> Ask the Pastor The Rev. Fr. Walter P. Snyder Hi, I am a student and we are doing a project in religion class. I was wondering if you could help me with my research. If yes, would you mind answering a few of the questions that I have come up with? 1. How does the Lutheran Church differ from the Catholic Church? There are several differences, also a number of similarities. Lutherans emphasize Justification by Grace through Faith. We have a different polity (church government), and while the specifics vary among various Lutheran bodies, no one has authority on the level of the Pope. We also define penance differently, do not invoke the saints, and have traditionally emphasized the Word in our services to a greater degree than does the Roman Catholic Church--for instance, it is only recently that sermons or homilies became a regular part of the Catholic Mass. Some Lutheran bodies (not mine) also allow women in the pastorate. You'll see other differences as I continue with your questions. 2. What made you want to become a Lutheran priest? It was a slow evolution while I was in college. While there were other pastors (the customary term for Lutheran clergy in the United States) in my family, I hadn't given the Holy Ministry much thought while in high school. Instead, I sought an appointment to the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York. While there, I realized that a military career was not for me, and I left to enter a Lutheran college, where I studied business. After a semester, as I got to know pre-seminary students and the religion faculty, I switched to the pre-seminary program myself. However, it wasn't for some time that I was sure that this is what I truly should be doing. I guess that the main reasons for my becoming a pastor, besides my belief that I am called as such by the Holy Spirit, were a growing appreciation for Christ's work of forgiveness and a desire to speak and mediate that forgiveness among his people. 3. How long have you been in the Lutheran church and what requirements do you need to fulfill this accomplishment? I've been Lutheran since baptism, a few days after my birth in 1957. To remain active and aid growth in the Faith, we have regular instruction, including Catechism class and the rite of Confirmation, after which we begin to partake in the Lord's Supper. Some Lutherans have early communion, but it's not the norm in my body, The Lutheran Church--Missouri Synod. To stay Lutheran is to remain true to our doctrine, being also involved in a congregation and in the Divine Service on a regular basis. Of course, being shut-in, hospitalized, or disabled means that one may not be able to fully participate, but then the pastors strive to visit and bring Word and Sacrament to them. Gross, unrepented sin may result in excommunication, while a person may also exclude himself by avoiding regular attendance and participation. 4. What is your mass like? We usually open with a hymn, then follow the Invocation, Confession and Holy Absolution. We say or sing an Introit or Psalm, the Kyrie, and the Gloria in Excelsis or another hymn of praise, then I pray the Collect. Three Scriptures are normally read, the Creed said, then another hymn is sung. A sermon is preached, the offering gathered. Prayers follow. Another hymn may be sung. Holy Communion begins with the Preface, then the Our Father, the Words of Institution, the Agnus Dei, and the Distribution of the Body and Blood of Christ, during which hymns may be sung. Then are the Dismissal, the Nunc Dimittis, the Thanksgiving, and the Benedicamus and Benediction, with, perhaps, a final hymn. 5. Are Lutheran priests allowed to get the sacrament of matrimony? We don't term it as a "sacrament," but Lutheran clergy are allowed (in fact, encouraged) to marry. I have a wife and two daughters, ages 15 and 5. I'm also the son of a pastor--another strong influence on my becoming one. 6. How long are the masses of your church? How many times a week do you celebrate mass? Our Divine Service normally lasts about an hour. Much depends upon the number of people attending and communing and the length of the sermon. Not all Lutherans celebrate the Eucharist in each service, but weekly or every other week on the Lord's Day are normal, as well as on other holy days. 7. Did you ever have any doubts about your church? As far as its doctrine and official practice, I do not. However, since human error and weakness often interfere, I am sometimes dismayed by some of what is done by those who claim to be Lutheran but who do not know or respect our doctrine. 8. Was the Lutheran faith always your own? Did you ever think of changing denominations? I've always been Lutheran and have never seriously considered anything else. 9. What kind of sacraments do you Lutherans follow? We define the sacraments differently than do Catholics, focusing on those things that promise and convey the forgiveness of sins. Thus, Baptism, the Lord's Supper, and (sometimes) Holy Absolution are listed as our sacraments. 10. What traditions do you have in the church? Our traditions vary due to ethnic and national origin. In general, we emphasize the forgiveness of sins, education, Biblical knowledge, sacramental theology, and hymnody. Indeed, the Lutheran Reformation brought us the fullness of modern congregational singing. Special to this time of the year: We brought Christmas trees into the churches. That's it for now. You can submit questions by mail to "Ask the Pastor," PO Box 1080, Jasper, Texas, 75951; E-mail xrysostom@aol.com; or just stop me on the street. Walter Snyder is the pastor of St. Paul and Faith Lutheran Churches in Jasper and Woodville, Texas and coauthor of the book "What Do Lutherans Believe? A Study Guide in Christian Teachings for Adults." Copyright (c) 1997 by Walter P. Snyder Permission is granted by author to reproduce or retransmit this by any means, provided that its content is not altered, that this notice of copyright and permission is included, and that no financial gain is realized.