This Has to STOP!
The year was 1616. Johann Georg, Margrave of the the Silesian duchy of Jågerndorf had had enough from his stubbornly recalcitrant Lutherans. He issued a decree. This is what he said must stop and what must replace it:
All images are to be removed from the church and sent to the court.
The stone altar is to be ripped from the ground and replaced with a wood table covered with a black cloth.
When the Lord’s Supper is held, a white cloth covers the table.
All altars, panels, crucifixes and paintings are to be completely abolished, as they are idolatrous and stem from the papacy.
Instead of the host, bread is to be used and baked into broad loaves, cut into strips and placed in a dish, from which people receive it in their hands; likewise the chalice [in their hands].
The words of the supper are no longer to be sung, but rather spoken.
The golden globlets are to be replaced with wooden ones.
The prayer in place of the collect is to be spoken, not sung.
Mass vestments and other finery are no longer to be used.
No lamps or candles are to be placed on the altar.
The houseling cloth is not to be held in front of the communicants.
The people are not to bow as if Christ were present.
The communicants shall no longer kneel.
The sign of the cross after the benediction is to be discontinued.
The priest is no longer to stand with his back to the people.
The collect and Epistle are no longer to be sung, but rather spoken.
Individuals are no longer to go to confession before communing, but rather register with the priest in writing.
The people are no longer to bow when the name of Jesus is mentioned, nor are they to remove their hats.
The Our Father is no longer to be prayed aloud before the sermon.
Communion is not to be taken to the sick, as it is dangerous, especially in times of pestilence.
The stone baptismal font is to be removed and a basin substituted.
Epitaphs and crucifixes are no longer to be tolerated in the church.
The Holy Trinity is not to be depicted in any visual form.
The words of the sacrament are to be altered and considered symbolic.
The historic Epistles and Gospels are no longer to be used, but rather a section of the Bible [selected by the minister] read without commentary. (Herl, Worship Wars, p. 111)
The above list, provides you a sort of photographic negative of Lutheran worship! Drop the prohibitions and see the description of the normal practice, the actual shape of Lutheran worship to which this complaint bears witness. From the images and crucifixes to the chanting of collects and readings; from the faithful adherence to the old lectionary to the chanting of the holy Verba; from the rich use of the Mass vestments to the beautiful and precious vessels that distributed the Lord’s blood; from the piety that knelt to receive the Sacrament and bowed to the Christ truly present in His body and blood when approaching or departing the holy altar to the bowing of head and doffing of hats at every mention of the holy name of JESUS. And what truly matters and is clear is that all these ceremonies (many in themselves quite adiaphorous) were clearly heard and seen as confessions of the Lutheran faith. And that is why they had to go.
Well, at least why the Margrave TRIED to make them go. He found a surprisingly stubborn and resistant populace that was not about to give up their faith for some princely whim of his; they smelled Calvinism and wanted no parts of it. One hundred fifty soldiers attempted for three months to enforce the changes, but the people won this round, and the Margrave backed down. The people got to keep their Lutheran ceremonies. That’s a solid bit of lay activism indeed.
