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Evangelical and Catholic: the Sunday Liturgy of the Lutheran Church (PDF File) |
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Let's talk about why Lutherans in general, and Saint Luke's in particular, seem so "catholic"?
The word "catholic" derives from the Greek "kata holos", meaning "of the whole". In the Bible, the catholic epistles are St. James, St. Jude, the two epistles of St. Peter, and the three epistles of St. John. They were referred to as "catholic" letters because of their concern for true, correct, orthodox Christian teaching. The term "catholic" first appears in print about the year 110 A.D., when St. Ignatius wrote to the Church in Smyrna. It refers to right, correct teaching that is believed everywhere, by all Christians. For this reason, the term has also come to be understood as "universal"-what has always been believed as correct, true teaching by all in the Church of Jesus Christ. This is why the historic creeds affirm the "one holy catholic and apostolic Church. Not Roman Catholic, but small "c" catholic, as an adjective, not a noun. The three historic, ecumenical creeds affirm the faith of the whole Church, not just the faith of Roman Catholics. Affirming the historic creeds places a denomination and a Christian within the catholic and apostolic tradition.
Dr. Martin Luther and lay theologian Philipp Melancthon, who penned the Lutheran confessions (Lutheran doctrinal statements) were careful, and diligent not to do anything, or teach anything that was not in accordance with catholic doctrine-right, true, orthodox teaching. Lutheranism's chief doctrinal statement, The Augsburg Confession, was intended to demonstrate the doctrinal continuity between the teachings and practices of the evangelical (Lutheran) reformers, and those of the ancient church. A commonly accepted definition of "heresy" was that it is a "new teaching". Melanchton, who wrote the Augsburg Confession, sought to demonstrate that "nothing new is being taught in our Churches". He filled the Augsburg Confession with citations from the early Church Fathers, and aligned the Lutheran reformers on the side of catholic orthodoxy, as defined in the Trinitarian and Christological dogmas adopted by the ecumenical councils of the undivided Church. The Augsburg Confession regards tradition as a source and norm for faith and practice. Luther and Melanchthon were careful not to teach or do anything "that is contrary to Scripture or to the Church catholic".
This has shaped Lutheran teaching and practice since the Reformation in the 1500's, and continues to do so today. For example, the Augsburg Confession, Article XXIV states regarding "The Mass",
We are unjustly accused of having abolished the Mass. Without boasting, it is manifest that the Mass is observed among us with greater devotion and more earnestness than among our opponents. Moreover, the people are instructed often and with great diligence concerning the holy sacrament, why it was instituted, and how it is to be used, in order that the people may be drawn to the Communion and Mass…Meanwhile no conspicuous changes have been made in the public ceremonies of the Mass, except that in certain places German hymns are sung in addition to the Latin responses, for the instruction and exercise of the people.
With regard to reformed Lutheran worship, no conspicuous changes should be made in the public ceremonies of the Mass-in other words, the Lutheran Sunday Mass looked conspicuously like the Roman Mass-and intentionally so! The only difference was that among the Lutherans, the Mass is to be observed with even "greater devotion and more earnestness"! Luther himself, and our Lutheran Confessions make it clear "the Mass"-Word and Sacrament are to be observed "every Sunday and on special occasions during the week". Luther instructed the faithful to make the sign of the cross, to kneel, genuflect, and continue to make use of whatever devotional practices were not in conflict with Scripture and the Church catholic. Luther was not opposed to keeping festival days, remembering saints, using crosses, candles and processions as useful tools for worship, so long as they were not presented as necessary for salvation-for salvation was the work of Christ, alone.
So, at Saint Luke's, we are fully Lutheran, by using a liturgy that is conspicuously the same as that used by our "mother church", the catholic tradition through the ages. We are concerned not to add anything "new" to the liturgy, lest we introduce false teaching, false belief, or something contrary to Scripture and the church catholic. And we strive with Luther, Melancthon and the first reformers, to observe the Mass with great devotion and earnestness, that God may be glorified, the Word proclaimed in it's purity, and the Sacraments administered rightly. You will find no new teachings or practices at Saint Luke's, but only those which are part of the Great Tradition-the tradition handed down to us from the apostles, through the ages, finally, to our congregation, and all who claim to be within the catholic faith.
We celebrate that we are both evangelical AND catholic-and our worship at Saint Luke's reflects that reality!
References:
Senn, Frank C. Christian Liturgy: Catholic and Evangelical. (Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 1997).
Tappert, Theodore G., ed. The Book of Concord: The Confessions of the Evangelical Lutheran Church. (Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 1959).