Liturgical Theology: The Church as Worshiping Community [Paperback]

Simon Chan (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 12, 2006

Bad worship produces bad theology, and bad theology produces an unhealthy church. In Liturgical Theology, Simon Chan issues a call to evangelicals to develop a mature theology of the church--an ecclesiology that is grounded in the church's identity as a worshiping community. Evangelicals, he argues, are confused about the meaning and purpose of the church in part because they have an inadequate understanding of Christian worship. As a remedy for this ailment, Chan presents a coherent theology of the church that pays particular attention to the liturgical practices that have constituted Christian worship throughout the centuries. With a seasoned eye and steady hand, he guides the reader through these practices and unpacks their significance for theology, spirituality and the renewal of evangelicalism in the postmodern era. Chan's proposal advances the conversation among evangelicals regarding the relationship between theology and worship. In contrast to some theologians who have tended to emphasize a sociological analysis, Chan argues that we need to consider what is essential to the church's theological identity. Drawing on the larger Christian tradition, Chan argues that we discover that identity primarily in the structure and significance of Christian worship.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Simon Chan offers here a timely word to the evangelical church. Things 'liturgical,' once shunned by some, are now being embraced by a generation of believers who have renewed interest in ancient practices and ritual arts. This book provides a solid theological framework for the working-out of best practices as the evangelical world renews its worship." (Clay Schmit, Arthur DeKruyter/Christ Church Oak Brook Associate Professor of Preaching and Academic Director for the Brehm Center for Worship, Theology and the Arts, Fuller Theological Seminary )

"Convinced that the practices of the liturgy shape and form faith and life, Chan has written an utterly compelling book that calls the evangelical tradition to a new commitment to worship. It is just the wake-up call that evangelicals need to hear." (Leanne Van Dyk, academic dean and professor of Reformed theology, Western Theological Seminary )

"Worship both expresses and forms us in a particular theological vision. Oddly, evangelical Christians have been reluctant to explore this topic. Indeed, an 'evangelical proposal' for 'liturgical theology' still sounds like an oxymoron. But this reluctance must end--and kudos to Simon Chan for helping the cause. He explores the significant worship-theology relationship in conversation with a wonderfully broad range of Christian theologians. The result may not only change how you think about worship, but how you practice it in your congregation." (John D. Witvliet, director, Calvin Institute of Christian Worship, and associate professor of worship, theology and music, Calvin College and Calvin Theological Seminary )

"In this day of confusion about the meaning and purpose of worship, Simon Chan returns worship to its place of belonging in the church. His calling to return to the catechumenate, to the ordo of Sunday worship and the reinvigoration of the historic liturgy is especially timely given the postmodern moment in which we live." (Robert Webber, Myers Professor of Ministry, Northern Seminary )

"Simon Chan asserts that if long-standing criticisms of the evangelical tradition are to be addressed, evangelicals must begin to develop a more adequate ecclesiology. In this book he presents a vision of the church as an ontological reality in which sound theological and ecclesial practices can be developed. In so doing he has produced a thoughtful and significant book that should be read carefully by all those concerned for the future of ecclesial life and witness in the evangelical tradition." (John R. Franke, professor of theology, Biblical Seminary )

Product Details

• Paperback: 208 pages
• Publisher: IVP Academic (July 12, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0830827633
• ISBN-13: 978-0830827633
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 5.9 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #121,496 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Challenging Proposal for Evangelical Worship Renewal, July 24, 2008

By 

Donner C. S. Tan (Singapore) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Liturgical Theology: The Church as Worshiping Community (Paperback)

Simon Chan has given us here a challenging proposal that takes the evangelicals' self-searching mode a huge step forward as regards its worship and liturgy. In the intro, he evaluates the recent calls for renewal of the evangelical movement by theologians such as David Wells, Donald Bloesch and Stanley Grenz. Taking off from the works of Grenz and Robert Jenkins, the fresh insights he brings to the table include the need for the evangelical church to go beyond discussing style and technique and develop a more robust self-understanding that is rooted in the perichoretic union with the Trinity ie. the ontology of the church. What is interesting is his view of the church as prior to creation in the divine economy. This in his view has far reaching implications for the ecclesial life. Rather than being co-opted as a handmaiden to the world's agendas, the church's raison detre is found in God's irrevocable gift of election to the praise of his glory.

This means that the church is most clearly herself at worship. Drawing largely from the Great Tradition (of the first five centuries), he sees the normative liturgy as constituted by Word and Sacrament, flanked on both ends by the welcome and the dismissal. Within this order, he sees the Eucharist as the basic centre that gives shape and orientation to the liturgy. This is a corrective to the evangelicals' tendency in seeing the whole service as revolving around the sermon. It is the Eucharist, he contends, that realizes the Church in her most basic character as communion.

Chan then fleshes out his proposal as he looks at Christian initiation (Catechism)and the Sunday Liturgy and concludes with some thoughts on how the church can be formed spiritually through 'active participation' in worship. His program is a far cry from the mass appeal, humanly contrived and instant gratification models we see so much in the popular evangelical scene but if taken seriously and with perseverance, the church may for those rare times find herself buoyed up again by God's own Spirit to be what she has been called to be from before the foundation of the earth.

Chan's writing is eloquent and lucid, evident of a first rate theological mind with both feet planted firmly on the ground. His relatively simple prose may mask deep insights that can be mined only through patient listening (lectio divina!), ruminations and further readings. My only small 'complaint' is that the book is too short, leaving some assertions less rigorously argued than I would wish for (but he did make clear that this is not a full-blown work on liturgical theology) and this gifted teacher needs to write more and bless the Church with his refreshing insights.

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent book for Protestants and Catholics, January 2, 2008

By 

L. Larson "seminary graduate" - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Liturgical Theology: The Church as Worshiping Community (Paperback)

Although written by an evangelical Protestant, the book has a strong Catholic orientation and good insight into the weaknesses of the evangelical tradition. Well worth a Catholic reading to bolster his own faith as welll as understand the larger Christian world, and the influences that have brought me into the Catholic Church. I recommend the book be read in small segments meditatively as the book is pretty meaty with ideas that need to be digested and pondered. Written at an easy post-graduate level.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars 4.5 stars!, October 20, 2008

By 

Abram Kielsmeier-Jones "Abram" (Boston, MA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Liturgical Theology: The Church as Worshiping Community (Paperback)

As an Anglican I very much appreciated this look at liturgy and worship as what Chan calls primary theology. Though I don't agree with everything in this book, he manages to explain the liturgy from both a theological, historical, and Scriptural point of view, as well as getting very practical in going piece-by-piece through the Sunday liturgy.

It wasn't until halfway through the book that I learned from another source that the author is not an Anglican, but is a Pentecostal!

Highly recommended for anyone who comes from a "liturgical" background and wants to challenge himself or herself to understand better the underpinnings of that.