Benefits of Chanting the Liturgy and Burning Incense

Chanting the Canticles, Psalms and Responsories, along with burning incense are historical aspects of the ancient liturgy dating all the way back to the time of David and Solomon, and before. These practices endured through the time of Christ, through the era of the Early Church and through the Renaissance. At the age of pietism and especially in the age of rationalism of the 18th and 19th centuries, good European protestants decided for themselves to throw off the fetters of the past, ridding themselves of the supposed encumbrances of so called "Romish pomp" and medieval superstitions. In doing so the Lutherans who followed these reformed practices robbed themselves of some of the most beautiful and meaningful aspects of the liturgy of the Divine Service.

The traditional worship movement or the liturgical movement within the Lutheran Church is reclaiming the lost heirlooms of Historic Lutheranism and restoring them to their rightful place within the chancels, naves, and homes of Lutherans around the world. I myself, quite independently of this broader movement, was searching for historic and meaningful rites for worship which were deeper than what I was finding in the contemporary worship scene of the non-denominational churches. On my own I had found the richness of burning incense during evening prayers and the chanting of Scripture. Then as a twenty year old I later discovered that the Lutheran Church; with its standard Divine Service liturgy for the mass was exactly what I was looking for. After Twenty years now in the Lutheran Church I am shocked and saddened to see some Lutherans throwing traditional and historic liturgical practices overboard in favor of the ever new and changing contemporary worship genre.

The Lutherans sans liturgy will be left holding an empty sack because people are now searching for deeper and more meaningful worship practices. They are ready to make the journey and Lutherans are throwing away the field guide and compass. For those of us who are holding on and not giving up the ship, take heart! The interest in historic Liturgical practices is on the rise. Keep the coals burning and incense ready and keep your Gregorian Psalm tones in your oratories.

It is kind of funny to think about, that the Lutherans of the age of rationalism left liturgy behind as a superstition and today science is supporting some of these very same practices as good and useful. For example the use of aroma and music therapies have received wide acceptance. The field of psychology at one time which seemed so antithetical to faith has now underscored the benefit to be obtained from attending church, praying and meditating. I have included below as examples two articles from the secular media that espouse the benefits of chanting and burning incense. The first article addresses the revitalizing sounds of liturgical chanting. Click on the URL: http://www2.tbo.com/content/2008/dec/06/na-listening-for-the-lord/The second article presents the findings of a study that indicate that burning frankincense may relieve depression. Click on the URL: http://psychcentral.com/news/2008/05/21/burning-incense-may-lower-depression/2331.html

Blessings+
Father Daniel

Official Lutheran Doctrine: "We Do Not Abolish the Mass"

In the modern day Lutheran churches much confusion seems to prevail with regard to the standard order of service and the nature of the Divine Liturgy. Some churches seem to maintain no semblance whatsoever of their Lutheran liturgical heritage and employ a free style sing along customary of American non-denominational church groups. While others are quite liturgical and appear “catholic” in the way they worship. Which is correct based upon the official standing of the Lutheran church? Are not Lutherans a “protestant denomination”, if so then shouldn’t they worship like the other protestant and non-denominational churches? Historically, and more importantly doctrinally, no they should not. The official standard of doctrine and practice for the Lutheran Church and her clergy is the Book of Concord, also known as the Lutheran Confessions. According to this document, ratified in the year 1580 A.D., the Lutheran Reformers had no issue with the historic order of service. In fact they maintained the structure of the mass and handed it down to the successive generations of Lutherans. They said the following.

Article XXIV (XII): Of the Mass.
“At the outset we must again make the preliminary statement that we 1] do not abolish the Mass, but religiously maintain and defend it. For among us masses are celebrated every Lord’s Day and on the other festivals, in which the Sacrament is offered to those who wish to use it, after they have been examined and absolved. And the usual public ceremonies are observed, the series of lessons, of prayers, vestments, and other like things.” [1]

Therefore, the official Lutheran stance, according to The Book of Concord, supports the liturgical services including the use of vestments, and customs traditionally used in the Divine Liturgy. Interestingly enough, in this and many other citations, the reformers were not apprehensive to utilize the customary terminology when referring to the Divine Service; as you can see for yourself, they continued to call it the Mass. This coming Lord’s Day let us as Lutherans ponder the format of the service that we attend. Does it maintain the integrity of the liturgy as handed down by our faithful ancestors? If it seems more sing along with little or no liturgical structure, is this the manner of worship in keeping with our official doctrinal material or are we being incongruent? I will attend, and invite you as well to attend, the Mass as described by the progenitors of the Lutheran Reformation, which was maintained and handed down by the historic church from whom even they received it. It is in keeping with the official doctrine and practice to which we have pledged ourselves as Lutherans and it provides the ancient and well recognized structure to cradle the Christo-centric worship and to convey the administration of Word and Sacrament.

Blessings+
Father Daniel

[1]Lutheran Church. Missouri Synod: Concordia Triglotta - English : The Symbolic Books of the Evangelical Lutheran Church. electronic ed. Milwaukee WI : Northwestern Publishing House, 1997, S. 383