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Words and the Work of Worship
On the Cutting Edge of Worship Reform
Past and Present
An interim travel course - May 2003

One important characteristic of thoughtful leadership is a sense of perspective.  The goal was to help students gain perspective in two senses.  First, by traveling to England and Scotland participants gained historical perspective as they studied reformers of the past and as they worshiped in the settings where the associated movements originated.  Second, by comparing past movements of reform and revival with current issues, they explored questions that arise repeatedly at times of major change in the church. 

Throughout their travels, they sought to identify the primary issues that arise at times of change and broaden their range of response to these issues.  For example:

• Should language in worship be formal or colloquial?
• Should we sing scriptural songs or "new" songs?
• Should worship leaders be "pros" or "just folks"? 
• Should worship comfort or challenge?
• What is supposed to happen at worship?  Is it moral instruction?  Evangelism?  Eschatological anticipation?  Up-building the Body? 
• How and when do we embrace tradition and depart from it?

Various strategies were employed to reach the course objectives. For example:

(1) Lectures, Readings, & Visits.   A series of "meetings" was arranged - some through background readings in primary sources and others through lectures -- with past leaders of the great worship reform and revival movements in Britain in order to discover what inspired them and how they worked for change.  Among the luminaries they encountered were Thomas Cranmer, John and Charles Wesley, Isaac Watts, and John Keble (and others of the Oxford Movement).  Also arranged were their memorable day trips to Cambridge and Greenwich to meet and talk with some of Britain's contemporary worship experts, including N. T. Wright, Matt Redman, and Alison Adam. To find out more about the class's visits with these leading lights of worship reform, click above on the reformer's name.

(2) Daily & Weekly Worship.   Visits to Westminster Abbey, St. Paul's Cathedral, the Wesley Chapel and Museum, the Pusey Chapel, and other sites enabled the group to experience the kinds of worship that grew out of these people's passions and inspirations.  In addition, each participant had opportunity to plan and lead daily prayer and worship for the whole group. 

(3) Reports & Discussion.   Each participant was responsible to read at least one additional book by a noted worship expert, compose a report on the book's primary argument, and lead a group discussion connecting it with the questions asked during their visits.  (See a complete list of lecture titles, readings, and book reports)

(4) Retreat & Journaling.   After stops at York and Glasgow, they concluded their journey at the Iona Community in Scotland, one of the oldest and most important seats of Christianity in the U.K.   There they found an ancient spirit of Christianity, and also another fresh perspective on making worship locally flavored and globally connected.  Free time during these days was abundant in order to process in conversation and writing all they were learning.  Each participant kept a daily journal, and created a portfolio of directed reflections and original worship word-work - prayers, original songs, and service outlines - based on their study.