LIBERTY UNIVERSITY
SCHOOL OF MUSIC
Webber Book Critique:
Chapters 5, 9, 10 & 11
Submitted to Dr. Rodney D. Whaley
in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the completion of
WRSP 502
A History of Worship Music
by
Hadley Willson
2
Name: Hadley Willson
WRSP 502: A History of Worship Music
Robert E. Webber: Worship Old and New
Chapter 5: “Early Christian Worship”
Summary:
Old and New Testament worship traditions significantly influenced the
worship of the early church. For instance, one can trace the two-fold sequence of
the Word and the Lord’s Supper back to Moses and Mount Sinai. Here, the
Israelites responded to God’s proclamation of His covenant and commands by
offering verbal confessions, which was followed by a sacrifice. Then they shared
a sacred meal together “in the presence of the Lord” (56). In the New Testament,
Jesus established the New Covanent by declaring the broken bread was His body
and the poured out wine was His blood.
In addition to the Lord’s Supper, prayers, the singing of hymns,
doxologies, benedictions, and other congregational responses occurred after the
reading of the Word. Many of the prayers stemmed from Jewish prayers that were
said in the synagogue in the New Testament. Another way believers in the early
church responed to God’s revelations and Word was through baptism, in which
they joined Christ in Spirit in His death and resurrection.
Ultimately, the worship of the early church centered around the person of
Christ. They focused on how He fulfilled the Mosaic Law and Old Testament
prophecies through His “birth, life, death, resurrection, [and] ascension” and how
He will faithfully return (62).
Analysis:
Today, many worship services follow a four-fold pattern of worship:
Gathering, Word, Table, and Response. However, what would church’s worship
services look like if they returned to the more simplistic two-fold structure of the
Word and sacrament? Have Christians overcomplicated worship in attempts to
earn favor from God, or worse from men? Perhaps there is a happy medium to be
found between the simple structure of early church worship and the
commercialized worship of the modern church. Either way, it is important to
remember that at the heart of worship is Jesus, and He called His people to
worship Him with sincere and pure hearts.
What I Have Learned:
The early church faithfully preserved the worship traditions of the Old and
New Testaments by participating in a two-fold pattern of worship with Christ at
the very center.
3
Name: Hadley Willson
WRSP 502: A History of Worship Music
Webber: Worship Old and New
Chapter 9: “Ancient and Medieval Worship”
Summary:
Worship in the third century prevailed despite extreme persecution of
Christians from the Roman government. It was similar to that of the early church
– two-fold services of the Word and Lord’s Supper or sharing of a sacred meal.
According to Webber, “worship remained relatively simple in an intimate context”
(95). However, after the conversion of Constantine in the early fourth century,
Christianity became the legalized and, eventually, the national religion. As a
result, worship services became more elaborate and dramatized in its liturgies,
while still maintaining focus on the Word and sacrament. Furthermore, a division
in Christian worship emerged into the Eastern Liturgy and Western Liturgy to
reflect the local cultures.
During the medieval period, “worship became a ‘mystery’ in which God
was made present (an epiphany)” (106). Consequently, the overemphasis on
God’s actions overshadowed the corporate response of the congregation.
Additionally, the medieval period gave rise to the monastic movement, in which
piety and devotion to God was emphasized.
Analysis:
This chapter brings up the popular debate of church and state: should the
church and state be separated? To what degree should they influence each other?
While Christian faith should significantly impact America as a country that claims
to be Christian, the state should never abuse “religion” for its own selfish motives
and gain. In addition, the church should not let the secularism of the state infiltrate
her core beliefs, allowing her to compromise faith for the popularity.
Furthermore, while the monastic movement encouraged reverence for
God, the tendency to live in seclusion is anti-biblical, for Scripture discusses the
importance of fellowship and communion among believers. Finally, the idea that
worship is a “mystery” seems a little to mystical. Where should the line be drawn
between Christian spirituality and overdramaticized mysticism?
What I Have Learned:
When the Church becomes more concerned with the opinions of external
influencers than the approval of God, who is the Object and Center of Christian
worship, then the Church has sorely missed the heart of worship.
4
Name: Hadley Willson
WRSP 502: A History of Worship Music
Webber: Worship Old and New
Chapter 10: “Reformation and Free Church Worship”
Summary:
During the Reformation, church leaders such as Martin Luther and John
Calvin desired to worship of its unnecessary extravagances and return to the
simplicity and purity observed by early Christians. As a result, Reformers
criticized the abuse of the Roman Catholic mass, which instilled a legalistic
approach to salvation, and rejected the idea of transubstantiation. Furthermore,
Christians of the Reformation period sought to restore the balance between the
Word and sacrament in worship. Lastly, during the Reformation, which was
greatly influenced by the Age of Enlightenment, the church succumbed to the rise
to “individualism, tolerance, pluralism, and the American experiment” (109).
In addition, the Free Church Worship movement emphasized personal and
spiritual experience of receiving salvation and offering worship. During the
Antiliturgical movement, some Christians did away with prayer books and instead
believed prayers should be “directed by the Spirit of God” (115). In pedogogical
worship, the educated minister would not only read Scripture, but he would also
expound on the passages, offering an expository sermon on the spiritual and
practical insights he received from the Spirit through prayer. Finally, evangelistic
worship emphasized a more personal, informal approach to worship, and
Christians of this movement brought the worship of the church building to the
people in their homes and fields.
Analysis:
The Reformers sought to minimize the worship structure of the church by
removing legalistic practices and anything that distracted the congregation from
the Source and Recipient of worship – Christ. Although contemporary worship
does not usually take place in elaborate cathedrals and does not partake in
complicated liturgies; in many ways, the modern church is more like that of the
pre-Reformation period. Churches have distracted themselves with aesthetic
platforms, technology, and worship sets. However, how would the Church change
if it stripped its worship of all these distractions?
Finally, while the Reformation allowed believers to more personally take
owndership of their faith, the modern church has become too individualistic in its
engagement with God. A balance of personal communion with God and fellowhip
amongst believers is essential to the Christian life well lived.
What I Have Learned:
5
The ideals of the Age of Enlightenment – individualism, pluralism,
tolerance, and the American Dream – greatly influenced the worship of Protestant
congregations, giving way to a more autonomous approach to worship.
Name: Hadley Willson
WRSP 510: Biblical Foundations of Worship
Webber: Worship Old and New
Chapter 11: “Worship Renewal in the Twentieth Century”
Summary:
Throughout the twentieth century, a variety of worship revivals occurred.
The first renewal was the Holiness-Pentacostal movement, which was
characterized by camp meetings, teaching of the Word, singing of praises, and
entended times of prayer. This movement emphasized the work of the Spirit, and
it produced several denominations.
Another noteworthy worship revival was the charismatic movement.
Similar to the Holiness-Pentacostal movement, the charismatic movement
emphasized the work of the Spirit, as well as prayer. This movement stressed
Christian’s call to be a “holy priesthood” in spirit, soul, and body. Charismatics
also emphasized the tangible presence of Christ and the overwhelming power of
God.
Finally, the Praise and Worship movement spread primarily across North
America in the last several decades of the twentieth century. This movement was
characterized by informality, desire for the immediacy of the Spirit, intimacy, and
emotionally evoking music.
Analysis:
Judson Cornwall offers two definitions for praise and worship by citing
Psalm 95. According to Cornwall, praise is a “prelude to worship” (129). He
argues that praise exalts God for what He has done, while worship honors Him for
who He is. However, does not worship encompass praise? How does the Bible
differentiate these two words? And if Cornwall is correct in his assessment of
these two words, how can and should Psalm 95 influence the worship structure of
the modern church?
In addition, the overemphasis of the Spirit in the twentieth century has
opened the door to spiritual abuse. While the work of the Spirit in crucial in the
lives of Christians, it is also easy to fall into the trap of over-spiritualizing
everything, resulting in one being unable to relate and minister to the hurting and
lost.
What I Have Learned:
