(Blog post) Foolish Monkery and Vain Babbling: Why I like the Canonical Hours

[AMM]

I wrote a new post on my blog, chronicling my thoughts and meditations on being a Lutheran ascetic. I hope you enjoy it.

Vain Babbling of the Canonical Hours

 

[Moses Medina]

A solid entry! Thank you.

 

[Daniel9v9]

I agree. Whilst prayer is commanded and encouraged by God, I would consider the amount and style of prayer adiaphora (though within sensible parameters); one man prays three times and he does so to the Lord. Another prays seven times and he too does so to the Lord. Thus, as you say, we have Christian liberty. I think this is the heart of what Luther is saying: don't turn adiaphora into a kind of new law at the expense of God's grace. I think Romans 14 can give us some insight into this.

Anyway, it's a very good article - certainly food for thought. Thank you for your reflections!

 

[AMM]

I agree. Whilst prayer is commanded and encouraged by God, I would consider the amount and style of prayer adiaphora (though within sensible parameters); one man prays three times and he does so to the Lord. Another prays seven times and he too does so to the Lord. Thus, as you say, we have Christian liberty. I think this is the heart of what Luther is saying: don't turn adiaphora into a kind of new law at the expense of God's grace. I think Romans 14 can give us some insight into this.

Anyway, it's a very good article - certainly food for thought. Thank you for your reflections!

Good point re: Romans 14.

And yeah, for sure the different styles can allow for a lot of variation. Like Augustana says (article VII), "Nor is it necessary that human traditions, that is, rites or ceremonies, instituted by men, should be everywhere alike." Adiaphora, if understood correctly, is a good way to put it -- it's not that we should embrace evangelical-style, Hindu, or Muslim worship because "it's adiaphora!" But one person may simply say the Our Father 3 times a day, someone may use the Litany, another may follow an Eastern Rite for the hours, and yet another might follow the traditional Benedictine Liturgy with chanting, incense, and genuflections for each of the canonical hours. And all of those are truly in harmony for they all confess "one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all".

 

[Moses Medina]

Indeed. I find the format in LSB to be well done.