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Thursday, March 24, 2005

Alternative Postmodern Unorthodox - It's all the same to me

An article in The Age covering the efforts of one "alternative" worship service in Melbourne.

Read it here

No disrespect intended but I am still finding it difficult to come to grips with the idea behind such efforts.

Best search phrases to date have been "alternative worship" and - yup, you guessed it - "postmodern worship".

Now I am looking not just for a "theology" or "rationale" for postmodern worship, but for a reasonable critique of its modus operandi (and if I can't find one I shall be forced to write my own, but I cannot guarantee that it will be "reasonable").

From my understanding, pomo worship concentrates mainly on the felt need of the worshippers, generated through artistic installations. This is a great distance, IMHO from authentic NT worship, which are the acts of Christians done in response to the saving work of Christ - the one true worshipper - for example, taking care of orphans and widows.

See Hebrews 12 for more.

Postmodern worship is a much a distraction from authentic NT worship as are the mega churches with so-called "worship leaders" who promise to "usher you into the presence of God."

This is a futile quest for the numinous apart from the everyday, when in fact there as followers of Christ there is no distinction between sacred and secular, as we are already always in the presence of God. And we cannot get any closer by our owns mean, whether these be reflective contemplations, enthusiastic Hillsongs or alternative worship installations.

These are human-made props that are intended to serve as a ladder to God, when in fact our ladder has already been nailed to a piece of wood.

His name? Jesus.

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