More Reformation Implications

Even though last Sunday, October 28, was Reformation Sunday, in our adult ed class during the Sunday School hour today, we continued to focus on ramifications of this historic theological event.

As we know, not all of the (malpracticed) Roman Catholic faith was forsaken by the emerging “protest-ants”. Many liturgical worship forms have been preserved almost intact. This was true for most of the reformers and their followers.

Luther, Calvin, and Wesley, for instance, all brought the basic elements of liturgical worship to their respective Lutheran, Presbyterian and Methodist traditions. Of course that is why, even today, when you worship in any of these mainline traditions, the prayers, creeds and order of service are quite recognizable to each other.

In our Lutheran tradition, we observe more than a half dozen elements of liturgical worship, depending on how you categorize or identify them. First, there is confession. Then there is the asking for forgiveness of sin for absolution.

Following are the reading of Scriptures and the proclamation of the word (the sermon). After the sermon, worship continues with the offering in which we offer our thanks to God for his provision. We then recite the creeds and partake in the sacrament of Holy Communion. The benediction then sends us out into the world to serve and live out our faith.

It is very interesting to me that even though these rudiments of liturgical worship may vary slightly in content and/or order by particular tradition, they are all essentially there in most mainline denominational worship praxis. And it has been so, for the most part, for two millennia.

Both my wife and I are deeply moved by this kind of a worship experience, and we have learned to genuinely appreciate what we practice weekly in our Lutheran Church. We are gaining spiritual strength and finding continuing spiritual sustenance from it. Additionally, it is comforting to kow that we are participating in and observing the creeds and practices that go back a very long time, many to the origins of our faith in the first, second and third centuries.

For me, that works out to authenticity in the practice of the faith.