Anglican Reformation

I have no experience of Lutheran worship in Australia, but individual Lutherans here have told me that their liturgical aesthetic is very simple and unadorned, and that they find Anglican levels of decoration almost scandalous. Certainly no candles or stained glass or anything "high church."

Here's a photo of the interior of the nearest Lutheran church to where I live, which so happens to be Latvian:



I'm not clear what the occasion is, I don't think google translate is helping me here. (Memorial service of students' jewelry??)

Although I do see candles on that altar, so... shrug... what would I know?

I certainly don't have good enough Latvian to work out what lectionary they're using, or the like.

Paidiske said:

I have no experience of Lutheran worship in Australia, but individual Lutherans here have told me that their liturgical aesthetic is very simple and unadorned, and that they find Anglican levels of decoration almost scandalous. Certainly no candles or stained glass or anything "high church."

Here's a photo of the interior of the nearest Lutheran church to where I live, which so happens to be Latvian:

View attachment 242792

I'm not clear what the occasion is, I don't think google translate is helping me here. (Memorial service of students' jewelry??)

Although I do see candles on that altar, so... shrug... what would I know?

I certainly don't have good enough Latvian to work out what lectionary they're using, or the like.

Click to expand...

Of course, my Latvian isn't all that good either , but looks like a Northern European style doctoral Promotion ceremony or commemoration, with people wearing the colours of their (old?) university student nations (sorority/fraternity-type).

Paidiske said:

I have no experience of Lutheran worship in Australia, but individual Lutherans here have told me that their liturgical aesthetic is very simple and unadorned, and that they find Anglican levels of decoration almost scandalous. Certainly no candles or stained glass or anything "high church."

Click to expand...

Here's a picture of our church, Reformation ELCA in Orlando (which was actually taken yesterday):





We have candles at our church on the altar. And we have stained glass windows as well, although they are more like representational art and symbols. During some seasons, we also have banners. There's a sanctuary lamp hanging above the altar, as well.

The church is in south Orlando which is a low-density urban area. Our church was built in the late 50's, which is somewhat old by Orlando standards (pre-Mickey Mouse), and it has a modern look to it, similar to alot of Catholic churches in the US from that time period. Our steeple looks sort of futuristic and it's detached from the church- the actual building is shaped like a stylized Noah's Ark, with stained glass port-holes near the roof.

We also have a facebook page with more photos of our church. The St. Francis celebration are the most recent photos:

Reformation Lutheran Orlando

That could easily pass for an Anglican church here. In fact it has a similar aesthetic to the building I work in currently, which is about the same age.

I find it striking to see a Lutheran pastor in a chasuble. I think here Geneva gown would be the thing. But then Australian Lutherans are conservative by world standards, I understand?

Paidiske said:

That could easily pass for an Anglican church here. In fact it has a similar aesthetic to the building I work in currently, which is about the same age.

I find it striking to see a Lutheran pastor in a chasuble. I think here Geneva gown would be the thing. But then Australian Lutherans are conservative by world standards, I understand?

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Most Australian Lutherans belong to a different world body than the World Lutheran Federation. They would not have fellowship with the ELCA or recognize us as Lutherans, as they would consider us to be tainted by Prussian Unionism, to say nothing of also very much disagreeing with calling of women and gay pastors. It is a very complicated history, to say the least. They are somewhat analogous to the "Traditional Catholic" or the SSPX, and it's a very inwardly focused communion.

The Lutheran World Federation doesn't have quite the same importance as the Anglican Communion does in Anglicanism. One of the reason the ELCA's policies tended to rock the boat less than the Episcopal Church in the Anglican world - Lutheranism is more local in its ecclessiology.

Many Lutherans in the US now days wear some type of catholic-style vestments, even if it's just an alb and a stole. This is largely the result of the post-Vatican II liturgical renewal movement, and also the direction of modern spirituality towards a Eucharistic emphasis and away from what Dietrich Bonhoeffer called the "inwardness" of pre-war religion (which he saw as problematic in a world "come of age"). But to some degree, Lutherans have always done some of this, it just really depends on the churchmanship of the pastor and the congregation.

There is a segment of the ELCA that is aligned with a more catholic identity, as well, called "Evangelical Catholicism", and in the northeastern US, where this ethos predominates, you will occasionally even find some flirtation with some very Catholic elements in worship and spirituality. Lutherans in the US even have religious orders, monastic communities (St. Augustine House), and clerical confraternities (Society of the Holy Trinity, for instance), just as Anglicans do.

German Lutherans still usually wear the black robe with preaching bands, and that is even occasionally found in some US congregations as well (if they are going for that look, and a more Protestant identity). My guess is if there are any vestments used by Australian Lutherans, that is what you'ld find there as well.