Societas Sancti Polycarpi

[TriuneUnity]

The Rule of the Society of St. Polycarp

As Lutheran Christians who understand ourselves to be a part of the One Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church, we have joined ourselves voluntarily in a fellowship to be known as the Society of St. Polycarp. Members of the Society commit themselves to this Rule:

1. Members of the Society confess Holy Scripture to be “the pure, clear fountain of Israel” and also “the one true guiding principle,” i.e., the sole norm or “judge, rule, and guiding principle” of the same (FC Ep. Comprehensive Summary, 7; FC SD Comprehensive Summary, 3). We rejoice in the tradition of the Holy Doctors and Fathers of the Church, in whom Christ kept His promise that “the gates of Hell shall not prevail against (My Church)” (Mt 16:18), so that the Lutheran confessors could say that “the churches among us do not dissent from the catholic church in any article of faith” (AC Preface to XXII, 1, Latin). We reject all methods of interpretation that seek to understand the meaning of Scripture apart from the guidance of the Church, through which God gave us the Scriptures.
2. Members of the Society will promote the importance of daily prayer and meditation on Holy Scripture. Members will commit themselves to praying at least one of the daily offices, keeping fellow members as well as the Church Catholic herself in their prayers.
3. Valuing Holy Absolution as “a voice from heaven” (Ap. XII, 40), members of the Society will avail themselves of the benefit of this sacrament, as well as promoting its use. Members will seek out father confessors of their own for regular and frequent private Confession and Absolution.
4. Members of the Society will promote the Sacrament of the Altar as the chief parochial service in the Church of the Augsburg Confession (AC XXIV, 34). Members will receive the Sacrament of the Altar often, as well as encouraging others to receive it frequently, thereby restoring the traditional Lutheran understanding of the central place of the Sacrament in Lutheran worship. As the Lutheran Symbols assume the weekly celebration of the Sacrament of the Altar (AC XXIV, 34-38; Ap. XXIV, 1), members of the Society will promote this evangelical and catholic practice in their own parishes and in the work of the Society.
5. As the Sacrament of the Altar is the true Body and Blood of Our Lord that is truly present, distributed, and received (AC X, German), members of the Society are committed to the evangelical and catholic doctrine of closed communion, i.e., not admitting to the altar to receive the Holy Communion those who have not previously been examined and absolved (AC XXV, 1-2), let alone those of a confession of the Faith contrary to that of the Church of the Augsburg Confession.
6. Members of the Society will promote the historic liturgies of the Church Catholic, since such liturgies shape pastoral practice and teaching that is consistent with the evangelical and catholic Faith as it has been handed down in Holy Scripture, the Ecumenical Creeds, and the Symbolical Books of the Church of the Augsburg Confession.
7. As the Lutheran Symbols confess the Blessed Virgin Mary to be “the pure, holy, and ever-virgin Mother of God,” as well as “that the blessed Mary prays for the Church” (Ap. XXI, 27; SA I, IV, Latin; FC SD VIII, 24), it is altogether fitting, proper, and consistent with the Faith of the Church Catholic to honor the Blessed Virgin in liturgical celebration. Members of the Society will seek to restore the traditional Marian feasts of the Church of the Augsburg Confession (i.e., the Feasts of the Purification, Annunciation, and Visitation) as a testimony of the grace of God through her, that we might imitate the Blessed Virgin in word and example, and in thanksgiving for the Incarnation of the Son of God through her humble submission to the will of God. Members of the Society will also promote the observance and celebration of saints’ days and commemorations. This is wholly in keeping with the evangelical and catholic tradition of the Church of the Augsburg Confession, whose Symbolical Books acknowledge the saints as fitting exemplars of the catholic Faith worthy of imitation, as well as our heavenly intercessors (AC XXI, 1; Ap. XXI, 4-9).
8. As the Church of the Augsburg Confession understands herself as a part of the One Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church, particularly as she exists in the West, members of the Society will take seriously the commitment to the proper ecumenicity this demands. Members will pursue dialogue with:

• Our separated brethren in the Roman Church, with which the Lutherans at the Diet of Augsburg in 1530 clearly sought reconciliation.
• The Eastern Orthodox Church, following the example of the exchange between the Lutheran theologians of the University of Tübingen and Ecumenical Patriarch Jeremiah II of Constantinople (1573-1581).

This reflects not simply the Lutheran commitment to the unity of all Christians, but ultimately the will of Our Lord Himself (Jn 17).

1. Members of the Society will make every effort to make a retreat once a year for the purpose of disciplined prayer and study, silence and reflection, as well as the celebration of the Sacrament of the Altar.

Following the example of our patron, members of the Society ultimately strive to be faithful to Our Lord, recalling His words to St. John the Theologian: “Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life” (Rev 2:10). Members also pray God’s grace that we may be able to hand over to our posterity the tradition we have received as Lutheran Christians, and that we may be able to confess with our forebears at Augsburg that “nothing has been accepted among us, in teaching and ceremonies, that is contrary to Scripture or the catholic church. For it is manifest that we have most diligently been on guard so that no new or ungodly doctrines creep into our churches” (AC Conclusion, 5, Latin).

Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam

 

[TriuneUnity]

The notion of referring to St. Mary as “Theotokos” or “God’s Mother” is as ancient as Christ’s Church Herself. So is the notion of honoring her as “ever-virgin” or “perpetually virgin”. Only recently have some in Christ’s Church questioned Mary’s virginity.

If you are struggling with the Church’s teaching on Mary’s virginity, I encourage you to read Pr. William Weedon’s excellent study on Mary’s perpetual virginity which can be found here: stpaullutheranchurchhamel.org/Perpetual_Virginity.doc in Microsoft Word format.

 

[Greenbrier]

Dude,

Just swim the Tiber already.

 

[TriuneUnity]

Dude,

Just swim the Tiber already.

Ah, yes… Substance.

 

[Greenbrier]

Well, it’s hard to come up with more than that when you are so clearly sucking up to the Catholics. What other purpose could there be for this than to make clear to them that you’re not so different, really, Catholic-lite and all. FTR, I knew “Fr. Fenton” and this is the route he took as well. I am just saying you need to step out of the closet.

 

[gcnuss]

Well, it’s hard to come up with more than that when you are so clearly sucking up to the Catholics. What other purpose could there be for this than to make clear to them that you’re not so different, really, Catholic-lite and all. FTR, I knew “Fr. Fenton” and this is the route he took as well. I am just saying you need to step out of the closet.

Greenbrier,

I am troubled that you think that civil discourse with our Catholic brothers and sisters and the expression of the hope that the one, holy, catholic, and apostolic church might one day again be one in its earthly expression is “sucking up to the Catholics.” Taking the liberty of speaking for the Lutherans who are regular participants in this forum, we do not view the Catholic Church as our adversary but as fellow Christians with whom, regrettably, we are not now in communion.

I belong to a Lutheran ministerium, the Society of the Holy Trinity, which also prays for the unity of the church and, especially, with with the bishop and church of Rome. From the rule of the Society:

Chapter VIII
Ecumenical Commitments

1. This Society, from its beginning, is committed to Lutheran unity. Our membership is drawn from any and all Lutheran church bodies, particularly in the United States and Canada.

1. We are aware that Western Christianity as a whole is in a crisis of faith and that there are movements and orders in other ecclesial traditions organized for the confessional and spiritual renewal of their churches (i.e. the churches of the Reformation as well as the church of Rome). We will make contact with these movements and orders and invite them to chapter retreats and special meetings.

1. At the same time, the Lutheran ecumenical vocation is the unfinished business of the sixteenth century Reformation. Together with our forebears at Augsburg in 1530, we long for that reunion of Christians in which the Gospel might have free course and for that unity for which Jesus prayed. (cf. John 17).

1. Therefore, this ministerium is dedicated to the Lutheran vocation of reform of the Church and the Lutheran ecumenical destiny of reconciliation with the bishop and church of Rome.(bold added)

1. We support the pursuit of conversations with the Eastern Orthodox churches.

1. Prayers for Christian unity shall be a regular part of Society and Chapter retreats.

With regard to statement #4 above, we are not “sucking up to Catholics” but we are seeking the unity for which our Lord prayed. While I have reservations or disagreements about some Catholic teachings, I nevertheless rejoice that Catholics are fellow followers of our Lord Jesus Christ and that we share so much with them.

 

[schaick]

**Where Christian see unity in the one faith of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ and diversity in celebrating that faith, Catholics simply see division and confusion. **

 

[Greenbrier]

Yeah, I am opposed to making common cause with Satan or his synagogue.

Luther may have been of a divided mind about the Roman Church but you do not do well to forget his clear denunciations of it, root and branch in favor of his more, erm, melanchthonian and intermittent opinions about it merely being a true church with error in its midst.

And the venom with which the great reformer is treated around here should give you pause as well.

 

[Greenbrier]

I’ll apologize for the synagogue of Satan remark, it was uncharitable and added nothing to the conversation. Everyone please forgive me.

 

[gcnuss]

Yeah, I am opposed to making common cause with Satan or his synagogue.

So am I, but that doesn’t mean that I am anti-Catholic. I do not consider the Catholic Church to be “Satan and his synagogue” and I must respectfully disagree with anyone who does. Edited to add –(I note that your apology was posted while I was composing and sending this. Thanks for that.)

And the venom with which the great reformer is treated around here should give you pause as well.

I am aware of those who are very biased against Luther. I do my best to engage them in productive conversation. Even when that doesn’t produce the results I might hope for, I don’t consider that reason to assume the worst about the Catholic Church.