Lutheran Book of Worship: successes and failures--a review for pastors and musicians.

All worship books contain some features considered to be improvements over previous books. While in most cases they preserve many elements of earlier, similar publications, they all contain some new or revised elements of liturgy or hymnody that make them different from their predecessors. The Lutheran Book of Worship (LBW)(1) continues this tradition. Philip Pfatteicher discusses its older and its innovative features in detail in his Commentary on the LBW. (2) The present article gives a brief summary of fourteen of the revised or innovative features of LBW with a few words about their character and the likely reasons (and degree of) their acceptance.

The success or failure of these innovative features can be related to many factors, some of which were beyond the control of congregational leaders. However, experience has shown that adoption of an element of worship is most often related directly to the liturgical or musical inclinations of the parish pastor and church musician responsible for leading congregational worship. Those who spearheaded the elaborate and lengthy introductory process of the church-wide introduction of the book more than twenty-five years ago can bear witness to the fact that if local leaders embraced the liturgical or musical elements of the book in that process and helped their congregations by exercising knowledge, patience, creativity, and vigor, the people responded favorably. If the leaders did not prefer historic liturgical practice (or certain elements of it) or a strong historic and contemporary hymn repertoire (or certain new hymns), or if they did not understand and accept the nature of the features being introduced, the acceptance of LBW structure and innovations floundered. Even congregational size and resources of talent were of relatively little importance in comparison to pastoral and musical leadership in predicting the success of the book.

LBW was built upon the foundation of its predecessor books, The Lutheran Hymnal (TLH) (3) and Worship Supplement (WS) (4) of the Lutheran Church--Missouri Synod and Service Book and Hymnal (SBH) (5) chiefly of the American Lutheran Church and the Lutheran Church in America. In general, these books contained a strong hymnic tradition and the perpetuation of Lutheran liturgical practice, especially as the latter was interpreted by the publishers of the Common Service of 1888. The LBW also reflects the efforts of other Protestant bodies and the scholarly and practical work of Roman Catholics to introduce new or reformulated elements of worship.

While formal statistics on current practice or past use of the book by congregations of the largest body authorizing the use of LBW (the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America) are unavailable from church headquarters, informal observation of worship practice by knowledgeable observers and evaluations by authors of books and articles appearing on the subject over the past twenty-five years have been helpful in forming the following opinions.

1. Holy Communion and Holy Baptism. Fundamentally, the LBW (6) provides encouragement for the weekly celebration of Holy Communion and a greater parish emphasis on Holy Baptism, both of which profoundly affect the nature and leadership of worship by pastors and musicians. The service of Holy Communion especially provides many additional resources and opportunities for rich Lutheran worship not available regularly before. The emphasis on baptismal practice and theology through regular congregational participation in the rite strengthens the sacramental basis of Lutheran liturgical worship.

It seems clear that, while not all congregations fully availed themselves of the resources, the influence of sacramental worship has pervaded the church, thereby reflecting one of the major successes of LBW.

2. Introduction of an Old Testament reading and the three-year cycle of readings. The Eucharist of the early church provided for three readings of Holy Scripture. As time passed the Old Testament reading was eliminated and only two biblical readings remained, Epistle and Gospel. Subsequent Lutheran practice followed this later scheme. However, the rubrics of both SBH and TLH (the latter to be found in the Agenda) (7) allowed for the possibility of a third reading, an option that was usually ignored in practice.

In recognition of the earlier work of Roman Catholic scholars, the authors of the LBW lectionary adopted a three-year cycle of weekly readings that included one from the Old Testament in addition to the New Testament Epistle and Gospel. The three-year cycle and the addition of the OT reading in LBW, now widely accepted, have helped to increase the biblical literacy of the people and provided afar greater wealth of material for preaching. They have also expanded the potential musical resources for the musician. These two new features are generally considered to be a success.

3. Singing the Psalms. The Psalms have always been a part of Christian worship, especially in the Daily Office. While present in early eucharistic orders, complete Psalms were gradually reduced in length to the text snippets found in the proper Introit, Gradual, or Offertory of the Mass. The historic Introit and Gradual texts were preserved in TLH and SBH. Biblical study, devotional concerns, and interest inauthentic rites suggested a return to ancient practice in LBW, and thus a full psalm or a major portion thereof is now assigned to each Sunday and festival of the church year. This inclusion provides an insight into a prophetic text in relation to the liturgy of a given day and also forms a liturgical bridge between the first two lessons.

Historically, Psalms have always been sung by believers, beginning in Jewish worship and continuing through that of monastic orders. Mostly they were sung by choirs of trained singers who chanted the texts to flexible formulas that were repeated for each verse. The framers of the LBW for the first time provided Lutheran congregations with complete Psalm texts for singing to simple melodic formulas. For each Psalm an antiphon is given as a recurring theme phrase to be sung by the choir or the people. Methods of singing the Psalms by the people or the choir in more artistic or elaborate forms are encouraged.

The innovation of congregational or choral Psalm singing must be judged a qualified success, for, while many congregations do sing the Psalms, many only speak the texts, and others ignore the Psalms altogether. In addition, few church musicians expose their choirs to the vast choral literature of Psalms settings that is readily available. Pastors and musicians who deprive their people of the opportunity to experience sung or spoken Psalms weekly deprive them of a rich devotional and liturgical treasure.

4. The new propers: Verse and Offertory. Traditionally, the Proper texts of the Eucharist reflect the theme of each Sunday or festival. In the historic Mass these consisted musically of the Introit as an entrance song, the Gradual sung between the Epistle and the Gospel, and the Offertory at the presentation of offerings of the bread and wine of the meal.

The LBW eliminated the Introit in favor of other "entrance songs," such as a hymn or a complete Psalm. This move has helped sharpen the focus of the beginning of the Mass and reduced the number of preparatory items before the Eucharist actually begins. In place of the Introit, a new proper Verse text for choral performance was introduced after the second reading and before the Gospel. A congregational Alleluia and Verse are now provided for all seasons except Lent, for which a separate verse is given if the choir does not sing the proper text. A new proper choral Offertory text is also suggested. Congregational alternatives for the Offertory are provided in LBW for use in the absence of a choir.

These two proper items have achieved a degree of popularity in some parishes with strong choral leadership. The Verse is probably being sung more than the Offertory. The LBW innovation is only a qualified success, for parishes often sing the common texts printed for the congregation, whether or not a choir is present. Instead of singing the proper Verse intended for the choir, many musicians prefer to concentrate their preparation on a choral anthem.

5. Composed musical settings of the rite. Before the appearance of the Worship Supplement nearly all liturgies available for Lutherans were set to adaptations of either Gregorian or Anglican chant music or to chorale settings. LBW, for the first time (except for isolated experimental settings and those of the Worship Supplement), provides Lutheran congregations with settings written by musicians as original compositions. Only Setting Three of the Holy Communion rite in LBW is built upon preexisting chant.

Pastors can take credit for introducing Setting I and the Setting II, which have been well received. Setting Three is sung less often, even though it is based on a chant found in the earlier SBH.

6. Options within the rite. Optional settings of all or parts of the rite are a hallmark of LBW. The options presented are of two kinds. The first includes the different musical settings printed within the rite as well as the choice to include or exclude certain items according to the church year. The second is the great range of options or substitutions provided for nearly all of the major parts of the rite (both the Proper and the Ordinary of the Mass) that are articulated in the rubrics in LBW and the rubrics and comments in the Ministers Desk Edition as well as the explanatory material in the Manual on the Liturgy.

The first type is exemplified by the three complete settings of the Eucharist. It is suggested that these are to be sung in various seasons of the church year. A fourth setting occurs in the form of the Chorale Service of Holy Communion, in which classic hymns are suggested to replace texts of the Ordinary of the Mass and a few other texts. Additional examples of flexibility are present within each setting of the liturgy. It is suggested that seasonal use be made of the Hymn of Praise, for which there are now two texts: "Glory to God in the highest" and "Worthy is Christ." The former is intended for use in the Christmas season, Epiphany, and the Sundays after Pentecost. It is not sung in Advent or Lent. The latter is intended for the Easter season and saints' days.

The second major type of option includes other congregational or choral settings of individual texts of the Ordinary replacing those provided in the book. This includes the possibility of substituting a concerted or polyphonic choral setting (historic or contemporary) for a designated congregational item in the rite, such as the Gloria in excelsis. Another choice would be the singing of carefully chosen hymns that fill the requirement of the text of the Ordinary. For example, the Reformation chorale "All glory be to God on high" (LBW #166) could be sung in place of the specified Hymn of Praise (a substitution common in Luther's day).

Judicious and thoughtful use of the options in the LBW or those in the Ministers Desk Edition and the Manual would lend enormous variety to the rite, would give opportunity for adaptation to local preference, and would give the congregation and the musician-leaders of worship opportunity to experience historic artistic treasures of the church's heritage or important contemporary settings. And all of this could be accomplished without disturbing the integrity of the rite. In fact, such occasional substitution would give well-founded strength to its integrity.

Several of the printed options within each rite, such as the two Offertory canticles, are sung in many parishes. Other available options, for example, for the entrance hymn, Offertory, Verse, or post-Communion canticle, are seldom used except for the substitution of a hymn for the latter two. The option of hymnic, classic, or contemporary choral settings of the Ordinary of the Mass (Kyrie, Gloria in excelsis, Sanctus, Agnus Dei) has largely been ignored. Thus, it appears that the concept of varying the rite while preserving its integrity has been only partially successful with pastors and musicians. The most apparent and convenient possibilities printed in the book have been chosen occasionally, while those requiring more thought and preparation have been little utilized.

7. Additional canticles. The poems of the Bible called canticles have inspired many musicians through the ages to provide settings for worship. The host of available settings of the songs of the Daily Office, such as the Magnificat and the Nunc dimittis, are testimony to the power of these texts. The LBW provides settings of these and other standard features of the Daily Office. In addition, the book includes seventeen new settings of both old and new biblical canticle texts and four that are printed without music but pointed for singing with psalm tones. All are intended for use particularly in the Service of the Word. But they may also be used at appropriate places in the Eucharist and Daily Office. Only a few of the canticles printed in LBW seem to have found favor with pastors and musicians. This is a loss for the people, for the texts of the canticles are timeless, and the printed melodies are memorable.

8. Historic hymns and Hymn of the Day. Although the historic Lutheran chorales were not popular in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries in some areas of Lutheranism, they did appear in their original rhythmic form in TLH and some other pre-LBW books as one of the most treasured parts of Lutheran liturgical and confessional practice. A number are found in SBH in the iso-rhythmic (all quarter-note) form. LBW has retained many Lutheran chorales in their original rhythmic form.

Lutheran leaders of the sixteenth century developed lists of popular hymns (chorales) that reflected the thought and spirit of certain Sundays, festivals, and seasons of the church year. Such core hymns contributed specifically to the liturgy and "taught the faith." These hymns of a certain day or festival often were sung in alternation between choir and people or performed on the organ alternating with the congregation. The practice took hold, and the "hymn of the day" became the chief hymn of the service. A modern adaptation of a historic list with many newer hymns added is identified by those hymn numbers marked with an asterisk in the LBW index (pp. 929-31). While it is admirable that hymns of the historic tradition are present in their original form in LBW, it seems that relatively few pastors and musicians have followed the discipline of regular singing of these classic Lutheran treasures. Also, for the most part the concept of the Hymn of the Day as presented in LBW has been only partially utilized. Selection of a Hymn of the Day now usually reflects only the theme of the sermon and possibly the day or season of the church year.

9. Broadened hymn selection. The SBH and TLH contained mostly hymns that reflected the largely German or Scandinavian ethnic background of Lutherans, as well as many from nineteenth- and early twentieth-century English and American Protestant sources. Some of the latter possessed a scant association with Lutheran doctrine and liturgy and were weak in theological content and musical substance. LBW, following the earlier lead of the Worship Supplement, attempts to keep the best of the various European Lutheran hymns while also expanding the repertoire to include, among others, hymns from India, Liberia, Japan, Poland, and Wales, as well as some from the Anglican tradition. American contributions are greatly increased, especially those from the black and the white spiritual and folk traditions. Added to this ecumenical influence is the large number of new hymns written by contemporary American authors and musicians.

The success of this broadened selection of hymns is somewhat uneven, but on the whole the hymns new to the LBW can be judged a success both on the basis of critical evaluation by pastors and musicians and by popular acceptance.

10. Lay participation. A major change in LBW is the assignment of worship leadership roles to lay assisting ministers. This practice has restored the more active participation of representatives of the congregation in leadership of the service and more clearly identified the essential role of the pastor as presiding minister at key points in the rite. Assisting ministers are encouraged to lead the congregation in the Eucharist and the Daily Office chiefly by reading the lessons and creating and speaking the prayers. The concept of lay leadership also suggests the assignment of musical leadership to a cantor in the Eucharist as assisting minister at the organ or in directing the choir or in singing such chants as the Kyrie or the intonation of the Gloria in excelsis. A lay person can lead any of the Daily Office orders in LBW.

As a result of the publication of LBW, some form of lay leadership is now found in the worship practice of almost every Lutheran congregation, and musical leadership is recognized as a component of the office of assisting minister.

11. Prayer at the Close of Day (Compline). Before LBW, the Lutheran Daily Office was usually limited to the traditional Lutheran observance of Matins and Vespers, now called by their English names, Morning Prayer and Evening Prayer. Additionally, LBW provides for the restoration of the ancient office of Prayer at the Close of Day (Compline) for congregational use in a rite set to mostly Gregorian Chant. Considering that it is a new rite for many Lutherans, it is surprising that the devotional comfort of a late-evening office has found even the limited acceptance that it seems to enjoy. While the service may be easily abbreviated and is sometimes used in informal worship settings with lay leadership, a few parishes regularly employ the complete Office with its chant setting and some additional choral music.

12. Service of the Word. The Service of the Word was designed to accommodate those pastors who choose to have a preaching service complete in itself and not a truncated form of the Eucharist. It contains two biblical canticles, two Scripture lessons, sermon, Psalm, hymns, biblical dialog, a creed, and prayers.

While this service has found some acceptance, it seems to be seldom used in its entirety. Usually it serves as an outline for a selection of (often other) components. It thus appears that the attempt to provide a rite that has its own integrity--one that features a particular combination of Word, prayer, and song--has not been entirely successful, even with pastors and musicians who choose not to celebrate weekly Eucharist and need an alternate service.

13. Enriched Church Year Calendar. Lutherans have usually kept saints' days on their calendars but limited the list to those persons cited in the Bible. LBW greatly expands the recognition by including "commemorations," which give congregations the opportunity to note historic Christians of special distinction whose life work or achievements could serve as models for worshipers today.

Possibly because Lutheran publishing houses have included references to these commemorations in their printed service material, some pastors and musicians have been able to broaden their references and repertoire and, at times, to recognize these special calendar days in worship.

14. The Triduum. The observance of the Triduum, which consists of the three services of Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and the Easter Vigil, is constructed in LBW as one great service spread over three days to form "the culmination of the entire liturgical year." (8) This change from previous Lutheran practice has profound implications for pastors and musicians leading the worship of the congregation.

In LBW the structure of the first two services of the Triduum has been reordered and the Vigil has been introduced to Lutherans. Maundy Thursday is not only observed in LBW as the commemoration of the institution of the Lord's Supper; it also emphasizes the new commandment of love for one another given us by our Lord in the light of the preparation for Good Friday. Good Friday itself provides opportunity to retell and reflect on the suffering and death of our Lord as well as opportunity for adoration of Christ, the sacrificial Lamb. The elements of the Maundy Thursday and Good Friday services offer enriched opportunities for pastoral and musical leadership of the congregation, including singing a complete Passion on Good Friday. The historic Easter Vigil of LBW presents new possibilities in extended biblical readings, hymns, canticles, and prayers as it explores salvation history and celebrates the Resurrection with Baptism and the Eucharist.

Some features of the Triduum as ordered in LBW, especially those of Thursday and Friday, have found their way into the worship of most Lutheran congregations, but relatively few appear to have embraced the whole of the Triduum, especially the riches of the Vigil. It appears that past local practice and the busyness associated with former Holy Week and Easter Sunday worship customs in many parishes have made pastors and musicians reluctant to capitalize on the significant ritual and spiritual benefits embodied in the Triduum.

In conclusion, evaluation of the "success" of these fourteen new features can be measured only partially by their current use by congregations. Where certain features have not been accepted, the reason for their rejection or "failure" may be due not to the item or innovation itself but to pastoral or musical leadership not having sufficient knowledge or interest to stimulate congregational growth in these areas. In some cases failure may be the result of other, local priorities of pastors or musicians, or a lack of perception of the value of the innovation, or even a judgment that a certain congregation was not ready for something new of that kind.

The reasons for the failure of some to accept worship innovation are many, but it is also necessary to be thankful for those who have benefited from the use of LBW and to conclude with an encouraging observation: The most telling proof of the success of LBW is the appearance of nearly all of the innovations cited above in one form or another in all of the post-LBW Lutheran worship books: Christian Worship (9) of the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod, Lutheran Worship (10) and Worship Supplement 98 (11) of the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod, and With One Voice, (12) a worship supplement of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. The recognition in these books of the value of elements of worship appearing in LBW affirms its pioneering position and gives hope for the development of a common understanding of worship among Lutherans, one that relies on a respect for tradition and the thoughtful introduction of contemporary innovation.

(1) Lutheran Book of Worship (Minneapolis: Augsburg, 1978).

(2) Philip H. Pfatteicher, Commentary on the Lutheran Book of Worship (Minneapolis: Augsburg Fortress, 1990) contains a valuable examination of all texts in LBW.

(3) The Lutheran Hymnal (St. Louis: Concordia, 1941).

(4) Worship Supplement (St. Louis: Concordia, 1969).

(5) Service Book and Hymnal (Minneapolis: Augsburg, 1958).

(6) For the purpose of this article, the supporting resources of the commentary and rubrics of the Lutheran Book of Worship, Ministers Desk Edition (Minneapolis: Augsburg, 1978), and the observations contained in Manual on the Liturgy, Lutheran Book of Worship (Minneapolis: Augsburg, 1979), by Philip H. Pfatteicher and Carlos R. Messerli, are considered to be interpretative of the LBW.

(7) Liturgy and Agenda (St. Louis: Concordia, 1916).

(8) Pfatteicher, Commentary, 239.

(9) Christian Worship: A Lutheran Hymnal (Milwaukee: Northwestern, 1993).

(10) Lutheran Worship (St. Louis: Concordia, 1982).

(11) Hymnal Supplement 98 (St. Louis: Concordia, 1998).

(12) With One Voice (Minneapolis: Augsburg Fortress, 1995).

Carlos R. Messerli Founding Director, Emeritus Lutheran Music Program