Harkness Tower, Yale University Main Campus
Kenneth J. Schmidt has left a new comment on your post "Stanley Hauerwas in the News":
I read a couple of books by Hauerwas. While not orthodox, his ideas on the connections between the church and the culture are interesting and provocative. I used to keep one of his quotes taped to my desk:
"One reason why we Christians argue so much about which hymn to sing, which liturgy to follow, which way to worship is that the commandments teach us to believe that bad liturgy eventually leads to bad ethics. You begin by singing some sappy, sentimental hymn, then you pray some pointless prayer, and the next thing you know you have murdered your best friend."
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GJ - Two approaches will supplant and displace the influence of Church Growth loonies. One is proper, respectful, liturgical services with Lutheran hymns and a well crafted sermon. The sacraments are not something we hide as Lutherans, because they matter so much. But we do not commune everyone who drops in, just to be popular with the anything-goes crowd. A congregation that knows and loves Gerhard and Luther hymns will not fall prostrate before a pit band playing "You Light Up My Life" while Cousin Brunhilda warbles.
The second is pastoral visitation, which should be a regular routine, especially to the sick, shut-in, and dying.
One pastor said, "The reason for the rot is the lack of pastoral work done." Anyone can coast along for years as a well-established congregation fades. Once the rot is established, the Shrinkers step in, because (like Obama) they represent change.
