While it is not as obvious as it once was, the feeling persists in Missouri. It is evidenced by those who gladly and willingly exchange the church for a warehouse, the organ for the guitar, the hymnal for a pop-gospel playlist, the lectionary for the inspiration of the moment, the liturgy for entertainment, vestments for jeans and a t-shirt or polo and khakis, and such. Missouri no longer fights the worship wars so vehemently because we have largely retreated into our own camps. One, it is said, loves ceremony, and the other, it is said, loved people and Jesus. Or, on the other side of things, it is said one loves faithfulness and the other loves numbers. Perhaps there is some truth to the characterizations but as long as we keep to our own, Missouri seems happy with the calm. Or, it could be a sign that some have decided Missouri is not worth it anymore and are preparing either to permanently hide or to leave. I have no clue. What is true is that the Bo Giertz idea of evangelization and liturgy has fizzled -- except where it is actually working and bringing new people into the churches which practice a vigorous catholic worship with a vibrant confessional witness. Some of those who chart the stats on this tell us that Bo Giertz was right after all.
What is odd, however, Rome is the opposite. In Rome, the traddies are asking simply for some space to do their thing and they are getting none of it. The bishops who are shutting down everything from altar rails to Latin Masses to ad orientum postures are more strident that anyone in Missouri ever was. They refuse to give the traddies anything -- not even the time of day. In fact, they are perfectly willing to ditch these folks from their churches at a time when attendance at Mass is pathetic. I am waiting for someone to say "If you thought that even one soul could be saved by allowing a little space for the traditional Latin Mass and its kind of piety to survive, would you?" Apparently there are many like the Bishop Martin's of this world who gladly say "no." In Rome, the value of a stripped down architectural and liturgical style and the base options of the post-Vatican II model are the conditions of staying. Otherwise, leave. How odd it is that in Missouri it was once the evangelicals who wanted some space to ditch the liturgy while in Rome it is the traditionals who plead with a little room to keep it with all the frills.
Honestly, I do not know what to make of it all sometimes. It is like the world have been turned on edge. Rome and the new Pope are firmly in the Francis wing today while in Missouri the complaint is the opposite. Yet, in Missouri anyway, we seem to each have our own spaces -- for now. In Rome, the cardinals and bishops who would like to have the Latin Mass and its ceremonial allowed have to keep silent or they may lose their apartments. What a day! Will it resolve? How will it resolve? I have no idea but Bo Giertz was not simply correct for Lutherans in connecting our witness to our worship. It is true for all. It hearkens all the way back to lex orandi lex credendi. It was always true. You cannot bring them in by giving them less on Sunday morning and you cannot give them more on Sunday morning without bringing them in. Sell your soul to the numbers game of musical chairs practices by the evangelical style folks and you will lose it all. Sell your soul to culture and its prevailing views on whatever and you will lose it all. They go together. Whether in St. Louis or Rome, it has always been true. But some in churches near and far insist that we need to try one more time to be who we are not and it just might work to revitalize the faith. When will we wake up and smell the incense. Be who you are and make sure that who you are is reflective of Scripture, catholic tradition, and creedal/confessional integrity.
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Sometimes in life it seems like things are falling apart. Back in late 1968, when I returned to the United States after a year of relentless combat in Vietnam, I saw how our country had been changing. I actually believed we could have a civil war, with the anti-war demonstrations going full steam, folks withdrawing to their own camps, anti-establishment ideas percolating through the culture, civil rights in conflict, sexual promiscuity common, and drugs widely used. Even in the Marine Corps, as an enlisted man and a Sergeant of 23, I saw there were morale problems with younger Marines showing less respect and disobeying orders, black Marines acting contentious in response to perceived discrimination, and the drug culture was as invasive in the military as it was in the culture. It was a terrible time in America, but there have been many periods of social conflict and civil disorder in our history. Unfortunately, we too often think things were better in the old days, when they were not in fact so great as our wishful thinking concludes. It is also natural that the church of Christ on earth would go through the fires of countless theological differences, disagreements over worship styles and architecture, over hymns, music, use or non use of Liturgies, creeds, and the clash between tradition and modernity. Do we really need to have these conflicts? I suppose we do. The sinful human mind is always restless, never settled, more prone to conflict than peace. I think the true believer will worship God in spirit and truth, and let others argue. It is hard to remain in a troubled sea, with the water churning and turning, with waves pounding to and fro. We cannot change the minds of others to think as we do. Luther tried but was unable to change the Catholic Church. The prophets of old often failed to reform the Jews when they fell into apostasy and idolatry. At some point, we just leave it all to the Lord. As we celebrate Christmas in three days, we experience the calmness of the gentle Savior, God in the flesh, who came to redeem us, and we know for certain that all will be well with our souls. A blessed Christmas to all. Soli Deo Gloria
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