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Worship as Divine Encounter
Christians, worship functions almost sacramentally. The author is John Witvliet, a professor at Calvin Theological Seminary and the director of the Calvin Institute of Christian Worship (www.calvin.edu/worship). WORSHIP AS DIVINE ENCOUNTER Worshipers in nearly every Christian tradition experience some of what happens in worship as divine encounter. Differences in Christian worship arise not so much whether or not God is understood to be present, but rather in what sense. Those who mock supposedly simplistic theories of sacramental realism at the Lord’s Supper wind up reserving sacramental language for preaching or for music. Speaking only somewhat simplistically: the Roman Catholics reserve their sacramental language for the Eucharist, Presbyterians reserve theirs for preaching, and the charismatics save theirs for music. In a recent pastors’ conference, one evangelical pastor solicited applications for a music director/worship leader position by calling for someone who could "make God present through music." No medieval sacramental theologian could have said it more strongly. —John D. Witvliet, "At Play in the House of the Lord: Why Worship Matters," BOOKS AND CULTURE, Volume 4, no. 6 (November/December 1998), p. 23. As quoted by Lester Ruth in "A Rose by Any Other Name: Attempts at Classifying North American Protestant Worship," chapter 2 in THE CONVICTION OF THINGS NOT SEEN: WORSHIP AND MINISTRY IN THE 21st CENTURY, edited by Todd E. Johnson, Grand Rapids: Brazo Press, 2002, p. 48. ISBN 1-58743-032-0. Have a great week, Chip Stam Director, Institute for Christian Worship School of Church Music and Worship The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary Louisville, Kentucky www.carlstam.org www.sbts.edu |