Throwback Thursday: What's This? Genuflecting in Worship?
Note: This was a Gottesdienst Editorial from 2016 in response to a district president’s public critique of genuflecting during the consecration. ~ Ed.
What’s This? Genuflecting in Worship?
If you open up your Bible and pray the Psalms you might come across this line, “Oh come let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the LORD our maker” (Psalm 95:6). Missouri Synod Lutherans are Bible believers and what the Bible says, they desire to put into practice. Our Lord and God does not mandate that we bow down or kneel at any particular time or place in the service but as the Scriptures themselves commend bowing and kneeling as a salutary practice, Lutherans do it. Many of our church buildings have kneelers in the pews and most have an altar rail so that communicants can kneel to receive the very Body and Blood of Jesus Christ under the bread and wine for the forgiveness of sins. Kneeling is part and parcel of Lutheran worship and while this is confirmed in furniture, one might take a look at our current hymnal and agenda to see where there is instruction to kneel.