Theology of Worship

I mentioned a couple of weeks ago that I’m taking a theology of worship class at Heritage Seminary in Cambridge, ON. The course began today and we are off to a great start! Dr. David Barker is teaching the class and his passion for Scripture and the church is inspiring and engaging. I’ve heard Dr. Barker speak a few times (including Sunday mornings at our church) and I have been looking forward to this class for a while.

Some of you were asking today about the books that we are using for the course readings this week. Here’s the list of required and recommended books that Dr. Barker has given us. I’ve read several of these and have added the rest to my (ever-growing!!) ‘need to read’ list.

• Engaging with God: A Biblical Theology of Worship by David Peterson
• Unceasing Worship: Biblical Perspectives on Worship by Harold Best
• Worship by the Book by D. A. Carson
• Reaching Out Without Dumbing Down by Marva Dawn
• The Gift of Worship by C. Welton Gaddy
• Enter His Courts with Praise: Old Testament Worship for the New Testament Church by Andrew Hill
• Worship Evangelism by Sally Morgenthaler
• The Worship Phenomenon by Robert Webber
• Worship Seeking Understanding by John Witvliet

So have you read any of these? There are some classics on here as well as some newer books. Any books that you think should be on the list?

10 Responses to “Theology of Worship”

1. matt macdonald says:

   February 23, 2009 at 10:28 pm

   on a practical side;

   Worship Matters – Bob Kauflin

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2. Chris From Canada says:

   February 23, 2009 at 10:37 pm

   Matt – agreed. Great book!

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3. MilePost13 says:

   February 23, 2009 at 10:41 pm

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and (I’m sure you know this), interestingly enough, she now believes much of what she wrote about in that book is out of date and not applicable today, and I agree with her.

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4. Chris From Canada says:

   February 23, 2009 at 10:48 pm

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

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5. jonhyz says:

   February 24, 2009 at 5:00 am

   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 =)

   Reply
6. Elle Pyke says:

   February 24, 2009 at 9:56 am

   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…

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7. earl marshall says:

   February 25, 2009 at 2:49 pm

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

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8. Chris From Canada says:

   February 25, 2009 at 2:52 pm

   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.

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9. Tom Reilly says:

   March 2, 2009 at 10:46 am

   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!!

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10. Tom Reilly says:

    March 2, 2009 at 11:10 am

    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.

    Reply