For: The Institute of Contemporary and Emerging Worship Studies, St. Stephen’s University, Essentials Red Online Worship Course with Dan Wilt
There is a certain beauty and power that comes from hearing two people recite the wedding vows of old. Sometimes certain things don’t need updating.
To ‘modernize’ the Eucharist, Baptism, Footwashing, Candlelighting, or Prayer would only undo a certain beauty and power that comes with such tradition.
…maybe we should simply incorporate them once again?
For: The Institute of Contemporary and Emerging Worship Studies, St. Stephen’s University, Essentials Red Online Worship Course with Dan Wilt
I have always had a deep appreciation for anything eclectic. My apartment is a collaboration of exactly that; an 87 year old house, refurbished into six small units. All the units have the original wood work and some of the orginial doors. I think the windows are original as well, my landlord would say otherwise. In between my bedroom and living room there is the most beautiful old pocket-door. It’s my favorite part of my home (until it doesn’t latch and in all it’s beauty and solid, heavy oak slams my hand between it and the frame.) My couch is a hand-me-down, cream colored ‘davenport’ with 60′s style large print flowers in mustard yellow, from my grandparents. It’s fabulously ugly. Closest to my heart is the art on the wall. Some of it is my own and most of it is from friends. A collective of a ‘little bit of everything’ is where I am most at home. I hadn’t realized my appreciation of eclectic-ness until a few years ago.
Having to reflect on the worship languages of time and space re-awakened a lot of what was going on in my brain a few years ago, in respect to discovering my love of all things eclectic. It dawned on me that my spirituality as well as Christianity is completely eclectic; a little bit of then, now, and some of what will be.
For the past few years I have incorporated the old school, monastic practice of Lectio Divina into my devotions. The saints of old knew a thing or two about the importance of spiritual rhythm (both time and space) and its ability to give way to connecting, hearing and intimacy with God.
Lectio Divina has been my launching pad into a new way of thinking. I remember when it dawned on me that traditions were probably birthed because people found ways to do things (prayer, fasting, living, loving, etc.) that worked. It wasn’t until we got our religiously staunchy hands on them and made them “have-to’s” that traditions became seemingly stuffy. One of my biggest insights came when I realized that if I return to the heart and the intent of the tradition, there I would find life. When I realized the history of Christianity has just as much to do with Christianity today as does the coming age, I knew this wasn’t just my parents religion anymore. God had a history. God is now. God has a future. Whoa. It was like a GONG had gone off in both my heart and my head. I knew something had changed.
“Adrian Nocent observed, ‘…but for God, the past, present, and future coexist.”‘ [1]
There is so much to say about the spiritual language of time and space. Seven days to read, process and attempt to say something about it seems not enough time. I was re-awakened to deep water I once sailed. I am thankful for that. My guess is that Essentials will be the beginning of a holy discontentment for deeper knowledge and more questions. That is exciting and encouraging. I do believe I have just had my second taste. I’d forgotten how good it is.
Cheers, to all things old and new.
1. Webber, Robert. Ancient-Future Time. Baker Books, Grand Rapids. 2004
