Exploring the Worship Spectrum: Six Views - Various
This book is the second I have read in the Counterpoints series of theological/apologetic debates, and the first I have reviewed on my blog. In each of the Counterpoints books, a topic will be decided upon, and then contributors from the various viewpoints will submit a chapter about their perspective, following that up by writing a response to each of the other chapters submitted. In this particular volume, the contributors talk about six different styles of worship, and why they and their congregation hold to their particular style. These styles are: Formal-Liturgical, Traditional Hymn-Based, Contemporary Music-Driven, Charismatic, Blended (a mix of contemporary and liturgical) and Emerging.
What I appreciate about this topic is that, on the whole, each contributor is happy to acknowledge the strengths of the other viewpoints, and even applaud the heart of their fellow writers. There is no division here, no claiming that other viewpoints are 'unbiblical', only an excitement to explore how all the perspectives here could feed into a fuller understanding of what it means to worship a holy God. This is not to say that the contributors all agree on everything - there definitely are moments when a response to another contributor will raise an issue that is not easily answered - but it is heartwarming to see that there is room within the Christian faith for different expressions on issues that can be debated without the need to condemn one another.
Having grown up in a church that was closer to traditional hymn-based, then having moved into much more contemporary-style churches, and yet having also studied in a theological college that incorporated elements of the formal-liturgical model, I found myself agreeing with those chapters the most. A style like Emerging, as outlined by Sally Morgenthaler, is far outside my own usual experience of worship, and yet also (as some of the other contributors acknowledge) would be a fascinating occasional addition to worship.
In the end, I really do feel, like the volume editor Paul A Basden comments, that "The human worship of God is too profound to be captured in one particular approach." (page 256) Different people have different tastes, and therefore the church at large will always have different ways of expressing their worship. Understanding different ways people do so can be helpful to help us 'think outside the box' and perhaps connect to a greater number of people in a various of worship styles.
A meaty and positive discussion, worth a look - particularly for worship leaders.
Completed 23 December 2022.
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