Rev. Deacon David J Muehlenbruch
When you speak of ceremony to the average Lutheran, you elicit a wide range of responses. Ceremony is "high church" on one hand, and "non-Lutheran" on the other. It is not uncommon for ceremony to be seen only as "liturgical gymnastics that detract from the solemnity of the service." I am sure that most of us have some familiarity with the term "chancel prancing."
The general mistrust of anything ceremonial could be likened to liturgical McCarthyism. The catchword in this case is "Catholic"; and this, according to the Rev. Charles Evanson, translates as just plain "un-American." Since we are now in America, we must do things the American way. Ceremony was part of the Old World. It has no place here. It would seem that the American melting pot has reduced liturgical ceremony to the lowest common denominator.
However, don't be quick to misunderstand. America is not without its share of ceremony. It has become so ingrained in us that it is almost second nature. We are even known to become uncomfortable when we are in violation of this ceremony. Have you ever arrived at a party or meeting obviously under or over dressed? Do you have a dislike for formal events and dinners, because you do not know what to wear or what fork to use? But what does all of this have to do with the Church and the Liturgy?
From ancient times, ceremony was nothing more than proper etiquette and protocol. Never turn your back on the king. Never be in a position where your head is higher than that of the king, whether standing or sitting. Do not sit in the presence of the king, especially when he is standing. It was natural to adapt the ceremony of the imperial court to the use of the Church.
Ceremony is not, as some would have you believe, staged liturgical gymnastics that interfere with, and distract from, the "purpose" of the liturgy. The notion that how you do the liturgy detracts from what you are doing, is like saying that the ballet is impaired because the dancers are bouncing all over the stage; thus distracting one from fully enjoying the music.
Are you familiar with the phrase Lex Orandi, Lex Credendi? The best translation into English seems to be "As we pray, so we believe." In the context of the Divine Liturgy, ceremony ought to be much more than simple choreography. If, in fact, our manner of prayer truly reflects what we believe, teach and confess, ceremony must be viewed in statu confessiones.
Out of reverence, we offer to our God and Lord the best that we have in His service. The most visible reflection of our best is how we deport ourselves in His presence, and in the presence of Holy Things. Respect and reverence are meaningless terms if they are not accompanied by appropriate actions. After all, actions do indeed speak louder than words.
For H. G. Wells' Invisible Man, invisibility turned out to be more of a curse than a blessing. But even Christians have their own troubles with the invisible.
In the Nicene Creed we confess "I believe in one God, the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, and of all things visible and invisible." Currently, at least to our eyes, Christ is invisible, though He is not one of God's creations. The work of Christ on the cross, which is to say the Gospel, is invisible. The Church itself is invisible. Almost everything that is important to the Christian faith is invisible, which is why we call it the Christian faith.
We live in an age and in a country that wants to keep God invisible. His name is on our money, but not on our lips; and it has been banned from out schools and courtrooms. On those occasions when His name is on our lips, it is most often, and most naturally, being used in vain. It is the task of the Church to make Christ manifest, to make Him more obviously present. One of the ways in which the Church does this is by outward acts of reverence.
What would we do if Christ were visible, standing before us at the altar? Would we dare walk by Him without acknowledging His presence? How would we treat His Apostles, His chosen servants, if we saw them standing there at His visible and incarnate side? How would we dress to enter His presence? How would we speak to Him?
But He isn't visible there, and we neglect to ask ourselves these questions.
But just because He isn't visible doesn't mean He isn't there. Christ is present at the altar, and His ministers and people serve at His incarnate side. It is fitting, then, to make the sign of the Holy Cross in remembrance of our baptism when we enter, and again when we are absolved. It is fitting to bow when we come before the altar, the place where He gives us His own Body and Blood in the Holy Sacrament. It is fitting to kneel when we recall the fact that He took on our flesh so that we might have life in Him. We do not do this to call attention to ourselves, we do this because we know that we are in the presence of our incarnate Lord.
Acts of outward reverence are not required; but they are reminders and acts of confession. When we are about His business, these acts of reverence remind us that we are in the presence of something Holy, and Mysterious, and Divine.
These were the introductory remarks to a workshop on Liturgical Action presented at the annual St. Michael's Seminar, Zion Lutheran Church, Detroit, Michigan, 1999.
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