2006 Synod Assembly

ELCA representative shares thoughts on the Bible and Lutheran worship
By Peg Mowery

Rev. Michael Burk, Executive for Worship and Liturgical Resources in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, attended the Southeastern Minnesota Synod Assembly as the representative from the office of the ELCA.

Dr. Burk directed the work of the Renewing Worship project. This project is a comprehensive approach to developing a new generation of worship resources and fostering worship renewal throughout the ELCA. This year, he will lead the effort to introduce the new primary resource, Evangelical Lutheran Worship.

Dr. Burk outlined the use of scripture in worship. The Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments have long been a primary foundation for the language of the church's prayer and worship.

Worship and the role the Bible plays in it give worship its fundamental shape. Gathering, Word, Meal and Sending set the rhythm of our life together in the church. The church from ancient times has developed uses of scripture that often move beyond a word-for-word quoting to a wording that is suited to the particular function of the text in worship.

The Lord's Prayer as used in worship, in either the "traditional" or "ecumenical" versions, does not reflect either of the Biblical versions in Matthew and Luke precisely, but represents an enhanced combination of the biblical versions specifically for use in the worship of the assembly and in private prayer.

Readings from the Bible are the most direct use of the scriptures in worship. These readings are framed with an announcement such as, "A reading from..." or "The holy Gospel according to..." and concluded with "The word of the Lord" or "Word of God, word of life" or "The Gospel of the Lord." This framing sets the public proclamation of the Word apart from other uses of biblical language and imagery in worship. There is no confusion this is the part of worship that members would be able to go to their own Bible and follow along.

The Evangelical Lutheran Worship resource will show the real need to share what the bible really says.

Dr. Burk shared his understanding of the art of preaching. Preaching is many times brought by an image not by the grounded history of the bible. The calling is to preach the text. Jesus is alive through our preaching. God is at work through our preaching.

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2006 Assembly photo album