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Are References to Viagra Appropriate in a Devotion?

May 16th, 2009 | 1 Comment

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Pr. Rossow reports some sad news of the quality of the opening devotion at the Northern Illinois Convention, including sexual innuendos:

The opening devotion of the Northern Illinois District (NID) convention included a couple of off-color references. When he was called on it, the presenter confessed the error before the whole convention and was given forgiveness by the District President. The whole thing was really weird. In the end, I think it illustrates all too poignantly how the new way of doing church promoted by President Kieschnick and many other leaders of the synod, has brought the world into the church. (Read the rest here)

The opening worship at our Convention was LSB setting III. Chanted. Well, most of it chanted. Pr. Nehrenz (elected 2nd VP at the convention) did not chant the Proper Preface nor the verba but I don’t always do that either. He did chant the Collect and the post-communion collect, which is something I don’t usually do.

To be fair to the NID, this is probably the most liturgical and well-done worship I’ve seen at a district event. Ever. Thank God for Pastor Nehrenz.

Here’s some more of the NID convention:

One of the leading pastors of the church growth movement in our district (his name is not important because my point here is not personal but paradigmatic) proceeded to open the convention with a devotion on the importance of change in the church. There was no scripture read or preached. There was no proper distinction of law and gospel and there was no reference of Christ in the devotion. There was however, a 10 minute secular video on the rapid nature of change in our culture today. When a confessional Lutheran views such a video about the rapid change in culture it just screams out the truth that we for the church to remain steadfast but of course the pastor’s point was the exact opposite – the church must change right along with culture or die.

Written by Christopher Hall

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Filed under: Theology · Tags: consumerist worship, culture, devotion, LCMS, liturgy

One Response to "Are References to Viagra Appropriate in a Devotion?"

Christopher Orr says:

May 18, 2009 at 10:01 pm

St. John Chrysostom said something like, 'for the Lord to appear, the priest has to disappear'. I usually take this to refer, in my mind, to vestments (especially the high necked phelonion of Orthodox priests), but it has as much to do with the liturgical texts, music, actions and structures. A priest (or pastor) is able to 'disappear' in the texts of another, of a saintly and holy hymnographer, of prayers that have stood the test of time and holiness, of forms inspired by God, or at least obediently followed out of humility. When a minister has to pick and choose, write, etc. it is rare he will rise to the level needed – not everyone is that inspired that often – and will often merely reveal himself rather than Him. No one is there to see the pastor, not really, unless you're in a cult.

This is all one of the blessings of the Byzantine Rite. It is so complex, so long, so obtuse sometimes, and beautiful in its jumping from high rhetoric, to simple phrases, to non sequitors, to psalms, to beautifully poetic images, to simple readings that one can be buoyed up by the service and find oneself praying. Even a well performed Western Rite can be 'more' focused on the celebrant as it is so straightforward.

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