Worship

The Bible and the Liturgy illuminates the vital and meaningful bond between Bible and liturgy, connecting Church past and present.

In the modern day, Christians accept Church rituals as sacred but baffling heirlooms from the Church's past. But these rituals are so much more than that. Father Daniélou delves into how the Church's liturgical rites and feasts are intended not only to transmit the grace of the sacraments but also to instruct the faithful in their meaning, as well as the meaning of the whole Christian life. It is through the sacraments in their role as signs that Christians learn. Daniélou helps readers rediscover the significance of these rites so that the sacraments may once again be thought of as the continuation of the great works of God in the Old Testament and the New.

Jesus was fond of using imagery in his parables to tell stories, such as coins and vines. In today's church, we now use these same symbols throughout the sanctuary and in worship materials. Each symbol is a beautiful and historical connection to generations of Christians that have worshipped before you.

This collection of over 600 hand-drawn Christian symbols by artist and author Edward Riojas will teach you the extensive history of the imagery you see daily. Different variations of the same symbols are included alongside a short explanation to show their evolution. Reconnect with the historic symbolism of the Christian church through this concise and complete collection.

Is Christian worship best conceived as a creative, Spirit-fueled experience that any formalized structure necessarily inhibits, or are there any biblical prescriptions around for worship that Christians were meant to follow?

In light of recent research from various disciplines-including history, psychology, and New Testament studies- In Defense of Christian Ritual argues the latter.

Specifically, this book will demonstrate three things.

Readers will discover that the apostolic teaching embodied in the church's early ritual, as expressed in its liturgy, was never intended to be outdated or rendered irrelevant in light of current fads. It was never meant to be a relic of the ancient past, but a structured way of bringing the "memoirs of the apostles"-that Jesus died for sinners-to God's people in the here and now.

Primarily through deft examination of the Western Church, Philip H. Pfatteicher reveals how the liturgical calendar has been transformed over thousands of years. It is a work of art--the collaborative achievement of generations of hands and minds. He shows how the church year dramatizes and grounds the strange complexity of the human experience and how it encourages honesty, humility, growth, and maturity in those who live by it.

Pfatteicher also offers insight into the liturgical texts of the Eucharist, the less familiar Daily Office, and the people's theology voiced in hymns from a broad spectrum of ancient and modern traditions. It will be an indispensable resource for both clergy and laity in the liturgical denominations, including Catholicism, Lutheranism, and Anglicanism.

We tend to remember hymns one at a time. They color our lives, transmit our theology, and form our faith. We forget that the reason we can do so is because they have been made available throughout the centuries in hymnals. This edited collection explores the 500-year tradition of Lutheran hymnal production, illustrating how these books have influenced Lutheran faith and worship practice over time.

Editor Robin A. Leaver has assembled a notable team of contributors from across the wider Lutheran church. Each chapter draws readers into the history and contributions of one or more landmark hymnals, ranging from the first books published during Luther's lifetime to volumes that have shaped the dimensions of the contemporary Lutheran church in the United States. Chapter authors include Leaver, Paul Grime, Markus Rathey, Joseph Hurl, Dianne M. McMullen, Jon D. Vieker, Paul Westermeyer, Mark A. Granquist, Daniel Zager, and Gracia Grindal.

Nearly everything that theologians write on liturgy, Father Kavanagh notes, is often called liturgical theology, although on closer examination such works appear to be either dogmatic theologies about the liturgy or systematic theologies making use of liturgical data. None truly reflects how liturgy shapes theology or is theology or even relates to theology.

This work is Father Kavanagh's effort to substantiate the existence of a truly liturgical theology. It will raise almost as many questions as it answers, but it will also further insight into theology and liturgy as it assays their relationship.

How do I prepare for receiving the Lord's Supper? Am I the only Christian who struggles with receiving the Sacrament? What things stand in the way of properly receiving Holy Communion? What should I do when I don't feel like taking Communion? Why don't I feel different once I've taken the Lord's Supper?

Preparing to Receive Holy Communion answers these questions and many others that Christians face as they consider their participation in the Sacrament of the Altar. This collection of devotions, prayers, psalms, and hymns is designed to strengthen and encourage believers as they prepare to receive Holy Communion.

Keep with your Bible, in your purse, or in your church's pews so you and your fellow church members are prepared to properly receive Holy Communion.