Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.3 4.3bsd-beta 6/6/85; site topaz.RUTGERS.EDU Path: utzoo!linus!philabs!cmcl2!harvard!seismo!columbia!topaz!hedrick From: hedrick@topaz.RUTGERS.EDU (Charles Hedrick) Newsgroups: net.religion.christian Subject: Re: why Sunday and not Saturday? Message-ID: <4119@topaz.RUTGERS.EDU> Date: Sat, 26-Oct-85 22:22:32 EST Article-I.D.: topaz.4119 Posted: Sat Oct 26 22:22:32 1985 Date-Received: Thu, 31-Oct-85 05:53:10 EST References: <1228@sphinx.UChicago.UUCP> Organization: Rutgers Univ., New Brunswick, N.J. Lines: 53 The issue of worshipping on Sunday rather than Saturday is more complex than it sounds, as it involves the relationship between Christianity and Judaism. The tradition of what I am a part (Calvinist) answers that the ceremonial parts of the OT Law are not binding upon Christians. Otherwise, we would not only worship on Saturday, but sacrifice animals in temples. The argument is that Christ was the final sacrifice, and that we no longer need the sort of worship commanded in the OT. Rather, we now celebrate Christ's Resurrection. According to this tradition, we are not, as a command from God, required to worship on the Sabbath. However we are well advised to worship regularly, simply because this is conducive to the spiritual welfare of Christians and the Churcn. Calvin, and much of the Reformed tradition, maintained that there is nothing magic about the number 7, nor the particular day. We worship once every 7 days because our society has a basic seven-day cycle. We pick Sunday because it is fitting to celebrate the Resurrection on the day when it occured. In most Reformed creeds, Sunday is referred to as the Lord's Day. Each Lord's Day is thought of as a little Easter. The story as I heard it (which may be more legend than reality) is that many early Christians actually worshipped twice. On the Sabbath (Saturday) they participated in Jewish services. On the Lord's Day (Sunday) they held Christian meetings. However in the pure Calvinist tradition, the Lord's Day is a "free" practice. That is, it is not thought of as a specific commandment, but as something that the Church does because it thinks it a good idea. (For Calvin, it was very important for Christians to realize that in most matters they were free from specific commandments. Christ did not bring a new law. This does not mean that Christians should satisfy every whimsy, as they must still think about what behavior serves God the best. It is unfortunate that later Calvinists managed to become as legalist as any other group.) If for some reason a church found it more convenient to worship on Tuesday, or every 6 days, there would be nothing wrong with that. The Biblical command to worship on the Sabbath has not reattached itself to Sunday. Not all Christians agree on this. In many traditions, Sunday is now referred to as the Sabbath, and worship then is taken to be covered by the Commandment. (It is never explained by what authority the Church could change the Ten Commandments.) In general, the more legalist the tradition, the more likely it is to find Sunday referred to as the Sabbath, and the more strict the prohibitions against doing specific things then. I should not leave you thinking that the Reformed tradition is free of sabbatarianism. The Westminster Confession specifically teaches that Sunday is now the Sabbath. (The Westminster Confession used to be the doctrinal standard for the Presbyterian churches. Happily, it has now been augmented by several other confessions from the Reformed tradition. At least, this is true for the Presbyterian Church (USA). I believe that some of the smaller Presbyterian groups continue to use the Westminster Confession alone.) As you may know, there are a few Christian groups who worship on Saturday, on the sensible grounds that nobody has told *them* that the Ten Commandments have been changed. I am inclined to think that this is the most consistent position to take if you are going to continue with the idea of Sabbath at all.