by Fred Moleck
The More Things Change, the More They Remain the Same
Plus ça change, plus c'est la même chose
Two major Lutheran church groups have initiated a new life in their respective churches in the sense both of them have released a new service book/hymnal for use in their churches.The Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod premiered Lutheran Service Book in 2006, printed by Concordia Publishing House, St. Louis.
The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America released Evangelical Lutheran Worship in 2006, printed by Augsburg Fortress in Minneapolis.
Catholic organists and choir directors probably have purchased and used the products of these two publishers. Both houses are highly respected in the church music market by both Lutheran and non-Lutheran churches.
I developed an interest in their new hymnals because of a new writing project in which I will review the two books. Yes, I was surprised, too.
It seems that a third voice was important to give an unbiased review. At another time I’ll write on how deeply I’ve gotten myself into “hymns-Lutheran.”
I’ve accumulated a small collection of educational and promotional material prepared and distributed by the two church bodies. Both have developed highly creative and beautiful programs, CDs, and commentary books.
One gem stands out—it is a presentation given by the Rev. Jon D. Vieker, Assistant Director of the LCMS (Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod) at the November 5, 2006, annual conference of the Good Shepherd Institute at Concordia Theological Seminary in Fort Wayne, Indiana.
It’sentitled “Something Old, Something New, Something Borrowed . . . Something Burgundy!”—Brief Reflections on the Formation of Lutheran Service Book within Its Historical Context.”
You need to know that their new hymnal is bound in a burgundy color.
His paper is a highly erudite, but not stuffy, summary of the past ninety-five years of Lutheran hymnal publication in the United States. But more on that at another TableTalk.
In his opening commentary, he offered this harangue on a new hymnal:
According to what I have heard, the clergy are holding strong conventions where the reverend brothers raise and answer the questions: Why do the times demand . . . ? They say that now the convention is supposed to have come to the conclusion that this time it is a new hymnbook that the times demand. That the times demand it is, of course, very possible, but this does not mean that they need it. . . .
Why, indeed, is church attendance as relatively sparse as it is . . . ? Well, naturally and obviously it is the fault of the old hymnbook. . . . Why do people indecorously run out of the church promptly as soon as the pastor says “amen?” Well, naturally and obviously, because the old hymnbook is so bad that it even hinders on in doing according to what is said in it. . . .
But for that very reason it seems to me that we should hesitate to abolish the old Hymnbook lest we be in the considerable embarrassment of having to explain the same phenomena when the new one is introduced. If the old hymnbook was of no benefit before, it is now; by means of it everything can be explained, that otherwise would be inexplicable. . . .
Søren Kierkegaard. Concluding Unscientific Postscript to Philosophical Fragments, Volume 1, edited and translated by Howard V. Hong and Edna H. Hong. Kierkegaard’s Writings XII. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 1992.This passage is dated 1846!
Disgruntled Catholics bemoaning the Protestant takeover of Catholic liturgy in the postconciliar reforms could have written that passage for Kierkegaard in 1970.
The passage also sounds like much of the wailing and lamenting of today’s Catholics over the implications of Benedict XVI’s Extraordinary Rite document.
I admit that I am one of the Chicken Little Brigade members who see our liturgical sky falling, but I’m not taking myself so seriously that I’m investigating drugs and therapy.
My historic perspective (remember, my PhD is in musicology/history) prevents unbridled hysteria as well as preventing mindless optimism, but it does equip me with a perspective that is always truthful—
Plus ça change, plus c'est la même chose.
The more things change, the more they remain the same.
You can reach Fred Moleck via email at fmoleck@comcast.net