Every Sunday?

[DeanJ]

In the Catholic Church it is a basic precept that all Catholics must go to church every Sunday to be in good standing with the Church.

Is this the same for Lutherans, this sort of 'ritualistic' liturgy? Or is it okay to go every other week or so? I understand that not going at all is sinful, because everyone sort of has a niche in the church. I am just wondering if it is required.

For example- when I skipped Sunday mass as a Catholic, the priest would think, "Jeez, I don't see Dean today. That is a shame, he must either be sick or he is lukewarm. Let me pray for him." Do Lutheran pastors think similarly?

 

[Melethiel]

The question is, why are you missing the Divine Service, or on the contrary, why are you going to begin with? If you're only going out of some sort of ritualistic obligation, then you may as well not go. If you're going to hear the Word and to encounter Christ Himself in the Sacrament, why wouldn't you want to be there as often as possible?

That said, unless you're making a habit out of skipping church, I don't think most pastors would think badly of you. I miss a lot of Sundays because I have a fairly random work schedule that requires it, so my pastor knows that I'll often be gone for weeks at a stretch.

 

[catholichomeschooler]

In the Catholic Church it is a basic precept that all Catholics must go to church every Sunday to be in good standing with the Church.

Is this the same for Lutherans, this sort of 'ritualistic' liturgy? Or is it okay to go every other week or so? I understand that not going at all is sinful, because everyone sort of has a niche in the church. I am just wondering if it is required.

For example- when I skipped Sunday mass as a Catholic, the priest would think, "Jeez, I don't see Dean today. That is a shame, he must either be sick or he is lukewarm. Let me pray for him." Do Lutheran pastors think similarly?

For Catholics, and my guess is this is similar for many Lutherans, missing mass on Sunday is a type of adultery. We are saying that what we want to do is more important than worship.

 

[Kalevalatar]

Here in Finland, from 1215, when Pope Innocentius III made annual communion mandatory, up to 1910 when the compulsory communion was finally abolished, weekly church attendance was expected and a non-negotiable requirement for civil rights, marriage, academic education, craft & trade, civil offices, i.e. basically to pass as a full citizen, "in good standing", as you wrote. The era or Lutheran Orthodoxy 1580-1730 was especially strict about it and there were fines to pay for failing to show up.

Thankfully, our pastors no longer keep a black book on church attendance, but they may still give you a nudge. Our local Lutheran churches offer varied services -- morning and midday communion services, Sunday evening family masses as well as weekday evening Bible study groups and prayer clubs and so on -- every day throughout the week, so even if one doesn't make it a habit to attend the main Mass on Sunday, doesn't mean that one is skipping church altogether.

 

[PreachersWife2004]

For Catholics, and my guess is this is similar for many Lutherans, missing mass on Sunday is a type of adultery. We are saying that what we want to do is more important than worship.

No. Not really. Never looked at it as adultery.

 

[SalusaSecundus]

In the Catholic Church it is a basic precept that all Catholics must go to church every Sunday to be in good standing with the Church.

Is this the same for Lutherans, this sort of 'ritualistic' liturgy? Or is it okay to go every other week or so? I understand that not going at all is sinful, because everyone sort of has a niche in the church. I am just wondering if it is required.

For example- when I skipped Sunday mass as a Catholic, the priest would think, "Jeez, I don't see Dean today. That is a shame, he must either be sick or he is lukewarm. Let me pray for him." Do Lutheran pastors think similarly?

We don't have a "Sunday obligation" per Catholicism, but it is highly encouraged to attend.

 

[CaliforniaJosiah]

In MY opinion, asking how often we need to worship is a bit like asking how often does a married couple have to kiss.

It's not a legalistic thing, a REQUIREMENT. But I'd kind of wonder why one doesn't WANT to.....


AND.... some activities are just good for you. Several years ago, I moved into an apartment complex that had a really nice (and almost entirely unused) fitness center. Because I was skinny and not.... well...... you know, I decided to spend 30 minutes a day there, getting some exercise and working on some definition. I HATED it. I kept trying to talk myself out of this with "why SO OFTEN!" But.... in time...... I came to love this. And MISS IT if I could not do it. Today, when I'm traveling, I make sure I'm saying at a hotel with a fitness center, can't miss my daily work out. Humans are just..... like that. Good, helpful, healthy practices nearly always require discipline for awhile.


Blessing to you!!!


- Josiah





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[Edial]

In MY opinion, asking how often we need to worship is a bit like asking how often does a married couple have to kiss.

It's not a legalistic thing, a REQUIREMENT. But I'd kind of wonder why one doesn't WANT to.....


AND.... some activities are just good for you. Several years ago, I moved into an apartment complex that had a really nice (and almost entirely unused) fitness center. Because I was skinny and not.... well...... you know, I decided to spend 30 minutes a day there, getting some exercise and working on some definition. I HATED it. I kept trying to talk myself out of this with "why SO OFTEN!" But.... in time...... I came to love this. And MISS IT if I could not do it. Today, when I'm traveling, I make sure I'm saying at a hotel with a fitness center, can't miss my daily work out. Humans are just..... like that. Good, helpful, healthy practices nearly always require discipline for awhile.


Blessing to you!!!


- Josiah

.

I agree. Going to church should become a habit ... a good habit.
We know we have bad habits and on occasions we develop bad habits with a dedication one should have for going to church.

I see going to church weekly as developing a good habit.

Thanks,
Ed

 

[MyChainsAreBroken]

In the Catholic Church it is a basic precept that all Catholics must go to church every Sunday to be in good standing with the Church.

Is this the same for Lutherans, this sort of 'ritualistic' liturgy? Or is it okay to go every other week or so? I understand that not going at all is sinful, because everyone sort of has a niche in the church. I am just wondering if it is required.

For example- when I skipped Sunday mass as a Catholic, the priest would think, "Jeez, I don't see Dean today. That is a shame, he must either be sick or he is lukewarm. Let me pray for him." Do Lutheran pastors think similarly?

My LCMS pastor told us when we were confirmed that a member in good standing would strive to attend all Sunday liturgies and some midweek ones. As in, if there are no strange circumstances, you should be attending at least 3 out of 4 of the Sunday services each month, I believe he said. It's not required for you to go every Sunday, but it would be detrimental to your spiritual life not to attend as often as possible. It's not just about worshiping God; we can do that to some extent in our living rooms. We also engage with other members of the Body of Christ, receive His Body and His Blood, learn from the readings, sermon, and hymns, etc. Sometimes things happen. You get sick, there's a blizzard, your car breaks down. But you should be planning to go every Sunday.

And you must have had a great Catholic parish, because I never attended one where people (including the priest) noticed or cared if I missed a Sunday, and I attended Catholic parishes in 6 different states across the US!

 

[QuiltAngel]

No. Not really. Never looked at it as adultery.

Exactly. I work in a nursing home and work every other weekend. I would rather be in worship, but feel that my job of serving others is my calling. The company that owns the home I work in is Christian and we are allowed to express our faith. Sometimes a quick conversation about our faith in Christ or to recommend praying or praying with a resident is what the resident needs that Sunday morning. They are seeing and hearing God through me at that time. I DO NOT look at my job as adultery at all. I am not cheating on God, I am using my God given talents to serve Him by serving those in need.