You Have No Idea How Bad it Is

Likewise, althought the Christian church is, properly speaking, nothing else than the assembly of all believers, yet becasue in this life many false Christians, hypocrites, and even public sinners remain among the righteous, the sacraments--even though administered by unrighteous priests--are efficacious all the same. For as Christ himself indicates [Matt 23:2-3]: 'The scribes and all the Pharisees on Moses' seat...." Condemned, therefore, are the Donatists and all others who hold a different view.

Article 8 continues reflection on the church. This article entertains the mingling of sinners and saints in the church in the form given to it by the church's struggles in North Africa in the fourth century.

It does not focus so much upon the fact that wheat and tares remain together in the church until the End but goes on to consider whether human failings can comprimise the sacraments and preaching of the church.

We had hardware problems with publishing that are now fixed. Sorry for publishing delays.

One Holy Church Will Remain Forever

So in my last comment, we understand this article as a task; now we note the beginning of this article as a promise. One holy church will remain forever. Behind this seemingly short phrase lies a big idea. Will the gates of hell ever triumph over the church? This article says resolutely: no. And surely this assertion belongs only to the side of those things by which God the Spirit acts, not the accomplishment of churches. The Spirit liberates the church from sin, keeps the church in truth. We surely do not need to develop overly elaborate theories of the indefectibility and infallibility of the church or even say where or how the church never fails or never is outside of the truth to appreciate this fact. We trust we are not decieved when the church forgives and frees.

But we can only resist those questions of where and how so long. In the case of Roman Catholicism, no matter how we may be able to attain mutual understanding (if ever!) of such difficult topics as councils, bishops, and the bishop of Rome, Lutherans and others have a memory of abuse of power and authority. Abuse does not destroy the substance but how do we ovecome such difficulty? How can we say the church is holy and will remain? Do we here mean that church will be holy? The subject of this article is the churches that do exist, not the "Platonic republic" that Melanchthon refers to in the Apology to this confession.

One does not need to point out a solution to demonstrate the need to have one. To continually operate as if these things did not matter, that the functions of whatever bodies of the denominations are nonbinding, we duck this article's promise. But even now we slip into that strange region between the Spirit's promise of abiding in the church and sanctifying it and the task given to the church as human beings to speak the truth.

Too often in the church and in other institutions people are embarrased of the power they hold. They should approach such power and authority with humility and a view towards the proper mandate this or that office has, but failing that, they should at least recognize it. This article should function not just descriptively but also prescriptively; here we learn about the whole church's office, both pastors and laity. The gospel is to be taught purely. That is, not everything goes. The sacraments are to be adminstered rightly. Only therein may the church as mission be true to its calling and to this article.

Theology and other things have just as much import and in fact are essential to the mission of the church. Too long Lutherans are given over to liturgical innovation and the idea that because we are free in the gospel we are free to do this or that, reaching deep into the grab bag of the church's ritual life. My mother, who wasn't Lutheran, was amazed at the care with which the Lutheran pastor who married them discussed and considered what music could be played at their wedding. Theology matters significantly because no one sees doctrine, people only see the liturgy. To have worship and rites is just like the famous love alone and truth alone. Love without truth is just mush; truth without love is hard-edged.

For one example, can we easily claim to use the Eucharistic Prayer options because we know that we "really aren't doing that?" No matter what arcane distinctions one may make in one's head, no one sees doctrine, people only see the liturgy. Even if one fiddles around from prayer to presenting the bread/wine to the congregation, the distinctions matter litte. There you have it, right in front of you, the body and blood of Christ offered to the Father instead of Christ's testament given for sinners.

As the ELCA now considers its liturgy and worship book through a series of trial rites, it is imperative that congregations and pastors carefully consider the proposals, the principles of worship, and so on. One can access all this material here.