Concept
Low church
Overview
In Anglican Christianity, the term low church refers to those who give little emphasis to ritual, often having an emphasis on preaching, individual salvation, and personal conversion. The term is most often used in a liturgical sense, denoting a Protestant emphasis, whereas high church denotes an emphasis on ritual, often Anglo-Catholic (with respect to Anglicanism) and Evangelical Catholic (with respect to Lutheranism).
The term was initially pejorative. During the series of doctrinal and ecclesiastic challenges to the established church in the 17th century, commentators and others – who favoured the theology, worship, and hierarchical structure of Anglicanism (such as the episcopate) as the true form of Christianity – began referring to that outlook (and the related practices) as high church, and by the early 18th century those theologians and politicians who sought more reform in the English church and a greater liberalisation of church structure were in contrast called low church.
To an outsider, the difference between high church and low church may not be immediately obvious. There is a strong tradition of spiritual flexibility in Anglicanism, and many churches do not wish to exclude those who prefer one or the other. Most local churches do not identify as one or the other, and may try to accommodate many forms of worship. Churches that are more lax in ritual generally do not advertise as such, and the vast majority of Anglican churches, including most low church congregations, follow some kind of fixed liturgy. Low-church congregations, however, typically have plainer-looking churches, prefer modern language, have some aspects of contemporary worship, and include more roles for laypersons during service. One definite indicator of a low-church parish is infrequent services for performing sacraments such as the Eucharist. Many low-church parishes are strongly influenced by evangelicalism and individual religious experience, resulting in a tradition called Evangelical Anglicanism.
Overview adapted from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0; see the article history for authors).
Possible passages
Found by search and not yet checked by a person; they may only mention the idea in passing.
While the Church, in the strict sense of the word, is the "communion of saints" and therefore _one_, yet outwardly it has become divided, in the course of time, into many different churches, denominations, and sects. It contains Four Great Branches: _The Greek Catholic Church_; _The Roman Catholic Church_; _The Evangelical Lutheran Church_; and _The Reformed Churches_, comprising a great number of denominations and…
Martin Luther, An Explanation of Luther's Small Catechism
States what Low church is.
"Piety," again, or, as the Greeks say, εὐσέβεια, is commonly understood as the proper designation of the worship of God. Yet this word also is used of dutifulness to parents. The common people, too, use it of works of charity, which, I suppose, arises from the circumstance that God enjoins the performance of such works, and declares that He is pleased with them instead of, or in preference to sacrifices. From this…
of Hippo Augustine, The City of God, Volume I
States what Low church is.
This common prayer is precious and the most powerful, [Isa. 56:7] and it is for its sake that we come together. For this reason also the Church is called a House of Prayer [Matt. 21:13], because in it we are as a congregation with one accord to consider our need and the needs of all men, present than before God, and call upon Him for mercy.
Martin Luther, Works of Martin Luther, with Introductions and Notes
States what Low church is.
Related ideas
- Evangelicalism
- Anglicanism
- Pietism
- Methodism
- Lutheranism
- Puritans
- Presbyterianism
- Religious conversion
- Protestantism
- Orthodoxy
- State religion
- Bible
- Mystical or religious experience
- Christianity
- Church of England
- Reformed Christianity
Opposing perspectives
Place in the tradition
Part of Korean philosophy.