DOCT 372 Theology of Worship 1 Fall 2015 COURSE SYLLABUS DOCT 372 01 Theology of Worship Fall Semester 2015 Cincinnati Christian University Professor: Gary J. Gregory 3 credit hours / MWF 9:00 a.m. Home Phone 921-4736 / gary.gregory@ccuniversity.edu Course Description: A study of the biblical concept of worship in both ancient and contemporary settings with application for corporate and personal worship. This course considers the biblical and historical foundations that define and shape Christian worship in the life of the church. All elements of corporate worship are examined, including an in-depth consideration of the Lord s Supper. Prerequisite: DOCT 210 Basic Bible Doctrines. Rationale: Worship is a way of life for the Christian, which is marked by a changed life and is reflected in a high calling to live to the praise of His glorious grace (Ephesians 1: 12). This personal response and devotion to the Lord is what gives validity and value to the Christian worship assembly. Corporate worship is the assembling together of Christians as the Body of Christ, at the invitation of God, to respond to His compelling offers of forgiveness in Christ and adoption into His family. Christian worship is distinctive in that it celebrates Christ. In worship we praise the Christ whom we serve, we retell the amazing story of His love, we seek His will in our lives, and we commit ourselves to His service. In today s church, a great deal of emphasis is placed on creating worship assemblies that are contemporary in style and are attractive to nonbelievers for the purpose of church growth. In response to this current practice, the course will also address issues that arise in the relationship of worship to evangelism, to cultural changes, and to church growth. Objectives: A. Students who complete this course will be able to: Define and explain a biblical theology of worship that includes both personal and corporate worship. Identify and describe elements of Christian Worship from a biblical perspective. Understand ancient and historical practices that have shaped worship in the Christian community and how those practices find their application in today's worship setting. Evaluate current and popular trends in worship practices with regard to appropriateness and validity in Christian worship against the backdrop of biblical instruction. Plan and organize worship experiences that reflect biblical and historical integrity and are relevant to the contemporary worshiper. B. In addition to gaining a deeper understanding of worship the following attitudes and commitments are objectives for each student: A commitment to be a more intentional worshiper. An active involvement in worship renewal in the local church. An expanded sensitivity and appreciation to the various ways that Christians worship. Overview of the Course: Section one introduces the student to the idea of developing a personal theology of worship. The study will begin with the consideration of worship as a way of life for the individual Christian. Biblical passages will be applied on a personal level and students will be encouraged to develop their own personal worship time and prayer life. In section two, information on current trends and ideas about corporate worship will be discussed, and students will be encouraged to develop a preliminary definition of worship. This unit will then focus on biblical foundations as a context for developing a deeper understanding of the worship assembly, "trying to learn what is pleasing to the Lord." Included in this study will be a survey of what the Bible says about worship, including terminology, worship themes, descriptions, and teachings. Consideration will be given
DOCT 372 Theology of Worship 2 Fall 2015 to worship of the tabernacle, Davidic worship, Jewish festivals, the synagogue, and New Testament teachings. The next section of inquiry will cover historical developments in Christian worship from a theological perspective and briefly investigate Christian documents that give insight into the early development of worship practices. Included in this survey will be Pliny, the Didache, and Justin Martyr from the second century; worship documents from the third century; and the development of the Mass in the medieval period. Next the influence of the Reformation will be considered, tracing the different streams of reformation as a backdrop for understanding our own times and worship traditions. Cultural and historical influences will be introduced, such as the impact of the enlightenment and revivalism, modernity and postmodernity, and worship renewal movements in the twentieth century. The last unit will address the issue of the content and structure of corporate worship for the church. Application will reflect on the worship traditions of the students in the class. Specific elements of worship will be studied in more depth to enhance the students' understanding and participation, including an extended study of the Lord s Supper. Some focus will also be given to understanding the Christian year, the structure of the worship assembly, the role of the arts in worship, the role of music in worship and issues relating to music and worship. Required Texts for the Class: Webber, Robert, E. Worship Old & New, 2nd ed. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1992. Witvliet, John D. Worship Seeking Understanding: Windows into Christian Practice. Grand Rapids: Baker, 2003. Brother Lawrence. The Practice of the Presence of God. Grand Rapids: Spire Books, 1967. Hicks, John Mark. Come to the Table: Revisioning the Lord s Supper. Orange, CA: New Leaf Books, 2002. Types of Learning Experiences: Some class sessions will include lecture information, and other sessions will be presented in a highly interactive format that may include class discussion or brief worship experiences of various styles. Daily reading assignments that are listed in the course schedule should be read as advance preparation for each class. Additional selected readings will be assigned to correspond to course topics. Occasional brief written assignments/responses will be assigned as preparation for the next class topic. Students will be required to experience a worship tradition different from their own and reflect on the experience in light of their studies in this course. Three exams will be given in the semester, the last exam including material selected from the entire course. Study guides will be available for each exam. As opportunities arise, issues in worship will be discussed throughout the course such as: What is the relationship between evangelism and worship? How has our culture affected the way we worship? Should worship reflect culture or should it stand apart from culture? Is targeted worship a valid approach to worship? Can intergenerational worship work in the contemporary church? Assignments: 1. Preliminary observations on worship. Write a one-page introduction in which you identify the church where you have been attending most recently and identify what seems to be the most important goal(s) of their worship service. Then describe two or three concerns that you have about today s worship practices in the church. These concerns are not necessarily related to your current worship setting. Due: Class period two. Counts in daily preparation grade. 2. Daily preparation. Points are given for completion of daily reading assignments and other assigned responses during the semester. These scores accrue during the semester to make up the daily preparation grade. Due: See schedule below. Some additional responses will be assigned during the course. (Semester Grade Value: 15%) 3. Discussion-Day assignments. Read the assigned chapter(s) from Worship Seeking Understanding for that day. These readings are designed to introduce related ideas and topics on worship for class discussion. Next choose an idea in the reading that has caught your attention or caused you to consider a topic in a new
DOCT 372 Theology of Worship 3 Fall 2015 way. (1.) Start your response with a quote from the assignment and (2.) discuss your reactions to that passage. This response should fill at least one complete doubled-spaced page of typewritten text. These responses will be turned in at the end of the class period when they are due. Responses will not be accepted late. (3.) Consider how to use your response as a discussion-starter and be prepared to lead in a brief discussion on your topic. Due: Each assigned discussion-day. (Semester Grade Value: 20%) 4. Reflection on Church Visits. Visit two different Church worship services other than your own and write a one to two-page reflection paper for each visit. At least one service should be significantly different than the tradition you are most familiar with. As you report on your visit describe the style of service you attended and reflect on any of the following worship aspects you observed: Multi Cultural Elements View of God Presentation oriented vs. Participation oriented Target Audience View of the Lord s Supper Use of Symbols and employment of the arts Worship Environment View of Music What was this service about? Option: There will be the possibility of two service reenactments during the semester, such as a Sabbath meal reenactment, Justin Martyr reenactment, morning prayer (Lauds), etc. These are not required, but may provide opportunities for extra credit or to qualify as a church visit. For one of the church visit requirements a student may elect to attend one of these reenactment services. In this option the accompanying paper should present a brief historical explanation of the worship setting, plus a personal response to the worship experience. Due Dates: Visit 1 due on October 16. Visit 2 due at Final Exam. (Semester Grade Value: 10%) 5. Design prayers for worship. The purpose of this assignment is to demonstrate an understanding of the various prayers of corporate worship and how they function as components of the worship assembly. Communion: Write a prayer that would be appropriate for a Communion Service in a church setting. What would you pray about? The purpose of the assignment is to demonstrate the elements that you studied in the prayers of the early church. See Webber, pages 183 and 240, and Witvliet, page 35, for examples of early prayers at the table. 1. Analyze these prayers and make a list of the elements you find. 2. Include this list before your written prayer. 3. Incorporate into your prayer the same kinds of things that are addressed in these ancient prayers, but with your own wording. Invocations (submit 3) Each example should demonstrate a specific focus for the service. Prayers of Confession (submit 2) Benedictions (submit 2) Due Date: December 11 (Semester Grade Value: 10%) 6. Biblical or Historical Paper, or Reading Report. One of the following options is required: Modest research paper Write five/six pages on some aspect of worship that is of interest to you. Include multiple resources in your bibliography (Minimum of 3). This list is to get you thinking: A historical person Alexander Campbell s views on worship; Luther s attitude toward the liturgy; why Zwingli loved music in the concert hall, but not in church; etc. A historical development: A Closer Look at Worship in the Jewish Synagogue; The emergence of a theology of transubstantiation; The rise of Gothic architecture; Worship descriptions from the Early church; etc. A biblical passage or theme: The songs of Revelation; the typological relationship between the tabernacle, temple, and church; Paul s teaching on the Lord s Supper, Using the Psalms in Worship, etc. A theological concept: The Role of Christian Worship in the Life of a Follower of Christ; The Lord s Supper and the Presence of Christ; Worship reenacts or retells the Christ event, etc. A difficult question: Should worship services be targeted to specific groups? Is one kind of music right, and all others wrong? Is it OK to follow the church calendar? etc.
DOCT 372 Theology of Worship 4 Fall 2015 Reading report - Read about 300 pages of extra new reading from any of the books listed in the bibliography and write a five/six page book report. Papers will be graded on the quality of presentation of ideas and information, grammar, appropriate documentation of material, relevance to the course. Due Date: Final Exam. (Semester Grade Value: 20%) Semester Grade Components Value Grade Daily preparation (i.e. reading assignments/responses) 15 % Discussion Day Assignments 20% Worship Paper or Reading Report 20% Reflection on Worship Experiences 10% Prayers for Worship 10% Exams 25% SCHEDULE OF TOPICS AND READING ASSIGNMENTS BY CLASS SESSION: Date Topic Reading / Assignment Aug. 24 M 1. Introduction and Preliminary Considerations --Six Biblical Principles /Themes for Worship Aug. 26 W 2. Worship and Spirituality as a Way of Life Worship Response Aug. 28 F 3. The spiritual life is living out our baptism Br Lawrence pp. 11-60 Aug. 31 M 4. The spiritual life is disciplined in the ways of Christ Br Lawrence pp. 63-112 (1 response) Sept. 2 W 5. The spiritual life is nourished by the church Role of Corporate Worship for the Christian Witvliet, Chapter 10 (1 response) Sept. 4 F 6. Continuation and discussion Sept. 9 W 7. Distinguishing Content, Structure, and Style Webber, Chapter 13,14 Sept. 11 F 8. Discussion Day Witvliet: Worship Seeking.. Witvliet, Chap.1 - Former Prophets and Christian Worship 1 Intro/Chapter 1 Sept. 14 M 9. Biblical Backgrounds of Worship Searching Webber: Chapter 1, 2 the Scriptures to understand Worship Sept. 16 W 10. OT: The first principles of Worship Webber, Chapter 3 Sept. 18 F Continuation and discussion (ACCME) Sept. 21 M 11. Davidic Worship and Synagogue Worship Sept. 23 W 12. Exam Sept. 25 F 13. Chap. 2 Praise and Lament in the Psalms and in Witvliet, Chapter 2 Liturgical Prayer 2 Sept. 28 M 14. How did NT Christians worship? Webber, Chapter 4 Sept. 30 W Continuation and discussion Oct. 2 F Fall Recess Oct. 5 M 15. Following Jesus in the Early Church (Worship Service based on Justin Martyr) Webber, Chapter 5 Oct. 7 W 16. Worship proclaims and Enacts God s Story Webber, Chapter 6, 7 Oct. 9 F 17. Discussion Day - Witvliet: Worship Seeking.. Chap. 3 Covenant Theology of the Lord s Supper 3 Witvliet, Chapter 3 Oct. 12 M 18. Forms and Signs in Worship Webber, Chapter 8, 21 Oct. 14 W 19. Ancient and Medieval Worship Webber, Chapter 9 Oct. 16 F Continuation and discussion Church Visit 1 Due Oct. 19 M 20. Reformation and Free Worship Webber, Chapter 10 Oct. 21 W 21. Discussion Day Witvliet: Worship Seeking.. Witvliet, Chapter 7 Chap. 7 - The Americanization of Worship 4 Oct. 23 F 22. Encountering God in the Christian Year Webber, Chapter 20 Oct. 26 M 23. Worship in the Restoration Movement Oct. 28 W 24. Exam Oct. 30 F 25. Discussion Day Witvliet: Worship Seeking.. Witvliet, Chapter 8
DOCT 372 Theology of Worship 5 Fall 2015 Chap. 8 Theological issues in Frontier Worship Tradition 5 Nov. 2 M 26. Worship Trends in the Contemporary Church Webber, Chapter 11 Nov. 4 W 27. The Worship Environment Webber, Chapter 12 Nov. 6 F 28. Encountering God in Prayer and the Word Webber, Chapter 15,17 Nov. 9 M 29. Discussion Day Witvliet: Worship Seeking.. Chap. 11 The Blessing and Bane of North American Evang. Megachurch, Chapter 12 Making Good Choices in an Era of Liturgical Change 6 Witvliet, Chapters 11, 12 Nov. 11 W 30. Remember and Give Thanks Webber, Chapter 16 Nov. 13 F 31. Biblical Backgrounds for Worship at the Lord s Table Hicks, Chapters 1, 2, 3 Nov. 16 M 32. The Lord s Supper in the NT Hicks, Chapters 4, 5, 6 Nov. 18 W 33. 1st Century Meals/Worship/Paul s Teaching Corinthians Hicks, Chapters 7, 8 Nov. 20 F 34. Theories of Eucharistic Presence Hicks, Chapters 9, Witvliet 14 N 23-27 Thanksgiving Recess Nov. 30 M 35. Theological Considerations Hicks, Chapters 10, 12 Dec. 2 W 36. Renewal in Worship at the Lord s Supper Hicks, Chapters 11, 13 Dec. 4 F 37. Music and the Arts in Worship Dec. 7 M 38. Encountering God in Music Webber: Chapter 18,19 Dec. 9 W 39. Discussion Day - Witvliet: Worship Seeking.. Chap. 13 - Planning and Leading Worship as a Pastoral Task. Chap. 15 How Common Worship Forms us for our Encounter with Death 7 Witvliet, Chapters 13, 15 Dec. 11 F 40. Recapitulation Prayers Assignment Due Dec.14/17 FINAL EXAMS Paper Due; Church Visit 2 Due Notice: These Course Plans are subject to change during the semester at the discretion of the professor. BIBLIOGRAPHY TTH 372 Theology of Worship Allen, Ronald and Borror, Gordon. Worship: Rediscovering The Missing Jewel. Portland: Multnomah Press, 1982. Best, Harold M. Unceasing Worship: Biblical Perspectives on Worship and the Arts. Downers Grove, Il: InterVarsity Press, 2003. Basden, Paul A. gen. ed. Exploring the Worship Spectrum: Six Views. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2004. Gerald Borchert. Worship In The New Testament: Divine Mystery and Human Response. Chalice Press, 2008. Carson, D. A. ed. Worship By the Book. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2002. Cherry, Constance M. The Worship Architect: A blueprint for Designing Culturally Relevant and Biblically Faithful Services. Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2010. Cornwall, Judson. Let us Worship. South Plainfield, NJ: Bridge Publishing, 1983. Dawn, Marva J. Reaching Out Without Dumbing Down. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1995. Dawn, Marva J. A Royal Waste of Time: The Splendor of Worshipping God and Being Church for the World. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1999. Dawn, Marva J. How Should We Worship? Biblical Guidelines for the Worship Wars. Wheaton: Tyndale, 2003. Dearborn, Tim A. and Scott Coil, ed. Worship at the Next Level: Insight From Contemporary Voices. Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 2004. Dozier, Dan. Come Let Us Adore Him: Dealing With the Struggle over Style of Worship. Joplin, MO: College Press, 1994. Drury, Keith. The Wonder of Worship: Why We Worship the Way We Do. Marion, IN: Triangle, 2002.
DOCT 372 Theology of Worship 6 Fall 2015 Ford, David F. and Daniel W. Hardy. Living in Praise: Worshipping and Knowing God. Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2005. Frankland, Dinelle. What the Bible Says about Worship: His Story, Our Response. Joplin, MO: College Press, 2008. Frankforter, A. Daniel. Stones for Bread: A Critique of Contemporary Worship. Louisville: Westminster John Knox Press, 2001. Gresham, Charles R. and Lawson, Tom. The Lord's Supper: Historical Writings on Its Meaning to the Body of Christ. Joplin, MO: College Press, 1993. Hayford, Jack; Killinger, John and Stevenson, Howard. Mastering Worship. Portland, OR: Multnomah Press, 1990. Hicks, John Mark. Come to the Table: Revisioning the Lord s Supper. Orange, CA: New Leaf Books 2002. Hieronymus, Lynn. What the Bible Says About Worship. Joplin, MO: College Press Publishing, 1984. Hill, Andrew E. Enter His Courts with Praise: Old Testament Worship for the New Testament Church. Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 1993. Howard, Thomas. The Liturgy Explained. Wilton, CT: Morehouse-Barlo Co., 1981. Hustad, Donald P. Jubilate! Church Music in the Evangelical Tradition. Carol Stream, IL: Hope, 1981. Kimball, Dan. Emerging Worship: Creating Worship gatherings for New Generations. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2004. Liesch, Barry. People in the Presence of God. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1988. MacArthur, Jr., John. The Ultimate Priority. Chicago: Moody Press, 1983. Martin, Ralph P. Worship In The Early Church. Westwood, NJ: Fleming H. Revell Co., 1964. Morgenthaler, Sally. Worship Evangelism: Inviting Unbelievers into the Presence of God. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1995. Peterson, David. Engaging with God: A Biblical Theology of Worship. Downers Grove, IL: Inter-Varsity Press, 1992. Rognlien, Bob. Experiential Worship: Encountering God with Heart, Soul, Mind, and Strength. Colorado Springs: Navpress, 2005. Redman, Robb. The Great Worship Awakening: Singing a New Song in the Postmodern Church. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 2002. Saliers, Don E. Worship as Theology: Fortaste of Glory Divine. Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1994. Segler, Franklin M., Revised by Bradley, Randell. Understanding, Preparing For, and Practicing Christian Worship, 2nd Edition. Nashville: Broadman & Holman, 1996. Shields, Bruce and Butzu, David. Generations of Praise: the History of Worship. Joplin, MO: College Press, 2007. Sweet, Leonard I. Post-Modern Pilgrims: First Century Passion for the 21st Century World. Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 2000. Tozer, A.W. Whatever Happened to Worship. Camp Hill, PA: Christian Publications, 1985. Veith, Jr., Gene Edward. The Gift of Art: The Place of the Arts in Scripture. Downers Grove, IL: Inter- Varsity Press, 1983. Webber, Robert E. Ancient Future Faith; Rethinking Evangelicalism for a Postmodern World. Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1999. Webber, Robert E. Ancient-Future Worship: Proclaiming and Enacting God s Narrative. Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 2008. Webber, Robert E. Blended Worship. Peabody, MA: Hendrickson, 1994. Webber, Robert E. The Divine Embrace: Recovering the Passionate Spiritual Life. Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 2006. Webber, Robert E. Worship Is A Verb: Eight Principles for Transforming Worship. Peabody, MA: Hendrickson, 1992. Webber, Robert, E. Worship Old & New, 2nd ed. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1992. Webber, Robert E. The Younger Evangelicals: Facing the Challenges of the New World. Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 2002. Webber, Robert, E. ed. The Complete Library of Christian Worship, Vol. 1 and 2. Nashville: Star Song Publishing Group, 1994. White, James F. A Brief History of Christian Worship. Nashville: Abingdon, 1993.
DOCT 372 Theology of Worship 7 Fall 2015 White, James F. Documents of Christian Worship: Descriptive and Interpretive Sources. Louisville: Westminster/John Knox Press, 1992. White, James F. Introduction to Christian Worship, 3 rd ed. Nashville: Abingdon Press, 2000. Wiersbe, Warren. Real Worship. 2 nd ed. Grand Rapids: Baker, 2000. Witvliet, John D. Worship Seeking Understanding: Windows into Christian Practice. Baker, 2003. CLASS ATTENDANCE Since much of the education process occurs in the interactions of students and faculty with the curriculum, student attendance at class is required. Students with more than two weeks of absences in a particular course will receive the grade of FA (Failure due to absences) in the class. Students who reach this level prior to seventh week of the semester may withdraw from the class and receive a W for the class. When a student is failed in a course due to absences, reinstatement in the class is allowed only when the student s absences were for legitimate reasons (e.g., illness, family emergency, collegesponsored travel). Reinstatement may also come with substantial penalties, including extra work or deduction in grade. Application for reinstatement begins with the Registrar s office. Students are required to keep records of each absence. Students applying for reinstatement must submit documentation about each absence. A student should be aware that faculty members may penalize students for class absences prior to the two-week limit. Read the individual course syllabus for statements of such penalties. Absences within the allowed limits are not an entitlement for students. They should not be viewed as personal days but as sick days. Coming to class late or leaving class early, without prior notification to the professor, may be counted as an absence. Penalties for tardiness or leaving early will be determined by the individual faculty member. See the individual course syllabus for specific information. Students with Disabilities Students who require academic accommodations due to a documented physical, psychological or learning disability must request assistance from Ray Horton via the Student Services Center. Students are encouraged to complete this request within the first two weeks of each semester. The Student Services Center is located in Presidents Hall level 2 across from the elevator. Contact: ray.horton@ccuniversity.edu or at 513-244-8420.