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Worship is the fullest expression of our relationship to God. We can understand what has divided us and what deeply unites us by examining our worship practices.

Alb and chasuble or "Geneva gown?" Holy Communion in the pews or kneeling at the communion rail? Plain cross or crucifix? Liturgies chanted or spoken? An early Christian leader once said lex orandi:lex credendi - "The rule of prayer equals the rule of faith." Very often our worship will reveal more about what we really believe than our formal proclamations of faith. Rarely is this more obvious than in the architecture and worship of Reformed and Lutheran Churches.

Luther was a conservative reformer. He hesitated to remove symbols and structures he believed could deeply inform and strengthen the spirit of the faithful. The liturgy changed little, save for being translated into the language of the people. Sermons to proclaim and explain the faith became significant. Music sung by the congregation, often in tunes they already knew, became an important means of expressing faith. Holy Communion continued to be a weekly celebration, until later theological movements and the absence of clergy in new lands lessened its frequency for a time.

Calvin was much more radical. Symbols, which Luther saw as assisting and strengthening faith, ran the risk of becoming idols in themselves. Most of them needed to be removed. The liturgy was reordered, focusing on the centrality of the Word. Preaching was made central as a tool to bring people to faith and to teach them to serve God in the world. While Calvin emphasized the importance of Holy Communion, other reformers saw its significance as symbolic. Its frequency lessened as the Reformation grew.

Pietistic movements in Europe heavily influenced both traditions as they gained footholds within the United States. For most Lutherans this meant maintaining the same liturgical order without a frequent celebration of Holy Communion. For Reformed churches this also meant a lessening of sacramental frequency and a strengthening of the centrality of the Word proclaimed. Liturgical renewal movements of the 1950s and 1960s had a strong influence on both, and the celebration of Holy Communion in Sunday worship is has significantly increased and continues to increase.

You may be surprised how current differences in worship express those early differences of the 1500s. Compare size and placement of pulpits, size and placement of communion tables (altars), size and placement of baptismal fonts, vestments worn by clergy, elements used in Holy Communion, and even how Holy Communion is received. You will see that what we do today conveys the different emphases of the early reformers.

Questions for Reflection and Discussion:

1. What is the most important part of worship for you?
2. What do you notice as different in the architectural design of your churches?
3. What is the same or different about your worship materials?
4. What did you like about worshipping in the other church? Why?
5. What made you uncomfortable when you worshipped in the other church? Why?
6. What can your congregation learn from the other's worship? What can their congregation learn from yours?

Other Resources:

• Book of Common Worship
• Lutheran Book of Worship
• The New Century Hymnal
• The Presbyterian Hymnal
• Gathered and Sent: An Introduction to Worship, Karen G. Bockelmann, Augsburg/Fortress Press.
• These Things Matter (Video), Augsburg/Fortress Press
• Guidelines and Worship Resources for the Celebration of Full Communion

For Next Time:

• Read your congregation's constitution.
• How frequently does your congregation meet in a legislative or governing session, and what is the role of such a congregational meeting?
• How are decisions made by your congregation?
• How is your congregation's leadership and governance structured?
• If possible, read the constitution of your partner congregation.
• What is the role of your "Middle Judicatory" (Synod, Presbytery, Conference, Classis) in relation to your congregation?
• How does your congregation relate to the "national expression" of your denomination's structure?

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