Matt Mings on Book Comments: “Beyond Smells and Bells”
I read “Beyond Smells and Bells: The Wonder and Power of Christian Liturgy” by Mark Galli yesterday. Quick read. This slim volume would be a great primer for discussion and understanding in local churches that are reclaiming a sense of mystery and wonder through the Christian liturgy.
I especially think of my vocational setting. Individualistic, consumeristic America; specifically a bit south of “Bible Belt” territory (and closer to the ocean). For those in a parish who might ask “Why do we receive Holy Communion every week?”, or “Why do we stand for the reading of the Gospel text?”, or “Why do we light so many candles?”, or “Why do we extend our hands for the Blessing?”, etc., this book is a good starting place for conversation.
In my faith community, we are attempting to reclaim corporate worship as the place and time we simply worship God and are shaped, formed to go about loving and serving. We believe the work of the people gathered is to let the liturgy (gathering, word, sacrament, sending) be the shaping and forming means.
If you use a liturgical format in your worship (for example: God calls, we gather; God speaks, we listen and respond; God acts, we give thanks; God sends, we go) this book should serve as a necessary touchstone for reaching some sense of communal understanding and appreciation.
SO TELL ME SOMETHING:
How do you experience the liturgy in your local church worship?
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Brian Niece
www.brianniece.com
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Category: Book Comments, Liturgy, The Church 2 comments »
April 21st, 2008 at 11:54 am
I’m going to order this book. Thanks for the recommendation. BTW, have you read Dan Boone’s The Worship Plot? I thought it was a pretty good pointer in the right direction, without getting too far into “liturgy” such that it might scare off traditional nazarenes or younger folks who are sold on contemporary worship. I think I am going to use it (Boone’s book, I mean) in an upcoming retreat w/ my worship design team, as an attempt to (quite literally) get us “on the same page” about why and how, not to mention WHO, we worship.
April 21st, 2008 at 11:57 am
Brannon–
Yes I enjoyed Boone’s book. It came out about a year after I was fortunate enough to be in his pastoral theology class where he went in-depth with it (I think he was developing the book on us).
It’s a great guide.
An interesting dichotomy to “Beyond Smells & Bells” is “Pagan Christianity” which I’m reading now. I’m about to vomit on the book every other page or so … but I’ll finish reading it just to see if I change my mind.