Lutheran Service Book
My favorite seminarian has a nice update on the imminent Lutheran Service Book (LSB) from CPH.
In particular, I’m heartened to read that CPH is including encouragement for using the LSB as a standalone replacement for printed “worship folders.” These late 20th Century innovations bother me on two levels:
- Stewardship-wise, as they are a waste of paper and money. Bulletins are, I think, a necessary, albeit reasonably useful, evil — that they have been expanded beyond simple announcements & policy statements is sad & misguided.
- Theologically, where they have contributed to the dissolution of our walking together in orthopraxis — IOW, the gates were thrown open for pastors & congregations to “roll their own” “liturgy” on a weekly basis, thus degrading the commonality previously shared amongst member congregations. Where we once gave thanks for the blessing of unity in conformity, we now seemingly revel in a relativistic “unity in diversity”. It’s no wonder we’re having problems!
In any event, even a cynical guy like me is hopeful for the success of the LSB. From what I’ve seen & read, it looks like it really is an improvement over both 1941’s TLH & 1982’s LW (especially the latter, as it was a half-baked attempt to salvage 1978’s heterodox LBW). I would love to see it replace TLH at my congregation, especially if it could be done at the same time as phasing out the superfluous “worship folders”… However, knowing the resistance to change that so many folks have, particularly wrt the way things have “always” been done (even when that’s only been in the most recent 25-75 years, and contra prior established orthodox Reformation/Lutheran praxis), I’m not going to hold my breath.
The more cynical “best hope” might be that LSB would serve as a solid hymnal for wherever solid, confessional Lutheran congregations land as they are sloughed off of/by Missouri…
-ghp
Comments
-
Analytics & Hosting
Add New Comment
Thanks. Your comment is awaiting approval by a moderator.
Do you already have an account? Log in and claim this comment.
Add New Comment