Resource for Teaching the Church Year

I had the joy of authoring the text for CPH's new illustrated introduction to the Church's year, Ordering Our Days in His Peace. It's a sequel to Scot Kinnaman's Worshiping with Angels and Archangels, which focused on the Divine Service. A third volume by Pam Nielsen, Behold the Lamb, deals with the symbolism of the Church and is due out shortly.

Each of the 48-page, heavily illustrated books in the series is aimed at providing a text accessible to older elementary students, but with enough depth to be of interest to catechumens (or folks who need catechizing) of any age. In this volume, both the Sunday and Sanctoral cycles of the Church year are introduced - along with specifics about seasonal customs, saint's days, the readings, etc.

The editor, Scot Kinnaman, has had his hand in more than one excellent resource from CPH (for example, Treasury of Daily Prayer) and it was a pleasure to work with someone of his sensibilities. You can see his faithfulness to the Church's worship in the direction he gave the artist (Arthur Kirchhoff): fully vested celebrants, traditional depictions of our Lord and his saints, etc. You'll even find altars up against the wall and nary a glass cup in sight. The book also supports good practice by focusing on things like the Easter Vigil, the rubrics for setting aside the Greater Gloria, explanations of Lenten customs etc. It's also quite catholic and would be of benefit to anyone from a church that utilizes the Church year - the only two things in the book that are Lutheran-parochial are Luther's seal in one piece of artwork and the listing of Luther in the commemorations of the Sanctoral cycle. And shucks, even Benedict XVI has kind of admitted the old boy is singing with the choir invisible.

In a work of this nature, something always gets left out and there are always compromises. For example, since the book is meant to be helpful to the whole Church, cognizance had to be taken of both the traditional Church year and the 3-year cycle. Mostly this meant leaving out details that would have been fun to include - like the progression of the traditional Lenten readings, or a paragraph about bringing your mom a cupcake on Laetare. And sometimes it meant bowing to the majority usage: the Sundays after Pentecost, blue as the color of Advent (though we got in a shout out to violet), etc.

In short, this is a book you will be happy to place into the hands of a young Lutheran - or an old Lutheran who wants to know a little bit more about why we worship the way we do. The reader will find a traditional, informative, catholic, and evangelical look at the Church's year.

(Alas, I get no royalties. But you can buy it here for $9, or $7 each on orders of 15 copies or more.)

+HRC

Gottesdienst Online, Live and in Person

Remember, all ye who enter here: you can hear these guys live and in person, and even get to know them, at the Fourteenth Annual Oktoberfest in Kewanee, Illinois, October 11-13.

Fr. Curtis, Fr. Beane, and Fr. Stuckwisch will be the guests at St. Paul's, where Fr. Eckardt is the pastor. You may register online right now, by sending an email to Fr. Eckardt. Put "Oktoberfest" in the subject line, and give us your name, title, address, and intentions: are you coming Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday, or portions thereof? We'll sign you up; you may pay the registration fee when you arrive.

It's just $25 per person or $40 per couple. Students $20. That gets you a banquet meal (Sheboygan brats!), continental breakfast Monday and Tuesday, Monday lunch, in addition to all the great events. Never been to Oktoberfest? It's the best party in town . . .

Cutting Edge Missions

The mission of the Church necessarily runs together with the pastoral office (Rom. 10:14-15, John 20:21-23, Matt. 28:18-20). Where that office is vacant, there is something fundamental lacking which needs to be filled up (Acts 1:15-22, Titus 1:5).

The mission of the Church runs together with the Office of the Holy Ministry (AC V, VII-VIII) in the administration of Holy Baptism and the ongoing catechesis of the Word of Christ (Matt. 28:19-20), and in the preaching of repentance for the forgiveness of sins (Mark 1:4, Luke 24:46-47, Acts 2:38-39). This pastoral ministry calls sinners to repentance, that is, away from sin and death to faith and life in Christ Jesus, to the ongoing faithful reception of His Body and His Blood in the Holy Communion (Matt. 9:10-11, Luke 15:1-2, Matt. 26:26-29, 1 Cor. 11:23-26).

These good works of the Holy Ministry are the liturgical foundation of the Church, apart from which the mission of the Church has no point or purpose; apart from which there really is no mission of the Church. The pastoral ministry of preaching, catechizing, baptizing, absolving and communing is not some "phase two" of the Church's mission, nor some final goal at the end of the rainbow. It is the Church's mission, as it is the Church's lungs and heart, by which the Holy Spirit and the Blood of Christ give life to His Body.

There is a right and wrong way to go about all of this. Something either is in harmony with the real mission of the Church, or it is not. I assume that everyone would agree with that much in principle. For "how shall they hear without a preacher, and how shall they preach unless they are sent?" (Romans 10; Matthew 28; AC XIV). There is no Holy Baptism without water and the Word of Christ. There is no Lord's Supper without the Lord's Words (Verba Domini). And there is no proper preaching of the Holy Scriptures without the proper distinction between the Law and the Gospel (FC V).

Therefore, certain rites and ceremonies are necessary to the mission of the Church, namely, those that have been instituted by Christ Himself. Other rites and ceremonies are forbidden, because they are contrary to the Word of God. In between those parameters, among those rites and ceremonies which are relatively free because they are neither commanded nor forbidden by God, there are some that are more helpful and edifying than others (1 Cor. 10:23), because they serve and support the clarity of our catechesis and confession of the Word of God, and because they are conducive to the practice of faith and love in reverence and courtesy (1 Cor. 10:24, 31-33). We are well served in identifying such appropriate and helpful practices by considering the traditions of the Church catholic (1 Cor. 11:1-2, 16).

Those considerations ought to be actively engaged at the cutting edge of the Church's mission. The most helpful and appropriate practices, those most in harmony with the catechesis and confession of the Gospel, and those most conducive to reverence and courtesy among the people of God, ought to be established from the ground up, wherever on earth the Church may proceed.

Several months ago, Pastor Petersen offered some practical advice for new pastors, on how they might go about introducing certain ceremonies in their congregations. It was a vigorous discussion and debate that ensued upon that post. The chief concerns and criticisms were that a pastor must move very slowly and teach very carefully before introducing anything new, and that nothing should be changed too quickly (if at all), lest the people be scandalized. I maintain now, as I did in that discussion, that blanket rules are not particularly helpful, and that practical advice, such as Pastor Petersen provided, is instructive and therefore useful. However, it is true (as Pastor Petersen also indicated) that pastoral care must be exercised in such cases, and that careful discernment and conscientious discretion are by all means necessary.

The case of missions on the cutting edge presents a different scenario altogether. Where the Church is being established in a new location, there is the opportunity to do all things well, for the sake of the Gospel, for the sake of faith and love. In such a case and such a place, there is no need for scruples regarding the historic practices of the Church catholic, but a good foundation can be laid from the very outset. A liturgical life can readily be arranged and fostered, that is, a congregational piety and practice that comprises evangelical preaching, ongoing catechesis, a steady emphasis on Holy Baptism, a lively practice of Holy Absolution, and a central celebration of the Holy Communion. And all of this may likewise be adorned with the beauty, decorum and reverence of churchly rites, traditional ceremonies, appropriate vestments and elegant images.

That is how it should be. Morning and evening prayer every day. The Lord's Supper every Lord's Day, and as often as there are disciples of His to receive it. Faithful observance of Sundays and seasons, of festivals and commemorations throughout the year. Regular opportunities for Individual Confession and Absolution. Preaching and catechesis, pastoral care, prayer and visitation as the pastor's primary occupations. The Church's orders and forms of the Liturgy, and genuine hymnody that honors God by confessing His Word and catechizing His people in it. Vestments that cover the man while adorning the office. Ceremonies that confess with the body what the heart believes and the lips profess.

Genuflecting, because we bend the knee at the Name of Jesus, and we worship Him who is both God and man, who comes to serve us with His very body and blood. Elevation of the Holy Sacrament, because the disciples of Christ Jesus are thus invited and encouraged to receive His gifts in peace, in the confidence of faith in His forgiveness of all their sins. Chanting, because the Word of Christ is extraordinary, full of His Spirit, divine and life-giving. Chasubles, because the celebration of the Holy Communion with praise and thanksgiving is truly meet, right and salutary.

That is how it should be. Where that sort of piety and practice were put into place and fostered from the beginning, from the foundation and formation of the Church in each new place, there would be no scandalizing of the faithful. Rather, such a liturgical life in the Ministry of the Gospel would catechize the people well and strengthen their faith in the righteousness of Christ. Surely, that is the mission of the Church.

The Log in Our Own Eye

Everything's fine here! Thanks for asking!

This is the catholic faith: that we worship one God in three person and three person in one God. Everything comes back to our worship, our liturgy, our life together in Word and Sacrament, the one sent by the Lord bringing his gifts to the Lord's people and their praise sent back up to the throne of grace. That's the catholic faith.

So how could you stay in a fellowship that utterly denies the Biblical teaching of the Office of the Ministry? That throws our Confessions to the wind? And not just as a matter of mere morality – that is, not just a fellowship that is lax about weeding out adulterers, drunks, and knaves – but a fellowship that actually denies an integral and substantial aspect of this precious and holy gift of our Lord?

And so, we in the LCMS are self-condemned. No, we don't ordain women. Why bother when you can just have a layman act like a pastor? Why bother making pastors out of unrepentant homosexuals when you can get along without pastors at all? We don't ordain those we can't (non potest ordinare mulierem ad officium presbyterorum) or shouldn't (non debet ordinare molles ad officium presbyterorum) ordain, we refuse to ordain at all and pretend that we can do so by twisting the Scriptures. Which is, of course, the way the ordaining of women and unrepentant homosexuals came to pass.

So what is a pastor or a congregation whose fellowship has become errorist to do? Can he and they stay in good conscience? Now that's a question for the ages and I don't know how to answer it exactly. But I must, if not answer it, at least find a way to live with myself while trying to answer. So what I have is not an answer, but an observation and my own attempt at living piously within my calling.

The observation is this. We are in the same situation as that first generation of Reformers. The hierarchy (which now includes a strange thing called “Convention Delegates”) is errorist. And numerous individuals among the people of God have been led astray. We are living in Dark Ages. In that situation, Luther taught, and preached, and called for debate and discussion. A remnant was drawn to his teaching. He and they were later cast out unjustly by the same hierarchy and carried on as Church – by schism rent asunder, by heresies oppressed.

And so, here's how I try to live. I teach that this fellowship is in open rebellion against its own Biblical confession. I refuse to receive any sacramental act or attend any Divine Service presided over by a “licensed layman” and teach the people I'm called to serve to do the same. I discuss the topic with my brethren in the Office – and not just those who agree with me. I urge the Synod, through channels formal and informal, to stop the practice.

Full disclosure: All of that is immensely easier for me because I serve in a district that has exactly zero “lay ministers” with a district president who is publicly opposed to the Wichita Recension of the Augsburg Confession. So none of that really costs me anything. If you try to live out those statements in other districts, you will no doubt face hardship. But is there anything else one can do?

I grew up in one such district – and when invited back for my home congregation's 100th anniversary I spoke to the people, gently* but firmly, about how what the Synod is doing is wrong. That was easier for me as someone who was flying out on Monday – and even that was hard. But the people of God will surprise you, too. They have an aversion to bureaucrats. They want to see it in the Bible. The brave circuit counselor bent over backwards to make sure my home congregation got a pastor to serve them during a recent vacancy – telling the district office No Thanks to their offer (read: pressure) to just “license” a layman. He got not a little flak, and it was a burden on him personally to keep those people fed as the Lord would feed them. And God bless him for it – no one who does such a thing shall lose his reward.

And here's another aspect of the problem that I don't have to deal with out here, but which I suspect is the most important part of it. If you live next door to one of these “licensed layman:” how can you call him to repentance in gentleness and love and integrity? After all, many of these men have been lulled into their sin by Infallible Authority: the Synod said it was OK, therefore it is OK (Papism: It's not just for the Pope anymore.) These men need to hear the Scriptures and Confessions. They need true shepherds who will urge them to repent.

On the other hand. . .

It's twenty years ago now that the LCMS tossed out AC XIV. I often wonder where we would be had a goodly number of pastors ignored the advice I just gave in 1989 and said, “That's it. We're outta here.” Would we be better off today? I don't know. But 20 years later, it's a little hard to change tactics.

But is this too much to hope? What if a number of brave souls now came over from the ELCA, tossing out their own log and saying, “We were wrong about women pastors. We saw something we didn't like in God's Word and thought we could get along without it. Now we see that that's not possible. Now, brothers, we repent, and we urge you to do the same: for you, too, can't toss out something in the Scriptures and Confessions that you find inconvenient.”

Wouldn't that be something?

+HRC

* How? Well, what I do is try to imagine Ron Feuerhahn in the same situation and just do and say what he would.

The Stallion Has Bolted

The fine and majestic hairs of its mane rippling in the breeze, this proud steed takes to the wind, wildly churning down along the path, kicking up the clods of earth into a wake of dust. The hearts of onlookers thrill at the sight of such a marvelous beast as she neighs in rapturous delight at having been, once again, set free:

Gottesdienst is out of the barn.

Subscribe today.