Christianity Today Article on Christian Liturgy

In the latest issue of Christianity Today, there is a very interesting article I would recommend to anyone who is caught up in the debate over cultural relevance vs. church tradition. Some of you may be scratching your heads and asking “what debate”? Others may be ready to go up in arms over the issue. Either way, you’ll find this adapted excerpt from the book Beyond Bells and Smells: The Wonder and Power of Christian Liturgy by Mark Galli thought-provoking.

Now, I have not read the book so I can’t fully recommend it— although this article has intrigued me enough to add it to my reading list. Nevertheless, there are some great points to consider about liturgical worship. To avoid confusion over terminology, the author provides his definition for those not familiar with traditional orthodox liturgy:

“By “the liturgy,” I mean the prayers, responses, and shape of worship one finds in Anglican, Catholic, and Orthodox services, and to a lesser degree, in Presbyterian, Methodist, Lutheran, and other mainline churches.”

“It is precisely the point of the liturgy to take people out of their worlds and usher them into a strange, new world—to show them that, despite appearances, the last thing in the world they need is more of the world out of which they’ve come.”

In addition, there is a strong explanation for the role of cultural relevance and traditional liturgy in the church today. Mr. Galli does a good job of articulating the strength of liturgical worship without denigrating the importance of cultural relevance; particularly in the area of outreach.

“The liturgy does not target any age or cultural subgroup. It does not even target this century. ..Instead, the liturgy draws us into worship that transcends our time and place…
We are in the habit of thinking that our culture—the reality we strive to be relevant to—is the measure of meaning. …there is no question that we have to be culturally sensitive in our outreach. But the liturgy wants to show us a deeper logic and relevance…
The history of liturgy has been in part about finding words and ritual that help people in a given culture express their thoughts and feelings to God in ways that make cultural sense. ..Liturgical churches know that as profound a reality as is the surrounding culture, there is an even more profound reality waiting to be discovered.”

I think this emphasizes a point we often overlook—evangelism and outreach should not be limited by orthodox tradition and boundaries, and orthodox tradition in worship should not be limited by cultural sensitivities.

Check out the article at ChrtistianityToday.com—let me know what you thought…

“The liturgy, from beginning to end, is not about meeting our needs. The liturgy is about God.”