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There really is no "Lutheran" way to do it.
The Roman Catholics do it (with the right hand) head, chest, left shoulder, right shoulder. There is a specific reason they do it that way. Christ came from heaven (head) down to earth (chest) descended into hell (left shoulder) and ascended to the right hand of God (right shoulder).
The EOC does it right shoulder to left shoulder so that the right hand ends up over the heart. Most Lutherans I know (including myself) do it the Orthodox way, but basically because it's a more natural movement for the right hand. But neither way is strictly "Lutheran".
Question: How do the Lutherans hold their fingers when they 're crossing themselves?
The Orthodox hold the thumb, index finger and middle finger together representing the Trinity, and the ring finger and the little finger pressed in the palm representing the 2 natures (divine and human) of Christ.
Interesting - no one in our church practices crossing themselves, and so I have never done it either. But just now, I tried to hold my thumb, index and middle fingers out while pressing the other 2 into my palm and had quite a time doing it, with my right hand! My left hand however, can do it just fine. Perhaps because I am left-handed. Sorry to interrupt, I just thought it was an interesting observation...Question: How do the Lutherans hold their fingers when they 're crossing themselves?
The Orthodox hold the thumb, index finger and middle finger together representing the Trinity, and the ring finger and the little finger pressed in the palm representing the 2 natures (divine and human) of Christ.
Erm, I've actually never seen anyone at church cross themselves...I didn't know lutherans did that.
I've never seen a WELS person, but I have seen one LCMS person cross herself.
I was talking about the congregation. Yes, of course the pastor does the sign of the cross.In WELS, does the pastor not do the sign of the Cross at Baptisms, when he pronounces the Trinity (such as at the Invocation), at the Consecration of the Elements, when excusing tables of Communion and at the Benediction?
In my LCMS church, the pastor does the sign at all those places. He also crosses himself in the Creed and as he departs from the Holy Eucharist. Roughly half of us laity Cross ourselves during the worship, but then roughly half of us are former Catholics.
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Erm, I've actually never seen anyone at church cross themselves...I didn't know lutherans did that.
I do sometimes cross myself when I pray at home by myself....but in my church, it would really draw attention to me because no one else does it.
I cross myself, as do a couple of other people. Nobody really seems to notice or care.I do sometimes cross myself when I pray at home by myself....but in my church, it would really draw attention to me because no one else does it.
I didn't grow up with it either. I started doing it in college and it really is a wonderful act of reverence, acknowledging the presence of God in the midst of the Divine Service. Funny story: I came back from college and attended my home church and I got a few stares when I went up for communion. A bunch of people had asked my dad if I had become Catholic at college. He just said that if every pastor does it why shouldn't every pre-seminarian do it.We attended a new LCMS church last week and while I didn't notice if anyone was crossing (particularly because I didn't notice if the pastor was doing it) there were little crosses in the liturgy (so THAT is what those were for!). My home church - the pastor does it (and especially the assistant pastor because he was raised RC) and many members do as well.
I would love to personally but since I didn't grow up with it I feel a bit awkward like I'm not doing it right.
I cross myself Eastern-style (push rather than pull), but most of the other people in the congregation who cross themselves (of which there are only a few) cross themselves Western-style (pull rather than push).
It became very apparent recently when I was receiving communion next to a young man, and both of us crossed ourselves at the same time - only in opposite directions.
I always wonder if they're secretly laughing and thinking that I don't know how to cross myself correctly.
Maybe I should switch directions.
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