Theology of Worship

I too spent a very worthwhile week with Dr. Barker. His familiarity with the Biblical text certainly makes the difference. There is ceratinly need to upgrade our liturgies. Extended periods of singing plus the offering and a prayer prior to the sermon is not an adequate liturgy. (and it is a liturgy!!) However, change in liturgy, and we certainly need it, cannot be imposed. If there is no persuasion, teaching of Scriptural foundations, soul enrichment and a gentle or winsome approach then more harm than good could result, especially in older congregations. Let's not make it a generational issue. Let's bring everybody along even if gradually. In the book that Dr. Carson edited I found Timothy Keller's section most appealing.

Add this one: Horton Davies: Worship and Theology in England; From Cranmer to Baxter and Fox; 1534-1690. This book is not for the faint of heart! 530 pages of thorough review of R.C., Anglican, Presbyterian, Baptist and Quaker approaches to worship. Very informative as it examines the fundamental differences re Eucharist, Baptism, Liturgy, Architecture and much more. Back then they too were concerned with form versus function! It seems the more we change the more we stay the same!!

Earl - I think 'Recalling the Hope of Glory' is the only book that I'm able to read two pages at a time :) It is FULL of amazing content, knowledge and wisdom but it's taken me two years and I'm still not finished reading it. Great stuff.

How about "Exploring the Worship Spectrum"; "A Royal Waste of Time"; "Recalling the Hope of Glory".

Read the book by Peterson and Carson. Used both for a paper I did in Bible College on the Theology of Worship. I found them both helpful, I recall enjoying Peterson more...

Hi Chris, I came across your blog via Google Alerts on "Theology of Worship". I'm quite interested in this topic and how especially youth grow up without a proper understanding of what "worship" is.. in fact I started a whole blog about it! Will you be posting about what you learn from the course? If so, I'll link to you from my blog so my readers can also check out what you learn =) Thanks! Jonathan Huang p.s. +1 on Bob Kauflin's book =)

I did read the interview where she has said that she sees all of this stuff in a new light. Very interesting.

I've only read Sally's book, and (I'm sure you know this), interestingly enough, she now believes much of what she wrote about in that book is out of date and not applicable today, and I agree with her.

Matt - agreed. Great book!

on a practical side; Worship Matters - Bob Kauflin