Wednesday, July 27, 2005
Theology of Reformed Worship 2
Tuesday’s Texts
Zwingli, Zurich Liturgy 1525
•We observed many similarities between the Zurich liturgy and the Catholic mass: early church doxology, use of 4th century Gloria, and kissing the Bible.
•We also noted several differences: plates and cup made of wood, table instead of altar, each person breaks off a mouthful of bread instead of the priest putting a wafer in the person’s mouth.
•Zwingli showed simplicity, delight, creativity, and energy of participation.
Zwingli, An Exposition of the Faith
•The section from Zwingli dispels the typical memorial only caricature and shows his vitality. Among other reasons, he says the sacraments are important because they symbolize “the friendship by which God is reconciled to the human race in and through his Son.” He uses terms of nourishing, gladdening, and uniting.
Middleburg Liturgy (Puritan), 1586
•Although it is 40 years after Calvin, this liturgy is still almost identical with his.
•It provides options, which shows the prayer book tradition is becoming freer.
The Westminster Directory, 1644
•This is a different genre from the prayer books; it sets a pattern instead of gives specific texts.
•Several references to ordinance and obedience. There is a scrupulous scriptural defense of every act in worship. We do things because Jesus commanded it, including celebrate the Lord’s Supper.
•It requires even more scripture than Calvin did, and it gives guidelines for writing sermons.
•Communion involves remembering in such a way that we see our identity shaped by Christ’s life, death, resurrection, and all his benefits to us (anamnesis).
The Savory Liturgy, Baxtor
•He uses catechetical language, scriptural allusions, and has doxological flavor.
•He explicitly uses covenantal imagery and language in liturgy, which legitimizes the Old Testament as a precedent for worship.
•He combines strands of pietism and ecumenicalism.
Ames, The Marrow of Theology
•Ames explores idolatry and makes distinctions between explicit (graven images) and implicit (imagining God differently than he is) idols.
•He lists seven vices of worship: apathy, slothfulness, neglect of holy things, wandering of mind in exercises of worship, rashness, forgetfulness, and confusion.
Burrough, “The Right Manner of Drawing Nigh to God”
•This sermon argues that God cares about the details in worship.
Baxter, The Reformed Pastor and The Saint’s Everlasting Rest
•Baxter is the pastor’s pastor and gives advice for living, such as sing praises because it will form your heart and attitude to be more heavenly.
Robert Bruce, The Sacraments in General
•Right teaching moves us to deeper sense of the beauty of God and a heavenly encounter with him.
THEME: Iconoclasm
•Dyrness, Reformed Theology and Visual Culture
•Eire, War Against the Idols—iconoclasm can lead to increased dualism
•Wandel, Voracious Idols and Violent Hands—With the icons removed, other images of God, such as in the poor people, could be seen
•Wolterstorff, “Would You Stomp on a Picture of Your Mother? Would You Stomp on an Icon?”
•Nischan, “Becoming Protestants”
•Bruggink, “Ecclesiastical Architecture in the Christian Reformed Church”
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