lex orandi lex credendi

With all our study & debate about biblical interpretation, orthodoxy &c
we ought to bear in mind the old saying that "the law of praying is the law of
believing." Worship & praise are not addenda to doctrine but provide criteria for how
doctrine is to be formulated. (It goes the other way too but that isn't my point now.)
In that spirit & for this festival -

        Der selig Schoepfer aller Ding,
        Zog an eins Knechtes Leib gering,
        das er das Fleisch durch Fleisch erwerb,
        Und sein Geschoepf nicht als verderb.

        Er lag in Heu mit Armut gross,
        Die Krippen hart ihn nicht verdross,
        Es ward ein kleine Milch sein Speiss,
        Der nie kein Voeglein hungern liess.

        (The blessed creator of all things
        Put on the lowly body of a servant,
        That he might gain the flesh through flesh
        And his creation not be ruined.

        He lay in hay with great poverty.
        The hard manger did not displease him.
        A little milk was his nourishment
        Who never let a little bird go hungry.)

(These are two verses from the entrance hymn on a CD of Praetorius "Mass for Christmas
Morning." I don't know the original author. Of course it's better with the music!)

                                                Froehliche Weihnachten,
                                                George
        
George L. Murphy
gmurphy@raex.com
http://web.raex.com/~gmurphy/
Received on Wed Dec 24 17:57:28 2003