Undoing the Reformation?

With Reformation day on Saturday, a post for the Reformation . . .

Undoing the Reformation?

One of the things that greatly helped the cause of the Reformation was technology - the advent of the printing press. Could technology now be undoing the Reformation?

Before the Reformation, the people were largely spectators in church. People watched what was happening (when they could see), but didn’t participate. There was very little preaching. Many didn’t understand the language (Latin), they didn’t sing (the choir did that), they seldom received the Sacrament of the Altar. It was for most “ocular” communion - the belief that they could receive some kind of benefit just by seeing the Body and Blood of Jesus lifted up by the priest, whatever “hocus pocus” had caused the bread and wine to be changed. For most, it was the “professionals” who were doing what needed to be done. The people just watched (when they could see), or prayed at side altars.

The Reformation changed all that. With the German Mass, people sang parts of the liturgy in their own language. They sang hymns that taught the faith. The Words of Jesus in the Sacrament were spoken loudly and clearly for all to hear. They received the Body and Blood of Jesus (both kinds, not just one), and frequently. Church was for them again!

But today, and especially with the rise of Covid, many people have reverted to watching church again. Because people could not come to church, churches (including mine) now live stream services on the internet. But I wonder - are people participating? Certainly, they cannot receive the Body and Blood of Jesus at home, but what else are they not doing? Do they stand at the appropriate times? Speak the congregational parts? Kneel? Confess? Bow their heads? Or do people just sit and watch as spectators again? The situation is not quite as bad as before the Reformation, since the preaching and liturgy are in the language of the people, but I wonder how many are watching the whole service? How many fast forwarding to the sermon? How many not even listening to the whole sermon?

Live streaming and recorded services can be good and provide a valuable service . . . for those who must quarantine, those who cannot physically come to church, the sick, and perhaps also as an introduction to the church for those unfamiliar with it. It is easier to click and watch before stepping in the door. Those are good things. But if the electronic church becomes a substitute for those who can come, and should come, if it makes the people into spectators again (as sometimes happens in some “contemporary” services, which are more of a show than participation by the congregation), then are we unwittingly undoing the Reformation (at least in regard to worship)? Leaving church to the “professionals” again. That would not be good.

Good Quote

"The word of Christ is the testament, the elements the sacrament."

Kenneth Hagen, "From Testament to Covenant in the Early Sixteenth Century" 

in The Word Does Everything (Milwaukee: Marquette University Press, 2016), 84.

"It may well signify, however, that just as this pledge of the promise of Christ is elevated in order that the people may thereby be inspired to faith, so the Word should be preached publicly to the people in order that everyone may hear the testament and see the pledge, and through both be attracted and aroused to faith and strengthened in it."

Martin Luther, "The Misuse of the Mass (1521)" in Luther's Works, Vol. 36: Word and Sacrament II

(Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 1959), 183.

More Tuesday Morning Coffee . . .

Well, it's been a while again. So what's been going on?

Well, our big news, I guess, is that my son got a job! He is in his senior year at Western New England University in Springfield, MA and so beginning the whole applying and interviewing process. Last week he had an interview at BAE Systems in nearby Manassas, VA. So he took the train down on Monday, had his interview on Tuesday, and took the train back to school on Wednesday. He said the interview went well and they really liked his experience both in and out of the classroom. Well, by the end of the week, he got the job! So now he can relax and enjoy his senior year without having to worry about a job after he graduates. And we get the bonus of having him close by - at least for a few years. We'll see where his career takes him after that.

Before getting that job, my son asked us if we were interested in selling him our Honda Civic - he would need a car to go on his job interviews. Well, we weren't in the car market and I really like my Civic, but as we thought about it, it made sense. He needs a car and was willing to pay more than what we would get trading it in. We could sell it to him for less than what he could buy a similar car for in the market. And we had some money saved . . . so we went ahead and got a new car - a 2017 Toyota Corolla. We have a Toyota minivan and really like it. It's been pretty dependable. And we got a good deal on a 2017 closeout. So now we have a new car and my son has a car to go on job interviews he doesn't need to go on anymore! :-)

The third thing is that my father took a rather large step down the last few days. He is noticeably weaker and spends less time awake and alert. It happened rather suddenly. I guess that's the way things go at his age. So we're keeping a little closer eye on him now. To the right is the latest picture I have of us together. He's been doing pretty well of late - I guess he's just starting to wear out. He's having trouble even getting through a whole devotion with us now.

Finally, I have a question for anyone who has read this far: When Luther wrote in his hymn A Mighty Fortress "one little word can fell him," what is that one little word? I have heard a number of suggestions from a number of people: Jesus, Christ, grace, forgiveness, tetelestai (Greek for "it is finished"), gegraptai (Greek for "it is written"), just to name a few. As far as I know, Luther never specified in his writings what that word was for him. What do you think? What do you think it is? :-)

Have a great Tuesday - officially the 500th Anniversary of the Reformation today!

Luther Conference

This is where I will be this week:

The line-up of speakers for this conference looks promising - I will let you know how it goes.

Church or State?

Just something to think about . . .

There are some who are calling the state to get out of the marriage business and leave it to the religious institutions to define and regulate.

At the time of the Reformation, it was the opposite: Luther was calling on the Church to stop regulating marriage and let the state do it. Why? The Roman Church was regulating marriage and had so many restrictions on it.

I'm not saying we should follow Luther and I'm not saying which is better. Just pointing out how greatly things have changed . . .

Good Luther Quote

"[The world] does not want evil, but cannot cope with good."

Some Good Luther

More from Luther in his "Great Galatians:"

"But the Law is good, righteous, and holy." Very well! But when we are involved in a discussion of justification, there is no room for speaking about the Law.  . . .  This Bridegroom, Christ, must be alone with His bride in His private chamber, and all the family and household must be shunted away. But later on, when the Bridegroom opens the door and comes out, then let the servants return to take care of them and serve them food and drink. Then let works and love begin.

~ Luther's Works, Vol. 26, p 137-38.

Rome v. Luther Today

A day or so ago I listen to Cardinal Timothy Dolan's sermon from this past Sunday. He used the reading from Exodus 20 as his text - the Ten Commandments. If you want to listen to it, click here. But let me just briefly tell you what he said: Law. All law. Nothing but law. It was "happy law" to be sure! He made it sound really good and that yup, you can do it!

Compare that to this following reading from Luther, based upon what Paul wrote in 1 Timothy 1: "This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief."

Luther: Ponder on this text and diligently arm yourself so that you will be prudent at all times - not only if your conscience is clear (apart from the struggle with your conscience), but also and particularly, when you have to contend with death and you are confronted with the greatest perils and dangers. This is when your conscience will be reminding you of the sins you have committed and it will be in a state of horror. Satan will appear before you as a mighty power and his intention will be to overwhelm you with the great burden of your sins flooding into your mind like a huge deluge. Satan will try to scare you away from Christ and will also try to chase you away from Him so that you will end up in despair. I say: "Remember that Christ did not offer Himself up for invented or exaggerated sins but for real sins - not for small insignificant sins but for great and coarse sins, and not just for a couple of sins here and there, but for all the sins of the world, not for sins that have been overcome and eliminated, but for scarlet and powerful sins that have still not been dispensed with."

Quite a difference!

Baptism is Bigger Than You Think

If you had to name the three biggest feasts in the Church year, I think there would be little argument - they are Christmas, Easter, and Pentecost.

Don't know why, but it occurred to me today that Baptism is linked to all three.

Christmas is the incarnation of the Son of God as a son of man; in Holy Baptism we sons of men are made sons of God. He is born here below, we are born from above (John 3:3).

Easter is the resurrection of our Lord; in Holy Baptism the old Adam in us is drowned and a new man raised up. Or as Paul puts it in Romans (6:5): in Holy Baptism, we are joined to Christ in His death and resurrection.

Pentecost is the sending of the Holy Spirit upon the Church; in Holy Baptism the Spirit is given to us through water and the Word (Acts 2:38).

So perhaps we could say that Holy Baptism gives us the whole Christ - from birth to resurrection to the sending of His Spirit. Or as Luther put it: "Therefore, Baptism is not only natural water, but a divine, heavenly, holy, and blessed water, and whatever other terms we can find to praise it. This is all because of the Word, which is a heavenly, holy Word, which no one can praise enough. For it has, and is able to do, all that God is and can do." (Large Catechism)

Interesting Luther Quote

In teaching about Leah and Rachel speaking against Laban, their father (LW vol. 6, p. 17), Luther says the following:

Here, indeed, the Fourth Commandment could cease to apply. For what paternal quality does Laban have that is worthy of honor? He is a beast and a monster! But how will you honor him as a parent who does not want to be a father and who disdains to regard you as a son but has stripped off all paternal feeling and affection and has degenerated into a tyrant?

This seems to contradict what Luther wrote in the Large Catechism when he said:

. . . however lowly, poor, frail, and strange their parents may be, nevertheless, they are the father and the mother given to them by God. Parents are not to be deprived of their honor because of their conduct or their failings. Therefore, we are not to consider who they are or how they may be, but the will of God, who has created and ordained parenthood.

Perhaps the difference is between the office of parent and the person. Parents as sinners will always fail in their conduct but are still due the honor of their office as parent. However, if the man or woman abdicates the office through abandonment or abuse, then (as Luther said above) the Fourth Commandment could cease to apply?

Interesting also is the use of the word "could." It need not necessarily cease - the child in love could continue to honor such parents with an extraordinary, divine love. But the honoring could cease without sinning because the office has been abandoned. Do you think this is a right understanding?

In this regard, then, we could also apply this reasoning to the "other authorities" included in the Fourth Commandment, including government.

Luther Redivivus

As I have written before, that odd and somewhat confusing reading from Luther came up in the Treasury reading again this morning. For those who want to see what I wrote about it in the past, and for a link to another explanation, go here (post 1) and here (post 2).

From Luther

I liked this quote from Luther in Friday's Treasury reading:

We also are to look at our misfortunes in no other way than that with them God gives us a light by which we may see and understand His goodness and kindness in countless other ways. Then we conclude that such small misfortunes are barely a drop of water on a big fire or a little spark in the ocean. Then we understand and love the words: "O give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; His steadfast love endures forever!"

An Interesting Luther Quote

[A]fter the children of Israel had entered into the land of Canaan, killed absolutely all the kings and destroyed their power, there still remained a natural and genuine part of the annihilated peoples of the Canaanites, Jebusites, and Amorites (as is written in Judges 1). They did not rule, nor were they equal to, the children of Israel, but were tributaries and servants, until at last David, having established the kingdom, wiped them out. So also we, having been called into the kingdom of faith by the grace of baptism, gain the rule over sin, for all its powers are smitten. Now only grumbling remnants, possessing the nature and character of what was destroyed, remain in the members. These we ought to extirpate by our own exertion, but this will happen only when Our David, having established the kingdom, will be enthroned in his majesty.

from: Against Latomus, Luther's Works, Volume 32, p 203

Great TDP Writing Today!

“There is no greater bondage than that of sin; and there is no greater service than that displayed by the Son of God, who becomes the servant of all, no matter how poor, wretched, or despised they may be, and bears their sins. It would be spectacular and amazing, prompting all the world to open ears and eyes, mouth and nose in uncomprehending wonderment, if some king’s son were to appear in a beggar’s home to nurse him in his illness, wash off his filth, and do everything else the beggar would have to do. Would this not be profound humility? Any spectator or any beneficiary of this honor would feel impelled to admit that he had seen or experienced something unusual and extraordinary, something magnificent. But what is a king or an emperor compared with the Son of God? Furthermore, what is a beggar’s filth or stench compared with the filth of sin which is ours by nature, stinking a hundred thousand times worse and looking infinitely more repulsive to God than any foul matter found in a hospital? And yet the love of the Son of God for us is of such magnitude that the greater the filth and stench of our sins, the more He befriends us, the more He cleanses us, relieving us of all our misery and of the burden of all our sins and placing them upon His own back. All the holiness of the monks stinks in comparison with this service of Christ, the fact that the beloved Lamb, the great Man, yes, the Son of the Exalted Majesty, descends from heaven to serve me.” (Luther, in TDP p. 867)


This will make it into this coming Sunday's sermon!

One Hurdle Done, One To Go

Well, today I cleared a big hurdle for school - today was my day to present and lead class discussion on Luther's revision of the Roman Ordo Missae. We've been studying the development of the Mass during the medieval period, so I started with the way things were when Luther came around, and then looked at and evaluated the structure and rubrics he wrote of in his reform. I also turned in the first draft of my research paper for this. It went well. Had a good discussion and my presentation seemed to be well received. All I have left to do for this class is revise the paper and turn in a final draft, which shouldn't be too bad at all. That will wait until after Easter.

My other class - the Holy Spirit in Liturgical Celebration - I still have to work on and finish my research paper for. For this class I am looking at Luther's two revisions of the baptismal liturgy and how his changes may impact how the role of the Holy Spirit is regarded in baptism. So for this one I need to look at the rites Luther inherited, how he changed them, his theology of the Holy Spirit, and how this all goes together. I have part of it done, but put it on the back burner to finish my other class! Now its moving to the front . . . just in time for Holy Week!

That's what's making this semester so hard this year - the end of the semester and Holy Week coming at the same time. I'll get it all done, somehow. Just might lose a little sleep . . .

But I must say, the campus here looks wonderful. The tulips are all out in full bloom. Many different colors. They do a great job with their gardens here. And Starbucks makes a good, strong coffee!

Discussing Luther with Papists

Some of you wanted me to report on my discussion of Luther with my class of "Catholics" (i.e., Romanists, Papists) in Grad School. Sorry it has taken me a while to get to it.

First, many of them were surprised to find that, in actually reading Luther, he wasn't as bad as they thought. They found themselves agreeing with him at times, and one woman said that if she had lived back then, she would probably be a Lutheran! This, even though the author we read (a Catholic giving snippets and summaries of Luther's main points) I think didn't do a very good job. I thought his presentation was a bit confusing, and (as you all know) presenting Luther in snippets often doesn't do justice to his teaching.

One of the books we were discussing was about the Catholic Controversialists and how they responded to Luther and wrote against him. It was an interesting book, and showed very starkly the main issue at that time and which my fellow students also had: authority. The Scriptures cannot be the authority. They need the Church (i.e., Councils, Popes, Scholastic Theology) to interpret and explain them. My classmates simply could not understand how it could be any other way. Yet I think they were surprised at the weakness of some of the Controversialist positions and arguments.

The other thing they could not quite understand was simul justus et peccator. It is a concept completely foreign to them and their way of thinking. And interestingly, in our discussion of this, as I was pointing out the differences between Lutheran and Romanist thinking on justification, my professor kept trying to minimize the differences and portray us as not so far apart. That made for an interesting dynamic!

All in all, it was a good discussion. I got some questions outside of class as well. On the whole, they feel more sympathetic toward Luther and realize he was not quite "the evil leader of the revolt" as so many portray him to be.

Lots of Luthers!

Ever go to a city and see those colorfully decorated animals on the street corners? Lots of cities have done it. They've had pandas in DC, dogs and cats in CT, and cows in NY.

Well guess who's coming to Wittenberg? [Click here to read about it.]

I wonder what they're going to do with them all when they're done . . . Maybe instead of those garden gnomes . . .

Luther: diakonia = Amt

I am slowly reading my way through the book At Home in the House of My Fathers and came across a very interesting sermon by CFW Walther on the Office of the Holy Ministry (p. 146ff). What is interesting here is that he follows Luther in interpreting Romans 12:7-8 as a kind of “job description for pastors.”

In the ESV, these verses (6-8 to give context) read: Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; if service, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching; the one who exhorts, in his exhortation; the one who contributes, in generosity; the one who leads, with zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness.

Reading the translation as it is given above, most modern interpreters apply these verses to all Christians in general. Luther, however, does not. And he does not because he translates what is rendered above generally as "service" (Greek: diakonia) as more specifically "Office" (German: Amt). So for Luther, one of the gifts given by God is the Office of the Holy Ministry, and what those in this Office then do is listed in five participles: teaching, exhorting (admonition), giving (concern for the poor), leading (discipline and order), and mercying (concern for the sick, weak, and dying).

Now, don’t let the punctuation in the English verses above make you discount this theology and think Luther a bit crazy on that account - that we obviously have here a list of things that cannot be broken apart as Luther has done. The punctuation was added by editors of the Greek NT later, and in examining the Greek (though I am no Greek scholar), it seems that Luther’s interpretation is indeed possible.

Why don’t we see it that way today? Perhaps because we have been so infected with the “everyone a minister” theology and an aggressive egalitarianism that chafes against the idea of Office. But seeing things here as Luther does honors the Office but does not harmfully aggrandize it, as some would accuse. For clearly, the Office is an Office of serving (diakonia), and of serving the people of God. To highlight the distinction of the Office then becomes a good and wonderful thing for the people of God, who receive the service of the one God has “called and ordained” and placed into their midst to serve them.

It is exactly the “everyone a minister” theology - that seeks to highlight (elevate?) the people of God - that actually harms them. For while yes, the people of God have their service of love to neighbor as well, by making everyone a minister, we rob them of the Office that the Lord has created for them and their benefit. The result is what we often see in churches today: the pastor and people in competition with each other and robbed of their joy, instead of the pastor joyfully serving his people, and the people joyfully receiving his service.

Walther says that “Luther always and very correctly translated diakonia with the word office or Amt” (p. 152) - and not the more general word “ministry.” I do not have the time today to look at the other places in Scripture where this occurs and how that would change our look at things, but what an interesting exercise that would be! And I think this is very worthy of more study and discussion in our church today, to help clarify our theology of the Office, and the Call, and the role of pastor and people, which seems to have gotten a bit muddy of late. It is often said that we need this discussion in our church today - so let’s start here, with Luther and the theology of diakonia = Amt. If Luther is right, what are the ramifications of this for us today?

(If you want to see Luther’s German Bible translation of a passage, go to biblegateway.com and select to see the Luther Bible of 1545.)

Another Interesting Article

This is an interesting article, on Christology and the importance of the Word for Luther (to put it in layman's terms).

Little in Your Own Eyes

In Morning Prayer this morning, we read from 1 Samuel 15 and heard this Word of the Lord to King Saul: "Though you are little in your own eyes, are you not the head of the tribes of Israel? The Lord anointed you king over Israel. And the Lord sent you on a mission . . ." The apostle Paul speaks similarly to Timothy (1 Tim 4:12) when he says, "Let no one despise you for your youth."

There is a difference between the man and the office into which the Lord has placed him. Whether King Saul was little in his own eyes or not, he was the anointed one of God, placed into his office by God as king of Israel. Whether Timothy was young or not, he was the one called by God and placed into his office as pastor. In the office is the authority of God. On that we rely, not on how we see ourselves or not.

I often find myself, as a pastor, as "little in my own eyes." I know my own shortcomings and failures, weaknesses and struggles. In many ways I still see myself as a "young pastor," even though I have been in the office for 15 years now. It is a struggle for me to see myself as someone who has experience and who others look to for leadership. I still often see myself as a young guy just out of seminary.

These verses remind me that it doesn't matter how I see myself, and that, in fact, satan would very much like me to look at myself instead of at Christ and the office into which He has placed me and given me authority to teach and preach and administer the Sacraments. As it always is, when we take our eyes off Christ, we become filled with doubts and fears. It doesn't matter how old a pastor is - as he is called and ordained into the Office of the Holy Ministry, he speaks with the authority of the office, and as such can have full confidence.

Even Luther, at times, struggled with this, I believe. In those moments he looked at himself, he wondered how he could presume to teach the church; he who was just a little friar. Who was he? Yet when he considered the Office into which he had been put to speak the Word of God, he knew it didn't matter who he was - he had been chosen by God and called and put into that Office to speak this Word, no matter what. And with his eyes off himself and looking to Christ, his confidence was renewed.

I will, no doubt, struggle with this in the future. When I do, I thank God for these words! Did God not put me here? Am I not called and ordained into this office? Then speak and do not fear. It matters not who I am. But "as a called and ordained servant of the Word and by His authority, I therefore . . ."