The Psalter was the prayerbook and hymnal of Israel and is certainly to be used this way in our time as well. Here's an interesting article on that very concept.
Restoring Psalms to Worship
by David T. Koyzis Issue #10
Although Psalm-singing has long been one of the identifying characteristics of the Reformed tradition, the singing of psalms in worship is by no means a Reformed innovation. We share the riches of the biblical psalter with the whole Christian church, as well as with the Jewish synagogue.
Until the eighteenth century, the singing of psalms was nearly universal among Christian churches. Gradually, however, many Protestant churches began replacing psalms with hymns. Soon the psalms were neglected and nearly forgotten. Today the typical Methodist, United, Baptist, or independent congregation does not sing or read psalms in worship—except as part of an occasional responsive reading. Even many Reformed and Presbyterian congregations have ignored the psalms in their liturgies. Where liberalism, pietism, revivalism or rationalism have come to hold sway, the psalms are frequently seen as archaic, irrelevant, or even unchristian.
However, during the past few years many of these churches have begun to follow a common ecumenical lectionary. As a result, their attitude toward psalms is changing.
After the Reformation
Both Luther and Calvin reacted against the Roman derealization of the liturgy. They noted that in the Roman church priest, cantor, and/or choir chanted the psalms. The Reformers placed the psalms back on the lips of the people by translating them into a form that the whole congregation could easily master. In this way the metrical psalm came into general usage.
In the Reformed churches of that era, especially those at Strassburg and Geneva, congregational song was for all practical purposes limited to the biblical psalter. Calvin employed the poetic skills of Clement Marot and Theodore de Beze to translate all the psalms into metrical form for the Genevan Psalter.
Luther also produced metrical versions of some psalms, but these were actually hymns loosely based on the psalms rather than strict versifications. The best known of these hymns is "Ein' feste Burg" ("A Mighty Fortress"), which is based on Psalm 46. Luther never intended that these free interpretations be substituted for the psalms themselves, which in the Lutheran liturgy were still chanted straight from Scripture.
As the liturgical use of metrical psalmody spread throughout those churches influenced by the Reformation, many groups began developing their own psalters. Although often these psalters shared tunes and texts, use of meter varied dramatically.
Churches on the European continent, including the Dutch church, favored using many different meters, producing psalters such as the Genevan Psalter in which the poetic meters varied greatly, requiring tunes that were highly irregular and idiosyncratic. In contrast, churches in England and Scotland tended to sing almost all psalms in the same common meter (8686 iambic).
In this century several North American Reformed denominations collaborated in the production of the 1912 Psalter. Unlike the Genevan Psalter, the 1912 Psalter employed texts set largely to regular meter and thus resembling those psalters originating in the British Isles.
Many psalms in the 1912 Psalter were found in later Reformed hymnals, including the 1955 Hymnbook, the Trinity Hymnal, and the Psalter Hymnal. Through the influence of the 1912 Psalter, even the churches of Dutch origin (e.g., the CRC and the RCA) have inherited the Anglo-Celtic tradition of regular metered psalmody.
However, over the years, through the several revisions of its Psalter Hymnal, the Christian Reformed Church has gradually reintroduced more of its Genevan heritage into the psalter section. In the new Psalter Hymnal forty psalms are set to Genevan melodies. The new Reformed Church in America hymnal, Rejoice in the Lord, has also recovered several Genevan tunes. Other hymnals,such as the Episcopal Hymnal 1982 and the forthcoming Presbyterians (U.S.A.) hymnal, include Genevan tunes as well.
The Place of Psalms in the Liturgy
The psalms have been used in numerous ways in Christian liturgy, at least three of which are familiar to congregations in the Reformed tradition. First, and perhaps most familiar to most of us, is the use of psalms as expressions of the congregation's successive acts of praise, penitence, dedication, and thankfulness. For example, a congregation might begin a service by reciting the votum ("our help is in the name of the LORD") from Psalm 124:8. The minister continues with the greeting and blessing, and the congregation responds by singing a psalm of praise, perhaps Psalm 95 or 150. The service of penitence includes a general confession of sin and/or a penitential psalm, possibly Psalm 51 or 130. Following the declaration of pardon comes the reading of the Law, which may be followed by a sung selection from Psalm 119. And soon throughout the service.
A second way of using the psalms—linking psalms to Scripture text and sermon—is also familiar to Reformed Christians. Though not every text and sermon can be matched precisely with an appropriate psalm, often a minister can find a few verses that will echo something in the text. For example, a congregation might sing Psalm 82 in conjunction with a reading from Amos, where the common emphasis is on doing justice to the poor and weak. Or, thirdly, both psalm and text might be chosen to reflect a particular season or feast of the church year (e.g., Advent, Christmas, Epiphany, Lent, etc.) This third way of using the psalms is closely related to the second and is frequently practiced in our churches. Both of these can be grouped under the broad heading of a "psalm-of-the-day" approach.
A variation of this third way comes with the use of a lectionary oriented to the church year. In recent years many denominations have begun to use the three-year Common Lectionary or some variation thereof. This practice has had the effect not only of increasing the amount of Scripture heard and preached in such churches but also of reviving the liturgical use of psalmody.
Those churches who follow the lectionary read three biblical passages each Sunday, one from the Old Testament, one from the New Testament epistles (including the Acts or the Revelation), and one from the Gospels. In between the reading of the Old and New Testament lessons a Psalm is appointed to be said or sung, one that generally relates in some way to one or more of the lectionary texts. For example, on Christmas Day the appointed Psalm will be either 96, 97 or 98 depending on whether it falls in year A, B, or C in the three-year cycle. On Ash Wednesday Psalm 51 is read every year, as is Psalm 22 on Good Friday. On the first Sunday in Lent Psalms 130, 6, and 91 are read during years A, B and C respectively.
In adopting the new lectionary many churches that have historically been weak in the singing of psalms have now made the psalter an integral part of their liturgies. The lectionary has transformed Roman, Anglican, Lutheran, and other churches into psalm-singing churches. It is becoming increasing less probable that one can attend the liturgy of these churches without hearing at least one psalm. The lectionary is not, of course, the only way to revive the liturgical use of psalmody, but it is a significant means to this end. Moreover, unlike the first way of using the psalms, the "psalm-of-the-day" approach ensures a place for at least one psalm in the liturgy. Those congregations that are weak in psalm-singing would do well to consider the use of some variety of the three-year lectionary.
Which of these ways of using the psalms is the best or the "most Reformed"? The "psalm-of-the-day" approach? Or the approach whereby several psalms are used in the course of the liturgy? I would suggest that neither of these is any more Reformed than the other and that, furthermore, both are mutually compatible and ought to be put to use. One can easily envision an Faster communion liturgy in which Psalm 118 is sung as the appointed psalm in accordance with the lectionary and Psalm 103 is sung after the reception of the elements. Both of these ways of using the psalms work well together and have a long tradition within the Christian church as a whole.
In the next Issue of RW, David Koyzis will compare metrical psalmody with chanted psalmody and explore new ways of singing the psalms.
Author
David T. Koyzis
David T. Koyzis is a professor of political science at Redeemer College, Ancaster, Ontario.
from: http://www.reformedworship.org/magazine/article.cfm?article_id=109
Wednesday, May 21, 2008
Short history of liturgy
History and Development
Liturgics refers to those things having to do with a liturgy, and the obvious point of departure in gaining an understanding of liturgics is to understand the word itself. This is particularly relevant in terms of liturgical music, because the terms religious music or sacred music, while describing the type of music, do not do much to explain the origins or practice.
The word liturgy is from the Greek word leitourgia, and the most common translation is "the work of the people." It is that common act of God's people together offering praise to Him in the manner which He revealed that they should. This is the type of worship which took place in the Jewish temple and synagogue, and which came into the early Christian Church.
Note that the emphasis is on "work," "praise" and "revealed." The original Greek term includes the term work, and conveys something much more vigorous than a congregation being entertained by a performer — rather, the people working together. Praise is that which is offered to God in thanksgiving for what He has done for us. Revealed makes clear that it is not a collection of actions of our own choice or convenience, but based on direction given to us by God. It is the collective work that assembled believers do together in offering praise and worship to God. Liturgical music is the music developed and either chanted, sung and/or played during this time, while liturgical ritual describes the action that takes place.
For most modern Christians, and, indeed for many contemporary Jews, liturgical worship may be a foreign concept. The question asked is often "why does liturgical worship follow such a set structure or order?" The question reflects an underlying assumption for many Christians that in the New Testament period worship was spontaneous, or reflects lack of knowledge about the origins of liturgical worship within the Judeo-Christian traditions. The fact is, this "order" has its very roots in the Bible, and much of Judaism and Christianity have been worshipping this way — more or less unchanged — for almost over 2000 years.
The core of liturgics is not just beautiful music or awe-inspiring ritual, rather it is a commitment to origins. Two concepts need to be kept in mind as one considers the "why" of liturgical worship and practice: origin and changelessness. Remember, first and foremost, that the Apostles and the first Christian disciples were Jews. That is, they were Jews who recognized and accepted Jesus Christ as the promised Messiah. From their heritage with its history of liturgical interaction with God, came the Jewish form of biblical worship, the basic structure, the "origin" of Christian worship. For this reason, we see in Church history a highly developed Christian liturgical order in use even by the end of the first century — that is, within sixty years of Christ�s resurrection.
The second concept is "changelessness." Perhaps one of the most striking and unique things about much Christian liturgical worship, especially that of the Eastern Orthodox Church in this age of rapid change, and even change for its own sake, is its permanence and changelessness. For example, it has been said that one of the most distinctive characteristics of the Eastern Orthodox Church is "its determination to remain loyal to the past, its sense of living continuity with the church of ancient times." [1] This commitment to protecting the Gospel and keeping its message and praise to God the same stems from the conviction that the faith which we have is that which our Lord Jesus Christ delivered to us, and to which we will add nothing nor take anything away. This is a very similar commitment to that of Orthodox Judaism to hold fast to its liturgical traditions and rites. If Christians desire to be "apostolic," then they have to agree to belong to the same Church that Christ founded. That church began in the first century, and "there is a sense in which all Christians must become Christ�s contemporaries..." as a recent Orthodox Christian scholar points out. He goes on to remind us that "the twentieth century is not an absolute norm, the apostolic age is." [2]
C.S. Lewis, the British author, recognized the changelessness of the liturgy as an extremely important and very valuable characteristic for practical reasons. He went so far as to say it should be like an old shoe: something that fits, something that doesn't have to be broken in all the time, something you don't even notice is there. He concluded these observations by saying "The perfect church service would be one we were almost unaware of; our attention would have been on God." [3]
Over the course of the last millennia there has been change in liturgical worship. However, it is change that has taken place carefully, within this context of "changelessness." Within the traditional liturgical churches, the change has not been a change in the real nature or substance of the faith and practice. Never change for change's sake, only change in order to remain the same. The underlying commitment has been the exhortation of St. Paul to Timothy to "guard the deposit of the faith" (I Timothy 6:20). But, at the same time, there has been a willingness to enhance the practice of worship in order to make it more heavenly, more spiritual, and more edifying.
________________________________________
[1] Timothy Ware, The Orthodox Church, New York, Penguin Books, p. 203
[2] John Meyendorf, Women and the Priesthood, New York, St. Vladimir�s Press, p. 14.
[3] C.S. Lewis, Letters to Malcolm, Glasgow, Collins & Sons, p. 6.
Liturgics refers to those things having to do with a liturgy, and the obvious point of departure in gaining an understanding of liturgics is to understand the word itself. This is particularly relevant in terms of liturgical music, because the terms religious music or sacred music, while describing the type of music, do not do much to explain the origins or practice.
The word liturgy is from the Greek word leitourgia, and the most common translation is "the work of the people." It is that common act of God's people together offering praise to Him in the manner which He revealed that they should. This is the type of worship which took place in the Jewish temple and synagogue, and which came into the early Christian Church.
Note that the emphasis is on "work," "praise" and "revealed." The original Greek term includes the term work, and conveys something much more vigorous than a congregation being entertained by a performer — rather, the people working together. Praise is that which is offered to God in thanksgiving for what He has done for us. Revealed makes clear that it is not a collection of actions of our own choice or convenience, but based on direction given to us by God. It is the collective work that assembled believers do together in offering praise and worship to God. Liturgical music is the music developed and either chanted, sung and/or played during this time, while liturgical ritual describes the action that takes place.
For most modern Christians, and, indeed for many contemporary Jews, liturgical worship may be a foreign concept. The question asked is often "why does liturgical worship follow such a set structure or order?" The question reflects an underlying assumption for many Christians that in the New Testament period worship was spontaneous, or reflects lack of knowledge about the origins of liturgical worship within the Judeo-Christian traditions. The fact is, this "order" has its very roots in the Bible, and much of Judaism and Christianity have been worshipping this way — more or less unchanged — for almost over 2000 years.
The core of liturgics is not just beautiful music or awe-inspiring ritual, rather it is a commitment to origins. Two concepts need to be kept in mind as one considers the "why" of liturgical worship and practice: origin and changelessness. Remember, first and foremost, that the Apostles and the first Christian disciples were Jews. That is, they were Jews who recognized and accepted Jesus Christ as the promised Messiah. From their heritage with its history of liturgical interaction with God, came the Jewish form of biblical worship, the basic structure, the "origin" of Christian worship. For this reason, we see in Church history a highly developed Christian liturgical order in use even by the end of the first century — that is, within sixty years of Christ�s resurrection.
The second concept is "changelessness." Perhaps one of the most striking and unique things about much Christian liturgical worship, especially that of the Eastern Orthodox Church in this age of rapid change, and even change for its own sake, is its permanence and changelessness. For example, it has been said that one of the most distinctive characteristics of the Eastern Orthodox Church is "its determination to remain loyal to the past, its sense of living continuity with the church of ancient times." [1] This commitment to protecting the Gospel and keeping its message and praise to God the same stems from the conviction that the faith which we have is that which our Lord Jesus Christ delivered to us, and to which we will add nothing nor take anything away. This is a very similar commitment to that of Orthodox Judaism to hold fast to its liturgical traditions and rites. If Christians desire to be "apostolic," then they have to agree to belong to the same Church that Christ founded. That church began in the first century, and "there is a sense in which all Christians must become Christ�s contemporaries..." as a recent Orthodox Christian scholar points out. He goes on to remind us that "the twentieth century is not an absolute norm, the apostolic age is." [2]
C.S. Lewis, the British author, recognized the changelessness of the liturgy as an extremely important and very valuable characteristic for practical reasons. He went so far as to say it should be like an old shoe: something that fits, something that doesn't have to be broken in all the time, something you don't even notice is there. He concluded these observations by saying "The perfect church service would be one we were almost unaware of; our attention would have been on God." [3]
Over the course of the last millennia there has been change in liturgical worship. However, it is change that has taken place carefully, within this context of "changelessness." Within the traditional liturgical churches, the change has not been a change in the real nature or substance of the faith and practice. Never change for change's sake, only change in order to remain the same. The underlying commitment has been the exhortation of St. Paul to Timothy to "guard the deposit of the faith" (I Timothy 6:20). But, at the same time, there has been a willingness to enhance the practice of worship in order to make it more heavenly, more spiritual, and more edifying.
________________________________________
[1] Timothy Ware, The Orthodox Church, New York, Penguin Books, p. 203
[2] John Meyendorf, Women and the Priesthood, New York, St. Vladimir�s Press, p. 14.
[3] C.S. Lewis, Letters to Malcolm, Glasgow, Collins & Sons, p. 6.
Short history of liturgy
History and Development
Liturgics refers to those things having to do with a liturgy, and the obvious point of departure in gaining an understanding of liturgics is to understand the word itself. This is particularly relevant in terms of liturgical music, because the terms religious music or sacred music, while describing the type of music, do not do much to explain the origins or practice.
The word liturgy is from the Greek word leitourgia, and the most common translation is "the work of the people." It is that common act of God's people together offering praise to Him in the manner which He revealed that they should. This is the type of worship which took place in the Jewish temple and synagogue, and which came into the early Christian Church.
Note that the emphasis is on "work," "praise" and "revealed." The original Greek term includes the term work, and conveys something much more vigorous than a congregation being entertained by a performer — rather, the people working together. Praise is that which is offered to God in thanksgiving for what He has done for us. Revealed makes clear that it is not a collection of actions of our own choice or convenience, but based on direction given to us by God. It is the collective work that assembled believers do together in offering praise and worship to God. Liturgical music is the music developed and either chanted, sung and/or played during this time, while liturgical ritual describes the action that takes place.
For most modern Christians, and, indeed for many contemporary Jews, liturgical worship may be a foreign concept. The question asked is often "why does liturgical worship follow such a set structure or order?" The question reflects an underlying assumption for many Christians that in the New Testament period worship was spontaneous, or reflects lack of knowledge about the origins of liturgical worship within the Judeo-Christian traditions. The fact is, this "order" has its very roots in the Bible, and much of Judaism and Christianity have been worshipping this way — more or less unchanged — for almost over 2000 years.
The core of liturgics is not just beautiful music or awe-inspiring ritual, rather it is a commitment to origins. Two concepts need to be kept in mind as one considers the "why" of liturgical worship and practice: origin and changelessness. Remember, first and foremost, that the Apostles and the first Christian disciples were Jews. That is, they were Jews who recognized and accepted Jesus Christ as the promised Messiah. From their heritage with its history of liturgical interaction with God, came the Jewish form of biblical worship, the basic structure, the "origin" of Christian worship. For this reason, we see in Church history a highly developed Christian liturgical order in use even by the end of the first century — that is, within sixty years of Christ�s resurrection.
The second concept is "changelessness." Perhaps one of the most striking and unique things about much Christian liturgical worship, especially that of the Eastern Orthodox Church in this age of rapid change, and even change for its own sake, is its permanence and changelessness. For example, it has been said that one of the most distinctive characteristics of the Eastern Orthodox Church is "its determination to remain loyal to the past, its sense of living continuity with the church of ancient times." [1] This commitment to protecting the Gospel and keeping its message and praise to God the same stems from the conviction that the faith which we have is that which our Lord Jesus Christ delivered to us, and to which we will add nothing nor take anything away. This is a very similar commitment to that of Orthodox Judaism to hold fast to its liturgical traditions and rites. If Christians desire to be "apostolic," then they have to agree to belong to the same Church that Christ founded. That church began in the first century, and "there is a sense in which all Christians must become Christ�s contemporaries..." as a recent Orthodox Christian scholar points out. He goes on to remind us that "the twentieth century is not an absolute norm, the apostolic age is." [2]
C.S. Lewis, the British author, recognized the changelessness of the liturgy as an extremely important and very valuable characteristic for practical reasons. He went so far as to say it should be like an old shoe: something that fits, something that doesn't have to be broken in all the time, something you don't even notice is there. He concluded these observations by saying "The perfect church service would be one we were almost unaware of; our attention would have been on God." [3]
Over the course of the last millennia there has been change in liturgical worship. However, it is change that has taken place carefully, within this context of "changelessness." Within the traditional liturgical churches, the change has not been a change in the real nature or substance of the faith and practice. Never change for change's sake, only change in order to remain the same. The underlying commitment has been the exhortation of St. Paul to Timothy to "guard the deposit of the faith" (I Timothy 6:20). But, at the same time, there has been a willingness to enhance the practice of worship in order to make it more heavenly, more spiritual, and more edifying.
________________________________________
[1] Timothy Ware, The Orthodox Church, New York, Penguin Books, p. 203
[2] John Meyendorf, Women and the Priesthood, New York, St. Vladimir�s Press, p. 14.
[3] C.S. Lewis, Letters to Malcolm, Glasgow, Collins & Sons, p. 6.
http://www.liturgica.com/html/lit.jsp
Liturgics refers to those things having to do with a liturgy, and the obvious point of departure in gaining an understanding of liturgics is to understand the word itself. This is particularly relevant in terms of liturgical music, because the terms religious music or sacred music, while describing the type of music, do not do much to explain the origins or practice.
The word liturgy is from the Greek word leitourgia, and the most common translation is "the work of the people." It is that common act of God's people together offering praise to Him in the manner which He revealed that they should. This is the type of worship which took place in the Jewish temple and synagogue, and which came into the early Christian Church.
Note that the emphasis is on "work," "praise" and "revealed." The original Greek term includes the term work, and conveys something much more vigorous than a congregation being entertained by a performer — rather, the people working together. Praise is that which is offered to God in thanksgiving for what He has done for us. Revealed makes clear that it is not a collection of actions of our own choice or convenience, but based on direction given to us by God. It is the collective work that assembled believers do together in offering praise and worship to God. Liturgical music is the music developed and either chanted, sung and/or played during this time, while liturgical ritual describes the action that takes place.
For most modern Christians, and, indeed for many contemporary Jews, liturgical worship may be a foreign concept. The question asked is often "why does liturgical worship follow such a set structure or order?" The question reflects an underlying assumption for many Christians that in the New Testament period worship was spontaneous, or reflects lack of knowledge about the origins of liturgical worship within the Judeo-Christian traditions. The fact is, this "order" has its very roots in the Bible, and much of Judaism and Christianity have been worshipping this way — more or less unchanged — for almost over 2000 years.
The core of liturgics is not just beautiful music or awe-inspiring ritual, rather it is a commitment to origins. Two concepts need to be kept in mind as one considers the "why" of liturgical worship and practice: origin and changelessness. Remember, first and foremost, that the Apostles and the first Christian disciples were Jews. That is, they were Jews who recognized and accepted Jesus Christ as the promised Messiah. From their heritage with its history of liturgical interaction with God, came the Jewish form of biblical worship, the basic structure, the "origin" of Christian worship. For this reason, we see in Church history a highly developed Christian liturgical order in use even by the end of the first century — that is, within sixty years of Christ�s resurrection.
The second concept is "changelessness." Perhaps one of the most striking and unique things about much Christian liturgical worship, especially that of the Eastern Orthodox Church in this age of rapid change, and even change for its own sake, is its permanence and changelessness. For example, it has been said that one of the most distinctive characteristics of the Eastern Orthodox Church is "its determination to remain loyal to the past, its sense of living continuity with the church of ancient times." [1] This commitment to protecting the Gospel and keeping its message and praise to God the same stems from the conviction that the faith which we have is that which our Lord Jesus Christ delivered to us, and to which we will add nothing nor take anything away. This is a very similar commitment to that of Orthodox Judaism to hold fast to its liturgical traditions and rites. If Christians desire to be "apostolic," then they have to agree to belong to the same Church that Christ founded. That church began in the first century, and "there is a sense in which all Christians must become Christ�s contemporaries..." as a recent Orthodox Christian scholar points out. He goes on to remind us that "the twentieth century is not an absolute norm, the apostolic age is." [2]
C.S. Lewis, the British author, recognized the changelessness of the liturgy as an extremely important and very valuable characteristic for practical reasons. He went so far as to say it should be like an old shoe: something that fits, something that doesn't have to be broken in all the time, something you don't even notice is there. He concluded these observations by saying "The perfect church service would be one we were almost unaware of; our attention would have been on God." [3]
Over the course of the last millennia there has been change in liturgical worship. However, it is change that has taken place carefully, within this context of "changelessness." Within the traditional liturgical churches, the change has not been a change in the real nature or substance of the faith and practice. Never change for change's sake, only change in order to remain the same. The underlying commitment has been the exhortation of St. Paul to Timothy to "guard the deposit of the faith" (I Timothy 6:20). But, at the same time, there has been a willingness to enhance the practice of worship in order to make it more heavenly, more spiritual, and more edifying.
________________________________________
[1] Timothy Ware, The Orthodox Church, New York, Penguin Books, p. 203
[2] John Meyendorf, Women and the Priesthood, New York, St. Vladimir�s Press, p. 14.
[3] C.S. Lewis, Letters to Malcolm, Glasgow, Collins & Sons, p. 6.
http://www.liturgica.com/html/lit.jsp
History and Development
Liturgics refers to those things having to do with a liturgy, and the obvious point of departure in gaining an understanding of liturgics is to understand the word itself. This is particularly relevant in terms of liturgical music, because the terms religious music or sacred music, while describing the type of music, do not do much to explain the origins or practice.
The word liturgy is from the Greek word leitourgia, and the most common translation is "the work of the people." It is that common act of God's people together offering praise to Him in the manner which He revealed that they should. This is the type of worship which took place in the Jewish temple and synagogue, and which came into the early Christian Church.
Note that the emphasis is on "work," "praise" and "revealed." The original Greek term includes the term work, and conveys something much more vigorous than a congregation being entertained by a performer — rather, the people working together. Praise is that which is offered to God in thanksgiving for what He has done for us. Revealed makes clear that it is not a collection of actions of our own choice or convenience, but based on direction given to us by God. It is the collective work that assembled believers do together in offering praise and worship to God. Liturgical music is the music developed and either chanted, sung and/or played during this time, while liturgical ritual describes the action that takes place.
For most modern Christians, and, indeed for many contemporary Jews, liturgical worship may be a foreign concept. The question asked is often "why does liturgical worship follow such a set structure or order?" The question reflects an underlying assumption for many Christians that in the New Testament period worship was spontaneous, or reflects lack of knowledge about the origins of liturgical worship within the Judeo-Christian traditions. The fact is, this "order" has its very roots in the Bible, and much of Judaism and Christianity have been worshipping this way — more or less unchanged — for almost over 2000 years.
The core of liturgics is not just beautiful music or awe-inspiring ritual, rather it is a commitment to origins. Two concepts need to be kept in mind as one considers the "why" of liturgical worship and practice: origin and changelessness. Remember, first and foremost, that the Apostles and the first Christian disciples were Jews. That is, they were Jews who recognized and accepted Jesus Christ as the promised Messiah. From their heritage with its history of liturgical interaction with God, came the Jewish form of biblical worship, the basic structure, the "origin" of Christian worship. For this reason, we see in Church history a highly developed Christian liturgical order in use even by the end of the first century — that is, within sixty years of Christ�s resurrection.
The second concept is "changelessness." Perhaps one of the most striking and unique things about much Christian liturgical worship, especially that of the Eastern Orthodox Church in this age of rapid change, and even change for its own sake, is its permanence and changelessness. For example, it has been said that one of the most distinctive characteristics of the Eastern Orthodox Church is "its determination to remain loyal to the past, its sense of living continuity with the church of ancient times." [1] This commitment to protecting the Gospel and keeping its message and praise to God the same stems from the conviction that the faith which we have is that which our Lord Jesus Christ delivered to us, and to which we will add nothing nor take anything away. This is a very similar commitment to that of Orthodox Judaism to hold fast to its liturgical traditions and rites. If Christians desire to be "apostolic," then they have to agree to belong to the same Church that Christ founded. That church began in the first century, and "there is a sense in which all Christians must become Christ�s contemporaries..." as a recent Orthodox Christian scholar points out. He goes on to remind us that "the twentieth century is not an absolute norm, the apostolic age is." [2]
C.S. Lewis, the British author, recognized the changelessness of the liturgy as an extremely important and very valuable characteristic for practical reasons. He went so far as to say it should be like an old shoe: something that fits, something that doesn't have to be broken in all the time, something you don't even notice is there. He concluded these observations by saying "The perfect church service would be one we were almost unaware of; our attention would have been on God." [3]
Over the course of the last millennia there has been change in liturgical worship. However, it is change that has taken place carefully, within this context of "changelessness." Within the traditional liturgical churches, the change has not been a change in the real nature or substance of the faith and practice. Never change for change's sake, only change in order to remain the same. The underlying commitment has been the exhortation of St. Paul to Timothy to "guard the deposit of the faith" (I Timothy 6:20). But, at the same time, there has been a willingness to enhance the practice of worship in order to make it more heavenly, more spiritual, and more edifying.
[1] Timothy Ware, The Orthodox Church, New York, Penguin Books, p. 203
[2] John Meyendorf, Women and the Priesthood, New York, St. Vladimir�s Press, p. 14.
[3] C.S. Lewis, Letters to Malcolm, Glasgow, Collins & Sons, p. 6.
from http://www.liturgica.com/html/lit.jsp
Liturgics refers to those things having to do with a liturgy, and the obvious point of departure in gaining an understanding of liturgics is to understand the word itself. This is particularly relevant in terms of liturgical music, because the terms religious music or sacred music, while describing the type of music, do not do much to explain the origins or practice.
The word liturgy is from the Greek word leitourgia, and the most common translation is "the work of the people." It is that common act of God's people together offering praise to Him in the manner which He revealed that they should. This is the type of worship which took place in the Jewish temple and synagogue, and which came into the early Christian Church.
Note that the emphasis is on "work," "praise" and "revealed." The original Greek term includes the term work, and conveys something much more vigorous than a congregation being entertained by a performer — rather, the people working together. Praise is that which is offered to God in thanksgiving for what He has done for us. Revealed makes clear that it is not a collection of actions of our own choice or convenience, but based on direction given to us by God. It is the collective work that assembled believers do together in offering praise and worship to God. Liturgical music is the music developed and either chanted, sung and/or played during this time, while liturgical ritual describes the action that takes place.
For most modern Christians, and, indeed for many contemporary Jews, liturgical worship may be a foreign concept. The question asked is often "why does liturgical worship follow such a set structure or order?" The question reflects an underlying assumption for many Christians that in the New Testament period worship was spontaneous, or reflects lack of knowledge about the origins of liturgical worship within the Judeo-Christian traditions. The fact is, this "order" has its very roots in the Bible, and much of Judaism and Christianity have been worshipping this way — more or less unchanged — for almost over 2000 years.
The core of liturgics is not just beautiful music or awe-inspiring ritual, rather it is a commitment to origins. Two concepts need to be kept in mind as one considers the "why" of liturgical worship and practice: origin and changelessness. Remember, first and foremost, that the Apostles and the first Christian disciples were Jews. That is, they were Jews who recognized and accepted Jesus Christ as the promised Messiah. From their heritage with its history of liturgical interaction with God, came the Jewish form of biblical worship, the basic structure, the "origin" of Christian worship. For this reason, we see in Church history a highly developed Christian liturgical order in use even by the end of the first century — that is, within sixty years of Christ�s resurrection.
The second concept is "changelessness." Perhaps one of the most striking and unique things about much Christian liturgical worship, especially that of the Eastern Orthodox Church in this age of rapid change, and even change for its own sake, is its permanence and changelessness. For example, it has been said that one of the most distinctive characteristics of the Eastern Orthodox Church is "its determination to remain loyal to the past, its sense of living continuity with the church of ancient times." [1] This commitment to protecting the Gospel and keeping its message and praise to God the same stems from the conviction that the faith which we have is that which our Lord Jesus Christ delivered to us, and to which we will add nothing nor take anything away. This is a very similar commitment to that of Orthodox Judaism to hold fast to its liturgical traditions and rites. If Christians desire to be "apostolic," then they have to agree to belong to the same Church that Christ founded. That church began in the first century, and "there is a sense in which all Christians must become Christ�s contemporaries..." as a recent Orthodox Christian scholar points out. He goes on to remind us that "the twentieth century is not an absolute norm, the apostolic age is." [2]
C.S. Lewis, the British author, recognized the changelessness of the liturgy as an extremely important and very valuable characteristic for practical reasons. He went so far as to say it should be like an old shoe: something that fits, something that doesn't have to be broken in all the time, something you don't even notice is there. He concluded these observations by saying "The perfect church service would be one we were almost unaware of; our attention would have been on God." [3]
Over the course of the last millennia there has been change in liturgical worship. However, it is change that has taken place carefully, within this context of "changelessness." Within the traditional liturgical churches, the change has not been a change in the real nature or substance of the faith and practice. Never change for change's sake, only change in order to remain the same. The underlying commitment has been the exhortation of St. Paul to Timothy to "guard the deposit of the faith" (I Timothy 6:20). But, at the same time, there has been a willingness to enhance the practice of worship in order to make it more heavenly, more spiritual, and more edifying.
[1] Timothy Ware, The Orthodox Church, New York, Penguin Books, p. 203
[2] John Meyendorf, Women and the Priesthood, New York, St. Vladimir�s Press, p. 14.
[3] C.S. Lewis, Letters to Malcolm, Glasgow, Collins & Sons, p. 6.
from http://www.liturgica.com/html/lit.jsp
Friday, May 16, 2008
Who am I?
I am an incoming first year student at Covenant Seminary in St. Louis. I will be studying for a Master of Divinity degree with a concentration in Music and Worship. I have worked as a Youth Minister in an Episcopal Church for the last 4 years and majored in music at Covenant College. I am particularly interested in music, worship and liturgy. Liturgy is intriguing to me, since Old Testament worshippers worshipped liturgically,the early church did and there are many who worship this way today. It is an interesting issue among protestants (and others) and, I believe, needs to be discussed. We need to continually be seeking the God who created us so we can know Him and worship him and therefore be more like him.
Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent. John 17:3
Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent. John 17:3
What are the issues?
Some issues that I see as far as liturgy (in public and private worship) is concerned are:
- Ability in understanding the liturgy (why we might read responsively or hear the same call to worship, prayers, benedictions a lot)
- How it connects to the culture without becoming the culture
- Relevance to the actual worship of God
- Why we might even consider liturgy at all as a means to worship God
Liturgy can be helpful or distracting, vibrant or cold. It depends on the heart attitude of the worshipper and their sensitivity to the Holy Spirit in their hearts.
- Ability in understanding the liturgy (why we might read responsively or hear the same call to worship, prayers, benedictions a lot)
- How it connects to the culture without becoming the culture
- Relevance to the actual worship of God
- Why we might even consider liturgy at all as a means to worship God
Liturgy can be helpful or distracting, vibrant or cold. It depends on the heart attitude of the worshipper and their sensitivity to the Holy Spirit in their hearts.
Think about it!
The Reformation
"The Protestant Reformation was a major 16th century European movement aimed initially at reforming the beliefs and practices of the Roman Catholic Church. Its religious aspects were supplemented by ambitious political rulers who wanted to extend their power and control at the expense of the Church. The Reformation ended the unity imposed by medieval Christianity and, in the eyes of many historians, signaled the beginning of the modern era. A weakening of the old order was already under way in Northern Europe, as evidenced by the emergence of thriving new cities and a determined middle class.
"In 1517, in one of the signal events of western history, Martin Luther, a German Augustinian monk, posted 95 theses on a church door in the university town of Wittenberg. That act was common academic practice of the day and served as an invitation to debate. Luther's propositions challenged some portions of Roman Catholic doctrine and a number of specific practices.
"The movement quickly gained adherents in the German states, the Netherlands, Scandinavia, Scotland and portions of France. Support came from sincere religious reformers, while others manipulated the movement to gain control of valuable church property.
"The term Protestant was not initially applied to the reformers, but later was used to describe all groups protesting Roman Catholic orthodoxy." [1]
As the hope of reforming the Roman church faded, the "protestants" were forced to separate from Roman Catholicism resulting in Lutheran churches in Germany, Scandinavia and some eastern European countries, the Reformed churches in Switzerland and the Netherlands, Presbyterian churches in Scotland, and the Anglican church in England, and other diverse elements all of which have evolved into the Protestant denominations of today.
taken from http://www.theopedia.com/Reformation
"In 1517, in one of the signal events of western history, Martin Luther, a German Augustinian monk, posted 95 theses on a church door in the university town of Wittenberg. That act was common academic practice of the day and served as an invitation to debate. Luther's propositions challenged some portions of Roman Catholic doctrine and a number of specific practices.
"The movement quickly gained adherents in the German states, the Netherlands, Scandinavia, Scotland and portions of France. Support came from sincere religious reformers, while others manipulated the movement to gain control of valuable church property.
"The term Protestant was not initially applied to the reformers, but later was used to describe all groups protesting Roman Catholic orthodoxy." [1]
As the hope of reforming the Roman church faded, the "protestants" were forced to separate from Roman Catholicism resulting in Lutheran churches in Germany, Scandinavia and some eastern European countries, the Reformed churches in Switzerland and the Netherlands, Presbyterian churches in Scotland, and the Anglican church in England, and other diverse elements all of which have evolved into the Protestant denominations of today.
taken from http://www.theopedia.com/Reformation
Welcome to the Reformed Liturgical Society!
We are not an actual "society" yet, but perhaps one day. This is the beginning of a Liturgical Revolution with Reformed Theology as its "engine". Are you ready? This is not a case for liturgy or liturgical worship, as much as it is a discussion of liturgy and its helpfulness in worshipping God.
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