The question has to be asked, "ARE those in fact 'rosaries?'
I say "No." The word "rosary" has long had a specific meaning, and that meaning is inseparably connected to a devotional directed towards Mary. And we know that praying to the saints is wrong.
To call Lutheran beads or Anglican Prayer Beads "rosaries" is like calling the head of any of our churches, "the Protestant (or Lutheran or Anglican) Pope." Well, they're not pope figures. The word "pope" has implications, and that's the case also with "rosary." It comes from the idea of giving a spiritual gift of roses to the Virgin when the rosary is recited, and also that she will answer and deliver on the petitions associated with saying these prayers in that particular fashion.
While most people do indeed think of the Roman Catholic practice when they use the term "rosary", it also means, in general, a rope of prayer beads. The use of prayer beads goes back much farther than the RC rosary practice.
Historical note: our word "bead" comes from the old English term for "prayer", they were that tied in with prayer beads.
As to inquiring of the dead, most non-RC rosary prayers do not include the "Holy Mary, mother of God, pray for us sinners..." part of the Marian prayer. If they include the Hail Mary, it is the Scriptural section of it: "Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus Christ."
From discussions I've had, it seems that Catholics consider asking Mary to pray for them to be similar to me asking my husband or my sister to pray for me... since we are all part of the "communion of saints." Personally, I don't pray Marian prayers, because I see no scriptural use for it. But devotional prayer is definitely encouraged in the Bible, and using beads to assist one in doing so is just one tool that we can use.
So, for me, I consider contemplative prayer using beads to be "adiaphora". Neither required by Scripture, nor prohibited by it. Do it, or don't. It's a personal piety decision.
__________________ Many people think that the question should be: have you made Jesus your Lord? Have you invited him unreservedly into your heart? Have you completely dedicated every part of yourself and your life to him?
The trouble is that when we are truthful, the answer must always be "No." So let's ask the question a different way.
Has Jesus given everything for you? Has he dedicated his whole life to you? Has he invited you into his heart? And the answer to that is a glorious and gracious and conscious, freeing, comforting YES!
(paraphrased from Pastor Wolfmueller, Table Talk Radio)
While most people do indeed think of the Roman Catholic practice when they use the term "rosary", it also means, in general, a rope of prayer beads. The use of prayer beads goes back much farther than the RC rosary practice.
The CONCEPT goes back a long way, but the WORD itself ("rosary") does not actually refer to those pre-Dominican sets of prayer beads. This was my point. The word, despite being commonly applied to all Christian prayer bead sets, does actually have a meaning which is the spiritual giving of a garland of flowers to the Virgin by way of praying the beads.
From discussions I've had, it seems that Catholics consider asking Mary to pray for them to be similar to me asking my husband or my sister to pray for me... since we are all part of the "communion of saints." Personally, I don't pray Marian prayers, because I see no scriptural use for it. But devotional prayer is definitely encouraged in the Bible, and using beads to assist one in doing so is just one tool that we can use.
I'd say that that is the Catholic DEFENSE, not the Catholic belief. To truly appreciate what the rosary is all about is to understand that in the case of Mary, it's not just "inquiring of the dead" but rather a devotion to the saint (as commanded by the Virgin herself, according to the legend) and with the expectation that certain benefits will come from that saint in return.
I'm thinking I might pick up a Lutheran or Anglican set and give them a try. I don't believe in praying to Mary or the saints, so the Catholic version wouldn't be the one for me.
__________________
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. No guilt of life, no fear of death This is the power of Christ in me
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No power of hell, no scheme of man
Can ever pluck me from His hand
‘Til He returns or calls me home
Here in the power of Christ I’ll stand
The question has to be asked, "ARE those in fact 'rosaries?'
I say "No." The word "rosary" has long had a specific meaning, and that meaning is inseparably connected to a devotional directed towards Mary. And we know that praying to the saints is wrong.
To call Lutheran beads or Anglican Prayer Beads "rosaries" is like calling the head of any of our churches, "the Protestant (or Lutheran or Anglican) Pope." Well, they're not pope figures. The word "pope" has implications, and that's the case also with "rosary." It comes from the idea of giving a spiritual gift of roses to the Virgin when the rosary is recited, and also that she will answer and deliver on the petitions associated with saying these prayers in that particular fashion.
see i agree with you, I would not call those sets of prayers "rosaries" but I thought it would have been rude to just be like "you guys don't know what a rosary is blah blah blah" I made this thread to see how some non-catholics view the rosary
__________________ VIVA CRISTO REY
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see i agree with you, I would not call those sets of prayers "rosaries" but I thought it would have been rude to just be like "you guys don't know what a rosary is blah blah blah" I made this thread to see how some non-catholics view the rosary
Well, there are some few Lutherans and Anglicans who pray the 59 bead set you call the rosary, but almost always without using the same prayers as Catholics do. As for what they think the rosary is, I guess you can see that most do not give much thought to the full implications that Catholics attach to the rosary, but see it as a counting device. But that, after all, is historically where the item originated, assuming that we acknowledge that the use of a set of beads or knots in Christian history is older than the date that is believed to be that of the giving of the rosary by the Virgin to St. Dominic.
I'm thinking I might pick up a Lutheran or Anglican set and give them a try. I don't believe in praying to Mary or the saints, so the Catholic version wouldn't be the one for me.
As I recall, the Lutheran set was intended for use during Lent, whereas the Anglican set that is now used by many different kinds of Protestants was intended for use 'whenever and wherever.'
As I recall, the Lutheran set was intended for use during Lent, whereas the Anglican set that is now used by many different kinds of Protestants was intended for use 'whenever and wherever.'
Alrighty, thanks. I'll research it a little, but it sounds like the Anglican set is the one for me.
__________________
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. No guilt of life, no fear of death This is the power of Christ in me
From life’s first cry to final breath
Jesus commands my destiny
No power of hell, no scheme of man
Can ever pluck me from His hand
‘Til He returns or calls me home
Here in the power of Christ I’ll stand
If I remember correctly, the Lutheran prayer beads (like here) are pretty closely linked to our Small Catechism, and are probably to be considered a rosary in the very broadest sense of the word.
There is an interesting article on prayer beads in various religions at Wikipedia.
In response to the poster above who commented about 'vain repetition', here is a very good quote from a document at the LCMS website.
Many people are often bothered by the thought that repeating prayers, creeds and sections of the catechism by heart is the kind of "vain repetition" which Jesus condemned. "Doesn't this demonstrate a lack of spirituality?" they might ask.
To that question one must ask, "What exactly is `vain repetition'?" Vain repetition is the repeating of words with no faith in Christ, or with the belief that such repetition is a work through which we earn God's grace. The warning against vain repetition applies to any prayer which is repeated from wrong faith, including a so-called "prayer from the heart." Repetition is good. Vain repetition is bad.
The repetition of texts which are anchored in the Word of God enables that Word to penetrate deeply into our subconscious minds and to the very depths of our souls. The Holy Spirit continues to minister to us, even when we are unaware of it, through the Word of God which is learned by heart and repeated in prayer.
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. John 15:5 “Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing."
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