Baptism, the Mass, and the Embodiment of Luther’s Neighbourly Theology

The year 1526 was an important one for Luther’s liturgical reforms, with the publication of both the Deutsche Messe (German Mass) and the newly revised Taufbüchlein (Baptismal Booklet). Both these texts deal with ritual practices that incarnate and externalize Luther’s neighbourly theology (the move from freedom to service, which are the ethical implications of Luther’s Christology) by (1) prioritizing contextualization that prevents imposing uniformity, (2) making practices accessible to people across the spectrum of faith development, and (3) seeking unity and familiarity when they are done in love. This paper investigates how Luther’s liturgical reforms are concrete examples of Luther’s neighbourly theology and can continue to impact the proclamation of the gospel today. Embodying Luther’s neighbourly theology may mean expanding liturgical practices beyond inherited practices, keeping Luther's concerns in mind, so that freedom, unity, and love are held together in practice – “to the glory of God and the neighbor’s good.”