Thursday, March 01, 2007

What is Anglican Worship?

John over at colourful dreamer, has been thinking hard and getting in to some minor scraps over the subject of worship - particularly as to what constitutes Anglican Worship? While the question of what constitutes Anglican worship and what doesn't may be interesting - it personally think it misses the point, and places the understanding of worship into far too small a box. A box that i don't think reflects the gospel, the early churches understanding of and most certainly the emerging churches understanding of worship.
While it's good to focus on what makes something distinctive, it too easily overlooks what we mean by worship any way.
I think we need to get away from the worship is what we do on Sundays' mindset. Now i hear o lot of people saying that worship is a 24/7 thing and that is it exactly but we say that and still get obsessed with what happens on Sunday - and i think the Anglican worship debate falls into that too easily...
It's interesting to note that the five fold mission of the Anglican Church has only just recently been expanded to six by adding - To worship and celebrate the grace of God...
given this late addition surely what constitutes Anglicans at worship is more then than what we do on a Sunday Morning - Anglican worship then is about:
  • Proclaiming the good news of the Kingdom
  • Teaching, baptising and nurturing new believers
  • Responding to human needs by loving service
  • Transforming the unjust structures of society
  • Striving to safeguard the integrity of creation, and to sustain and renew the life of the earth.

If what we do on Sunday morning reflects that then surely then we have Anglicans in worship, I guess i am more interested in the worship we offer when we are scattered rather than what we do when we gather.

And I guess a church that reflected some of those values and not just gave lip service to them would be truly exciting, a great place to belong - and dare i say it damned attractive to the world around

1 comment:

Sam said...

Mate, what a great post. ive spent 24 years in the Anglican Church (and one not in it) and I had no idea about the six fold mission of the church. Its stunning. Great post