The Lutheran version of the Rosary

[Confessional Lutheran]

This isn't often done by Lutherans, but there are some Confessional Lutherans who see these meditations on the Life, Death, Resurrection and Ascension of Jesus Christ as an aid to worship.

How to Pray the Rosary as a Lutheran

Many within the Lutheran Church encourages members to pray the rosary. Lutherans follow a similar format of the rosary as the Roman Catholics, but, pray the Rosary in an evangelical manner considered faithful to the Gospel as expressed by Lutherans.

The Lutheran Rosary is not prayed to Mary, but, does include prayers of praise regarding Mary that come from Scripture. These prayers offer appropriate devotion to the Mother of God. These are referenced later.


Pray the Lutheran Rosary Step 1

Begin by touching the crucifix and pray The Sign of the Cross.

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

(As you say this, with your right hand touch your forehead when you say Father, touch your breastbone when you say Son, touch your left shoulder when you say Holy, and touch your right shoulder when you say Spirit.)

Pray the Lutheran Rosary Step 2 Pray The Apostles' Creed.

I believe in God, the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth. And in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, and born of the virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, who was crucified, died and was buried. He descended into hell. On the third day He rose again from the dead. He ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of the Father. From thence He will come to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.

Pray the Lutheran Rosary Step 3 On the first large rosary bead, pray the Our Father.

Our Father, Who art in Heaven, hallowed be Thy Name. Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in Heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Amen.

Pray the Lutheran Rosary Step 4

On each of the next three beads, pray the Jesus Prayer:

Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy upon me, a sinner.

Pray the Lutheran Rosary Step 5

On the next large bead, pray Glory Be To the Father:

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit; as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen.

Pray the Lutheran Rosary Step 6 Announce the Meditation

On the first rosary bead, pray the Our Father. On each of the next ten beads, pray the Jesus Prayer.

On the next large bead, pray a Glory Be To The Father. Pray the Lutheran Rosary Step 7

Repeat the previous six steps for each of the remaining Mysteries as you work your way around the rosary beads.

Pray the Lutheran Rosary Step 8

Either pray a Pre-Trent Hail Mary, a part of the Magnificat, or Martin Luther's Evangelical praise of the Mother of God or all three if you wish.


Pre-Trent Hail Mary

Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus Christ. Amen. (Luke 1:28, AKJV)

The Magnificat

“My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has looked with favor on the lowliness of his servant. Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed; for the Mighty One has done great things for me, and holy is his name. His mercy is for those who fear him from generation to generation. He has shown strength with his arm; he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts. He has brought down the powerful from their thrones, and lifted up the lowly; he has filled the hungry with good things, and sent the rich away empty. He has helped his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy, according to the promise he made to our ancestors, to Abraham and to his descendants forever.” (Luke 1: 46b-55, NRSV)

Martin Luther’s Evangelical Praise of the Mother of God

O Blessed Virgin, Mother of God, what great comfort God has shown us in you, by so graciously regarding your unworthiness and low estate. This encourages us to believe that henceforth He will not despise us poor and lowly ones, but graciously regard us also, according to your example. Amen

Pray the Lutheran Rosary Step 12 End with the Sign of the Cross.

—————————————————- You do not actually need a Rosary, You can pray the Rosary on your fingers or by using another method of counting.

If you are nervous about an upcoming event silently say just a decade in your head as you drive there or wait in line for your turn. It is very relaxing to know that Jesus Christ is there for you. Say a decade for an individual in need. All you need to do is mention the name of the person at the end of the decade. (i.e. Oh Lord I lift up this decade of the rosary for (persons name) because (certain circumstance that calls for prayer.

http://www.pivotpointministries.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/Praying-The-Lutheran-Rosary.pdf

 

[MoreCoffee]

An interesting prayer discipline

 

[Confessional Lutheran]

An interesting prayer discipline

It isn't terribly widespread. Some regard it as an adiaphora and use it on occasion ( really High Church Lutheran types) and others consider it " Too Roman" and fiercely disagree with its use.

 

[Tigger]

I've done it many times. I hang mine from my rear view mirror for easy access.

 

[Confessional Lutheran]

I've done it many times. I hang mine from my rear view mirror for easy access.

I keep mine in my top dresser drawer. I spoke to my Lutheran pastor before I started using it and he said it was all right, as long as I didn't try to claim it was " essential" for Salvation.

 

[Tigger]

I like to pick one mystery and repeat it trough out the prayer. I'm hoping to get more meditative effects by not stopping and going to the next mystery selection.

 

[Josiah]

I've been 2 or 3 variations of Lutheran Rosaries.....

I think it is extremely rare.... and of course, it is totally optional.....

In my Catholic days, I was never really "into" the Rosary. I have a beautiful one and I know how to do it, but never was a part of my spiritual practice.


Interesting Sidepoint: I was homeschooled and this was done via a big Baptist school. We used their curriculum and testing (etc. ) was done by them. We met, as a group, weekly. The one who coordinated my group happened to be a minister at the church, as well as a teacher in the school. The students in my group where overwhelmingly but not exclusively "Evangelical". Anyway, as the resident Catholic, one day discussions came to the Rosary (and the whole "Mary is God" thing). Anyway, I offered to bring in my Rosary and lead them through it. The leader ( a Baptist minsiter) was actually quite open and curious about this! So I did. Next time, I brought it in and lead them through the common process. They were pretty surprised. Sure, of course, they had "issues" with the "pray for me now" etc. but mostly they were surprised by all the Scriptures and the Lord's Prayer and the Creed. They had a MUCH more open view of the whole thing when they actually knew what it was. And of course, I shared it as TOTALLY optional (and something I rarely did). And yes, we talked about how Protestants might embrace similar things. And they thought my Rosary was pretty (it is, LOL).

You know, the original Reformation was not about "throwing the baby out with the bathwater." It was about getting the focus back on the Cross. Just because something is "Catholic" doesn't make it BAD!!! If that were the case, none of us would believe in the Trinity or the Two Natures ... none of use would be worshiping on Sunday.... we wouldn't be reading the Bible in church or singing in church.

 

[Albion]

A couple of thoughts about the Lutheran rosary FWIW--

The Lutheran rosary ought not to be called a rosary since that word is derived from the idea that the petitioner is presenting a spiritual bouquet (of roses) to the Virgin Mary. The Catholic or "Dominican" rosary is, by definition, a devotion directed towards Mary.

The arrangement of the beads appears to be exactly the same as the Dominican rosary, but the prayers that are offered are, of course, different. It might be interesting to compare this Lutheran rosary to Anglican Prayer Beads which, I suspect, gave rise to the idea that Lutherans might use some device of this sort, too. Anglican Prayer Beads have their own, different, configuration of the beads and no pre-assigned prayers.

There is, I believe, already a kind of Lutheran prayer bead set that was devised for use during Lent, not for everyday use, and it has a special arrangement of beads. Do any of you who are interested in the Lutheran rosary know about that? I have the feeling that it's not much used since the Lutherans I've spoken with are not familiar with it.

 

[Confessional Lutheran]

A couple of thoughts about the Lutheran rosary FWIW--

The Lutheran rosary ought not to be called a rosary since that word is derived from the idea that the petitioner is presenting a spiritual bouquet (of roses) to the Virgin Mary. The Catholic or "Dominican" rosary is, by definition, a devotion directed towards Mary.

The arrangement of the beads appears to be exactly the same as the Dominican rosary, but the prayers that are offered are, of course, different. It might be interesting to compare this Lutheran rosary to Anglican Prayer Beads which, I suspect, gave rise to the idea that Lutherans might use some device of this sort, too. Anglican Prayer Beads have their own, different, configuration of the beads and no pre-assigned prayers.

There is, I believe, already a kind of Lutheran prayer bead set that was devised for use during Lent, not for everyday use, and it has a special arrangement of beads. Do any of you who are interested in the Lutheran rosary know about that? I have the feeling that it's not much used since the Lutherans I've spoken with are not familiar with it.

To be honest, this Lenten Lutheran prayer bead set that you mention is entirely unknown to me. I do appreciate the meditations offered by the Lutheran ( if not a Rosary, then what should I call it? Meditative Prayer?) beads that are arranged in a similar style to the Dominican Rosary. Yesterday, I had cause to utilize that prayer tool in the face of the death and destruction that one lunatic rained down on a Country Music event Sunday night. Prayers ascending for those who have lost loved ones that evil night.

 

[Albion]

Those were just some thoughts relating to the topic. I don't know anything more about the Lenten beads, but you might locate something online and find it interesting. I suppose I'd call all of these devices "prayer beads," but few people ever give a thought to where the word Rosary comes from, so that's what most people will call them regardless, Anglicans included, even when they decline to use the Hail Mary prayer but have substituted the Jesus Prayer for it, as was described earlier in this thread.

 

[MennoSota]

How is the rosary any different than a pagan tribal member praying to his dead ancestors?

 

[Albion]

How is the rosary any different than a pagan tribal member praying to his dead ancestors?

Are you referring to the famous Catholic or Dominican rosary in particular, and not to some of the other prayer bead sets that have been mentioned here?

 

[Confessional Lutheran]

How is the rosary any different than a pagan tribal member praying to his dead ancestors?

Meditating on the life, death, resurrection and ascension of Jesus Christ while saying the Lord's Prayer, ten recitations of the Jesus Prayer and then the Glory Be is quite different from praying to one's dead ancestors. One is praying to the Living God.

 

[MoreCoffee]

How is the rosary any different than a pagan tribal member praying to his dead ancestors?

Do you have such extensive experience of pagan ancestor worship that you have become an authority on the subject? If not how will you decide the answer to your question?

For example how did pagans pray to their ancestors? Did they ask their ancestors to pray to Jehovah on their behalf?

In the rosary the prayer most often said if "Holy Mary, mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death".

 

[MennoSota]

Do you have such extensive experience of pagan ancestor worship that you have become an authority on the subject? If not how will you decide the answer to your question?

For example how did pagan pray to their ancestors? Did they ask their ancestors to pray to Jehovah on their behalf?

In the rosary the prayer most often said if "Holy Mary, mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death".

The Ojibwe indeed call on their ancestors to pray to the Great Spirit on their behalf.
The RC co-opted pagan beliefs and incorporated them into their own traditions...even though the Bible gives zero indication for one to call on dead ancestors or church defined saints.

 

[MoreCoffee]

The Ojibwe indeed call on their ancestors to pray to the Great Spirit on their behalf.
The RC co-opted pagan beliefs and incorporated them into their own traditions...even though the Bible gives zero indication for one to call on dead ancestors or church defined saints.

Some Protestant people say the sort of thing that you've said above but it doesn't have much factual backing. Catholic people do have things in common with pagan people - lots of things - and so to Protestant people. Pagans were not the enemy of Christ. Pagans were the people who the gospel was preached to after the leaders of the Jews organised persecutions for Christians in Judea and the surrounding territories within the Roman empire. Most of the letters in the new testament are addressed to people who converted from paganism to Christianity. In fact the first church council was about pagan converts and how to handle the differences in culture between them and kosher keeping Jewish converts. So we have Christianity today derived in part from pagan cultures and in part from Jewish culture but with the predominant numbers being from pagan cultural backgrounds so it is no wonder that the Catholic Church did what the first church council did by choosing only a small number of non-negotiable things (avoiding blood in foods and drinks, sexual immorality, and idolatry). So if a Greek convert wanted to read Philosophy he/she was free to do so and only needed to avoid the things mentioned in Acts 15. If a Spanish convert wanted to heard swine they were free to do so. If a Roman convert wanted to have only one wife as Roman law required then he'd be free to have only one wife while a Syrian or a Jewish convert may have more than one wife. As for what the holy scriptures say about praying for the dead and asking the angels and departed saints to pray for us I remind you that Catholic Christians regard Second Maccabees as holy scripture and also that even Jews today pray for the dead (though as far as I know today's Jews do not ask the departed to pray for them). You might reject the following passage but Catholic Christians do not.

On the next day, as had now become necessary, Judas and his men went to take up the bodies of the fallen and to bring them back to lie with their kindred in the sepulchres of their ancestors. Then under the tunic of each one of the dead they found sacred tokens of the idols of Jamnia, which the law forbids the Jews to wear. And it became clear to all that this was the reason these men had fallen. So they all blessed the ways of the Lord, the righteous judge, who reveals the things that are hidden; and they turned to supplication, praying that the sin that had been committed might be wholly blotted out. The noble Judas exhorted the people to keep themselves free from sin, for they had seen with their own eyes what had happened as the result of the sin of those who had fallen. He also took up a collection, man by man, to the amount of two thousand drachmas of silver, and sent it to Jerusalem to provide for a sin-offering. In doing this he acted very well and honourably, taking account of the resurrection. For if he were not expecting that those who had fallen would rise again, it would have been superfluous and foolish to pray for the dead. But if he was looking to the splendid reward that is laid up for those who fall asleep in godliness, it was a holy and pious thought. Therefore he made atonement for the dead, so that they might be delivered from their sin. 2 Maccabees 12:39-45​

In ancient Israel when the psalms were sung and recited in the temple these words were part of the worship of the people in that place

The LORD has established his throne in the heavens, and his kingdom rules over all. Bless the LORD, O you his angels, you mighty ones who do his bidding, obedient to his spoken word. Bless the LORD, all his hosts, his ministers that do his will. Bless the LORD, all his works, in all places of his dominion. Bless the LORD, O my soul. Psalms 103:19-22​

Israel invoked the angels and the hosts of heaven to praise the LORD, and since praise is a component of prayer it is hard to deny that invoking the angels to pray to God is a godly and proper part of Christian worship because Christians count the psalms as canonical scripture.

 

[MennoSota]

Some Protestant people say the sort of thing that you've said above but it doesn't have much factual backing. Catholic people do have things in common with pagan people - lots of things - and so to Protestant people. Pagans were not the enemy of Christ. Pagans were the people who the gospel was preached to after the leaders of the Jews organised persecutions for Christians in Judea and the surrounding territories within the Roman empire. Most of the letters in the new testament are addressed to people who converted from paganism to Christianity. In fact the first church council was about pagan converts and how to handle the differences in culture between them and kosher keeping Jewish converts. So we have Christianity today derived in part from pagan cultures and in part from Jewish culture but with the predominant numbers being from pagan cultural backgrounds so it is no wonder that the Catholic Church did what the first church council did by choosing only a small number of non-negotiable things (avoiding blood in foods and drinks, sexual immorality, and idolatry). So if a Greek convert wanted to read Philosophy he/she was free to do so and only needed to avoid the things mentioned in Acts 15. If a Spanish convert wanted to heard swine they were free to do so. If a Roman convert wanted to have only one wife as Roman law required then he'd be free to have only one wife while a Syrian or a Jewish convert may have more than one wife. As for what the holy scriptures say about praying for the dead and asking the angels and departed saints to pray for us I remind you that Catholic Christians regard Second Maccabees as holy scripture and also that even Jews today pray for the dead (though as far as I know today's Jews do not ask the departed to pray for them). You might reject the following passage but Catholic Christians do not.

On the next day, as had now become necessary, Judas and his men went to take up the bodies of the fallen and to bring them back to lie with their kindred in the sepulchres of their ancestors. Then under the tunic of each one of the dead they found sacred tokens of the idols of Jamnia, which the law forbids the Jews to wear. And it became clear to all that this was the reason these men had fallen. So they all blessed the ways of the Lord, the righteous judge, who reveals the things that are hidden; and they turned to supplication, praying that the sin that had been committed might be wholly blotted out. The noble Judas exhorted the people to keep themselves free from sin, for they had seen with their own eyes what had happened as the result of the sin of those who had fallen. He also took up a collection, man by man, to the amount of two thousand drachmas of silver, and sent it to Jerusalem to provide for a sin-offering. In doing this he acted very well and honourably, taking account of the resurrection. For if he were not expecting that those who had fallen would rise again, it would have been superfluous and foolish to pray for the dead. But if he was looking to the splendid reward that is laid up for those who fall asleep in godliness, it was a holy and pious thought. Therefore he made atonement for the dead, so that they might be delivered from their sin. 2 Maccabees 12:39-45​

In ancient Israel when the psalms were sung and recited in the temple these words were part of the worship of the people in that place

The LORD has established his throne in the heavens, and his kingdom rules over all. Bless the LORD, O you his angels, you mighty ones who do his bidding, obedient to his spoken word. Bless the LORD, all his hosts, his ministers that do his will. Bless the LORD, all his works, in all places of his dominion. Bless the LORD, O my soul. Psalms 103:19-22​

Israel invoked the angels and the hosts of heaven to praise the LORD, and since praise is a component of prayer it is hard to deny that invoking the angels to pray to God is a godly and proper part of Christian worship because Christians count the psalms as canonical scripture.

All humans are in rebellion to God. Not one seeks God, not even one. All are like filthy rags. All have gone astray.
Conversion is a man-made term that is foreign to the Bible.
What the Bible says is that God adopts people to be his children even while they are in rebellion.

The entire concept of praying to another mediator is unbiblical. Paul tells us in his letter to Timothy that there is one mediator between God and man...Jesus.

 

[MoreCoffee]

All humans are in rebellion to God. Not one seeks God, not even one. All are like filthy rags. All have gone astray.
Conversion is a man-made term that is foreign to the Bible.
What the Bible says is that God adopts people to be his children even while they are in rebellion.

The entire concept of praying to another mediator is unbiblical. Paul tells us in his letter to Timothy that there is one mediator between God and man...Jesus.

It is in the bible.

Tobit 14:6 Then the nations in the whole world will all be converted and worship God in truth. They will all abandon their idols, which deceitfully have led them into their error;

Matthew 23:15 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you cross sea and land to make a single convert, and you make the new convert twice as much a child of hell as yourselves.

Romans 16:5 Greet also the church in their house. Greet my beloved Epaenetus, who was the first convert in Asia for Christ.

1 Timothy 3:6 He must not be a recent convert, or he may be puffed up with conceit and fall into the condemnation of the devil.

Acts 15:3 So they were sent on their way by the church, and as they passed through both Phoenicia and Samaria, they reported the conversion of the Gentiles, and brought great joy to all the believers.
​

 

[Albion]

The entire concept of praying to another mediator is unbiblical. Paul tells us in his letter to Timothy that there is one mediator between God and man...Jesus.

Sooo, although the discussion took off before you replied to my post #12, you WERE speaking of the Catholic rosary and not the various other prayer bead sets that have been mentioned on this thread. None of these others is a devotion directed to anyone but God himself.

 

[MennoSota]

It is in the bible.

Tobit 14:6 Then the nations in the whole world will all be converted and worship God in truth. They will all abandon their idols, which deceitfully have led them into their error;

Matthew 23:15 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you cross sea and land to make a single convert, and you make the new convert twice as much a child of hell as yourselves.

Romans 16:5 Greet also the church in their house. Greet my beloved Epaenetus, who was the first convert in Asia for Christ.

1 Timothy 3:6 He must not be a recent convert, or he may be puffed up with conceit and fall into the condemnation of the devil.

Acts 15:3 So they were sent on their way by the church, and as they passed through both Phoenicia and Samaria, they reported the conversion of the Gentiles, and brought great joy to all the believers.
​

Not one of those verses talks about praying to the saints. Secondly, the apocryphal books are not inspired. They were included only because of politics, not because they met any criterion of inspiration. I will reject any quotation from non-inspired texts.