As I mentioned in the previous post, I am reading through some books by Frank Viola. The third book in the series is "Pagan Christianity: The Origins of Our Modern Church Practices." I have just started reading the first part of this and it looks like it will be an intriguing book. I know for some, this book would stir up a lot of controversy as we hold to some traditions more tightly than we should.
In reading the first chapter, Frank brings out some of the historical roots of our "liturgy" or order of worship. For the most part, a person could walk into any number of Protestant church gatherings and be familiar with the order of worship. But where does that order come from? Could it be that the origin of our order of worship started to form itself after the pattern of mass in the Catholic church under Gregory the Great (540-604 A.D.) which borrowed ideas from Judaism and the Greek paganistic rituals of his time? A look in history could reveal such roots of our worship order. What about the rise of the role of pastor within the church acting as CEO or MC? Where did that come from? How about the centrality of preaching in most orders of worship? These are just a few of the questions that I have encountered in the beginning of the first chapter.
Perhaps what I hope to gain out of this book more than anything is to learn what God desires the church to look like. God has and does redeem things out of pagan roots just as He redeems people from the same background. But perhaps God has given us a purer form of worship that He prefers.
I will write more on my thoughts when I read more of this book. My prayer as I read this book is to not find myself railing against the Bride of Jesus but to seek His desire for a pure and perfect bride. May love shine over all knowledge.
3 comments:
Oh Boy will we have a lot to talk about tonight at the theology pub! I read that book a month or so ago.
-Anthony
I have owned and read those two books. I enjoyed them, it's stimulating. But I'd be wary of forming any theology on his teaching. It's just stimulating for me, but I don't think it's rock-solid. It's a mixture... but hey, no one is perfect right?
I appreciate your thoughts. I have been trying to read as much as I can about simple/house church to get an idea of what God really wants for us.
As with everything we read or hear, we must be careful not to just go with the flow without careful thought, prayer, and study.
Thanks!
Greg
Post a Comment