Thematic Worship: Whose theme?
I made a comment in the February 2004 issue of Ancient-Future Talk that resulted in a number of thoughtful e-mails.
My comment? Thematic worship does not reflect the fullness of biblical worship.
The correspondence I received makes me realize I need to clarify the difference between "thematic worship" and a "theme" in worship. Thematic worship is a single theme that organizes the whole liturgy, like love or faithfulness. My concern is that this kind of thematic worship does not do what worship is designed to do.
Sunday worship should center around memory and hope. It recalls God's saving actions in history and anticipates God's salvific actions at the end of history. This is God's mission: God will put away evil forever and restore creatures and creation to himself. This mission is accomplished by one man, Jesus. This saving work of Jesus is God's worship theme, which we proclaim through the Word and enact at the Table.
Within God's overarching worship theme, there are four distinct actions. We gather in God's presence; hear God's Word; celebrate at God's table; and are sent forth. Each action expresses a different theme.
• The theme of Gathering is to come together. In the gathering we approach God, come before God, and enter his presence. This theme determines the songs and prayers we do as we gather.
• In the service of the Word the theme will vary from week to week depending on the Scripture. Because the service of the Word is instructive, a teaching theme is appropriate. A teaching about God or about the Christian life in the world is put in the context of God's mission. This may be called "the theme of the week."
• The theme of Table worship brings the whole story together: You created. We fell. You came to us in Jesus Christ. In your death and Resurrection you do for us what we can't do for ourselves. You dethroned evil. You will come again to destroy all evil. We live in this hope. Thank you! The theme is always the same-the story of God and the redemption of the world and humanity.
• Then the Dismissal. The dominant theme is to go in peace and live God's mission, which has been rehearsed. The benediction sends us forth.
Now I can more clearly express my concern about thematic worship.
Biblical worship is first and foremost the remembering, the recalling, the proclaiming, the enacting of God's mission in Jesus Christ to redeem, rescue, and restore creatures and creation. We gather to hear that story, enact that story, sing that story, and go forth to embody the story.
If that is true then a thematic worship that chooses to shape the gathering, Word, Table, and dismissal by a "theme of my own choosing" may disrupt God's theme of worship and distort the themes of gathering, hearing, celebrating, and going forth.
How then shall we plan worship? First ask, is God's theme of redemption prominent? It will be if the Lord's Supper is celebrated rightly. Then ask, How can I gather the people? What should be proclaimed today (here various themes are chosen week by week)? Does the way we celebrate communion give thanks to God for God's story? Have I sent people forth to love and serve the Lord?
In sum, thematic worship will be limited by the theme I choose. But true Biblical worship will be characterized by God's overarching theme and the four themes that serve God's theme-gathering, Word, Table, and dismissal.
Planning worship around God's theme and the four themes that serve God's theme retains integrity with the biblical meaning of worship and allows the planner a great deal of freedom to work with the biblical and historically tested fourfold pattern of worship.
What think ye? Write me at: rwebber@northern.seminary.edu
Bob Webber
Myers Professor of Ministry
Director of M.A. in Worship and Spirituality
Northern Seminary—www.seminary.edu
(See Northern's M.A. in Worship and Spirituality and D.Min. in Worship by clicking on the website.)
