2005 Synod Assembly
Resolution 2005-12:
Further Study of Renewing Worship
Hymnal
Assembly voted not to
consider this resolution. WHEREAS, the
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) has established a process to
determine the "next generation" of worship resources, including a new
hymnal; and WHEREAS, the
proposed Renewing Worship materials are scheduled for consideration
and approval by the Churchwide Assembly of the ELCA in 2005; and
WHEREAS, the process of preparing these new
worship materials has not been widely followed in the church and received
little scholarly or critical review, not least because other highly
contentious issues have diverted the attention of scholars, pastors and
members of ELCA churches from the Renewing Worship process; and
WHEREAS, changes in worship materials and
resources are always controversial and a number of substantial changes are
contained within the Renewing Worship materials; and
WHEREAS, additional review, comment and
scholarly attention would be useful and no harm would be created by a delay;
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the 2005
Churchwide Assembly of the ELCA postpone approval and implementation of the
Renewing Worship materials until at least the 2007 Churchwide
Assembly; and BE IT
FURTHER RESOLVED, that the 2005 Churchwide Assembly of the ELCA authorize a
process by which the Renewing Worship materials will be studied,
reviewed and evaluated by a wide variety of Lutheran academic, theological
and musical traditions, particularly for their fidelity to Lutheran
confessional theology; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that all such
evaluations be distributed to all ELCA churches at least one year before the
Renewing Worship materials are to be considered for approval by a
churchwide assembly of the ELCA.
Submitted by: (10 synod
assembly voting members);Pastor Richard Steffen, Our Saviors, Kiester;
Rodger Christenson, First, Albert Lea; David and Lorraine Horning, Round
Prairie, Glenville; Pastor Dan Baker, First, Albert Lea; Phillip and Janet
Miller, Bethlehem, Myrtle; Pastor John Holt, First, Albert Lea; Garlin and
Sonia Scherb, Our Saviors, Kiester; Pastor Reggie Klindworth, First, Albert
Lea; Evelyn Egland, Grace, Albert Lea.
Approved by the Blue Earth River Caucus on
5/06/05
RATIONALE for the further
Study of Renewing Worship:
Since 2001, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in
America (ELCA) has been pursuing an ambitious project called Renewing
Worship in order to create a "new generation of worship resources." The
effort has included the publication of background material, numerous volumes
of proposed new liturgies and a provisional hymnal. It has also produced a
newsletter and hosted workshops in various places around the country. A
final report and proposal is scheduled to be considered and approved by the
2005 Churchwide Assembly in August.
Nevertheless, the Renewing Worship
materials are not familiar to most members of the ELCA. The reasons for that
are legion, but chief among them is that the ELCA has been convulsed by a
series of highly controversial issues, including a study of homosexuality
and competing proposals for restructuring the ELCA churchwide organization.
Whatever the reasons, it seems clear that members of the ELCA are not
prepared to make an informed decision about these materials.
That in itself is problematic, because new
hymnals and liturgies are always controversial. With Renewing Worship,
however, the problem is magnified, because the provisional materials contain
a number of substantial changes in the theology and worship practices of the
ELCA. Among them are the blessing of the water in Holy Baptism, a
gender-neutral marriage rite, radical re-translation of familiar hymns and a
serious downplaying of the confession and absolution of sin. There is reason
to question whether the Renewing Worship materials have maintained
the integrity of Lutheran theology and ought to be approved only with the
most careful consideration.
These problems are heightened further by the
fact that the 2005 Churchwide Assembly will also consider the highly
contentious proposal from the ELCA Task Force on Sexuality concerning the
blessing of same-sex relationships and the ordination of people living in
them. That report will consume a major portion of the Churchwide Assembly's
time and attention, and past assemblies have shown a clear pattern of being
able to deal effectively with only one major, controversial issue. That
suggests that the 2005 assembly will not be able to give the Renewing
Worship materials the kind of serious, careful evaluation which they
must have. A
long-observed rule in Christian worship is lex orandi, lex credendi, the
content of worship shapes the content of belief. Lutherans have recognized
the potential for worship to affect our beliefs, but for that very reason,
have insisted that, in all matters of worship, theology must lead the way
and determine how we worship, not vice versa. Worship practices of other
Christian churches, ancient traditions and innovations of every kind must be
weighed on the scales of confessional theological integrity and, if found
wanting, cast aside. For
all these reasons, it is neither wise nor responsible to push ahead with the
approval by the 2005 churchwide assembly of worship materials which could
profoundly affect the faith and belief of those who use them. It is
significant that the Renewing Worship materials have not received the
same level of theological scrutiny (e.g., by seminary faculties) as did the
Lutheran Book of Worship before its approval. Therefore, it seems prudent to
delay the approval of these materials for at least two years while a more
extensive theological review of them is undertaken.
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