It has been fashionable to decry cermonial garb; however, we might be a bit more alert to some simple wisdom enshrined in the tradition… Enclothed cognition means that clothes can exert influence on the way the wearer feels, thinks, and behaves through the symbolic meaning associated with the clothes. Many pieces of clothing carry a […]
communication
The Order of Christian Worship
I found this article helpful in identifying the genealogy of the Vineyard styles of service so popular in current Evangelical and Charismatic circles. This order for church services grows out of historic “revivalism,” a movement that finds its primary roots in the awakenings of the early 19th century. Often, its “father” is deemed to be […]
Worship as (performance) art
A useful looking online book whose subtitle says what it’s about: a theology of liturgical expression. When Christians gather for worship, they engage in a dialogue that runs in several directions. God speaks to the people; people speak to God; people speak to one another. … Because much of what yearns for expression in these dialogical […]
Learning Styles -claims overblown
Perhaps it is no surprise that some independent research shows that the claims for learning styles (or whatever name -there are several) may be too strong in terms of the validity of the styles and their impact on learning. I’m looking at the report at the moment but this summary article (which itself seems to […]
Collective intelligence, women, solving problems
Having facilitated a team-building exercise last week, it’s been interesting to see this bit of research. In some ways it confirms with further data what we already know. On the other hand, by doing so it highlights the importance of enabling groups to work together well in order to help people learn and make better […]
Framing the furnishings
This morning in chapel I noticed an interesting bit of framing in the interpretation and use of some of the chapel furnishings. To put the scene in mind: at the front of the chapel space is a backcloth which is behind a large (c. 1.5m) plain wooden cross in the classic shape. Just in front […]
Is Video Technology in Church Manipulative?
I think that this question is worth asking. It’s also worth looking at the arguments and seeing how far they might apply to other dimensions of corporate worship, like music. My short answer to the question is ‘yes’ and ‘no’! Mainly because I think that the question is mis-put. For why go here and read […]
Stanley Hauerwas: a prayer quote from Greenbelt
In his first session at Greenbelt this year, Stanley said something like this: “I don’t believe in spontaneous prayer … it turns out they’re formulas people use again and again” I note that there is probably a lot of truth in that. Many experienced ‘spontaneous’ prayists have, in fact, mastered the art of marshalling a […]
Writing prayers for corporate worship
I realised that something I wrote in 2002 is still on the web and available and maybe still useful … Top tips for good habits in writing prayers * Your attitude should be one of service: you are writing/producing something to serve other people by helping them to pray together with you. This means you […]
Tech, ritual and worship
Now this is helpful: it gives us a useful definition of the place of ritual in congregational worship. Our liturgy is sacred ritual because it creates anticipation and receptivity to the Spirit of the Risen Christ in the experience of the participants. This sentence reminds us that anything we do or use in worship is […]