Martin Luther, believed in and understood the value of having Christians meet within homes. He wrote about three types of services. The Latin liturgy and the German service were for the unlearned people, many of whom were not even believers. Those services should continue, he believed, for the primary purpose of evangelism. However, a third kind of service was needed – a "truly evangelical" one. It would be held privately for those "who want to be Christians in earnest and who profess the Gospel with hand and mouth." Luther describes such a gathering:
[They] should sign their names and meet alone in a house somewhere to pray, to read, to baptize, to receive the sacrament, and to do other Christian works. According to this order, those who do not lead Christian lives could be known, reproved, corrected, cast out, or excommunicated, according to the rule of Christ (Matthew 18). Here one could also solicit benevolent gifts to be willingly given and distributed to the poor, according to St. Paul’s example (2 Corinthians 9). Here would be no need of much and elaborate singing. Here one could set out a brief and neat order for baptism and the sacrament and center everything on the Word, prayer, and love (cf. Ulrich S. Leupold, Liturgy and Hymns, Vol.53 of Luther’s Works, ed. Helmut T. Lehman [Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 1965] pp.53ff).
Luther confessed, however, that he did not have the people to get it off the ground (this is because church attendance in Protestant territories was compulsory and also because a high percentage of the members were unregenerate):
As yet I neither can nor desire to begin such a congregation or assembly or to make rules for it. For I have not yet the people or persons for it, nor do I see many who want it. But if I should be requested to do it and could not refuse with a good conscience, I should gladly help and do my part as best I can.
Luther was not talking about a small group within a large parish. Rather, he was talking about small, simple household congregations, loving communities with their own sacramental practice and ministry of the Word.
2 comments:
v. cool...tho' would that mean unbelievers weren't invited in to the 'truly evangelical' gatherings? that's not TCH model, is it? [or do you secretly have Latin liturgies going on? ;-)]
He lived in a very different time. I don't think he'd be very at home with TCH or 21st C. for that matter, (nor we his context). But it's fascinating that he flirted with the idea of homechurch and the community of love that it would be but was thwarted. (If only he had gone for it! Why did he not have the courage of his convictions? That was for the anabaptists to do... and die for.)
Latin liturgies...? Hmmm now there's a thought!
Post a Comment