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==== Sweden ====
==== Sweden ====


Historically the most remarkable Lutheran high church movement by its extension and influence to the whole church body is in the [[Church of Sweden]], originally influenced by [[Anglo-Catholicism]] from [[Church of England]] since the beginning of 20th century. The first still existing (and now the biggest) high church order is [[Societas Sanctae Birgittae]]. Movement was spread intensively through the activity of Fr. [[Gunnar Rosendal]]. More subtle high church influence of bishop [[Bo Giertz]] has been remarkable especially among [[pietist]]s. Today one of the leading figures of the movement is bishop [[Bertil Gärtner]]. The nucleus of the high church movement is The Swedish [[The Church Union|Church Union]], [[arbetsgemenskapen Kyrklig Förnyelse]] and numerous religious societies and communities.
Historically the most remarkable Lutheran high church movement by its extension and influence to the whole church body is in the [[Church of Sweden]], originally influenced by [[Anglo-Catholicism]] from [[Church of England]] since the beginning of 20th century. The first still existing (and now the biggest) high church order is [[Societas Sanctae Birgittae]]. Movement was spread intensively through the activity of Fr. [[Gunnar Rosendal]]. More subtle high church influence of bishop [[Bo Giertz]] has been remarkable especially among [[pietist]]s. Today one of the leading figures of the movement is bishop [[Bertil Gärtner]]. The nucleus of the high church movement is [[arbetsgemenskapen Kyrklig Förnyelse]] (Swedish Church Union) and numerous religious societies and communities.


==== Germany ====
==== Germany ====

Revision as of 15:05, 26 February 2007

High Church Lutheranism or Evangelical Catholicism is a form of Lutheranism which emphasizes worship practices and doctrine that are similar to those of the high church movement within Anglicanism, and therefore also to those of the Roman Catholic Church.

Background

The terms High Church and Low Church do not originally belong to Lutheran tradition, because unlike in Anglicanism, Lutherans have historically been unified in the doctrine expressed in the Book of Concord. However, within Lutheranism there began quite early to be polarities created by influences from the Reformed tradition, leading to so-called "Crypto-Calvinism". Unlike in Church of England however, there has usually not been iconoclasm in Lutheran churches and church buildings have often remained richly furnished. The Pietist movement in the 17th century also moved the Lutheran church further in a direction that would be "low church" by Anglican standards. Pietism and rationalism reduced much of ceremonies and use of vestments in worship of the era of Lutheran orthodoxy [1][2].

As a curiosity can be mentioned, that William Augustus Mühlenberg, father of the Ritualist movement in Episcopal Church in the United States of America, was originally Lutheran and came from Lutheran family [3].

In the 20th century the Anglican terms "High Church" and "Low Church" began sometimes to be used to describe modern differences within the Lutheran tradition as well, in addition to "ordinary" Lutheranism. Using these terms is not so characteristic to Lutheran identity like it is to Anglican tradition [4].

High church movements

The roots of 20th century Lutheran high church movements are in neo-Lutheranism, confessional Lutheranism, Anglo-Catholicism and the Liturgical Movement. These high church movements have although been much less significant than Anglo-Catholicism. High church Lutheranism has often been, especially in Scandinavian Lutheran churches, a theologically orthodox revival movement at least among clergy like Oxford Movement, in opposition to State church and "Folk church" ideologies by its strong ecclesiology. Often it has been marginalized and resisted by advocates of liberal theology and pietism. High Church movements have in some cases, especially in Scandinavia, fallen into crisis because of the issue of ordination of women. Still they have influenced in the long run whole church bodies and in some cases have developed also liberal forms. In Europe there has also always been occasionally only aesthetic interest to paraments and vestments without any theological argumentation, as well as purely historical high church interest, inspired by mediaeval church buildings and pre-reformation history of some Lutheran state churches, without any consequenses in worship.

Sweden

Historically the most remarkable Lutheran high church movement by its extension and influence to the whole church body is in the Church of Sweden, originally influenced by Anglo-Catholicism from Church of England since the beginning of 20th century. The first still existing (and now the biggest) high church order is Societas Sanctae Birgittae. Movement was spread intensively through the activity of Fr. Gunnar Rosendal. More subtle high church influence of bishop Bo Giertz has been remarkable especially among pietists. Today one of the leading figures of the movement is bishop Bertil Gärtner. The nucleus of the high church movement is arbetsgemenskapen Kyrklig Förnyelse (Swedish Church Union) and numerous religious societies and communities.

Germany

German high church movement is much smaller than in Sweden. Because of several unions between Lutheran and Reformed churches since Prussian Union, Lutheranism has been often influenced by quite Reformed context. High church movement in Evangelical Church in Germany has been less influential than movement in Sweden and perhaps less integrated to Lutheran tradition. Still it is strongly involved in ecumenism and Liturgical Movement.

High church movement began in Reformation jubilee 1917, inspired by 95 theses Stimuli et Clavi by Heinrich Hansen. Theses resulted founding of Hochkirchliche Vereinigung Augsburgischen Bekenntnisses following year 1918.

In Germany, high church movement in proper meaning includes only associations and societies, which are separated from other Lutheranism by restored apostolic succession (mostly through Hochkirchliche St. Johannes-Bruderschaft). It includes Hochkirchliche Vereinigung Augsburgischen Bekenntnisses (including Evangelische Franziskaner-Tertiaren and Hochkirchliche St. Johannes-Bruderschaft), Bund für evangelisch-katholische Einheit (including St. Jakobus- Bruderschaft), Arbeitsgemeinschaft Kirchliche Erneuerung in der Evang.-Luth. Kirche in Bayern, St. Athanasius-Bruderschaft, Hochkirchliche Apostolat St. Ansgar, Kommunität St. Michael in Cottbus and several religious communities.

Other organisations, such as Berneuchen Movement and Kirchliche Arbeit Alpirsbach are regarded as part of the Liturgical Movement, although the former is theologically high church and in co-operation with High Church associations and religious fraternities.

North America

In particular, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada have strong "high church" tendencies, but tend to be theologically liberal and allow ordination of women. Society of the Holy Trinity is largest high church society in North America. Theologically it is moderate and relatively conservative in ecumenical openness. Like some previously mentioned German religious clerical fraternities, in the United States the Evangelical Catholic Church and in recent years the Evangelical Community Church-Lutheran, Lutheran Orthodox Church and several other small, biblically and theologically conservative high church (Evangelical Catholic) Lutheran Churches have restored the historic Apostolic Succession from Old Catholic Churches, worship using the liturgies of the Roman Catholic Church, and are working toward reunion with the Roman Catholic Church.

Other Countries

Church of Norway is generally very pietistic and high church movement is more isolated and much smaller than in Sweden. It has been represented by Ordo Crucis [5] and Bønne- og arbeidsfellesskapet Kirkelig Fornyelse.

In Church of Denmark high church movement is in margin and especially unpopular in public opinion. It has been represented by Sct. Ansgar Broderskab [6]. Praying of the Daily office has been promoted by Teologisk Oratorium [7] (most well known member having been Regin Prenter) and by Selskabet dansk Tidegærd.

Church of Iceland and Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland has also had high church groups and interest among both clergy and laity.

Academic Theology

Through ecumenism high church ideas have been accepted more widely in academic theology. E.g. recent ecumenical Luther research, like Mannermaa School has has began to see Luther as a Catholic teacher. Especially American high church Lutherans often use the term Evangelical Catholic instead of high church, because it is felt to be more theologically precise. From high church Lutheranism there has been less move to Roman Catholicism than from Anglo-Catholicism. However there are some well known Lutheran theologians, who have become Roman Catholic, like Richard John Neuhaus and Reinhard Hütter, or Eastern Orthodox like Jaroslav Pelikan [8].

Theology and spirituality

High Church Lutheranism stresses aspects of the confession of the church, sacraments, ordained ministry, liturgy and continuity of the church, all of which are traditional Lutheran theology, but have been neglected due to Pietism and the Age of Enlightenment. Sometimes there is an emphasis on Apostolic Succession, ecumenism and, e.g. Mariology. The classical manifesto of Scandinavian high church revival program is "Kyrklig förnyelse" by Gunnar Rosendal (1935). In its beginning German high church movement was inspired by 95 theses "Stimuli et Clavi" by pastor Heinrich Hansen (1917).

High church spirituality is characteristicly more theocentric than pietism, rationalistic Lutheranism, or Lutheran existentialism. In addition to the Theology of the Cross there is usually strong empasis on participation in resurrection, which makes Easter even more important than Good Friday. Theocentricism makes salvation history and the cycle of the church year important, from point of view of incarnation. These theological aspects have often also created need to give evangelical interpretation to the sacrifice of the Mass in order to give more theocentric view to Real presence. E.g. in Sweden there has been discovered Laurentius Petri´s theology on the sacrifice of the Mass [9]. In high church Lutheran spirituality Mass is the centre of faith, because it includes the whole salvation history and all central doctrines. Often the praying of the Divine office is also characteristic to high church Lutheran spirituality. Confession as a sacrament is an ordinary but sometimes rare part of Lutheran tradition and is not considered unique to "high church".

Liturgical practises

Formal liturgy based on western Catholic Mass either as a communion or ante-communion service, including more or less chanting, the use of crucifixes, silver chalices, hosts and in communion service often vestments has always been characteristic to Lutheran worship. Especially use of hosts has been important way to show belief on Real presence. The return of the sign of the cross, eucharistic prayer and regular use of vestments in all church are results of liturgical movement, but things like the mixed chalice, altar servers, Gospel processions, a complete eucharistic prayer of consecration with epiclesis rather than the Words of Institution alone (depending on service book) and especially incense are regarded as "high church". Also elevation and genuflection are often regarded among more Protestant-minded Lutherans as Roman Catholic practices, although Martin Luther himself used elevation [10] and it was part of early Lutheranism. In Scandinavian Lutheran churches the use of bells during elevation was even occasionally practiced until the 18th century, to underline the centrality of the Words of Institution in the consecration. Adoration of the Sacrament during the Mass (a word normally used at least in Swedish and Finnish Lutheranism without any high church associations) is a Lutheran practise [11], but unlike in Anglo-Catholicism, except among the most high church of the North American Lutheran Churches like the Evangelical Community Church-Lutheran, the Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament is not often practised even in High Church Lutheranism. Sometimes high church groups in Sweden and Germany have published their own private missals.

Notable persons in the history of High Church Lutheranism

Sweden

Finland

Germany

United States

References

See also

External links

USA and Canada

Germany

Sweden

Norway

Denmark

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