Dualisms in Worship
Yeah, yeah, I haven't written in forever. Things are busy in the real world, and that makes spending time here a little less important. I am touching down for a few moments today though in order to share something from Alan Hirsch's blog, which touches on something Ericka and I are up to in the real world:If we take the advice of the current Alternative Worship Movement, of which I am generally deeply appreciative, one of the tasks of the church in a postmodern context is to make ‘sacred spaces’, places filled with rich and fresh symbolism expressed new forms of media, where people can reconnect with God in new ways. And this all sounds right.For the month of July, every other Saturday we will be hosting an intimate community gathering featuring a potluck meal, prayer, worship, and meditation on scripture at our church in Parkdale. The idea is to do something that helps us to grow in community, as community, to explore expressions reflective of our diverse community, in music, scriptural mediation and prayer. The question that hovers, is how to connect our time of worship with our means of reaching out to the broader community. What we will no doubt struggle to do is to connect the dots between what we do on any given Saturday night with how we live our lives throughout the rest of the week. It's always a struggle, and I pray that God guides us as we try to create such a space... For those interested, you're definitely welcome to attend: June 30, July 14, July 28 6.oopm Potluck (Bring something you can share) 7.00pm Worship Bonar-Parkdale Presbyterian Church 250 Dunn Avenue Toronto Ontario |
posted by andrew at 10:29 a.m.
4 Comments:
Andrew,
"We cannot escape the conclusion that by setting up so called ‘sacred spaces’ we by implication make all else ‘not-sacred’ thereby assigning a large aspect of life in a non-God, or secular, area."
Could it not be possible that some places are simply *more* sacred than others? Like Moses having to take off his sandals because he was standing on holy ground?
Also, I would like to attend one of your potlucks. Sounds fun.
T
I wonder about the sacredness of places. I have a list on my coffee table of the "10 most sacred places in the UK," and wonder why people feel them to be the most sacred.
Is it the presence of faithful worshipers over hundreds of years? Is it the natural beauty? Is it the "thinness" of the border between the natural and supernatural worlds?
Is that even a possibility? Jesus talks about being with us always, but certainly there is your point about Moses.
I wonder if it's a matter of the land around the burning bush being more holy than the surroundings - or was it sacred because Moses noticed God there.
How many people walked by the burning bush before Moses stopped to take a second look?
Tom, I would love for you to attend one of our potlucks. We have no idea what it'll be like, but I would very much look forward to you joining us.
Glad to have you back, and I love the sound of your new Saturday gatherings.
Does some place just feel more sacred to us because it is different from the dryness of our familiar places? I would say that Toronto feels sacred to me, but if I moved there it may not any longer.
Hmm, will ponder this.
I agree with that quote. I know that roof of the Astoria was sacred when we gathered to sing songs in community... and I'd say that humans have a real strong tendency to build temples and put God in boxes. I think we need to be seriously aware of God's will in this whole convo about sacred space, and I worry that people stop reading scripture in favor of rolling with it bc it's neat and fun.
Sure there's the Moses thing, but come on -- that is a really strange context that takes some study to understand. One of the many steps to getting a handle on the OT is to filter it through the mind of Christ. - So take Moses's totally bizarro experience of talking to a burning bush, and take Jesus saying that he is with us, always. Which is easier to apply?
What I mean is, if God's voice tells me the ground is sacred, then heck ya, it's sacred. But building temples and shrines is the devils bidnez. Christ tears down temples, and that's a lot more troubling and something that (I think) we should spend more time dealing with.
aaanyways, would SO come to parkdale with you all if I could, and it grieves me that I can't.
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