The Politics of Worship: Reforming the Language and Symbols of Liturgy

by Everett, William Johnson

• ISBN13: 9780829813418
• ISBN10: 0829813411
• Format: Trade Paper
• Copyright: 1999-11-01
• Publisher: Pilgrim Pr

Summary

Recent years have brought liturgical reforms seeking to increase openness and inclusivity and to lessen ecological domination, patriarchy, and racial hierarchy. As a result, traditional words such as "Lord", "kingdom", and "kingship" have been replaced, yet their usual replacements -- "sovereign", "realm", and "reign" -- retain the language of feudal monarchy. In "The Politics of Worship", William Johnson Everett closely examines the political theology of worship and proposes a ritual practice that strives to be consistent with a Christian ethic of inclusiveness and mutuality. It is this practice that will help move Christian worship beyond the old language and symbols -- however disguised -- and into a new, truly inclusive theological paradigm.

Author Biography

William Johnson Everett is Herbert Gezork Professor of Christian Social Ethics at Andover Newton Theological School, Newton Centre, Massachusetts.

Table of Contents

Preface	vii
Acknowledgments	ix
Beyond the Worship of ``Kingafap''	1	(8)
The Need for Integrity in Worship	9	(18)
Worship as Political Rehearsal	27	(13)
Sunday Monarchists and Monday Citizens	40	(13)
Choosing the Political Imagery of Our Worship	53	(19)
Some Guiding Principles for Regenerating Worship	72	(15)
Praying for God's Republic: A Worship Fantasy	87	(20)
Ethical Challenges of Worship Reform	107	(6)
Appendix A: A Conversation with President Jesus	113	(5)
Appendix B: Guiding the Discussion	118	(7)
Notes	125