Featured Incense

IMHO, incense gives an atmosphere of solemnity and beauty that is fitting to the greatest gift given by Jesus to His church. The true worship of God the Father as offered by Christ. It helps me understand that during worship we enter into and are united with the worship offered God in Heaven by his Angels and saints.

 

Where in the NT are we encouraged or commanded to burn incense?

I’ll hang up and listen

 

Where in the NT are we encouraged or commanded to 'sing specials, have altar calls, use hymnals, play pianos/organs, preach from pulpits, etc., etc.

I'll hang up and listen

 

you are preaching to the choir my friend

I don’t see it either

although hymnals do help us to know the words to songs, so we prob disagree on that one

the Bible does say let everything be done decently and in order

 

Ephesians 5:19

I have no problems with incense if the congregation considers it worshipful and spiritually edifying.

I wouldn’t accept it is normative or required for true worship.

At times, I appreciate the more somber approach Catholics use in worship, including the incense though I admit to being uncomfortable with the underlying beliefs.

I personally appreciate the Catholics here having a civil discussion in these issues. I know you have to be careful to not cross the line of proselytizing and that must be difficult.

It is informative to understand why you believe the things you do.

peace to you

 

Hmm

incense and vestments are never mentioned in the NT

 

I agree, however, I look to the writings of the Early Church to see what was considered decent and in order. St Jerome, in his commentary on Ezekiel xliv. 19, wrote that "We, too, ought not to enter the Holy of Holies in our everyday garments ... when they have become defiled from the use of ordinary life, but with a clean conscience, and in clean garments, hold in our hands the Sacrament of the Lord."

 

That is the command of Paul, that all things be done in an orderly manner and with reverence. Beyond that, and the Ephesians 5 command to sing “Psalms and hymns and spiritual songs” the local body has a lot of room to order their worship.

peace to you

 

Though, not canonical, we get a clear idea of how the Early Church worshipped in the reading of The Didache. Thought to be written between 70 and 100 AD, it clearly shows a liturgical church which was established by The Apostles and grounded solidly in scripture:

The Didache | EWTN

 

Again, the last statement is because Baptists are trying to follow the Scriptural Mandate. Do not get me wrong. Some Baptist Churches drive me crazy w what they do in worship and it is just as much out of line as those who practice High Liturgy

 

Anglicans and Lutherans would have the same beef about upper case 'C' and lower case 'c' (Catholic Church). Lutherans (LCMS & other confessional Lutherans) recite the Athanasian Creed once a year in the liturgy. It refers to believers as holding the 'catholic faith' and that it being essential. The word 'catholic' in those Christian bodies refers to the Holy Universal Church and not the papal or Orthodox Church.

 

Hi VDMA,

Man, I like everything you say. Didn’t you say you were Orthodox? I don’t want to get this thread off track but just wanted to say I like what you say!