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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.