Chemnitz's Works, Volume 9 (Church Order)

Chemnitz's Works, Volume 9 (Church Order) Synopsis

The Chemnitz-Andreae Church Order shows not only what those who confessed the Augsburg Confession believed, but how the Lutheran Reformation put that faith into action and handed down the faith by means of orderly worship, church governance, and education. This text is crucial for avoiding misinterpretations of the Lutheran Confessions and the Reformation as a whole. Knowing the actual churchly practice of Formula of Concord chief authors Martin Chemnitz and Jacob Andreae is necessary in order to put their biblical teaching and confession into context. It also may inspire new solutions for the church's problems regarding Christian education, formation of Christians who stand in their confession against worldly influences, and congregational leadership.

This work consists of two parts: the Body of Doctrine and the Agenda (or Church Order). The Body of Doctrine is a precursor to the Formula of Concord (1577). The Agenda deals with numerous topics, such as:

• Order of liturgy for Sundays, Weekdays, and other services and pastoral functions
• Prayers
• Liturgical music
• Call process for pastors
• Church governance, the office of church superintendent, synodical assemblies, and consistories
• Customs
• Marriage and divorce
• Schools
• Office of schoolmaster
• Monastery schools (how former monasteries were put to good use after the Reformation)
• Alms and church-sponsored social welfare

Features include:

• Snapshot of school and church life in the territorial church led by Chemnitz, a main author of the Formula of Concord (one of the Lutheran statements of faith)
• Ancient worship music and chant set to modern musical notation
• "Luther, the Confessions, and Confessors on Liturgical Freedom and Uniformity" by the Rev. Dr. Matthew C. Harrison, president of The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod