Last night (2/18) was the first Ash Wednesday service that I presided over at my new church, Trinity Lutheran Church. In fact, if my memory serves, it also the FIRST TIME I attended an Ash Wednesday service. So the day contained a couple of first for me.
As I prepared to both participate and preside over the service I was able to reflect over the meaning of the service, for me as well those who were participating. One questions kept coming to mind: why do many churches do not have an Ash Wednesday service at all? No church (5 in total by the time I was 42) has a service. These churches were all Protestant evangelical - a mixture of Southern Baptist, Bible , and non-denominational churches. I have a hard time believing that my experience was atypical. I'm sure there are some exceptions, but they are just that - exceptions. My guess as to why? I have two. First, I think these evangelical churches are reacting against what they see as an unnecessary, or even a dangerous liturgical practice. To say it a different say, once you have a Ash Wednesday service you are on a slippery slope towards Catholicism. Since evangelicals often define themselves over and against the Roman Catholic tradition - any practice that looks Catholic is completely avoided. Second, Ash Wednesday involves a sense of humility (Philippians 2) and reflection on one's own mortality; both topics are hard to deal with for anyone, evangelical or otherwise. When it is not a part of your tradition to reflect, people are not apt to engage in the reflection (generally speaking).
As I prepared to both participate and preside over the service I was able to reflect over the meaning of the service, for me as well those who were participating. One questions kept coming to mind: why do many churches do not have an Ash Wednesday service at all? No church (5 in total by the time I was 42) has a service. These churches were all Protestant evangelical - a mixture of Southern Baptist, Bible , and non-denominational churches. I have a hard time believing that my experience was atypical. I'm sure there are some exceptions, but they are just that - exceptions. My guess as to why? I have two. First, I think these evangelical churches are reacting against what they see as an unnecessary, or even a dangerous liturgical practice. To say it a different say, once you have a Ash Wednesday service you are on a slippery slope towards Catholicism. Since evangelicals often define themselves over and against the Roman Catholic tradition - any practice that looks Catholic is completely avoided. Second, Ash Wednesday involves a sense of humility (Philippians 2) and reflection on one's own mortality; both topics are hard to deal with for anyone, evangelical or otherwise. When it is not a part of your tradition to reflect, people are not apt to engage in the reflection (generally speaking).
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