Friday, September 12, 2014
Friday, September 12, 2008
Our Mission
The Society for the Preservation of the Evangelical Lutheran Liturgy is for all pastors and lay people who believe as the Augsburg Confession states:
We are unjustly accused of having abolished the Mass. Without boasting, it is manifest that the Mass is observed among us with greater devotion and more earnestness than among our opponents. (Augsburg Confession XXIV:9)
We the members of the Society for the Preservation of the Evangelical Lutheran Liturgy cling to the historic catholic liturgy of the Western Rite which was cleansed by Martin Luther and the Lutheran reformers of the 16th Century of medieval accretions in order to set forth more clearly the Gospel of Jesus Christ and to encourage the full and active participation of all the baptized. We resist trends in this present age which denounce the liturgy as irrelevant in "post-modern" society. We refuse to jettison the historic liturgy for the sake of so called "evangelism." We resist every attempt to appease radical feminists who would tamper with the Name of God who is Father, Son, and Holy Spirit in order to make the liturgy more 'inclusive.' And we are dedicated to worshipping the Lord in the beauty of holiness, restoring many ancient practices retained by our Lutheran forefathers, but lost over time to the ravages of rationalism, pietism, and reformed protestantism. We are resolved to reject any innovations in worship, especially those which are trendy, superficial, silly, and irreverent.
This is because we hold fast to the belief that the bread and wine of the Holy Mass are the true Body and Blood of Jesus Christ our Savior. Our worship should be reverent and dignified reflecting our love for and devotion to the Holy Sacrament of the Altar. We are committed to treating the Lord's Body and Blood with love and respect not only during the Mass, but afterwards as well. It is scandalous that in so many of our churches, the sacred Body and Blood of Jesus are carelessly disgarded after the celebration of the Mass has been concluded. Liturgical traditions in our churches will only improve when the Lutheran people, pastors and laity, once again develop a profound appreciation for our Lord's real presence in His Holy Supper. May our Heavenly Father grant this for His dear Son's sake. Amen.
We are unjustly accused of having abolished the Mass. Without boasting, it is manifest that the Mass is observed among us with greater devotion and more earnestness than among our opponents. (Augsburg Confession XXIV:9)
We the members of the Society for the Preservation of the Evangelical Lutheran Liturgy cling to the historic catholic liturgy of the Western Rite which was cleansed by Martin Luther and the Lutheran reformers of the 16th Century of medieval accretions in order to set forth more clearly the Gospel of Jesus Christ and to encourage the full and active participation of all the baptized. We resist trends in this present age which denounce the liturgy as irrelevant in "post-modern" society. We refuse to jettison the historic liturgy for the sake of so called "evangelism." We resist every attempt to appease radical feminists who would tamper with the Name of God who is Father, Son, and Holy Spirit in order to make the liturgy more 'inclusive.' And we are dedicated to worshipping the Lord in the beauty of holiness, restoring many ancient practices retained by our Lutheran forefathers, but lost over time to the ravages of rationalism, pietism, and reformed protestantism. We are resolved to reject any innovations in worship, especially those which are trendy, superficial, silly, and irreverent.
This is because we hold fast to the belief that the bread and wine of the Holy Mass are the true Body and Blood of Jesus Christ our Savior. Our worship should be reverent and dignified reflecting our love for and devotion to the Holy Sacrament of the Altar. We are committed to treating the Lord's Body and Blood with love and respect not only during the Mass, but afterwards as well. It is scandalous that in so many of our churches, the sacred Body and Blood of Jesus are carelessly disgarded after the celebration of the Mass has been concluded. Liturgical traditions in our churches will only improve when the Lutheran people, pastors and laity, once again develop a profound appreciation for our Lord's real presence in His Holy Supper. May our Heavenly Father grant this for His dear Son's sake. Amen.
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