tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5289115342456413363.post1184504944572954098..comments2023-10-18T05:56:45.188-04:00Comments on otium sanctum: AN EVANGELICAL'S LAMENT AND JOURNEY, part fourMichael Mercerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02936525547740110077noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5289115342456413363.post-58161492656303144112009-01-18T10:59:00.000-05:002009-01-18T10:59:00.000-05:00You're on to something important here, Mike. I ex...You're on to something important here, Mike. I expect you've read them all, but I recommend rereading the essays in The Weight of Glory by C.S. Lewis. They are not primarily about worship, but Lewis extends my understanding of creation and God's relation to it, and that understanding is foundational to worship. If we really don't believe in God's immanence, for example, a concert and sermon are good enough for "worship." But if God is present at all times and in all things; if He can and does manifest Himself through things, like sacraments, that seem metaphorical to us but are actually more real than "literal" reality; then we won't be content with someone else's show but will praise Him ourselves, because He truly is with us. I recently read a definition of worship as an exchange: God gives us bread, for example, and we bless it, He changes it, we give it back to Him, He gives it back to us. This must be the pattern for everything in our lives and our practice for dealing with every aspect of creation. I'd be especially interested in your thoughts on worship after reading "Transposition." As I say, Lewis isn't talking directly about church worship, but if what he speculates about is true, our worship will have to change.<BR/><BR/>I'm reading and enjoying your blog, even if I don't always comment!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5289115342456413363.post-28934779232915863052009-01-17T15:53:00.000-05:002009-01-17T15:53:00.000-05:00Mike, please keep these coming. I hope you're fee...Mike, please keep these coming. I hope you're feeling well enough soon to write more.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5289115342456413363.post-90033303494573621212009-01-09T22:30:00.000-05:002009-01-09T22:30:00.000-05:00Katiekind, Thanks for telling your story. I hope t...Katiekind, Thanks for telling your story. I hope that it will be clear throughout these posts that I am not criticizing or looking down on our former evangelical church partners. Every church we've been in has been filled with dear people, and we still feel close to them. These posts are designed to describe MY journey and to give rationale for it. My cautions are also directed at the pacesetting churches that are leading the way for so many small congregations that think new is always better.Michael Mercerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02936525547740110077noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5289115342456413363.post-78677623730038331422009-01-09T12:23:00.000-05:002009-01-09T12:23:00.000-05:00I just wanted to tell you that I'm reading your bl...I just wanted to tell you that I'm reading your blog with interest. My husband and I left our evangelical non-denom free-style church a couple of years ago to attend an Episcopal church. Love it, but we are still sorting through a lot of stuff. I am still grieving the loss of the experience of being with that lovely community of people at our old church from Sunday to Sunday--it was a very close-knit church and very hard to leave.<BR/><BR/>To respond to your post, one of the first things I noticed about liturgical worship was how engaging it is for a participant. In our old church setting, my mind was prone to wander. Rarely does that happen now.<BR/><BR/>But lately I've also noticed that in addition to the way liturgical worship keeps the congregation as a whole busy, a traditional liturgy also provides room for many participants -- it's not just the priest and the organist doing their things. <BR/><BR/>Our vicar is great at inviting people into the process, training them, and setting the tone for a balance of warmth and dignity.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com