Liturgical Time/days/seasons In Mormonism

[MiserereNobis]

Right now the Catholics and Orthodox (and other Christian traditions who celebrate liturgical time) are in the season of Lent.  Interestingly enough, this is one year where the Eastern and Western Churches' calendars coincide -- we both celebrate Easter on April 20.

 

I was thinking about the positives aspects for me personally of celebrating liturgical seasons.  It helps to make time sacred -- specific days celebrate and focus on specific aspects on my faith.  (And in monasteries, specific hours each day have specific prayers that do the same!)  This does relate to the major seasons: Advent, Christmas, Lent, and Easter, but also applies to specific days celebrating a saint, a martyr, or an event in the life of Christ or the Church.  Even days of the week are included.  Sunday, of course, is a celebration of the resurrection (and as such, Sundays are never days of fasts, even during Lent).  Fridays commemorate the Crucifixion, so they are days of penance.  Traditionally Catholics did not eat meat on any Friday because of this.  I follow this tradition to remind myself of the sufferings of Christ on Friday.

 

Lent, the current season, helps remind me of the sufferings of Christ, His 40 days fast, and the injunction of John the Baptist to do penance.  It leads directly to Holy Week (the week leading up to Easter Sunday), where the last days of Christ's life are focused on, and then His death and resurrection.  It is beautiful for me that each year I am able to relive, so to speak, the events of salvation, along with the community of other Christians.

 

To sum up, following the traditions of the Catholic calendar help make each day more sacred and help remind me, each day, of the life of Christ and the Church.

 

Now, to my question

 

Why does the LDS church not follow a liturgical calendar, Christian or its own?  Is there a doctrinal reason, i.e. do you think that those of us who do are doing something wrong?  I know you celebrate Easter and Christmas according to the traditional Western calendar -- is that just because these are also cultural celebrations?

 

Do you think it could be beneficial for the LDS church to adopt a liturgical calendar celebrating its own saints, martyrs, and historical acts of its own?

 

Could it be beneficial for individual LDS members to align their individual daily worship (prayer, scripture study, etc) with some sort of liturgical calendar?

 

I must be on a roll today... this is my second thread-starting post.  Thank you for your patience with a faithful Catholic who is intrigued with the LDS church

Edited March 9, 2014 by MiserereNobis

[Calm]

I have to mention as a aside that last Tuesday my daughter came up to me in bed with a pancake and told me "happy Pancake Tuesday"....and then she explained how excited she was to find out it was "real" and not some PR gimmick started by IHOP.

She has a lot of respect for other faith traditions, but not a lot of knowledge. I have a feeling this was the start of a family tradition. I probably should talk to her about the calendar of Lent and Easter. She isn't interested in most of the stuff we talk about on the board, but I bet she would like this one.

I may even go dig out a Russian liturgical book to use in conjunction.

[David T]

I observe advent and lent. Eric Huntsman has some excellent books published by Deseret Book (!) for Mormons who would be interested in bringing the traditions of Advent and Holy Week into their family/studies.

 

Apart from that, only real liturgical calendar LDS have is the 4-year Sunday Schol Standard Work rotation, the 2 semi_annual General Conferences, and, well, Pioneer Day.

 

BCC has been having a series on the Mormon Lectionary Project, adapting a liturgical calendar with LDS specific scriptures and thoughts, etc. 

Edited March 9, 2014 by David T

[strappinglad]

Sundays are a day of rest for most people except Mormons, 3 hours of church plus various council meetings plus Home teaching plus, etc.

Mondays are family home evening lessons and family activities

Tuesdays/Wednesdays are Young Men's and Young Women's activies days as well as Relief Society activities

Thursdays are High council meeting

Fridays are spouse date nights unless the Elders or High Priests are having a social

Saturday is a special day, it's the day we get ready for Sunday.

Then there is men's basketball night and cub afternoon meetings and...

To put it bluntly , we just don't have time on the calendar for any more calendars.

[Calm]

"Why does the LDS church not follow a liturgical calendar, Christian or its own?  Is there a doctrinal reason, i.e. do you think that those of us who do are doing something wrong?  I know you celebrate Easter and Christmas according to the traditional Western calendar -- is that just because these are also cultural celebrations?

 

Do you think it could be beneficial for the LDS church to adopt a liturgical calendar celebrating its own saints, martyrs, and historical acts of its own?

 

Could it be beneficial for individual LDS members to align their individual daily worship (prayer, scripture study, etc) with some sort of liturgical calendar?"

I think it may have been an anti tradition picked up from the Protestant roots of our early converts. I can't think of any doctrinal reason, we do not teach the Jews got it wrong for their feast days and other religious celebrations.

I very much wish we had a liturgical calendar of our own. Every now and then I think I should create one for myself, but I have a hard time keeping track of the days of the week and I remember my anniversary about 50% of the time...so obviously easily distracted here.

I think many could be helped with the idea of not only studying the scriptures daily, but crafting our lives in a sense of living the scriptures by connecting the past with our present. We are a people of narratives, I think it would be helpful to not only strengthen our knowledge of others' narratives, but make ourselves a part of that narrative rather than just onlookers.

[David T]

I love using a Catholic app on my phone/tablet that features the daily Prophets, Psalm, and Gospel reading. Sometimes the associated themes are fascinating.

[Calm]

 

BCC has been having a series on the Mormon Lectionary Project, adapting a liturgical calendar with LDS specific scriptures and thoughts, etc.

Bookmarked this, thanks David.

[Calm]

I love using a Catholic app on my phone/tablet that features the daily Prophets, Psalm, and Gospel reading. Sometimes the associated themes are fascinating.

Link please.

[pogi]

Do you think it could be beneficial for the LDS church to adopt a liturgical calendar celebrating its own saints, martyrs, and historical acts of its own?

 

Well, with 14 + million saints, that would be a lot of celebrating!  

Edited March 9, 2014 by pogi

[David T]

Link please.

 

I use one of two, both on Android. Lectio Divina also has additional devotional readings on the daily themes, but formatting is sometimes weird on my tablet. Daily Readings is also very nice.

[MiserereNobis]

I have to mention as a aside that last Tuesday my daughter came up to me in bed with a pancake and told me "happy Pancake Tuesday"....and then she explained how excited she was to find out it was "real" and not some PR gimmick started by IHOP.

 

 

 

I am often surprised at how few people know what Mardi Gras is actually celebrating, or what "Carnival" (carne, meat) is all about.  I'm glad your daughter served you pancakes on the proper day

 

 

I may even go dig out a Russian liturgical book to use in conjunction.

 

Any particular reason it is Russian?  Did you serve a mission in post-Soviet Russia?  Or just interested in Russian Orthodoxy?

 

This brings up another question (for any).  In countries where the Eastern Orthodox calendar dictates Easter, do Mormons celebrate Easter at that time or do they follow the Western calendar?

Edited March 9, 2014 by MiserereNobis

[MiserereNobis]

I observe advent and lent. Eric Huntsman has some excellent books published by Deseret Book (!) for Mormons who would be interested in bringing the traditions of Advent and Holy Week into their family/studies.

 

Cool!

 

Apart from that, only real liturgical calendar LDS have is the 4-year Sunday Schol Standard Work rotation, the 2 semi_annual General Conferences, and, well, Pioneer Day.

 

I have been in SLC during Pioneer Day.  Definitely a sacred celebration!

 

BCC has been having a series on the Mormon Lectionary Project, adapting a liturgical calendar with LDS specific scriptures and thoughts, etc.

 

This is exactly what I was thinking about.  Very cool.  I hope any interested Mormon finds these things useful.

[pogi]

I have to admit, I didn't have a very favorable view of the Catholic celebrations after serving in the Philippines.  I saw a people who were spiritually malnourished and knew next to nothing about their own religion and faith.  They used these holy seasons as an excuse to get loud and drunk while some people carried around really scary looking (grim reaper style) statues down the street in a huge procession.  I saw a people who were as worldly as they wanted to be for 363 days out of the year and suddenly became very religious for 2 days and attended church on those days.  Unfortunately, the majority of the Catholics that I met did not know or understand the beauty and depth of their religion and religious celebrations.

 

I discovered the deeper and more profound side of Catholicism after serving my mission from studying about contemplative prayer as taught in the Benedictine tradition.  My wife and I purchased an advent book and followed the calendar with a new spiritual thought for each day.  I must admit, that I have never had a more spiritual Christmas season in all of my life.  The messages were deeply touching.  We are life long adventers!  I haven't experienced lent, I will have to try that one out.  I have to admit that I am a little envious of these traditions now. 

Edited March 9, 2014 by pogi

[Yirgacheffe]

 

. Every now and then I think I should create one for myself, but I have a hard time keeping track of the days of the week and I remember my anniversary about 50% of the time...so obviously easily distracted here.

You should have done what my husband and I did and gotten married on leap day, not only do you only have to remember is 25% of the time, all the presidential election stuff and leap day discussion helps to remind you

[Coreyb]

Well, we have Easter, April 6th, April general conference, July 24th (pioneer day in Utah), July 4th is practically a High Holy day for many Mormons, October general conference, December 25th is Joseph Smiths birthday, and Christmas. For some reason we also tend to celebrate the birthday of the current church president, which I find a bit strange. I like to commemorate Passover and Yom Kippur, but that has just rubbed off on me from Jewish friends. I wouldn't be opposed for having a more standardized Mormon calendar

[Storm Rider]

The thing that has always disappointed me in the last few decades is that Sunday School lessons seem even more disjointed with seasons and religious holidays than ever before. Nothing is more anti-climatic and disheartening than to prepare for Easter and then in Sunday School learn/review about anything but the wonder of the resurrection.  This is one area that we can learn a great deal from our Catholic and Orthodox brothers and sisters.  

 

I don't buy the excuse that we are already too busy; the faithful from other traditions also are busy with their own life. It is a matter of priority and focus.  It would be worth our time to review the meaning of Lent and how others celebrate/sacrifice during this preparatory period before Easter.  There is a beauty there that we are sadly lacking.  

[David T]

December 25th is Joseph Smiths birthday

No it isn't.

[cinepro]

Why does the LDS church not follow a liturgical calendar, Christian or its own?  Is there a doctrinal reason, i.e. do you think that those of us who do are doing something wrong?  I know you celebrate Easter and Christmas according to the traditional Western calendar -- is that just because these are also cultural celebrations?

 

 

FWIW, when I teach EQ around Easter, I always start off the lesson with a series of "trivia" questions about Holy Week.  ("What is Palm Sunday?", "What is Maundy Thursday?" etc.).  Based on the level of understanding in the EQs I have taught, I can only say that if the Church wants to start observing these days, it will have to start with a massive education program.

 

But to answer your question, I would assume the Church never adopted observance of these days because of their strong association with the Catholic church, whith whom, until the 1960's, the Church's relationship was rather suspicious and frosty.

Edited March 9, 2014 by cinepro

[mfbukowski]

Sundays are a day of rest for most people except Mormons, 3 hours of church plus various council meetings plus Home teaching plus, etc.

Mondays are family home evening lessons and family activities

Tuesdays/Wednesdays are Young Men's and Young Women's activies days as well as Relief Society activities

Thursdays are High council meeting

Fridays are spouse date nights unless the Elders or High Priests are having a social

Saturday is a special day, it's the day we get ready for Sunday.

Then there is men's basketball night and cub afternoon meetings and...

To put it bluntly , we just don't have time on the calendar for any more calendars.

Nails it!

 

Wouldn't it be nice to show up for a half hour on sunday and let someone else do all the work? 

[mfbukowski]

Well, we have Easter, April 6th, April general conference, July 24th (pioneer day in Utah), July 4th is practically a High Holy day for many Mormons, October general conference, December 25th is Joseph Smiths birthday, and Christmas. For some reason we also tend to celebrate the birthday of the current church president, which I find a bit strange. I like to commemorate Passover and Yom Kippur, but that has just rubbed off on me from Jewish friends. I wouldn't be opposed for having a more standardized Mormon calendar

Nope.

Pioneer Day- NOW we are talking about a feast day!  All the hot dogs you can eat! 

[saemo]

I have to admit, I didn't have a very favorable view of the Catholic celebrations after serving in the Philippines. I saw a people who were spiritually malnourished and knew next to nothing about their own religion and faith. They used these holy seasons as an excuse to get loud and drunk while some people carried around really scary looking (grim reaper style) statues down the street in a huge procession. I saw a people who were as worldly as they wanted to be for 363 days out of the year and suddenly became very religious for 2 days and attended church on those days. Unfortunately, the majority of the Catholics that I met did not know or understand the beauty and depth of their religion and religious celebrations.

I discovered the deeper and more profound side of Catholicism after serving my mission from studying about contemplative prayer as taught in the Benedictine tradition. My wife and I purchased an advent book and followed the calendar with a new spiritual thought for each day. I must admit, that I have never had a more spiritual Christmas season in all of my life. The messages were deeply touching. We are life long adventers! I haven't experienced lent, I will have to try that one out. I have to admit that I am a little envious of these traditions now.

Catholicism is not a homogenous culture. Every country, and even regions within countries, will have specific feast days that are not emphasized in other countries or regions.

There are several people in my parish who are originally from the Philippines, who are people of deep faith and devotion to Christ. But yes, I hear from Mormon converts at times that the free flow of wine at Catholic gatherings is alarming to them. Others feel more relaxed not having to worry about what other people are drinking. I can see both POV.

But Lent, no, Lent is not a time for partying. It is a time of fasting, prayer and alms giving.The Church will not even perform weddings or baptisms during Lent (unless a specific case warrants permission to do so). So on the flip side, people who move to Utah from a "Catholic"country like the Philippines, it takes a little explaination to why the community is not observing Lent and acting like every day is a day to invite us to parties. Particulary Good Friday, where Catholics from the Philippines would expect everything to be closed, no one working, and everyone at Church. But the opposite is, everything is open and your office mates plan pizza parties, on a day of fasting! Maybe it is an indication of the spiritual desert that is Utah,

Different cultures do different things. Catholics have solemn Holy days and seasons, but we aren't solemn all of the time. Celebrations are integral to our faith, the largest celebration being Easter Sunday.

Edited March 10, 2014 by saemo

[Damien the Leper]

A friend and I are reading and studying Jesus of Nazareth: Holy Week: From the Entrance Into Jerusalem to the Resurrection by Pope Benedict XVI. This book packs a powerful punch and is very humbling. Lent is a season of penance and deep reflection for me. I use it to further intensify my relationship with God.

[Damien the Leper]

I am often surprised at how few people know what Mardi Gras is actually celebrating, or what "Carnival" (carne, meat) is all about.  I'm glad your daughter served you pancakes on the proper day

 

 

 

Any particular reason it is Russian?  Did you serve a mission in post-Soviet Russia?  Or just interested in Russian Orthodoxy?

 

This brings up another question (for any).  In countries where the Eastern Orthodox calendar dictates Easter, do Mormons celebrate Easter at that time or do they follow the Western calendar?

 

The Eastern Orthodox throw me off a bit. I am reading up on Roman apologetics and I'm beginning to understand why Rome doesn't recognise the lawfullness of the Orthodox, Anglican and Lutheran claims to apostolic authority. However, Rome does appear to recognise it as sacramentally valid.

[daz2]

The current correlation philosophy and objective of the Church is that the religion be lived "on the ground" essentially the same way in all countries and places.  Thus, if we officially began to observe a liturgical calendar, it would need to be the same in all countries and places and fairly uniform in the manner of celebration.  That would require manuals and education and explanation and training of leaders and members and new procedures and perhaps types of meetings.  I think it would take a lot of work to add a liturgical calendar and celebrations in a correlated way.

 

As individuals and groups we are free to observe liturgical calendars and attend services where we like (it is not an act of apostasy to attend a Christmas eve mass or services in another faith).  We are also free to observe Passover, Ramadam, the Hindu Festival of Lights.  We could probably organize ward activities or parties around them (our ward has a Cinco de Mayo party every year, one year the Young Women organized a Passover Seder).

[MiserereNobis]

The Eastern Orthodox throw me off a bit. I am reading up on Roman apologetics and I'm beginning to understand why Rome doesn't recognise the lawfullness of the Orthodox, Anglican and Lutheran claims to apostolic authority. However, Rome does appear to recognise it as sacramentally valid.

 

Actually, the Church of Rome does recognize the Orthodox claim to Apostolic succession and authority -- this is why all the Sacraments in Orthodoxy are considered valid.  Rome does not recognize Anglican or Lutheran, however.

 

The problems between Rome and Orthodoxy are mainly ecclesiastical nature (the relationship of the bishops, the primacy and supremacy of Peter/Rome, etc) more so than theological.  The Eastern Catholic Churches are a good example of this.  They are basically identical to the Orthodox Churches in liturgy and theology, except that they also accept the Pope as the supreme Bishop of the Church.