History of Christian Worship Wednesday night study

II

 

 

Order of Discussion

 

Review

 

1. Explain why I am teaching three weeks on worship.
2. Introductory thoughts on topic:

a)      Protestant churches have been attempting for centuries now to “return to the New Testament”. Protestants have attempted to use the blueprint of the New Testament to create a definitive worship experience. However, the NT does not contain a formula for how to worship, it only tells us that we should worship. Corporately.

b)      Also, worship went through many changes in the early centuries. In the very earliest days, Christians worshipped with Jews on the Sabbath (Saturday), and then met together again on Sunday to celebrate the resurrection by taking the Lord’s Supper together. But by the end of the first century, Christians had moved almost completely to Sunday worship.

3. Review developments of worship in second/third century.

The first century church had just a few elements in worship: prayer, communion, hymns, teaching, fellowship. By the second century a more formal liturgy had developed:

 

Greeting

Scripture reading

Psalm – hymn

Scripture reading

Sermon

Prayer

Kiss of peace

Offering

Prayer

Breaking of the bread

Communion

Dismissal

Infant baptism becomes local practice in some areas

Beginnings of church government

Catechumen period for new believers

Most Christians worship in house churches, but some buildings were coming into being.

 

 

Brief 4^th century history lesson

 

1. The last great persecution against Christianity was in 303 A.D. by Emperor Diocletian. All churches, books, and sacred items were to be destroyed, and all meetings banned. All clergy were asked to sacrifice to the gods or be arrested.
2. In 313 A.D. Constantine legalizes Christian religion.
3. By the end of the 4^th century, Christianity becomes the official religion of the Roman Empire.

 

 

Changes in Worship

 

Architecture

1. Move from house churches to elaborate buildings.
2. Churches were built facing the East. Jews prayed toward Jerusalem, while Jesus ascended in the East, and was expected to return from the East.

 

Clergy

1. Clergy become “professional”. They gain power of jurisdiction in proceedings, with no possibility of an appeal (318 A.D.).
2. Clergy now state supported, income comes from state.
3. Clergy shifted from “street clothes” to exceedingly well made cloths.
4. Bishops become more associated with the social elite than the poor.
5. Light and incense went before the bishop as he walked down the street.
6. Bishops began to be greeted by a kiss on the hand.
7. The Bishop of Rome could have his portrait hung in churches.
8. Choirs would preceed the bishop upon entering the church. (Procession)
9. Congregants genuflected (kiss the feet of) the bishop.
10. Bishops head up large numbers of congregations now rather than having one bishop for each congregation. Priests begin to do the duties that were formerly done by bishops.

 

Fixed (Formal) Liturgy

1. Services become elaborate.
2. Charismatic and spontaneity replaced by fixed liturgy. The primary reason for this was because the bishop could no longer preside over all services. Therefore a less educated person had prayers and such written down for him to say. To keep prayers theologically safe and to avoid heresy.
3. After most of the Roman citizens became Christianized, baptism nearly disappeared. Infant baptism became the norm. The catechumen period was done away with.
4. Mention the evolution into medieval worship, where sermons almost disappear, and the entire service is devoted to eucharist.

 

Alternative Forms of Worship

1. Genesis of desert monks
2. Formation of monasteries