Exploring Contemporary and Alternative Worship
2002 Reston, Virginia
2005 | 2004 | 2003 | 2002
Convener 2002
Lester Ruth (assistant professor of worship and liturgy at Asbury Theological Seminary in central Kentucky)
Seminar Participants 2002
Members: Karen Ward, Michael Hawn, Ted Gibboney, Mark Torgerson, Todd Johnson, Clay Schmit, Fred Graham, and Eileen Crowley-Horak; the seventeen participants also included first-time NAAL visitors and members visiting from other seminars
Seminar Report 2002
Three things were accomplished at this meeting of our relatively new group. Several fine presentations and papers established the mission of the group while also expanding the range of contemporary and alternative worship being considered. A couple of presentations, for example, introduced us to various ways in which post-modernity is impacting worship practices in North America. Secondly, the group continued its practice of interacting with local practitioners of contemporary or alternative worship. This year we watched and discussed a video of the worship of the Kairos ministry of the Falls Church (Episcopal) with two of its worship leaders. Finally, as evidenced by the growing attendance, the viability of this seminar—only in its second year of meeting—was stabilized.
Papers: Mark Torgerson gave a paper and visual presentation concerning the architecture of several of America’s most prominent mega-churches. Among other things Torgerson demonstrated that these large Protestant churches are typically built houses for people rather than for God, spaces intended more as houses of proclamation than prayer. Often using architects who mainly design commercial or other non-sacred buildings, these churches aim for buildings that furthered their evangelistic commitment.
Michael Hawn delivered a presentation using material from his forthcoming book supplemented by video examples. In this presentation Hawn developed a difference between cyclical and sequential music structures. He then discussed different performance practices associated with the different structures. To conclude Hawn made some provocative suggestions about the importance of ascertaining the appropriate liturgical use of different musical structures.
Todd Johnson explored the Techno Cosmic Rave Mass as currently practiced by Matthew Fox in Oakland, California. Johnson provided both the historical background to this worship but also analyzed its order and content. As an initial foray into investigating this form of worship Johnson ended by laying out several possibilities for further work of worship in a post-modern context.
The conclusion of this presentation meshed nicely with the presentation by Karen Ward, who led us in a more general discussion of worship by those with a post-modern perspective. Her discussion was guided by Chuck Smith’s book The End of the World as We Know It which had been suggested as common reading for the seminar. Ward gave several examples of churches ministering within this perspective, some of the worship material being produced by them, and links to further information.
The final presentation came from Ted Gibboney who gave a preliminary report on his widespread visits among churches in the Indianapolis region done through his work at Christian Theological Seminary. His initial insights confirm the wide variety of styles being practiced, including a resiliency with respect to that normally labeled as “traditional.