Indiana District President Stuckwisch: Book of Concord Lutherans

 

Book of Concord Lutherans

Over the past couple of years, President Harrison has made an appeal that we should aim to be “Book of Concord Lutherans,” and I have resonated with that approach and emphasis. Others, too, have positively embraced this description, although I’ve noticed – with some regret – that, at least in some cases, it appears to be interpreted and understood in a rather minimalistic fashion, as though our Lutheran Confessions were setting a low bar standard of theology and practice. I can’t help but view that reading of the Book of Concord as really missing the mark.

It is no surprise that differences of opinion regarding what it means to be a “Book of Concord Lutheran” center on worship practices. As I mentioned recently, I’ve been even more aware of such divisions over the past few months, beginning with my study of Augsburg Confession XV for the April meeting of the Council of Presidents, and then persisting with some of the overtures assigned to my floor committee, with my role as an advisory member of the CUS Board, and now also with my teaching on the Lutheran Liturgy in Taiwan these past couple of weeks.

The approach I’ve seen taken by numerous individuals is the citing of Augsburg Confession VII, affirming that the true unity of the Church does not require nor depend upon a uniformity of rites and ceremonies instituted by men, but rests solely upon the pure preaching of the Gospel and the right administration of the Sacraments in accordance with the Gospel. Formula of Concord X is often referenced, as well, indicating that the churches of God have the right to change human ceremonies (adiaphora) in ways that may be most useful and edifying to those churches, since such ceremonies are not in and of themselves any part of divine worship. What is more, churches should not condemn one another, nor break fellowship with one another, over differences in such human ceremonies, so long as they otherwise agree in doctrine and in the use of the Sacraments.

If that were all that our Lutheran Confessions had to say on these matters, I suppose one might conclude that a “Book of Concord Lutheran” has free rein with respect to worship practices, so long as the Gospel is being preached accurately and the Sacraments administered according to the Lord’s institution. I believe that St. Paul, church history, and pastoral wisdom would offer some attenuating arguments to such a conclusion, even apart from anything else in the Book of Concord itself. But the fact is that the Augsburg Confession, its Apology, and the Formula all have more to contribute to the conversation. It is also necessary to consider and interpret what the Book of Concord says within its proper historical, ecclesiastical, and literary contexts.

To start with, Formula of Concord X tempers its own comments regarding the freedom of the churches to change human ceremonies with a couple of significant caveats. First of all, it states that all frivolity and offense should be avoided, and that special care should be taken to exercise patience toward the weak in faith. It then asserts the main point of the article, that, under certain circumstances, practices which would otherwise be adiaphora may become points of confession in opposition to the false teaching and practice of the heterodox. Significantly, the “churches of God” in this article are not individual congregations, but larger communities of parishes. And it is noteworthy that two of the primary authors of the Formula of Concord, Martin Chemnitz and Jacob Andraea, also authored the Braunschweig-Wolfenbüttel Church Order, which spelled out the doctrine and practice of the pastors and congregations included within its jurisdiction.

The fact is that, while the Lutheran Reformers and Confessors rightly affirmed that righteousness and salvation before God (coram Deo) are not obtained by – nor dependent on – the retention or abandonment of human ceremonies, they also recognized and affirmed other salutary reasons for the regulation of such practices, as well as the benefit of having unity in such practices. It needed to be understood that it is not for the forgiveness of sins or justification that human ceremonies are kept, but for the sake of love, discipline, good order, catechesis, and confession of the faith.

It is particularly significant, for example, that beyond the points made concerning the true unity of the Church in Article VII, the Augsburg Confession – and its Apology – go on to assert more than once that we Lutherans actually retain and reverently practice most of the customary rites and ceremonies of the church catholic. It is made quite clear that these traditional practices are not kept legalistically, nor as though they were necessary, but in the freedom of faith and love. Indeed, these are the very principles that Dr. Luther advocated in his earlier liturgical writings.

Here, then, is how the Book of Concord describes the evangelical Lutheran practice with respect to the traditional celebration of the Liturgy – undertaken in love – in the freedom of the Gospel (all quotation from Concordia: The Lutheran Confessions, ed. Paul McCain, CPH 2005):

“Our churches teach that ceremonies ought to be observed that may be observed without sin. Also, ceremonies and other practices that are profitable for tranquility and good order in the Church (in particular, holy days, festivals, and the like) ought to be observed” (AC XV.1).

“In large part, the ancient rites are diligently observed among us. It is a false and hate-filled charge that our churches have abolished all the ceremonies instituted in ancient times” (AC Summary Statement 4).

“It can easily be judged that if the churches observed ceremonies correctly, their dignity would be maintained and reverence and piety would increase among the people” (AC Review of the Various Abuses 6).

“Our churches are falsely accused of abolishing the Mass. The Mass is held among us and celebrated with the highest reverence. Nearly all the usual ceremonies are also preserved, except that the parts sung in Latin are interspersed here and there with German hymns. These have been added to teach the people. For ceremonies are needed for this reason alone, that the uneducated be taught ‹what they need to know about Christ›” (AC XXIV.1-3).

“Since the Mass among us follows the example of the Church, taken from the Scripture and the Fathers, we are confident that it cannot be disapproved. This is especially so because we keep the public ceremonies, which are for the most part similar to those previously in use” (AC XXIV.40).

“We keep many traditions that are leading to good order [1 Corinthians 14:40] in the Church, such as the order of Scripture lessons in the Mass and the chief holy days” (AC XXVI.40).

“What, then, are we to think of the Sunday rites, and similar things, in God’s house? We answer that it is lawful for bishops, or pastors, to make ordinances so that things will be done orderly in the Church, but not to teach that we merit grace or make satisfaction for sins. Consciences are not bound to regard them as necessary services and to think that it is a sin to break them without offense to others. . . . It is proper that the churches keep such ordinances for the sake of love and tranquility, to avoid giving offense to another, so that all things be done in the churches in order, and without confusion (1 Corinthians 14:40; comp. Philippians 2:14)” (AC XXVIII.53, 55).

“The Fathers celebrated human rites for the body’s benefit. For example, by such rites the people would know what time they should gather so that, for the sake of example, all things might be done in order and properly in the churches [1 Corinthians 14:40] and that the common people might receive a sort of training. Distinctions of times and the variety of rites help in reminding the common people. The Fathers maintained the rites for these reasons. We also conclude it is proper for these reasons to keep traditions ‹good customs›” (Apology XV.21).

“We cheerfully maintain the old traditions made in the Church for the sake of usefulness and peace. We interpret them in a more moderate way and reject the opinion that holds they justify. Our enemies falsely accuse us of setting aside good ordinances and Church discipline. We can truly declare that the public form of the churches is more fitting with us than with the adversaries. If anyone will consider it in the right way, we conform to the canons more closely than the adversaries. . . . From this condition of the churches it may be determined that we earnestly keep Church discipline, godly ceremonies, and good Church customs” (Apology XV.38-39, 44).

“Nothing in customary rites should be changed without a reasonable cause. So to nurture unity, old customs that can be kept without sin or great inconvenience should be kept. . . . For love’s sake we do not refuse to keep adiaphora with others, even though they may be burdensome. We have judged that such public unity, which could indeed be produced without offending consciences, should be preferred” (Apology XV.51, 52).

“We do not abolish the Mass, but religiously keep and defend it. Masses are celebrated among us every Lord’s Day and on the other festivals. The Sacrament is offered to those who wish to use it, after they have been examined and absolved. And the usual public ceremonies are observed, the series of lessons, of prayers, vestments, and other such things” (Apology XXIV.1).

“Ceremonies should be celebrated to teach people Scripture, that those admonished by the Word may conceive faith and godly fear, and may also pray. (This is the intent of ceremonies.) So, we keep the Latin language to aid those who are learning and understand Latin. We mix with it German hymns so that the people also may have something to learn, and by which faith and godly fear may be produced” (Apology XXIV.3).

By way of a final note, the keeping and defending of “the Mass,” and the observance of “the usual public ceremonies” (as for example in Apology XXIV above) is the way our Lutheran Confessions summarize what President Harrison has described as following the “Ordo.