Posts tagged “Arthur Carl Piepkorn”

One rubric to rule them all

Posted on April 19th, 2012

My esteemed colleague, Charles McClean, begins his The Conduct of the Services with a reiteration of Arthur Carl Piepkorn’s discussion of reverence: There is really only one basic rule of good form: “Be courteous.” And similarly there is really only one basic rule for those who lead the church in worship: “Be reverent!” Every other rule is simply a practical application of that basic charge.

Categories: Liturgy

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Ministers mistaken for mechanics

Posted on March 22nd, 2012

The Salzwedel-Neustadt visitation instructions of 1579 directed the curate, rector and sacristans participating in a funeral to wear surplices (corjacke), “lest they be mistaken for mechanics.” –Arthur Carl Piepkorn, The Survival of the Historic Vestments in the Lutheran Church after 1555

Categories: Liturgy

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Christmas Eve and the Bidding Prayer

Posted on December 21st, 2010

We’re moving to two services on Christmas Eve this year (along with one on Christmas Day) so I’m bringing back the Anglican “Lessons and Carols” for the earlier service (late night will be a “Midnight Mass” at 11pm). One thing that always bothered me was the usage of the Bidding Prayer on Christmas Eve, as it seemed altogether out of character with the night. So I turned to the resident fountain of wisdom, Fr. Charles McClean (author of the revision to Piepkorn’s The Conduct of the Service, both of which you can purchase in a single volume here). Serving with Fr. McClean is like having my own personal Liturgical Wikipedia that responds to email or voice queries. Here’s what happened when I put to…

Categories: Liturgy

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Update: Placement of the Marriage Rite

Posted on July 14th, 2010

A correspondent (a very capable liturgical scholar) sent me an email pertaining to my earlier post on the placement of the marriage rite in the daily office. He is in favor of keeping the marriage rite in the place where the LW Agenda has it (after the sermon). However, he gives these useful historical details: Before the liturgical reforms of Vatican II the marriage rite in the Roman Church preceded the beginning of the Nuptial Mass; however, the Solemn Nuptial Blessing was given immediately after the Our Father and before the celebrant continued with the Libera nos Domine and the Pax Domini. When the Nuptial Eucharist was restored in some our Synod’s parishes the Roman custom was followed. (This was also Anglican usage until…

Categories: Liturgy

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Piepkorn on the sanctorum communionem

Posted on May 20th, 2010

When I read Sasse on the sanctorum communionem as a reference to the Sacrament of the Altar, I was convinced. I was troubled, however, by the seeming discrepancy with Luther’s Large Catechism. My colleague, Rev. Charles McClean, showed me this passage after I mentioned to him my concern. “If a later symbol misunderstands an earlier symbol, we are not committed to such a misunderstanding as far as the earlier symbol is concerned, but we are committed to the doctrinal content of both symbols. Thus the Large Catechism interprets the words sanctorum communionem in the Apostolicum as an explanatory apposition to sanctam ecclesiam catholicam and proposes to render them “a holy community” (LC II 49). But it is becoming increasingly clear that sanctorum communionem originally…

Categories: Theology

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When do you genuflect in the Creed?

Posted on January 20th, 2010

Not everyone genuflects (or, alternatively, bows) at the same place in the Creed. My practice has followed what Dr. David Scaer insisted was correct, that of genuflecting at the et homo factus est. Others genuflect/bow earlier, I suspect so that they can stand at the crucifixus (I stand at the et resurrexit), which is sometimes explained as being a confession that the crucifixion is the beginning of Christ’s exaltation/glorification. I get the point theologically, but as a practical matter I’ve never bought it. Plus, if there seems to be a tradition that doesn’t contradict the gospel, then we should keep it. At least, that’s how I read the Confessions. Shortly after Christmas I asked my friend, Rev. Charles McClean, about it, since he is…

Categories: Liturgy

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The irresponsibility of open communion

Posted on October 10th, 2009

Important words from Piepkorn: I am suggesting that it is wrong to admit individuals to the Holy Eucharist indiscriminately merely because they are physically present, with no effort to determine if they have been baptized, with no effort to determine their continuing status as members of the church, and with no assurance that they have the requisite dispositions of sorrow for their wrong-doing and faith in the atoning work of the Lord that is made present again in this mystery. –A.C. Piepkorn, *The Church* p. 188 Thanks to Pr. Weedon for posting this quotation.

Categories: Theology

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