As I continue to feel blessed to have this opportunity to learn, I found myself engaged in a marvelous lecture yesterday given by Dr. Todd Johnson. Basically Todd lectured on the importance of the history of the power of the words in which we choose. He has set up this lecture with a simple diagram that consists of a triangle. Each point of the triangle represents the emphasis in which we put on the climax of our communal worship services. The three points are Word, Sacrament, and Art (typically in the form of music). We are then to plot a point within the triangle to catch a glimpse of the way that we worship. Being a part of the RCA for the past three years, the clear emphasis was been on the written Word. The point would probably lie towards the word side of the triangle, with more music than sacrament. Whitney and I have recently engaged in an Episcopal time of worship and the clear climax within this tradition is sacrament. There was a five minute homily, and everything in the service pointed towards the celebration of the communion table. It was a wonderful time of celebration, and there was something mysteriously beautiful about the Episcopal ritual that the RCA seems to miss. The point within the triangle would probably lie towards the sacrament, with more emphasis on art than Word. Whitney and I have also had the chance to go the Mosaic... A well known, multi site, young, artful, "emerging" but doesn't want to be labeled emerging kind of church. In this service the focus was clearly on the art. An artist painted while the teacher preached, there was a ton of music, and dance was also a part of the worship. At Mosaic, I would guess that the emphasis is on art, with a balance between Word and sacrament. Since Zwingli there has been a clear shift away from emphasis on sacraments, more towards the word. With megachurch world, there seems to have been quite the shift towards the climax of worship being in music. I am excited to engage in conversations that start to move the direction and the momentum of our worship towards the center of this "worship triangle." I think that the ethos of my generation longs for the center and is capturing the center in the midst of some positive dialogue, but there is more to do, to say and to write. I actually never got to the thoughts from Dr. Johnson's lecture yesterday... I will try to get those out by tomorrow. Have a great Wednesday in pursuing the center of the triangle!
Wednesday, January 24, 2007
The Center of the Triangle
As I continue to feel blessed to have this opportunity to learn, I found myself engaged in a marvelous lecture yesterday given by Dr. Todd Johnson. Basically Todd lectured on the importance of the history of the power of the words in which we choose. He has set up this lecture with a simple diagram that consists of a triangle. Each point of the triangle represents the emphasis in which we put on the climax of our communal worship services. The three points are Word, Sacrament, and Art (typically in the form of music). We are then to plot a point within the triangle to catch a glimpse of the way that we worship. Being a part of the RCA for the past three years, the clear emphasis was been on the written Word. The point would probably lie towards the word side of the triangle, with more music than sacrament. Whitney and I have recently engaged in an Episcopal time of worship and the clear climax within this tradition is sacrament. There was a five minute homily, and everything in the service pointed towards the celebration of the communion table. It was a wonderful time of celebration, and there was something mysteriously beautiful about the Episcopal ritual that the RCA seems to miss. The point within the triangle would probably lie towards the sacrament, with more emphasis on art than Word. Whitney and I have also had the chance to go the Mosaic... A well known, multi site, young, artful, "emerging" but doesn't want to be labeled emerging kind of church. In this service the focus was clearly on the art. An artist painted while the teacher preached, there was a ton of music, and dance was also a part of the worship. At Mosaic, I would guess that the emphasis is on art, with a balance between Word and sacrament. Since Zwingli there has been a clear shift away from emphasis on sacraments, more towards the word. With megachurch world, there seems to have been quite the shift towards the climax of worship being in music. I am excited to engage in conversations that start to move the direction and the momentum of our worship towards the center of this "worship triangle." I think that the ethos of my generation longs for the center and is capturing the center in the midst of some positive dialogue, but there is more to do, to say and to write. I actually never got to the thoughts from Dr. Johnson's lecture yesterday... I will try to get those out by tomorrow. Have a great Wednesday in pursuing the center of the triangle!
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3 comments:
Nick,
Good thoughts. I agree that we need to seek balance here. It is too bad that evangelical Christianity has been shaped largely by Zwingli as you mentioned. The other reformers, Luther and Calvin, were much more in favor of keeping the balance of Word and Sacrament. Calvin continued to argue that communion should be served weekly, but his "superiors" thought that was too "popish."
Here is a thought for you. In the early church the gnostics argued that there was a dualism between the physical and the spiritual. The physical needed to be overcome (platonic), and the spiritual is what counted. Perhaps today in our evangelical churches with our emphasis on the Word alone (we cannot neglect the Word) to the neglect of the sacramental is a "New Kind of Gnostic" - to borrow a title. We have much to learn from our liturgical friends.
Blessings, Mark VW
I liked your post. However, can I ask a question about what you are saying? Is the center of the triangle where we need to be? I remember having a similar conversation about this a while back. Not everyone prefers the center of all of those three elements, but rather, lean towards better worship with one or two sides weighted heavier. So, how do we address that issue. I don't mean to disagree with you just wanted your insight about this question!
Perhaps my perspective is off but it seems to me that today we are offered a lot of "entertainment" in the service. It may well be of more import to once again focus on the center or central "Jesus" role and what he provided for his early followers. Communion and Challenge.
It is far to easy to sit in a congregation, get a feel good fix, and a bit of teaching, and go away "self-satisfied" for a week or until the next FIX. Am I cynical?
I believe what our Lord really taught was to be just (to all men), to be kind, and to be humble in the presense of our God, or perhaps better said, to be humble because God is everpresent.
To often the table is present but the committment is weak. How best can we develope a daily observance of true discipleship. That is my question.
As you walk this long walk through the "training" to lead--may you be mightily blessed with love, just experiences, and treasured moments of awareness of the presence. GM
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