Praise, Prayer and Praxis

Ecumenical Review, The, April, 2001 by Myra Blyth

The liturgy to launch the ecumenical Decade to Overcome Violence (held in Potsdam, in January 2001) recognized this problem by inviting churches around the world to name the children known to them who are subjected to such pressures. This took the form of a litany, a corporate act of lamentation by Christians from all over the world for children in every part of the world.

Stories past and present serve to demonstrate that wherever people see and live out the connections between liturgy and life, the power of worship to confront evil and transform lives is enormous. However, whilst there are many many stories such as these with which to inspire and encourage us, it would be naive to suggest that this is the norm. Week in and week out in churches across the globe worship is celebrated: prayers are offered, the word is opened, and the eucharist shared, but the credibility gap between many of these worship experiences, and the struggle to overcome violence, is very wide indeed.

Over the last two years I have been engaged in a liturgical study (which I will refer to hereafter as Project 21) which has looked into the relationship between worship and issues of poverty and wealth. This study considered current worship praxis (Protestant and Anglican) in very diverse local situations across the world. Some initial findings reveal significant common trends across the confessions in terms of what people think worship is about, and what shape and form they think it should take.

The study began with an extended dialogue between liturgists on what they understand worship to be, but the main focus of the study is on current praxis within local worshipping congregations week by week. Whatever our theories about worship, it is important to be real and honest about the actual state of worship.

Starting from the broad results of this study, this article suggests some ecumenical priorities for worship in the future -- including specific suggestions for strengthening the intersection between worship and justice so that liturgy can have a significant impact on the Ecumenical Decade.

Project 21 is essentially "a tale of seven congregations". Each was visited and invited to respond, in conversation with the field researcher, to the following questions:

-- What kind of community worships here?

-- What part of worship means most to you?

-- When do you celebrate the eucharist, and what is its significance for you?

-- How does the worship here connect with the context in which you live?

-- How does worship, in your experience, relate to the issues of poverty and wealth?

The chart below provides a simple summary of the answers received and the trends observed arising from their answers.

A = Important elements
B = Connections with poverty and wealth issues

               1       2       3       4       5       6       7
             urban   urban   urban   sub-    urban   sub-    urban
             rich    rich    rich    urban   poor    urban   poor
                                     rich            poor

Singing        A      A       A        A               A
Praying        B      A       B               B        A      AB
Being          B      A       B        B      AB       A      AB
  together
Preaching             AB      A        B                      B
Communion                     AB              AB