...by church leaders to New Orleans: This one and that one.
Compare, contrast, and (as we would say here in the Big Easy), "twawk amun yuhseves, dahlin."
Monday, September 25, 2006
A Tale of Two Ecclesiastical Visitations...
...by church leaders to New Orleans: This one and that one.
Compare, contrast, and (as we would say here in the Big Easy), "twawk amun yuhseves, dahlin."
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It looks like the Lutherans are more concerned about "being there for the people" than they are about ornate staffs. I think that is a definite plus. What gives a better witness to the world? Love, or masses?
I think that it seems more like the Lutherans aren't worried about Sacraments and traditions, like our Papist counterparts. That staff is a sign of the continuing Church. Lutherans might "be there for the people", but are we showing our Sacramental nature? No. The Lutheran article said that Jesus is with is in very real and tangible ways, but neglected to mention what those ways were (the Gospel, the Baptism, the Absolution, the Supper). The Archbishops are saying Mass and fedding Jesus to their flocks, the President of Synod is giving pep-talks. Notice a difference? Which would you prefer?
"Body...Blood...Given and shed for you for the forgiveness of sins" is a pretty good pep-talk if you ask me
I find that to be a very strange hermeneutical move.
I think Latif is making a profound connection between the love of God, the death of Jesus for His friends (the Atonement), and our partaking of both in the Sacrament, as does St. Paul:
"For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes." - 1 Cor 11:26
Of course, only two chapters later, Paul eloquently proclaims the perfect love of Christ for the Church.
When the Lord said Mass for His friends at the Last Supper (and as He continues to come to his unworthy friends today in the Holy Supper), He is proclaiming His own death to and with us. This is, of course, the point of John 15:13 (the perfect love of God is demonstrated in the voluntary death of our Lord).
Paul ties the death of Jesus in with divine love as well in Rom 5:8.
Love and the sacrificial death of Jesus (whose flesh and blood we eat and drink at Mass) cannot be separated.
Deus caritas est!
Masses benefit the souls of those who receive them in faith, but they are of no benefit to those who do not receive them. Acts of love and charity are not only expected of the Christian Church, they also are truly helpful to others. I was merely commenting on the articles that Fr. Beane posted, not on the other acts of charity that are going on by the Catholics. From the articles alone, it was clear to me that the Lutherans understand the distinction between faith and love better than the Papists. It reminded me of the parable of the Good Samaritan. There is a man lying dead and beaten on the road, and the Roman Catholics go to mass, while the Lutherans stoop down to help. How like Christ, to come to the aid and rescue of the poor and needy.
Were you honestly more impressed with the Roman Catholics in this instance than the Lutherans?
In fairness, both Lutherans and Roman Catholics (as well as many other Christians) sacrificed time and money and performed unbelievable acts of charity and love to us in New Orleans.
The Roman Catholics didn't just hide away and rattle off a few Masses - they too were there doing other works of love outside the walls of the sanctuary. They were certainly not like the villains in the parable. And again, in fairness, many of the Lutheran clergy were nowhere to be found in the aftermath of Katrina. I know some parishioners who are still very hurt that their pastors fled and remained away so long - they felt abandoned. I don't think we can either attack Rome or pat the Lutherans on the back on this one. There were acts of mercy, and acts of cowardice, all around.
Lutheran Church Charities (LCC) in Illinois was able to provide us with tools to help people when all levels of government were riddled by incompetence. Catholic Charities was likewise involved in the immediate aftermath of the storm.
I think the difference is that we Lutherans (though certainly not all)tend to turn church services into dog and pony shows, and our church officials often seem in search of photo ops. Wouldn't it be novel to receive something from District or Synod that had icons of our blessed Lord instead of head shots and promo-poses of church bureaucrats?
As Latif points out, the LCMS is often indistinguishable (did I spell that right?) from a corporation. Which scene comes across as more "churchly"?
Pres. Kieschnick spoke at a church that meets in a gym (of a campus that cost the congregation hundreds of thousands of dollars, and yet has no sanctuary). There is an elaborate school building on a prime piece of real estate, and yet the Lord has no place to lay his head - Mass is said on a rollaway altar in the fancy gym, and is then wheeled out of bounds when sweaty kids are playing basketball.
The three Roman bishops conducted a dignified church service, not a chance to brag about what the hierachy is doing. They spoke lovingly of *their* city and *their* people. The archbishop (and I believe the other two retired bishops as well) lives here. They have an altar that is tied to a local parish, bound to the local people, sharing in their misery. They didn't put on a suit and fly in from "corporate." The archbishop's crosier was the original archbishop's from the 1700s. This conveys and confesses something that's missing in a gym with a rollaway altar, in a church body that has a "mission statement."
I don't think it's an "either/or" situation, to have either 1) dignified worship, eucharistic piety, and making a holy place in the church building a priority or 2) members of the church volunteering their time and money to help people out of love and charity.
I think it's a "both/and." I think we can be proactive in doing good works AND center our lives on the Mass (and I also believe we Lutherans have been negligent on both counts). I don't think we need to abandon our catholic roots in order to become a United Way clone.
I'm glad that the Roman Catholics in this archdiocese have such loving and churchly bishops. The current bishop has had the guts to condemn a lot of Rome's liberal excesses. We are also blessed to have quite a few faithful Lutheran pastors and congregations in the area as well. But we sure have a different approach to how the church operates,governs herself, and bears witness to the world as to what the Church is!
Hey I didn't mean to ruffle anyone's feathers, least of all yours Fr. Beane. You just asked to compare the two stories that you posted, so I did. The Roman one sounded like "much ado about nothing" and the Lutheran one sounded like there was genuine concern over the people. What happened in reality did not even enter into my mind.
Paul:
No offense taken! I think we're all thick-skinned enough to have a little knock-down debate sometimes. This is something best done among good friends - and I consider you to be a great friend as well as a brother in the office!
I'm just not impressed by ponifical masses. That's all. So what? They all gathered and re-sacrificed Christ for all the sins that baptism didn't cover. What took place at that church was an abomination no less than it was in the days of Luther. Sorry if I don't share your sentiments. I also just had a glass of wine, so you're reading my uncensored opinion.
Cheers!
I'm sure it did them much good to see their bishop celebrating mass.
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