One year, when the 4th of July fell on a Sunday, I...

2009-07-05T13:28:59.153-05:00

One year, when the 4th of July fell on a Sunday, I went to an LCMS congregation (very close to your own, Fr. May) and during the service we were supposed to say the Pledge of Allegiance to the flag, sang the Battle Hymn of the Republic, American the Beautiful, the National Anthem and some other "patriotic" songs.

I was blown away by how glaringly inappropriate this seemed to me, but apparently not to the pastor there.

The Divine Service is Christ's Service. Or, as you put it the Lord's Day is the Lord's. This seems so simple, but I cannot believe how many Lutheran pastor do not understand this. In my first parish, a previous pastor always had them sing patriotic songs around national holidays like the 4th of July, Memorial Day and so forth.

One Memorial Day weekend, a parishioner asked me why we didn't sing any patriotic songs and I told him because it is the Second Sunday after Trinity (or whatever it was that year) and not "Memorial Day Sunday." The Divine Service is always and ever all about Jesus - not nations, politics, etc. that come and go.

Of course, as you mention, we always pray for the country and the leaders, but do not confuse Americanism with Christianity. I thought Lutherans knew how to distinguish the kingdoms. But this kind of thing may be more common than you think.

The fact that the Lord's Day is the Lord's is also another reason not to use the bizarre services the LCMS sends out for "LWML Sunday" and all that jazz.

Comments on de ecclesia et liturgia on Church and Liturgy: the 4th of July and the Lord's Day

One year, when the 4th of July fell on a Sunday, I...