<br /><br />The only exception to the rule to avoid repetition seems to be the Lord’s Prayer. But against the rest they dispense with, that seems hypocritical. Don’t get me wrong. There are many reasons why I stay where I am. I just wish we could find a better balance and I wish I could understand why anyone tires of a sound liturgy which expresses the essentials of faith, week after week, in a beautiful.<br /><br />Maybe you could explain why people feel negatively about liturgy, especially older people.<br />CKRuchhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12050899532861499483noreply@blogger.com