From
Living Theology in the Metropolitan Chicago Synod
Evangelical Lutheran Church In America
Volume 2, Number 3
Pentecost 1997
Reflecting Faith in Worship: The Use of the Means Of Grace
Who
is the Most Lutheran of Us All?
“Mirror, mirror on the wall—who is the
most Lutheran of us all?”
That was the question raised at a
recent Conference of Bishops gathering as we discussed worship practices among
our congregations. Now we are presented
with a document, The Use of the Means of Grace, that effectively gives
us a standard to understand what our church believes to be consistent with our
Confession of Faith.
As I move around the synod, I sense
that our congregations take great care in their practices of worship. The document rightly points out “that
careless practice of rigid uniformity may distort the power of the gift that is
the Gospel.”
There is no doubt that worship forms
in the Metropolitan Chicago Synod are undergoing dramatic shifts. If there is one obvious change that I
observe, it is the growing number of congregations that are introducing some
form of alternate worship in their schedules to reach the unchurched community
that surrounds them. The primary difference
in that new worship format is the music and instrumentation being used.
I have noted that even though
“alternative” is being used to describe the worship, the sources for that
expression are often With One Voice and the Supplement to the
Lutheran Book of Worship. Other
significant sources are Marty Haugen’s interpretation and the African American
Songbook Lead Me, Guide Me.
Most congregations that have moved to
an alternative format from the LBW have informed me that it is through these
contemporary expressions that they have drawn most unchurched people into the
communities of faith.
The Use of the Means of Grace
supports these mission efforts in our congregations when it quotes Article VII
of the Augsburg Confession: “It is not
necessary for the true unity of the Christian church that ceremonies of human
institution should be observed uniformly in all places.”
It is obvious to me that we have a great diversity among our congregations in the manner in which they celebrate their life together in worship. For that I shout—AMEN!
As someone who started his life in the
church as a strong proponent of the now defunct group known as Una Sancta,
I give thanks for the diversity present in the synod. My challenge to us all in these days of “worship wars” is to
maintain our integrity in a Word and Sacrament theology and to strive to
encourage good order without condemning or abusing our colleagues in ministry
who may differ from our own understanding of liturgical practices.
My reading of the document suggests
that it offers challenge and opportunity for our parishes to bring the Gospel
to a new generation. I would hope that
all of our pastors would study the document and see the possibilities of
enriching the lives of their people.
And I would add my own counsel:
Hold up these central themes of our faith and life.
·
Weekly
celebration of the Sacrament.
·
Baptism
as the central expression of our adoption and forgiveness.
·
The
gift of Word and Sacrament as “the means of Grace.”
And finally—our worship must lead us out of our buildings and empower us for mission. The document declares our purpose: “The dismissal from the service sends us in thanksgiving from what we have seen in God’s holy gifts to service in God’s beloved world.”
Bishop, Metropolitan Chicago
Synod