Why not add the doxology to Lord's Prayer?

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As a step toward genuine ecumenism, I believe that the hierarchy of the Roman Catholic Church should add the doxology, “For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory, forever and ever, Amen” to the Roman Catholic version of the Lord’s Prayer.

Pope John Paul II has often noted the genuine ecumenism which was promoted by the Second Vatican Council. For him, genuine ecumenism is 'a pastoral priority' (cf. Address, June 28th, 1985). Many times he has echoed the teaching of Vatican II that "division among Christians openly contradicts the will of Christ, scandalizes the world, and damages that most holy cause, the preaching of the Gospel to every creature" (cf. Unitatis Redintegratio no. 1).

By recognizing and validating the ancient practice of concluding a prayer with a doxology (a short, hymn-like verse which exalts the glory of God), the Church would stress the unity of our Catholic and Protestant beliefs in a positive way that will touch people on a personal level.

I fear that because it is such a simple idea, there must be something wrong with it. Yet, as I understand it, most Catholic and Protestant scholars agree on the basics. The earliest manuscripts and early translations of the gospel of Matthew, in which he teaches us how to pray the Lord’s Prayer, do not include the doxology.

On this basis, the Catholic Church insists that the doxology is not a part of the prayer. Protestants counter that the doxology is a part of the prayer, as reflected in later, more accurate translations of the Bible, notably the King James version.

The irony here is palpable. The Catholic Church insists on strict adherence to scripture and the Protestants, perhaps, allow tradition a role. Whatever the historical reasons for the disparity, they pale in comparison to the good that would come from comity.

I am not a theologian. But I believe this truly: Acknowledge the doxology as being an acceptable part of the prayer; scratch off one inconsequential division among Christians; advance the cause of genuine ecumenism; and the world will be a better place.

-- Anthony Cerminaro (anthonyrcerminaro@yahoo.com), November 07, 2004

Answers

bump

-- (bump@bump.bump), November 07, 2004.

I would have to agree with you if the prayer in question were anything other than the Lord's Prayer. Members of the Church have written thousands of different prayers, and probably a hundred or more are in common use by the Church today. Want to add a doxology? Fine, go ahead. But we have one prayer in the Church which was not written by a Church member, but given to us directly by God Himself, in His own words. It seems rather sacrilegeous to add a verse of mere human origin onto that which is of Divine origin. It would be qualitatively somewhat like the Church composing a new book of the Bible, and adding it to the existing text. The Lord's Prayer is the Word of God. The doxology is the words of men. A real mismatch.

As it is, the Church has seen fit to add the doxology to the Mass, but properly set apart by another prayer between, recognizing the value of the doxology, yet assigning it an appropriate place where it will not be confused with the Word of God Himself.

-- Paul M. (PaulCyp@cox.net), November 07, 2004.


Certainly, according to Catholic teaching, there is nothing wrong with praying the doxology at the end of the Our Father (or any other prayer, for that matter) when praying in private (i.e. outside of public liturgy). Generally speaking, the Church does not dictate what to add or remove in private prayers, provided they are doctrinally sound.

As far as public liturgy goes, the Latin Rite of the Catholic Church has come "halfway" and introduced the doxology shortly after the Our Father in the Mass. Because of the need for stability in liturgy, I don't expect any more changes in that vein in the near future.

In the Liturgy of the Hours (Morning & Evening prayer, etc.), the Doxology is added at the end of every single Psalm & Canticle, so I don't think the Church objects in principle to adding a traditional prayer to a prayer taken from the Scriptures.

-- Fr. Terry Donahue, CC (terrydonahue@usa.net), November 12, 2004.


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