The catholicity of the church is known by these marks:
The Holy ministry headed by the faithful ministers of the Word.
The Holy liturgy as has come down to us through the ages. The so-called contemporary - that I only compare with the spontaneous fashions in ladies dresses that appear in the market almost every six or even four months in Kenya - deviates from it.
The pure preaching of the Word – Law and Gospel.
You can read the whole of it here.
11 comments:
How disparaging. The catholicity of the church is marked by three roles in which no woman on Earth is fit to perform. And deviance away from the idolatry of tradition and liturgy ("Holy" liturgy LOL) is compared to the shameful spontaneity of women's fashions.
Martyria. Diakonia. Koinonia. Misogynia. ~ there, fixed that.
I must confess that I do not understand your response and its anger - for the great joy of the Ministry is that it is in service to the whole people of God, including women; and the liturgy no more belongs solely to the pastors or "leaders" than to the man in the moon - it is the great joy of the whole people of God who get to sing and offer praise to God together in it as He serves us His saving gifts.
Perhaps I am mistaken. Can women be considered "ministers of the word" and can they lead a congregation in the liturgy?
You are not mistaken that women may not serve as pastors, though in the Synod we have numerous women who are "ministers of religion - commissioned" serving in numerous other capacities.
As to "lead" the congregation in the liturgy, that misses the point of the liturgy as the offering of the WHOLE people of God. Is it "leading" when a woman serves as cantor? Or when she plays an instrument? Sings in the choir? Prepares the altar? Sings the canticles along with the rest of the people? The big thing in the liturgy isn't our serving in any case - it is wherein our God comes to serve us through His Word and the Body and Blood of Christ. His service to us lifts us all up to service and gives us the freedom that can only come to those whose sins are forgiven and whose death is destroyed.
I appreciate your insightful defense of the liturgy ~Thank you. But, I wonder, who writes the liturgy? Yes, most of it, I'm sure was written long ago (by men) but did women have any creative influence over the liturgy currently within our hymnals?
In one sense, the answer is "no." But that would be completely misleading. The liturgy was not "written" by any one. It is a way of praying God's Word, singing His praises, and receiving His gifts in which men and women have been formed as His people across centuries. Sure, you can point to this or that point and say: this arose here or there. Occasionally, like for singing the Agnus Dei before communion, you can even name the person: Pope Sergius introduced this. But for the vast majority, it's simply been the people's. It arises from them and they shape it as theirs and pass it on from one generation to the next. Woman are not excluded from this shaping and such. Every second Sunday after Epiphany we sing "The Only Son from Heaven" and it was composed by Elizabeth Cruciger - she died in the early 16th century. But her living of the faith continues to shape the Church centuries removed and continents away:
O time of God appointed,
O bright and holy morn;
He comes the King anointed,
the Christ, the Virgin-born,
Grim death to vanquish for us,
To open heaven before us,
And bring us life again.
I'm blessed every time I sing it.
My friend, you have the patience of Job and the wisdom of Solomon! I'm sure I could think of a couple of parallel female saints...let's see: how about Monica, mother of Augustine for patience and Mary, mother of our Lord for wisdom? And Christianity is accused of hating women? Tell it to Mary Magdalene, the woman caught in adultery, etc.
What about the numerous, numerous hymns translated by Catherine Winkworth in our Lutheran hymnals?
@Paul
All of scripture was written by men. The doctrines of the LCMS were formulated by men, its scripture officially interpreted by men, and preached by men. Women cannot serve as elders, congegation presidents, could not until recently vote, etc.
Oh -but you have a list of obscure female saints?
I would hope we might agree that the doctrine of the Lutheran Church is formulated by the Holy Spirit in giving us the Sacred Scriptures. I don't think He has a gender bias in His inspiration! :)
Also might be of interest: 3 major feasts center around the Virgin Mary: Purification, Annunciation, Visitation. Then there is also Mary's day in the calendar on August 15.
Additionally, in LSB we commemorate these women:
Sarah - Jan 20
Priscilla - Feb. 13
Perpetua and Felicitas, Martyrs - Mar 7
Helena - May 21
Esther - May 24
Ruth - July 16
Mary and Martha - July 29
Joanna, Mary, and Salome, Myrrhbearers - Aug 3
Monica - Aug 27
Hannah - Sept 2
Elizabeth - Sept 5
Dorcas, Lydia, Phoebe - Oct 25
Elizabeth of Hungary - Nov. 19
Lucia, Martyr - Dec 13
Eve - Dec. 19
Katie von Bora - Dec. 20
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