The Worship Philes

What is worship, really? Is it when folks get together to sing? Does it involve ritual?
I’d like to think that the grandeur and glory of God has something to do with it. Worship is the affirmation of the Incarnational truth, Immanuel–God is with us. His presence envelops us. His holiness surrounds us. We celebrate his wonders and his works. Where does one find such worship?

I am teaching a class at my alma mater this Spring to explore these kinds of questions. It is entitled ‘History of Christian Worship.’ Any ideas from the neophytes?

6 thoughts on “The Worship Philes

  1. “His presence envelops us. His holiness surrounds us. We celebrate his wonders and his works.”

    I don’tthink I could say it better than that, except to add perhaps that change should follow an authentic worship experience.

  2. Have you consulted “For All God’s Worth: True Worship and the Calling of the Church” by N.T. Wright? It’d be a chance to get the perspective of a first rate scholar and Anglican to boot.

  3. I think we should cover everything! seriously though, I would love to learn more about some of the worship practices that often get tabooed (is that a word?) by modern evangelicals. like eastern orthodoxy, reverence of the saints, different cultural influences on chrstianity and other stuff i can’t think of at the moment. it would be a refreshing experience for CCU.

  4. I am curious ange, when you say that change should follow a worship experience I am assuming you mena change on the part of humanity, but would you consider a worship experience a failure if change does not take place? Certainly we should be moved by an encounter with the almighty, but change isn’t always a given. What would you define as an “authentic worship experience”?

  5. As I walked this morning in the city
    before the cars and smoke
    and yelling took control,
    I traveled in a feathered sanctuary all my own.
    Huge crows, robins, starlings and wrens
    harmonizing soulfully filling the air with song…

Leave a Reply to Constantine Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *