Why don't Lutherans cross themselves?

[DaRev]

I was really thinking this was a good thing, now I may just leave it alone.

It is a good thing. Just make sure you start at your head and you'll be fine.

 

[seajoy]

It is a good thing. Just make sure you start at your head and you'll be fine.

That's it? That's all I have to remember? Well good....I've been at least doing that!

 

[KagomeShuko]

Yep, adiaphora. I just do mine right hand (I'm right handed and all this "right hand" stuff I once learned. . .but really, just because I'm right handed). Then I go from my left side to my right side. Goes back to my acolyte training because the pastor that was at St. Paul at that time was strict on the tradition. . .so it was always on your left first because that's God's right hand.

Stein Auf!
Bridget

 

[DaRev]

The Roman Catholic teaching of the Sign of the Cross is you start at the head (In the name of the Father) because the Father is at the head, then touch the chest (and of the Son) because God the Son came down to earth. Then touch the left shoulder because the left represents hell and Christ passed through hell to the right hand of God (right shoulder).

The right to left crossing is traditionally the EO way and is a more natural motion. I'm not sure if there is a specific reason for their tradition.

 

[C.F.W. Walther]

quick hijack...

Ha! That reminds me of something that happened this week.

I've decided to try to read Luther's writings and thought that Bondage of the Will would be a good one to start with (besides the BoC writings of course.)

So I order it from my library. Had to use an ILL service because our library doesn't have a copy.

Got a phone call, on Tuesday I think it was, from the branch manager stating that my book arrived but was being held "for consideration" before they'd release it to me.

I asked why and was told that the technical services department head didn't think it was "good for the library's image" to allow members to borrow books dealing with "BDSM"

I called the Director of the library to, well complain but I wasn't upset, just rather amused. She was all because, as she puts it "it's not the library's policy to scrutinize books our patrons check out. You shouldn't have had to deal with this, Kim. I'm sorry."

Some people. *G*

Now back to your regularly scheduled thread.

/quick hijack

Kae

It would be funny, but I'm not sure if I want someone scrutinizing my reading material and telling me it was inappropriate. Talk about violating privacy !

 

[walloffire]

It is odd to me that I find Lutherans don't cross themselves, especially when Luther gave instruction to in his small Catechism. Also when the Pastor says the words "in the name of the Father, the Son and of the Holy Spirit" one would think to do so at that time. Also when I receive the flesh and blood of Christ during communion I always cross myself.So why is there such a reluctance on Lutherans part to make the sign of the cross, when they are instructed to do so in the first place? Are Lutherans afraid they will somehow turn into a Catholic by doing so.I truely wonder?

Maybe it all comes back to hypocrisy?
Or maybe it all comes back to unbelief???

Or perhaps the 12 weren't "crossing themselves" day after day. Jesus would have been like, guys, cut that out. Seriously, does anyone think the 12 or the 70 that Jesus chose were crossing themselves? They used their mouth, and not with the wisdom of man's words:

1Co 2:4 And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power:

crossing yourself is just a tradition of men, and yknow, if it makes you feel good, go for it. it isn't sin, I can't find any commandments against crossing yourself!! =) I'd say that and many other non sinful things falls within the boundaries of the freedom in Christ Jesus. Do it if ya want, don't if ya don't, but don't make it a law unto yourself.

Rom 2:14 For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves:

 

[Tofferer]

I generally make the sign of the cross when I pray, usually going left to right (my mother's family is primarily Roman Catholic, so that is how I learned it). I know full well I don't need to do this to pray, but I think it is a wonderful way in which to remember Christ's sacrifice for all of us.

 

[mrshoperose]

Me personally, I was raised in a non-denominational church, and switched to Lutheran when my husband showed me how much more scriptural Lutherans are. I never learned to cross myself, and in fact I always thought it was just for Catholics, but since meeting Chris, I have learned a few things. I still don't cross myself, but that's just because I was never taught. (Chris does it, but he didn't tell me to do it)

 

[Zecryphon]

It is odd to me that I find Lutherans don't cross themselves, especially when Luther gave instruction to in his small Catechism. Also when the Pastor says the words "in the name of the Father, the Son and of the Holy Spirit" one would think to do so at that time. Also when I receive the flesh and blood of Christ during communion I always cross myself.So why is there such a reluctance on Lutherans part to make the sign of the cross, when they are instructed to do so in the first place? Are Lutherans afraid they will somehow turn into a Catholic by doing so.I truely wonder?

I cross myself in church, and before Communion. Also, before I recite the Apostle's Creed and say my morning prayers I cross myself. When I was a Non-Denom Christian I never did this, obviously. I didn't start doing it until I felt an urging from the Holy Spirit to do so. Ever since that morning in church, I've just been doing it.

 

[WildStrawberry]

When I cross myself, before prayer, when the invocation is spoken, before and after communion, during the benediction, I am not following the Traditions of Man. I am not being hypocritical and I don't believe that Jesus would have said "hey cut that out."

I cross myself as a remembrance of my Baptism when I was Baptized into the Name of the Father, Son and + Holy Spirit. I had the mark of the Cross placed upon both my forehead and my breast as a symbol of the redemption provided by Christ on the Cross and given to me through the Faith of the Holy Spirit in the Water and the Word of Baptism.

I do NOT cross myself as a show that I am "holier than thou" or "hey look at me folks! I'm a REAL Christian here." I do NOT do it to be looked upon as "special" or "more devout" or whatever. I do NOT do it for show. If I thought for a moment that I was thinking those things I would stop crossing myself immediately.

HOWEVER, that all being said, my Parents, having grown up in the Lutheran Church when such "Catholic" things were frowned upon, do not cross themselves. They don't feel that it's a "Catholic Only" thing nor do they think that it will turn one "Catholic". They just do not feel the "need" to do so. And that is okay too.

Let the Holy Spirit guide you in your decision. If you're crossing yourself, let it be for His glory and not because you feel you HAVE to do so.

Kae

 

[Tofferer]

Our pastor explained today that part of the exercise of crossing yourself should a rememberance of your baptism. Admittedly, most people can't remember thier baptism as they were too young to remember it. I remember mine as I was about six or seven when I was baptized at Trinity Lutheran. So I guess that explains my desire to cry when I cross myself, because I cried when I was baptized.

 

[JFox1]

I make the sign of the cross while having Communion.

 

[MarkRohfrietsch]

I do. So do three others in my congregation (one is the Pastor). We do it to remember our baptism.

Don't be shy about it. If anyone has a problem with you doing it, it's their problem.

God bless you, and you go ahead and bless your self.

Mark

 

[jcj3803]

I cross myself EO fashion, since that's how I first learned to do it. Of the people in my church who cross themselves (off the top of my head, I'd say 10 or so), most do it RC fashion. Usually done at the words "in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit," and when receiving Communion.

The acolytes are always taught to bow before and after lighting/extinguishing the candles.
[Disclaimer: I currently attend an ELCA church.]

RCC - "Spectacles, testicles, wallet and watch" with the right hand. EO reverses the wallet and watch, I think.

(For those too young to remember 3-piece suits, a pocket watch is carried in a small vest pocket on a man's right side, a wallet carried in an inside pocket on the left side of a suit coat.)

 

[DaRev]

RCC - "Spectacles, testicles, wallet and watch" with the right hand. EO reverses the wallet and watch, I think.

That's a tad crude, don't you think?

 

[jcj3803]

That's a tad crude, don't you think?

Sorry, learned it from some Brits.

 

[RadMan]

To me it's still adiaphora. Either do it it or don't do it. What's the big deal

 

[synger]

I heard the "spectacles..." phrase growing up. Not from Brits, but from Catholics. Of course these are the same Catholics that proudly referred to themselves as "mackeral snappers"

 

[RadMan]

I heard the "spectacles..." phrase growing up. Not from Brits, but from Catholics. Of course these are the same Catholics that proudly referred to themselves as "mackeral snappers"

Maybe they don't now days but years ago when I was a child our family almost lost some friends from the phrase. We had RCC friends come visit and I answered the door and ran through the house yelling "the mackerel snappers are here". Got that phrase form my dad. Company didn't think it was funny and knew where I got it from. Dad was embarrassed by the whole thing. Being a kid I thought it was funny.

 

[DaRev]

Ya learn something new everyday. I was raised Roman Catholic (I'm all better now ) but I never heard that phrase before.