by Brett Williams | Sep 12, 2019 | Central Blog, Textual Criticism, Tradition, Worship
Leigh Ann Thompson, of CSNT (Center for the Study of New Testament Manuscripts) reminds us of the importance of memory and visualization in our liturgy. Memory, Liturgy, and Illustrations in Lectionaries Both the physical worship space, the reading, and the...
by Brett Williams | Mar 30, 2018 | Central Blog, Devotion, Ecclesiology, Holidays, Worship
“The light shines in darkness and the darkness has not overcome it.” Tonight, many liturgical and reformed churches will celebrate the medieval Tenebrae service, or service of darkness. Throughout this solemn event, candles are extinguished until only one...
by Kevin Bauder | Sep 15, 2017 | Bauder's Reading, Technology, What We're Reading, Worship
Christians have always needed an interconnected set of virtues in order to pray well. Virtues refer to character traits, but character traits can be good or bad; we refer to these, respectively, as virtues and vices. . . . [O]ur new technologies tend to promote...
by Kevin Bauder | Sep 12, 2017 | Bauder's Reading, What We're Reading, Worship
The new technologies’ emphases upon speed, efficiency, multitasking, multimedia presentation, and the like tend to make many characteristic features of Reformed worship—for example, pastoral prayers, the singing of psalms and hymns, sermons, the celebration of the...
by Kevin Bauder | Sep 6, 2017 | Bauder's Reading, What We're Reading, Worship
Scripture never describes angels or humans in heaven as tucked away in their own private corners offering solitary prayer, but as joining their voices together in corporate adoration to God. Hebrews refers to “thousands upon thousands of angels” and to the “church of...
by Kevin Bauder | Sep 2, 2017 | America, Bauder's Reading, Theology, Worship
[B]eing distracted is not sinful per se, and we may be tempted to dismiss deep contemplation as only the province of professional scholars. But in fact, there is at least one area of life in which focused attention and deep reflection are crucial for all Christians:...
