Divine Service PDF Print E-mail
Wednesday, 28 January 2009 06:35

The Divine Service (German: Gottesdienst) is the liturgy of the Lutheran Church which is used during the celebration of the Eucharist. It has its roots in the medieval Latin mass as revised by Martin Luther in his Formula missae ("Form of the Mass") of 1523 and his Deutsche Messe ("German Mass") of 1526.

The term "Divine Service" is somewhat unique to Lutheranism, and it reflects the theology of justification held by Lutherans. The term comes from the German word Gottesdienst (God service), and is significant because it reflects the Lutheran belief that the main actor in the Divine Service is God himself and not man. The connotation of the term is that the Word and Sacrament (the two parts of the Divine Service) are gifts that God gives to his people, and therefore Lutherans emphasize God's work rather than that of man. The term Mass was used by early Lutherans but such use has dwindled since then. Also, Lutherans have historically used the term to distinguish the Divine Service (being served by God) with Protestant Worship, where often the focus is on the worshipper bringing praise and service to God.

Last Updated on Tuesday, 10 February 2009 20:56
 

The Divine Service

Lead by:

Rev. Wiley Smith, Pastor


Russ Gross, Deacon

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