From Liturgical Action to Devotional Act

Abstract

The Reformation, with his key role in many areas of the human life, had the greatest in?uence on spirituality. It changed the old fashioned, limited and priest centered medieval religiosity into a free, personal and joyful piety. It uncovered the forgotten, Christ initiates spirituality and prayer mode. This paper presents three major „novatio”s in terms of piety, more exactly in the relationship between God and men: 1. The Reformation abolished every mechanical practice, every „opus operatum” in prayer. 2. The second innovation consists of Luther’s advice to pray freely and personally. He led the people to a conscious supplication and meditation. 3. The third and the most important innovation is the ceasing of the priest’s mediating role. The believer can pray and confess directly to God without the help of any human confessor or priest.
KEY WORDS: Reformation, prayer, spirituality, mediation, clergy, free prayer, Bible-prayer, mechanical, indulgence, liturgical