General Rubrics

[J. Thomas Shelley]

And a standard, "rubrical" (can that be a word?), traditionally reverent means of celebration is exactly the thing that take the focus off the celebrant and keeps the focus on the liturgical "story" and the progression of the celebration. If posture, ceremony and "attitude" of the celebrant remains governed by the rubrics and the liturgy itself, there is less chance for the "personality" or "personality defects" of the celebrant to intrude.

Pope Benedict XVI has expressed similar thoughts in his writings.   There should be minimal "interpretation" or individualized augmentation of the liturgy by the celebrant....quite the contrary of much of the post Vatican II practice.

[Charles Austin]

 I have only been At maybe 5 Roman Catholic masses in the past year, but in all of them the priest did quite well in keeping his personality out of the celebration.

[Harvey_Mozolak]

Now as regards keeping the personality away from the celebrant...  I have a great deal of agreement also; however...

in many, even most more contemporary services the celebrant uses words, phrases and introductions which are not the usual found in most church body produced hymnals in use in the Lutheran church.  Let us pray.  The Word of the Lord.  and so forth... might well be changed to ... We have heard the sermon now about how we are to have hope in the resurrection and now lets stand up and bring to God our weaknesses in having such faith and and and...  or... brothers and sisters things have been bad all week for all of us... lets have our hearts kneel and pray...  and the like... is this letting the personality exude too much?  (not my way of doing things... but certainly many have such habits)

even in a more formal and very well followed book liturgy some have habits that are unique... I have always gathered prayers for the intercessions... I do not move like Ed McMann with patter among the folks but I do walk the aisle gathering prayers with a minimal amount of even clarifying conversation ...  is that letting my personality protrude too much?

[Matt Staneck]

Where might a guy find Piepkorn's Conduct of the Service?

M. Staneck

It's included in The Conduct of the Service published by Redeemer Press, along with an expanded update by the Concordia Seminary practical theology department edited by Charles McClean in 1972. Note that it is specific to The Lutheran Hymnal and other worship books used in the Synodical Conference.

Pax, Steven+

Thanks!

M. Staneck

[Charles Austin]

Context, intent, and the Spirit-guided good sense of the person involved is the key thing, Harvey. I don't think you have anything to worry about.