A Primer on Christian Worship: Worship and Art

In the second chapter of his book, Dyrness challenges us to look back at worship’s history in order to see its impact, power, structure, and potential. At the end of this chapter, he asks the reader to consider their church history but also their church present. So, here are my thoughts on his promptings for us. 

My church growing up really emphasized worship throughout the whole service. They simply did this by how they structured the service and labeled things. We start with worship in song, then worship in prayer, worship in Word. We used the language of worship throughout the whole service, which made it either obvious while also subtly forming our theology that all of it is worship. The things emphasized in our worship services were Word and prayer. A typical Sunday would engage with Word with Scripture reading by people from different cultures. Our Pastor also is an artist. He used photography, paintings, and poems often in his preaching. So, we were also being led by him to expand our engagement with Christ in worship. (My favorite were his poems!) I think these are all strengths, ways that our church leadership was being active to regularly add things to service that would cause deeper pondering and adoration of God. 

I think it’s a unifying strength when they invite church members into the making of this art that causes us to stand in awe of God. I think how my church does this is done in a non-offensive way, but a way that is still uncomfortable for some people. They have learned that what leads to deeper revelation of God is worth the risk of toes being stepped on. I also love that this is not something that limits their outreach. Art, in many forms, is what their context appreciates. The town my church is located in has rotating art-walk exhibits constantly. So, it is like a redeeming way to reach people with something they already know, just acknowledging The Artist who we also worship.

The idea of “sacred space” that Dyrness explains is a concept that I really appreciate, and would find a weakness in my church. The sanctuary itself is a gray room. Everything is gray. But, I think there is so much more that can highlight God’s glory from the space you’re in. Walking into any cathedral, you are simply in awe. I know that this, in our reformed minds, means a separation between us and God, but I think there can be a balance. If God asked for his tent to be gloriously designed and decorated, I believe we can make our multi-million dollar sanctuaries reflect God’s beauty, at least a little bit.

This relates to how I think that the Church, or at least the “Emergent Church” is craving something more. I think, speaking as an American twenty-something, these ways of worship with more physical elements is a reflection of our craving for something real. Not that we want to worship things, but that we want to know more of the realness of holiness and glory and God. This does have its dangers, thinking about culture now, with comparisons with crystals or cards or other distorted ways of worship. But, it also could be a positive to reach those who are lost in those physical acts of worship. 

With all this said, I think worship is not dependent on any physical thing. I think the psalmists were able to worship with their prayers, and Paul and Silas were able to worship with just their voices. But, I do think that God invites us, as creative beings, to enhance worship, to reflect a greater sense of his glory, by the ways we engage in worship with physical materials, art. I love both, I love the intricacies and awe of worship with art and physical things that engage more of the senses. I also love the simple refreshing that comes from worship with just your words, prayers, and songs.