The Holiness of God in Sacrificial Worship in Leviticus Dr John Kleinig pt 1

Participation in God’s Holiness in the Divine Service According to Leviticus Dr John W Kleinig pt1 Introduction to Leviticus 1. Its relevance • Student from New Guinea about Lutherans in the USA: “For them nothing is sacred any longer.” • Loss of a sense of holiness in the western world: effect of the Enlightenment • Sense of contamination from our bodies: see Mary Douglas • Modern obsession with pollution and natural purity Infection as impurity: germs as dirty in modern thought Racial purity: Hitler Ecological movement • Modern contempt for ritual 2. Its use • Lack of use in the church: only Lev 19:1, 2, 15-18 for Proper 25 in the three year lectionary • Importance of Leviticus for Jews: centre of the Hebrew Bible • Usefulness in our mission to animists, Muslims, Buddhists and Hindus After serving as a lecturer at the Australian Lutheran College, formerly Luther Seminary, since 1982, John Kleinig retired from full time teaching at the end of 2009 and is now engaged in writing a commentary on Hebrews. He was born in 1942 and grew up on a farm in the Barossa Valley which may account for his love of red wine. John has served the Lutheran Church of Australia in a number of official capacities. He has been a member (1983-2009) and chairperson (1993-2006) of Commission on Worship; a member (1990-1993,1997-2009) and vice chairperson (2003-2009) of the Commission of Theology and Interchurch Relations; a Lutheran representative on the Australian Consultation on Liturgy (1992-2003); and a member of the Lutheran Reformed Dialogue (1982-1996) and its co-chairperson (1992-1996). His long involvement in the Commission of Worship culminated in the preparation and production with others of Church rites (edited by David Schubert, Openbook Publishers, Adelaide, 1994), Rites and resources for pastoral care (edited by David Schubert, Openbook Publishers, Adelaide, 1998), and LCA worship resources (Lutheran Church of Asutralia, North Adelaide, 1998-2001). This course was given at Cedar Falls, Iowa as part of a Concordia Seminary, Fort Wayne continuing education week for pastors, from 18-22 August 2014.