Liturgy is gaining popularity again. It has wide appeal to emergent communities because it seems to make the sacred accessable, and hearkens back to a time where the church seemed to be more…pure…authentic. Whether this is a passing trend remains to be seen. I hope it isn’t! Liturgy has much to offer, and I continue to grow in my appreciation of it.
First, liturgy helps us to keep the facts of faith from becoming muddled. The Apostles and Nicene creeds and hymns like the Nunc Dimmitis and Magnificat witness to a message that doesn’t change with history and trends. Whereas the speed of life seems to narrow our focus to the tyranny of the so-called urgent, what liturgy points to remains unchanged and becomes a vital source for touching the eyes of our hearts and restoring our sight.
Second, liturgy is pedagogy: a repeated reenactment of the redemption story. In this reenactment we are doing more than going through the motions of some kind of divine skit. Redemption happens. Through confession and absolution, scripture readings, the preaching of God’s word, and the celebration of the Lord’s Supper God meets us with his gifts of forgiveness and strength to live our faith. Spiritual amnesia comes easily. The repeated reminder of our need for grace and forgiveness is vital for us to remain what Luther called “pure receivers”. Without this, we so easily drift out of the arena of God’s favor. In a word, liturgy keeps me humble. It doesn’t leave room for the cancer of self-effort.
Greg,
I love your insights on Liturgy. It not only makes the sacred accessable, it also seems to make the accessable more sacred! I’m missing our face to face fellowship. We are cleaning the den today in preparation for the Christmas tree. My son and his girlfriend are here to help us ready the house for the Holidays. Went to my mom’s Christmas party and hung out with my siblings last Sat night. It was a really neat time of fellowship and guitars. I will write you a long one soon, I was just taking a break and wanted to let you know I haven’t dropped off the planet. May God bless you and your family this Christmas. In Jesus, Kevin<
I’m blessed to hear from you, Kevin! Keep pressing forward with worship ministry!
Greg my good friend. just checking out your blog…very cool. i miss you man. hopefully i’ll see you in ‘09. have a great new year! I’ve got a link to your blog on my blog (davefrincke.com/redsea) also on WordPress. peace, Dave Frinckster
One additional thought – Liturgy helps to make the sacred more accessible and the accessible more sacred- on these two things I agree to a lesser or greater degree (depending upon which day you might ask) – the really important thing in all of this is not to allow the accessible thing the become familiar. As we know, “familiarity breeds contempt” or as a good friend of mine once observed “Once one possesses a thing, he tends to lose it.” Rather than a pathway to true worship, liturgy can become the object of the worship. In the same way, when we abandon liturgy in hopes of making things accessible we risk loosing their value because of their familiarity.
Having so rambled upon your pages – just wanted to say, “Hi Greg” – thought I’d give you a blast from your past. Blessings.
mkg
Well Mike…shiver me timbers! Its SO good to hear from you! I fully agree that liturgy can become idolatry in the same way that “free” worship can. The challenges are rather similar. Both can lead to an unhealthy familiarity. Both can lead to arrogance. The edge I see in liturgy is the acknowledgement that God is present regardless of the state of our emotions. The heart of the matter is the worshipper’s heart and spirit stirred by the transcendant experience of spirit and truth. Both styles of worship can miss this. Maybe that’s what you were getting at. I spent many years playing in worship bands, taught at worship conferences and all that stuff…but have longed for more theological substance in recent years. Though I still have a great love for guitar and “rattling the rafters” now and again. God’s peace, dear brother!
It’s that “theological substance” that is the heart of the matter. In so many circle today the weakness and frailty in people’s lives can be directly linked to the lack of theological substance. The strain that runs through the church today that “it doesn’t matter what you believe” has led to the shattering of so many lives. We are so prone to idolatry (as were those who’ve gone before us – even in the wilderness) that we start shaping golden calves the minute we get our hands on anything. Bless you my friend and may the richness of His mercy abound in your life working miracles beyond what you can think or imagine! mkg