The Chief Divine Service

Friedrich Lochner wrote one of the best studies on the Chief Divine Service for the Lutheran Church. His work in liturgy and hymnology as a founding father of the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod, was foundational to worship life in the LCMS. A full manuscript of his work in English, including the part on music in the liturgy, has never been released in one book before now. This foundational work should be read by all: from theology students and pastors to musicians and lay people.

This authoritative translation includes all of Lochner's original material, including practices that may no longer be observed in modern culture. Original page numbers have been kept to allow for easy reading alongside the original German text. Translations of liturgical texts have been adapted to the wording of Lutheran Service Book, with some notations to allow the reader to see differences between the source material and translation.