• Doctrine

    Worship and Eternity

    By Elisabeth Urtel He handed each student a Lutheran Service Book, and instructed us to open it to a random page.  “Try to find a hymn that doesn’t end up in heaven.” Each of us in the church music class tried, but every example we landed on mentioned eternal life in some way.  Finally, a student thought she had found one, but as a class we located a heavenward reference in a middle verse.  My professor then used this to explain one mark of a strong Lutheran hymn:  it recognizes that the singers are not only the Church Militant, but also the future Church Triumphant. Go find your hymnal, and try…