The Robert E. Webber Institute for Worship Studies

Bibliography on Worship

Edited by Mark A. Torgerson, Ph.D.

May 2007

The Master and Doctor of Worship Studies programs are based significantly on the eight volumes of The Complete Library of Christian Worship.  Numerous articles and bibliographies appear in these volumes.  Because they form a basis of knowledge for our program, they will not be cited again in the reference materials below. The following bibliography covers additional resources (by no means exhaustive), some of which may be required reading for courses in the Master and Doctor of Worship Studies programs.  In light of the fact that Christian worship is always embodied within the cultural context of a community, the resources mentioned in the following bibliography will refer to cultural analyses as well as theological studies.  Many titles could easily be categorized under several “headings,” so it would be wise to explore multiple areas when building a list of possible resources to examine.

 I. General Theological Resources

A.  Introductory Materials

AULEN, GUSTAV. Christus Victor:  An Historical Study of the Three Main Types of the Idea of the Atonement. New York: Collier Books, 1969.  [An examination of how the atonement of Christ has been explained in several ways throughout the history of the Church, highlighting the theology of Luther in particular.]

BALMER, RANDALL.  Mine Eyes Have Seen the Glory:  A Journey into the Evangelical Subculture in America.  Fourth edition.  New York:  Oxford University Press, 2006.  [Writing as both a historian and an evangelical believer, Balmer provides a useful description of a whole variety of conservative Protestant congregations.  His insights help to unravel impulses and theological preferences among many evangelicals.  This new edition includes chapters examining the popularity and influence of artist Thomas Kinkade and Pastor Rick Warren.]

FERGUSON, SINCLAIR, DAVID WRIGHT, AND J. I. PACKER, EDS.  New Dictionary of Theology.  Downers Grove:  Intervarsity Press, 1988.  [Over six hundred signed articles addressing a whole range of theological topics.  Written from an evangelical perspective, but providing a good, brief starting point for theological reflection.]

GRENZ, STANLEY J. Theology for the Community of God. Nashville: Broadman & Holman, 1994.  [Grenz presents the traditional themes of Christian doctrine, God, humankind, Christ, the Holy Spirit, the church, and the last things, all within an emphasis on God's central program for creation, namely, the establishment of community. Grenz blends biblical, historical, and contemporary concerns, providing a coherent vision of the faith that addresses both intellectual and practical issues.]

JOHNSON, ALAN F. and ROBERT E. WEBBER. What Christians Believe: A Biblical and Historical Summary. Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing Company, 1990.

JOHNSON, LUKE TIMOTHY.  The Creed:  What Christians Believe and Why it Matters.  New York:  Doubleday, 2003.  [An accessible exploration of creedal statements for Christian communities, particularly concerned with their meaning and significance in relation to worship and life.]

LOHSE, BERNHARD. A Short History of Christian Doctrine: From the First Century to the Present. Trans. by F. Ernest Stoeffer. Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 1978.

OLSON, ROGER E.   The Story of Christian Theology:  Twenty Centuries of Tradition and Reform.  Downers Grove:  Intervarsity Press, 1999.  [A comprehensive, accessible retelling of the development of Christian theology, from the second century to the twentieth.]

OTTO, RUDOLF. The Idea of the Holy. Trans. by John W. Harvey. New York: Oxford University Press, 1958.  [An excellent study of the non-rational dimension of religion.  Otto’s work helps those who identify the Christian faith primarily in terms of ethics, explore the emotive, mysterious realm of God’s reality in relation to the rational.]

PELIKAN, JAROSLAV.  Credo:  Historical and Theological Guide to Creeds and Confessions of Faith in the Christian Tradition.  New Haven:  Yale University Press, 2003.  [A substantial history and explanation of the significance of creedal statements in the life of active Christian communities.]

B.  The Church

BLOESCH, DONALD G.  The Church:  Sacraments, Worship, Ministry, Mission.  Downers Grove:  Intervarsity Press, 2002.  [Representing the sixth volume of a seven volume systematic theology, Bloesch addresses his understanding of ecclesiology in this work.  He articulates his theological understanding of church, discusses issues facing the church today (e.g., authority, feminism, ecumenicity and worship), and offers reflections that seek balance and integrity from an evangelical perspective.]

CLAPP, RODNEY. A Peculiar People: The Church in a Post-Christian Society. Downers Grove, I.L.: Intervarsity Press, 1996.  [Clapp explores the impact of the "culture wars" on the church and, while critical of the methods of many of the evangelical "warriors," sees redeeming value in many of the assertions they make about a distinctive Christian way of life. Clapp redefines liturgy, social ethics and especially evangelism and missions for a postmodern church whose locus is not the individual but the faith community.]

DULLES, AVERY R. Models of the Church, Expanded edition. New York: Doubleday, 1987.  [Dulles articulates and analyzes multiple models used to define the nature and purpose of the Church.  Various models are explained in terms of function, affect on believers, and mission.  A wonderful introduction to the topic of ecclesiology.]

GILBERT, MARLEA, ET. AL.  The Work of the People:  What We Do in Worship and Why.  Bethesda, M.D.:  The Alban Institute, 2006.  [Published in the Vital Worship, Healthy Congregations series from the Alban Institute, four worship practitioners (Gilbert, Eric Myers, Stephanie Perdew and Christopher Grundy) have collaborated on a book exploring fundamental understandings of communal Christian worship and how to express them in healthy patterns.]

HAUERWAS, STANLEY. A Community of Character. Notre Dame, Indiana: University of Notre Dame Press, 1988.  [Using his specialization in ethics, Hauerwas emphasizes how the community of the church must exhibit its theological beliefs with integrity in and through relationships.  The family is a primary model used in this book for seeking to be “church.”]

OGDEN, GREG. The New Reformation: Returning the Ministry to the People of God. Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing Company, 1992.  [Ogden argues for a re-visioning of the “priesthood of all believers” as he considers the large number of people in our churches who remain fairly inactive in their faith.  He seeks to mobilize the people of God for the work of Christ, especially in an American context of stress.]

WILSON, JONATHAN.  Why Church Matters:  Worship, Ministry and Mission in Practice.  Grand Rapids:  Brazos Press, 2006.  [Wilson discusses how worship is central to ministry and mission.  He explores worship as work, witness, and warfare and examines its ability to achieve healthy spiritual formation.  Three ritual practices, baptism, communion, and foot-washing, are then examined for their larger implications for living as church.]

C.  Post-Modernity and Theological Reflection

BAKER, JONNY, ET. AL.  Alternative Worship:  Resources from and for the Emerging Church.  Grand Rapids:  Baker Book House, 2004.  (Includes CD)  [Organized around the church year seasons of Advent/Christmas, Lent, Easter, and Pentecost, this volume contains written liturgies, prayers, meditations, music tracks, images, and video loops and animations, as examples of resources used in what is now called, “the Emerging Church.”  Biblical and theological integrity are joined to creativity and technological savvy in these offerings.]

DOCKERY, DAVID S., EDITOR. The Challenge of Postmodernism: An Evangelical Engagement. Second edition.  Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 2001.  [A series of essays by evangelical thinkers, seeking to define and engage a “postmodern” perspective in relation to our culture and church life.  An expanded bibliography is found in this second edition.]

ERICKSON, MILLARD J. Postmodernizing the Faith: Evangelical Responses to the Challenge of Postmodernism. Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1998.  [Erickson examines postmodern thought by recounting three negative and three positive reactions to the philosophical movement by evangelical thinkers.  He adds his own assessment of the strengths and weaknesses of each response as he proceeds through each view.]

GRENZ, STANLEY J. A Primer on Postmodernism. Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1996.  [An excellent starting point for understanding “postmodernity” and its impact on Christian theological reflection.  Grenz identifies the roots of “postmodern” thought, its ethos, significant advocates, and challenges for the church today.]

GRENZ, STANLEY J.  Renewing the Center:  Evangelical Theology in a Post-Theological Era.  Second edition.  Grand Rapids:  Baker Academic, 2006.  [Grenz investigates the response of the evangelical church to the theological complexity of the Christian landscape today, focusing on a doctrine of the church that can both relate to and be credible in relation to other ecclesial bodies.  This second edition includes examples of how Grenz’s approach is finding appreciation among some postmodern church movements.]

GRENZ, STANLEY J.  The Social God and the Relational Self:  Toward a Theology of the Imago Dei in a Postmodern Context.  Louisville:  Westminster/John Knox, 2001. 

GRENZ, STANLEY J., AND JOHN R. FRANKE.  Beyond Foundationalism:  Shaping Theology in a Postmodern Context.  Louisville:  Westminster/John Knox Press, 2001.

HENDERSON, DAVID W.  Culture Shift:  Communicating God’s Truth to Our Changing World.  Grand Rapids:  Baker Book House, 1999.  [Henderson identifies issues related to American patterns of consumerism, passivity, and individuality, and suggests alternative ways of living as Christians in our culture in light of post-modern assumptions.]

KIMBALL, DAN, ET. AL.  The Emerging Church.  Grand Rapids:  Zondervan Publishing House, 2003.  [A good primer for seeking to understand an alternative way of visioning the Church in the world today.  Various characteristics of the “Emerging Church” and its “holistic approach” are described in ways that will spark important conversation for mission-minded congregations.]

KIMBALL, DAN.  Emerging Worship:  Creating Worship Gatherings for New Generations.  Grand Rapids:  Zondervan Publishing Company, 2004.  [A useful guide for beginning to understand the “Emerging Church” or “Alternative Worship” movement.  Kimball, pastor of Vintage Faith Church, Santa Cruz, California, provides an understanding of the impulses behind the emerging church and strategies for designing worship that are used in these communities of faith today.]

KNIGHT, HENRY H. III. A Future for Truth: Evangelical Theology in a Postmodern World. Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1997.  [Knight examines the historical movement of evangelicalism, and the philosophical movements of modernity and post-modernity, suggesting theological constructs that will help evangelicals navigate life today in relevant ways consistent with the Christian faith.]

LINDBECK, GEORGE; TIMOTHY PHILLIPS; and DENNIS L. OCKHOLM, EDITORS. The Nature of Confession: Evangelicals & Postliberals in Conversation. Downers Grove: Intervarsity Press, 1996.  [A series of essays inviting dialog between evangelical and postliberal theologians on a variety of topics, including epistemology, theological method, and various doctrinal issues.]

McLAREN, BRIAN.  The Church on the Other Side.  Grand Rapids:  Zondervan Publishing Company, 2003.  [Formerly titled, “Reinventing Your Church,” this revised and expanded edition offers thirteen strategies for navigating the modern/postmodern transition.  McLaren discusses critical distinctions between renewed, restored, and reinvented churches.  He addresses redefining a church’s mission, explores fresh ways to conceive of and communicate the gospel, and examines ways of entering, understanding, and engaging the postmodern world.]

McLAREN, BRIAN.  A Generous Orthodoxy:  Why I Am a Missional, Evangelical, Post/Protestant, Liberal/Conservative, Mystical/Poetic, Biblical, Charismatic/ Contemplative, Fundamentalist/Calvinist, Anabaptist/Anglican, Methodist, Catholic, Green Incarnational, Depressed-yet-Hopeful, Emergent, Unfinished CHRISTIAN.  Grand Rapids:  Zondervan Publishing Company, 2004.  [McLaren continues to provoke theological conversation here, reflecting the dissatisfaction of younger Christians today with the many labels used to differentiate believers from one another.  McLaren challenges the reader to recover a global ecumenical spirit and affirm a core of Christian beliefs common to most traditions.]

McLAREN, BRIAN.  More Ready Than You Realize:  Evangelism as Dance in the Postmodern Matrix.  Grand Rapids:  Zondervan Publishing Company, 2002.  [Approaches the art of disciple-making with fresh eyes, seeking to connect to people who embrace the visually-oriented, paradox-tolerant generation associated with “post-modernity.”]

MILLER, M. REX.  The Millenium Matrix:  Reclaiming the Past, Reframing the Future.  San Francisco:  Jossey-Bass, 2004.  [Writing as a communications expert, with training in business and theology, Miller discusses historical shifts in the ways in which information has been gathered and distributed, seeking to highlight the impact that such realities have on worship and spirituality today.]

OSBORNE, KENAN B.  Christian Sacraments in a Postmodern World:  A Theology for the Third Millennium.  New York:  Paulist Press, 1999.  [A sound investigation of the ramifications of post-modern philosophical thinking on the development of sacramental theology for today’s churches.  Familiarity with post-modern philosophical thought would be helpful in reading Osborne.  In part, his goal is to discern how investigation into four areas, “return to the subject, the question of temporality, the limits of language, and Haecceitas, or individuality,” might enhance our understanding of sacramental theology today.]

PECKLERS, KEITH, ED.  Liturgy in a Postmodern World.  New York:  Continuum Publishing, 2003.  [The product of a gathering of international Jesuit scholars in 2002, these fine essays explore issues of worship in a multi-cultural, contemporary world.  This volume is not a philosophical primer, but is an attempt to explore how worship can be enriched as it is developed and celebrated in cultures influenced (to varying degrees) by postmodern values.  Thirteen essays are included in this collection.  Topics include responding to Vatican II liturgical reforms today, film and worship, liturgical inculturation (both from Eastern and Western perspectives), Eucharist, preaching, ecumenism, and inter-faith dialog.]

REDMAN, ROBB.  The Great Worship Awakening:  Singing a New Song in the Postmodern Church.  San Francisco:  Jossey-Bass, 2002.  [Redman examines four trends he finds at work in the North American church today that are contributing to an awakening of worship:  1) the “seeker service” movement; 2) the “praise and worship” movement; 3) the Christian music industry; and, 4) the Liturgical Renewal movement.  Redman’s intention is to analyze, more than describe, these trends and their impact on worship.  He considers issues such as the rapid pace of cultural change today, ethnic and cultural diversity, an emerging postmodern worldview, personal experience, popular culture and new communication media and technologies, in an effort to discern how churches might discover ways of bringing renewal to their corporate worship.]

RIDDELL, MICHAEL, ET. AL.  The Prodigal Project:  Journey Into the Emerging Church.  London:  SPCK, 2000.  (Includes CD)  [Reflections of three church leaders from New Zealand and Australia concerning their sojourn for authentic and relevant expressions of church and worship for younger generations.  An illuminating book for understanding the desires and concerns of those seeking an “alternative” to a perceived static and lifeless organized church.]

SMITH, JR., CHUCK.  The End of the World as We Know It:  Clear Direction for Bold and Innovative Ministry in a Postmodern World.  Colorado Springs:  Waterbrook Press, 2001.

SWEET, LEONARD, ED.  Church in Emerging Culture:  Five Perspectives.  Grand Rapids:  Zondervan Publishing Company, 2003.  [Andy Crouch, Brian D. McLaren, Erwin Raphael McManus, Michael Horton, and Frederica Matthewes-Green, each author a chapter in this work reflecting on how they envision the “church” taking shape in light of cultural shifts.]

SWEET, LEONARD.  Post-Modern Pilgrims:  First Century Passion for the Twenty-first Century Church.  Nashville:  Broadman and Holman Publishing, 2000.  [Sweet uses the acronym "E-P-I-C" (Experientially, Participatory, Image-Driven, Connected) to define how our postmodern society functions. Specifically, he offers practical steps for achieving optimal, effective connection with those outside the faith.]

SWEET, LEONARD, J. HASELMAYER, AND BRIAN D. McLAREN.  A is for Abductive:  The Language of the Emerging Church.  Grand Rapids:  Zondervan Publishing Company, 2002.

TOMLINSON, DAVE.  Emergentys/Post Evangelical (Emergentys).  Grand Rapids:  Zondervan Publishing Company, 2003.  [Originally published in 1995 by SPCK in England as, The Post-Evangelical, Tomlinson wrestles with questions such as appropriating scripture, discerning truth, approaching the world, and using labels (for example, “liberal” and “conservative”), in the realm of Evangelical Christians.  A thought-provoking book that seeks to redefine a narrowing definition of “evangelical” and reclaim the power of evangelicalism for today.]

VEITH, JR., GENE EDWARD. Postmodern Times: A Christian Guide to Contemporary Thought and Culture (Turning Point Christian Worldview). Wheaton: Crossway Books, 1994.  [Veith introduces the reader to the foundational assumptions of postmodernism, the prevailing philosophical construct in the intellectual community, discussing the dire consequences for a culture which has abandoned age-old definitions of truth and meaning.]

WARD, PETE.  Selling Worship:  How What We Sing Has Changed the Church.  Paternoster, 2005.  [Ward examines the rise and influence of the charismatic movement on evangelical worship in Britain in this work.  He attempts to explain how popular music has come to impact and shape the practice and theology of worship in contemporary circles.  An analysis of its origin and impact are followed by a helpful critique meant to enhance a critical implementation of charismatic impulses (especially through song) today.]

WEBBER, ROBERT E. Ancient-Future Faith: Rethinking Evangelicalism for a Postmodern World. Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1999.  [The first title in his Ancient-Future series, Webber articulates concern for the shift from a “modern” to a “postmodern” worldview among Evangelicals in this work.  He addresses the topics of Christ, Church, worship, spirituality, and mission.  Webber identifies important insights he gathers from writings of the first six hundred years of the Church, and applies them to each of the five topics in order to help shape sound evangelical theology in a “postmodern” world.]

WEBBER, ROBERT E., ED.  Listening to the Beliefs of Emerging Churches:  Five Perspectives.  Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing, 2007.  [Five active voices in the emerging church movement, John Burke, Mark Driscoll, Dan Kimball, Doug Pagitt and Karen Ward, share their theological understandings of this contemporary phenomenon in relation to basic doctrines of the church.  Insights into the vision and priorities of the movement emerge from these varying articulations.]

WEBBER, ROBERT E.  The Younger Evangelicals:  Facing the Challenge of the New World.  Grand Rapids:  Baker Book House, 2002.  [An engaging analysis of movements within Evangelical circles over the last fifty years.  Webber identifies characteristics of “traditional,” “pragmatic,” and “younger” evangelicals, identifying how the “younger” movement emerged, what they believe, and the potential they bring to the future of the Church.]

WINTER, RICHARD.  Still Bored in a Culture of Entertainment:  Rediscovering Passion and Wonder.  Downers Grove:  Intervarsity Press, 2002.  [A cultural critique of our society, probing the roots of boredom in a media saturated environment.  Winter goes on to suggest ways in which we might counteract boredom, seeking life with passion and wonder.]

II.  General Introductory Resources for Worship Study

BASDEN, PAUL A., ED.  Exploring the Worship Spectrum:  Six Views.  Grand Rapids:  Zondervan Publishing Company, 2004.  [Six worship models are represented by six different representatives in this volume (author of each view noted in parentheses):  Formal-Liturgical (Paul Zahl); Traditional Hymn-Based (Harold Best); Contemporary Music-Driven (Joe Horness); Charismatic (Don Williams); Blended (Robert Webber); Emerging (Sally Morganthaler).  The reader is able to compare and contrast each model determining the strengths and weaknesses of each understanding.  A useful entry point for understanding the prevailing models of worship embodied in our churches today.]

BERKLEY, JAMES D.  Leadership Handbook of Preaching and Worship:  Practical Insights from a Cross Section of Ministry Leaders.  Grand Rapids:  Baker Book House, 1997.  [Published in conjunction with Christianity Today, a collection of two hundred articles by significant church leaders that address a host of issues related to preaching, worship, music, the Lord’s Supper, baptism, weddings, and funerals.]

BYARS, RONALD P.  Christian Worship:  Glorifying and Enjoying God.  Geneva Press, 2000.  [Commissioned by the Office of Theology and Worship of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), this work explores the theological foundation for worship, focused on Word and Sacrament.  Byars discusses the motivation, shape, and future of worship for Christians today, paying particular attention to the role that God’s Word, baptism, and the Lord’s Supper, have in our celebrations.]

Baptism, Eucharist, and Ministry:  Faith and Order Paper No. 111.  Geneva, Switzerland:  World Council of Churches, 1982.  [A fundamental statement expressing the theological convergence of the ecumenical movement at work in the Christian church on the issues of baptism, Eucharist, and the forms and orders of ministry.]

BRADSHAW, PAUL, EDITOR.  The New Westminster Dictionary of Liturgy and Worship.  Second edition.  Philadelphia:  Westminster/John Knox Press, 2002.  [A useful reference tool for brief articles on terms related to Christian worship history, theology, and practices.  This new edition includes recent scholarly insights and updated bibliographies in the signed articles.]

DIX, GREGORY.  Shape of the Liturgy.  New edition.  New York:  Continuum, 2004.  [A modern classic of liturgical study, Dix identifies important elements of Eucharistic liturgies that have been repeated throughout the history of the church.  His overall goal was to find a common shape to such celebrations.  Recent research, by Paul Bradshaw and others, has seriously questioned Dix’s particular approach, but Dix’s contributions are still relevant, applicable, and worth considering today.  The new edition includes citations from some recent critical studies.]

FINK, PETER E., EDITOR.  The New Dictionary of Sacramental Worship.  Collegeville, M.N.:  Michael Glazier/The Liturgical Press, 1997.  [An excellent resource of signed articles related to topics of Christian worship, particularly oriented to a Roman Catholic perspective.  Special attention is paid to changes that have occurred in the wake of Vatican II and implementation of the Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy.]

JONES, CHESLYN, GEOFFREY WAINWRIGHT, EDWARD YARNOLD, AND PAUL BRADSHAW, EDITORS. The Study of Liturgy.  Revised edition. New York: Oxford University Press, 1992.  [A collection of essays exploring Christian worship from its roots to the twentieth century, by Anglican, Roman Catholic, and Methodist scholars.  Historical and theological developments are addressed, with sections addressing issues related to initiation, Eucharist, ordination, the Divine Office, the calendar, and the setting of the liturgy.]

LIESCH, BARRY WAYNE. People in the Presence of God: Models and Directions for Worship. Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing Company, 1988.  [Liesch offers biblical perspective, historical awareness, musical and artistic sensitivity, authentic reverence, and creative stimulation in this book, seeking to promote the renewal of worship according to biblical models.]

MITMAN, F. RUSSELL.  Worship in the Shape of Scripture.  New York:  Pilgrim Press, 2001.  [Mitman explores the tremendous significance that Scripture could, and should, have in guiding our worship events.  He discusses the formative power of the biblical text on worship, highlighting its purpose, role and potential for celebrations today.  He also examines the interplay between music, gesture, and space, in relation to the Word.]

PARRY, ROBIN.  Worshipping Trinity:  Coming Back to the Heart of Worship.  Paternoster, 2005.  [A focused study on the role of the Trinity in relation to Christian theology and worship.  Specific portions address ways in which a Trinitarian focus might enhance aspects of worship such as singing, prayer, Eucharistic celebrations, reading Scripture, preaching and the arts.]

THOMPSON, BARD, EDITOR.  A Bibliography of Christian Worship.  Metuchen, N.J.:  The Scarecrow Press, 1988.  [One of the most comprehensive bibliographies for historical and theological resources connected to Christian worship.  Limited to pre-1988, but excellent.]

TORRANCE, JAMES B. Worship, Community and the Triune God of Grace. Downers Grove: Intervarsity Press, 1997.  [A call to allow our worship to become Trinitarian again in focus.  Torrance identifies ways in which our worship has not always embraced the Triune God and suggests ways in which a Trinitarian theology of worship might constructively shape our understandings and practices today.]

TOZER, A. W. Whatever Happened to Worship? Ed. by Gerald B. Smith. Camp Hill, P. A..: Christian Publications, 1985.  [Originally preached as a series of sermons, Tozer’s remarks identify worship as central to the life of the Church.  He emphasizes the focus of worship on God, the need for humanity to engage fully in worship, and sees worship as lived out in our lives each day.  An inspirational and thought-provoking book.]

UNDERHILL, EVELYN. Worship. New York:  The Crossroad Publishing Company, 1989.  [First published in 1936, Underhill has produced an examination of the nature, practice, and history of Christian worship that is accessible and moving.  Her knowledge of Christian spirituality is particularly engaging as she reflects on embodying Christian beliefs in tangible practices.]

VAN OLST, E. H. The Bible and Liturgy. Trans. by John Vriend. Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing, 1991.

WAINWRIGHT, GEOFFREY. Doxology: The Praise of God In Worship, Doctrine, and Life; a Systematic Theology. New York: Oxford University Press, 1980. 

WEBBER, ROBERT E. Blended Worship: Achieving Substance and Relevance in Worship . Peabody, M.A.: Hendrickson Publishers, 1996. (Original Title: The Worship Phenomenon)  [Aimed at initiating renewal in worship, Webber emphasizes the importance of the biblical content of our worship through a variety of stylistic expressions.  He makes practical suggestions for integrating various expressions in a number of areas, such as, through inclusion of the arts, use of the Christian year, and the use of sacred actions in worship.]

WEBBER, ROBERT E., EDITOR. The Complete Library of Christian Worship.  Eight volumes. Peabody, M.A.: Hendrickson Publishers, 1993-1994.  [The basic, foundational library upon which our program is structured.  A set of volumes with signed articles and extensive bibliographies, examining worship from the perspective of its biblical foundations, history, renewal, music and the arts, Christian year, rituals, and various ministries.  Particularly unique are the wide variety of denominational statements found throughout the series in relation to various worship topics.]

WEBBER, ROBERT E. Worship Old and New: A Biblical, Historical, and Practical Introduction.  Revised edition.  Grand Rapids:  Zondervan Publishing Company Publishing, 1994.  [In this revision of a 1982 publication, Webber examines the biblical foundations of worship, a biblical theology of worship, a brief history of worship, and the practice of worship.]

WEBBER, ROBERT E. Worship Is a Verb: Eight Principles for Transforming Worship. Second edition.  Peabody, M.A.: Hendrickson Publishers, 1995.  [An excellent study of eight fundamental principles of worship, emphasizing the dynamic quality and participatory nature of our celebrations.  This is an important starting point for one’s exploration of Christian worship in general.]

WHITE, JAMES F. Introduction to Christian Worship.  Third edition. Nashville: Abingdon Press, 2000.  [A comprehensive introduction to basic components of Christian worship, including time, space, music, prayer, preaching, sacraments, and occasional services.  Important historical and theological insights are highlighted in relation to the topics.]

WHITE, SUSAN J.  Foundations of Christian Worship.  Louisville:  Westminster/John Knox Press, 2006.  [A sound introduction to the study of Christian worship.  Following reflections that consider important biblical, historical, theological and anthropological insights, White examines prayer, creeds, music, time, ritual and art.  The human life cycle and its relationship to worship is addressed.  Challenges presented by ecumenism, pluralism and the use of language are also raised.   Case studies are provided to stimulate conversation and exploration of many aspects of worship today.]

III. Historical Resources for Worship Study

A.  General Historical Surveys

KLAUSER, THEODOR.  A Short History of the Western Liturgy:  An Account and some Reflections.  New York:  Oxford University Press, 1979.  [A well-written, brief account of the development of the Latin rite in the Western church from the Apostolic period to the Second Vatican Council.  A significant bibliography accompanies the text.]

METZGER, MARCEL.  History of the Liturgy:  The Major Stages.  Trans. Madeleine Beaumont.  Collegeville:  Liturgical Press, 1997.  [Primarily a discussion of Roman Catholic liturgical development, particularly focused on developments from the Apostolic to the Medieval periods.]

SENN, FRANK C. Christian Liturgy: Catholic and Evangelical. Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 1997.  [An excellent detailed historical analysis of primarily the development of Western Christian liturgy, seeking to emphasize the importance of tradition and renewal.  Senn incorporates insights from multiple disciplines in recounting important expressions and changes in practice.]

SENN, FRANK C.  The People’s Work:  A Social History of the Liturgy.  Minneapolis:  Augsburg/Fortress, 2006.  [Senn delves into the complexity of the ways in which faith and culture influence one another in this analysis.  His comprehensive knowledge of liturgical history allows him to add cross-disciplinary insights to the discussion of the development of the practice of worship in the lives of the faithful throughout many historical periods.]

STRINGER, MARTIN D.  A Sociological History of Christian Worship.  New York:  Cambridge University Press, 2005.  [Stringer seeks to establish the social and cultural contexts within which worship has developed.  Case studies help to illuminate particular elements of worship or focus on theoretical applications.]

THOMPSON, BARD.  Liturgies of the Western Church.  Cleveland:  Meridian Books, 1961.  [A rich source of primary source materials drawn from significant historical time periods, including selections from early church sources, Latin and English versions of the Mass, and many reformed services (e.g., from Luther, Zwingli, Bucer, Calvin, the prayer books of King Edward VI, Knox, the English Puritans, “The Westminster Directory,” Baxter, and John Wesley).]

WAINWRIGHT, GEOFFREY, AND KAREN WESTERFIELD TUCKER, EDS.  The Oxford History Christian Worship.  New York:  Oxford University Press, 2006.  [A comprehensive (800 pages) history of the origins and development of Christian worship to the present day.  Articles by many contributors examine the liturgical traditions of Orthodox, Roman Catholic, and Protestant traditions.  Over 200 photographs and 10 maps accompany the text.  The development of worship is traced in Europe, North America, Latin America, Africa, East Asia, and the Pacific. Social and cultural contexts and material culture and the arts are considered.]

WHITE, JAMES F. A Brief History of Christian Worship. Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1993.  [A reliable, accessible historical overview of worship practices from the New Testament period to today.  Initiation, public prayer, Eucharist, Christian time, pastoral rites, leadership, preaching, music, and architecture are all briefly discussed in relation to various large blocks of time (e.g., “Middle Ages,” “Reformation Period,” “Modern Times”).]

WHITE, JAMES F. Documents of Christian Worship: Descriptive and Interpretive Sources. Louisville: Westminster/John Knox Press, 1992.  [A useful collection of primary source materials related to worship, organized by topics:  teaching, time, space, prayer, service of the Word, sacraments in general, initiation, Eucharist, and occasional services.]

WHITE, SUSAN J.  A History of Women in Christian Worship.  New York:  The Pilgrim Press, 2003.  [A long overdue analysis of the significant role that women have played in the historical development and practice of Christian worship.  White highlights the difficulties present in trying to “locate” the presence of women in historical studies, but notes important figures and sources which shed light on many overlooked leaders.]

B.  Biblical and Early Church Worship Studies

BRADSHAW, PAUL F.  Early Christian Worship:  A Basic Introduction to Ideas and Practice.  Collegeville, M.N.:  The Liturgical Press, 1996.  [A helpful introduction to early church worship practices, including descriptions of why they worshipped in particular ways.]

BRADSHAW, PAUL F.  Eucharistic Origins.  Oxford:  Oxford University Press, 2004.  [Bradshaw draws on his extensive study of early church Eucharistic materials to challenge Gregory Dix’s “classic” explanation of the origin and meaning of celebrations of the Lord’s Supper.  Whereas Dix developed a theory positing a uniformity of development from an early date, Bradshaw finds diversity in the second and third centuries that was largely overlooked.  Bradshaw articulates a substantial challenge of many assertions that deserves to be considered.]

BRADSHAW, PAUL F.  The Search for the Origins of Christian Worship:  Sources and Methods for the Study of Early Liturgy.  Second edition.  New York:  Oxford University Press, 2002.  [A revision of an important work that seeks to argue for a diversity of expression of worship practices in the first four centuries of the church.  This edition includes a rewriting of Bradshaw’s “ten principles for interpreting early Christian liturgical evidence” and two new chapters, “Ministry and Ordination” and “The Effects of the Coming of Christendom in the Fourth Century.”  Bibliographies are also updated in the new edition.]

BRADSHAW, PAUL F., AND LAWRENCE A. HOFFMAN.  The Making of Jewish and Christian Worship.  Notre Dame:  University of Notre Dame Press, 1991.  [An engaging series of essays examining methodologies of investigating the origins of worship as well as insights into the evolution of Jewish and Christian worship patterns.]

BRADSHAW, PAUL F., MAXWELL E. JOHNSON AND L. EDWARD PHILLIPS.  The Apostolic Tradition.  Minneapolis:  Fortress Press, 2002.  [A critical edition of this third century church order published in the Hermeneia commentary series.  Three excellent liturgical historians have collaborated on this analysis of an important guide to early church practice.  Various translations of the original document and comparisons with adaptations of the original texts are all included in this examination.]

BRUEGGEMANN, WALTER. Israel's Praise: Doxology Against Idolatry and Ideology. Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 1988.

BRUEGGEMANN, WALTER.  Worship in Ancient Israel:  The Essential Guide.  Nashville:  Abingdon Press, 2005. 

CULLMAN, OSCAR.  Early Christian Worship.  London:  SCM Press, 1953.

DANIELOU, JEAN.  The Bible and the Liturgy.  Notre Dame:  University of Notre Dame Press, 1956.

ERVINE, ROBERTA R., ED.  Worship Traditions in Armenia and the Neighboring Christian East:  An International Symposium in Honor of the 40^th Anniversary of St. Nersess Armenian Seminary.  Crestwood, N.Y.:  St. Vladimir’s Seminary Press, 2006.  [Byzantine, East Syrian and West Syrian worship practices as developed in Armenia and the surrounding area are explored in this collection of scholarly essays.  Contributors include Robert F. Taft, Gabriele Winkler, Maxwell Johnson, Stefanos Alexopoulos, Lizette Larson-Miller, and Brother Stavros of New Skete.]

HAHN, FERDINAND.  The Worship of the Early Church.  Philadelphia:  Fortress Press, 1973.

HILL, ANDREW E. Enter His Courts with Praise: Old Testament Worship for the New Testament Church. Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1996.  [An excellent introduction to the variety of practices and understandings of biblical worship, with an eye toward renewing Christian worship today.]

HOLLADAY, WILLIAM L. The Psalms through Three Thousand Years: Prayerbook of a Cloud of Witnesses. Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 1996.

JUNGMANN, JOSEF A.  The Early Liturgy:  To the Time of Gregory the Great.  Notre Dame:  University of Notre Dame Press, 1959.

MARTIN, RALPH P. Worship in the Early Church. Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing, 1975.

McENTIRE, MARK AND JOEL EMERSON.  Raising Cain, Fleeing Egypt, and Fighting Philistines:  The Old Testament in Popular Music.  Smyth and Helwys Publishing, 2006.  [The authors seek to identify Old Testament allusions in contemporary songs, linking particular songs with scripture references for further study and reflection.]

MOWINCKEL, SIGMUND.  The Psalms in Israel’s Worship.  Grand Rapids:  Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing, 2004.  [A revised and updated reissue of a classic study of the Hebrew Psalms, locating them in the worship life of the Israelite Temple.]

OWENS, RON. Return to Worship: Letters to the Church. Nashville: Broadman and Holman Publishing, 1999.

PETERSON, DAVID. Engaging with God: A Biblical Theology of Worship. Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing, 1992.

QUASTEN, JOHANNES.  Music and Worship in Pagan and Christian Antiquity.  Washington, D.C.:  National Association of Pastoral Musicians, 1983.

ROSS, ALLEN P.  Recalling the Hope of Glory:  Biblical Worship from the Garden to the New Creation.  Kregel Publishing, 2006.  [A systematic exploration of biblical passages seeking insight into the fullness of worship.]

SEERVELD, CALVIN.  Voicing God’s Psalms.  Grand Rapids:  Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2004.  With CD.  [Published in the Calvin Institute of Christian Worship Liturgical Studies Series, Seerveld provides original translations of 37 psalms to be used in contemporary worship settings (arranged in nine thematic categories).  Notes for each psalm set the historical context and make suggestions for use today.]

STAPERT, CALVIN R.  A New Song for an Old World:  Musical Thought in the Early Church.  Grand Rapids:  Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2006.  [Published in the Calvin Institute of Christian Worship Liturgical Studies Series, Stapert examines the approach that early Christian leaders (such as Clement, Tertullian, Chrysostom and Augustine) took in relation to navigating the inclusion of music in worship.  The influence of pagan cultures on early Christians is contrasted with contemporary dilemmas, yielding wisdom to guide choice-making today.]

STEWART-SYKES, ALISTAIR.  Hippolytus:  On the Apostolic Tradition.  Crestwood:  St. Vladimir’s Seminary Press, 2001.  [A readable and informative investigation of an early church order traditionally attributed to the church at Rome from the third century.]

VAN OLST, E.H.  The Bible and Liturgy.  Grand Rapids:  Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1991.

WILKINSON, JOHN.  Egeria’s Travels.  London:  SPCK, 1971.  [A record of the travels of a nun from the Western part of Europe (perhaps Spain) to the churches and cities of the East, including Constantinople, Antioch and locations throughout Palestine and Egypt.  Egeria is likely to have traveled between AD 381-84.  She was fascinated with the many ways in which Christians worshipped in various locations and records those celebrations she found noteworthy.]

WITVLIET, JOHN.  The Biblical Psalms in Christian Worship:  A Brief Introduction and Guide to Resources.  Grand Rapids:  Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2006.  [Published in the Calvin Institute of Christian Worship Liturgical Studies Series, this volume explores historical, theological and pastoral issues related to a renewed use of the psalms in Christian worship, with attention to concerns emerging from congregations who value both historical and contemporary expressions.]

C.  Middle Ages Worship Studies

BALDOVIN, JOHN F.  The Urban Character of Christian Worship:  The Origins, Development, and Meaning of Stational Liturgy.  Orientalia Christiana Analecta 228.  Rome:  Pontifical Institutum Studiorum Orientalium, 1987.  [A helpful exploration of the development of worship practices in the urban environments of Jerusalem, Rome and Constantinople from the early fourth to the late tenth centuries.  Special focus is placed upon those worship events marked at churches, shrines or public places (hence, exhibiting mobility) celebrating a particular feast day, fast day or commemoration involving the presence of the local bishop.  Many insights into the gradual elaboration of worship can be gained through this thoughtful analysis.]

HARPER, JOHN.  The Forms and Orders of Western Liturgy from the Tenth to the Eighteenth Century:  A Historical Introduction and Guide for Students and Musicians.  Oxford:  Clarendon Press, 1991.  [A well articulated analysis of the development of Western liturgical practice of the Medieval church, including chapters on the calendar, liturgical books, the Psalter, the Divine Office, and the Mass.  Particular attention is paid to the role of music in liturgical celebrations.  Tridentine and Anglican reforms receive attention.  The latter portion of the book explains the complexity surrounding the establishment of normative liturgical texts.]

MACY, GARY.  Treasures from the Storeroom:  Medieval Religion and the Eucharist.  Collegeville, M.N.:  Pueblo/The Liturgical Press, 1999.  [An excellent re-examination of the issues related to the celebration and understanding of the Eucharist in the medieval church.]

MAAG, ROBIN, AND JOHN WITVLIET, EDS.  Worship in Medieval and Early Modern Europe:  Change and Continuity in Religious Practice.  Notre Dame:  University of Notre Dame Press, 2004.  [A collection of essays by the editors and others, including K. Burreson, M. Fassler, S. Felch, F. Senn, and B. Spinks.  The essays seek to explore the societal and confessional norms that motivated Christians to either maintain or change traditional Catholic practices of the time.  Primary sources accompany the essays for further illumination.]

TAFT, ROBERT F.  Beyond East and West:  Problems in Liturgical Understanding.  Washington D.C.:  The Pastoral Press, 1984.

VOGEL, CYRILLE.  Medieval Liturgy:  An Introduction to the Sources.  Washington D.C.:  The Pastoral Press, 1986.

D.  Reformation Church Worship Studies

CALVIN, JEAN.  Institutes of the Christian Religion.  Two Volumes.  John T. McNeill, ed.  Philadelphia:  The Westminster Press, 1960.

CUMING, G.J.  A History of Anglican Liturgy.  London:  Macmillan Publishing, 1982.

CUMING, G.J.  The Godly Order:  Texts and Studies Relating to the Book of Common Prayer.  London:  SPCK, The Alcuin Club, 1983.

DAVIES, HORTON.  Worship and Theology in England: From Cranmer to Hooker, 1534-1603.  Volume one.  Princeton:  Princeton University Press, 1970.

ESTEP, WILLIAM R.  The Anabaptist Story:  An Introduction to Sixteenth-Century Anabaptism.  Third revised edition.  Grand Rapids:  Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing, 1996.

JASPER, RONALD C.  The Development of the Anglican Liturgy, 1662-1980.  London:  SPCK, 1989.

KLAASSEN, WALTER.  Anabaptism in Outline:  Selected Primary Sources.  Scottsdale, P.A.:  Herald Press, 1981.

KLAASSEN, WALTER.  Biblical and Theological Bases for Worship in the Believers’ Church.  Newton, K.S.:  Faith and Life Press, 1978.

LUTHER, MARTIN.  Luther’s Works.  Jaroslav Pelikan, ed.  Saint Louis:  Concordia Publishing House, 1955-1986.  [See especially volumes 35-38, and 53, for Luther’s reflections on liturgy.]

MELANCHTHON, PHILIP AND MARTIN BUCER.  Melanchthon and Bucer.  Revised edition.  Wilhelm Pauck, ed.  Philadelphia:  The Westminster Press, 1981.

OLD, HUGHES OLIPHANT.  The Patristic Roots of Reformed Worship.  Zurich:  Theologische Verlag, 1974.

OLD, HUGHES OLIPHANT.  Worship Reformed According to Scripture.  Louisville:  Westminster/John Knox Press, 2002.  [A revised and expanded version of his earlier 1984 edition, Olds recalls a history of worship, explores several components of worship in depth, and suggests ways in which worship could be renewed today in light of impulses found in the Reformed tradition.]

PIPKIN AND YODER, EDS.  Balthasar Hubmaier:  Theologian of Anabaptism.  Scottsdale, P.A.:  Herald Press, 1989.

SELL, ALAN P. F., ED., WITH DAVID J. HALL AND IAN SELLERS.  Protestant Nonconformist Texts:  1550 to 1700.  Volume one.  Aldershot, Hampshire:  Ashgate Publishing, 2007.  [Addresses the development of non-conformist groups in England and Wales.  Covers the period of the 16^th and 17^th centuries, including texts from emerging Congregationalist, Baptist, Presbyterian and Quaker sources.]

SIMMONS, MENNO.  Complete Writings of Menno Simmons.  Scottsdale, P.A.:  Herald Press, 1956.

THOMPSON, NICHOLAS.  Eucharistic Sacrifice And Patristic Tradition In The Theology Of Martin Bucer 1534-1546.  Leiden:  Brill Academic Publishers, 2004.

VAJTA, VILMOS.  Luther on Worship:  An Interpretation.  Philadelphia:  Fortress Press, 1958.

WANDEL, LEE PALMER.  The Eucharist in the Reformation.  Cambridge:  Cambridge University Press, 2005.  [Palmer analyzes interpretations of the eucharistic words of Jesus Christ from Lutheran, Reformed and Catholic perspectives in this book.  Consequences related to the varying interpretations are articulated, seeking understanding in relation to the formation of different religious identities that emerged from the debate.]

WHITE, JAMES F. Roman Catholic Worship: Trent to Today. Second edition.  Collegeville, M.N.:  The Liturgical Press, 2003.  [A useful overview of liturgical developments in the Roman Catholic tradition over the last four and one half centuries.  White’s writing is clear and balanced.]

ZWINGI, HULDRYCH [ULRICH] and HEINRICH BULLINGER.  Zwingli and Bullinger.  Geoffrey W. Bromiley, ed.  Philadelphia:  The Westminster Press, 1953.

ZWINGLI, ULRICH.  Commentary on True and False Religion.  Durham, N.C.:  Labyrinth, 1981.

E.  Modern Church Worship Studies

ADAMS, DOUG.  Meeting House to Camp Meeting:  Toward a History of American Free Church Worship from 1620-1835.  Saratoga:  Modern Liturgy Resource Publications, 1981.

BARCLAY, ROBERT.  An Apology for the true Christian divinity, being an explanation and vindication of the principles and doctrines of the people called Quakers.  Philadelphia:  Friends’ Book Store, 1908.

BORGEN, OLE E.  John Wesley on the Sacraments:  A Theological Study.  Grand Rapids:  Francis Asbury Press, 1985.

BUGNINI, ANNIBALE.  The Reform of the Liturgy, 1948-1975.  Collegeville, M.N.  The Liturgical Press, 1990.

DANDELION, PINK.  The Liturgies of Quakerism.  Aldershot, Hampshire:  Ashgate Publishing, 2005.  [Published in the “Liturgy, Worship and Society” series, this is an analysis of liturgical expression within a tradition that elevated silence in worship and forbid certain historical external ritual practices.  The author examines both historical and contemporary practice.]

DAVIES, HORTON.  Worship and Theology in England:  From Andrewes to Baxter and Fox, 1603-1690.  Volume two.  Princeton:  Princeton University Press, 1975.  [Also published by Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company in 1996.]

DAVIES, HORTON.  Worship and Theology in England:  From Watts and Wesley to Maurice, 1690-1850.  Volume three.  Princeton:  Princeton University Press, 1961.  [Also published by Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company in 1996.]

DAVIES, HORTON.  Worship and Theology in England:  From Newman to Martineau, 1850-1900.  Volume four.  Princeton:  Princeton University Press, 1962.  [Also published by Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company in 1996.]

DAVIES, HORTON.  Worship and Theology in England:  The Ecumenical Century, 1900-1965.  Volume five.  Princeton:  Princeton University Press, 1965.  [Also published by Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company in 1996, with the addition of material from 1965 to the present.]

DAVIES, HORTON.  The Worship of the American Puritans, 1629-1730.  New York:  P. Lang, 1990.

Documents of the Liturgy, 1963-1979:  Conciliar, Papal, and Curial Texts.  Collegeville, M.N.:  The Liturgical Press, 1982.

FENWICK, JOHN R. K. and BRYAN D. SPINKS. Worship In Transition: The Liturgical Movement In the Twentieth Century. New York: Continuum Publishing Group, 1995.  [An articulate guide for understanding recent trends in worship development.  Especially helpful for discerning the convergence in worship practices of the last fifty years.]

GOODWIN, EVERETT C.  Down by the Riverside:  A Brief History of Baptist Faith.  Valley Forge:  Judson Press, 2002.

HALL, FRANCIS, ED.  Quaker Worship in North America.  Richmond, I.N.:  Friends United Press, 1979.

HATCHETT, MARION J.  Commentary on the American Prayer Book.  New York:  Seabury Press, 1980.

HATCHETT, MARION J.  The Making of the First American Book of Common Prayer, 1776-1789.  New York:  Seabury Press, 1982.

HUGHES, KATHLEEN, ED.  How Firm a Foundation:  Voices of the Early Liturgical Movement.  Chicago:  Liturgy Training Publications, 1990.  [A collection of brief essays that yield helpful insights into individuals pivotal to modern Catholic worship renewal.]

LEONARD, BILL S.  Baptist Ways:  A History.  Valley Forge:  Judson Press, 2003.

The Liturgy Documents, Volume One.  Fourth edition.  Chicago:  Liturgy Training Publications, 2004.  [A significant collection of important Roman Catholic liturgical materials that seek to apply the reforms of the Second Vatican Council.  The Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy, General Instruction of the Roman Missal (2002), Music in Catholic Worship, Liturgical Music Today, and Built of Living Stones, among others, are included in this new edition.]

The Liturgy Documents, Volume Two.  Chicago:  Liturgy Training Publications, 1999.  [A second volume of important Roman Catholic liturgical materials that seek to apply the reforms of the Second Vatican Council.  Includes thirteen documents, published from 1969-1998.]

McBETH, H. LEON.  The Baptist Heritage:  Four Centuries of Baptist Witness.  Nashville:  Broadman Press, 1987.

McBETH, H. LEON.  A Sourcebook for Baptist Heritage.  Nashville:  Broadman Press, 1990.

ROUSSAKIS, PETER E.  Classic Worship with Brethren in Mind.  Burlington, I.N.:  Meetinghouse Press, 2005.

RUTH, LESTER.  A Little Heaven Below:  Worship at Early Methodist Quarterly Meetings.  Nashville:  Kingswood Books, 2000.  [Using largely primary sources in this excellent study, Ruth highlights the variety and significance of worship expressions practiced in these ecumenical gatherings.  His insights have challenged a more static historical caricature, introducing a vibrancy to worship that had been overlooked or ignored.]

SELL, ALAN P. F., ED., WITH DAVID J. HALL AND IAN SELLERS.  Protestant Nonconformist Texts:  The Eighteenth Century.  Volume two.  Aldershot, Hampshire:  Ashgate Publishing, 2006.  [Addresses the development of non-conformist groups in England and Wales.  Covers the period of the 18^th century, including texts from Congregationalist, Baptist, Presbyterian, Methodist and Quaker sources.]

SELL, ALAN P. F., ED., WITH DAVID J. HALL AND IAN SELLERS.  Protestant Nonconformist Texts:  The Nineteenth Century.  Volume three.  Aldershot, Hampshire:  Ashgate Publishing, 2006.  [Addresses the development of non-conformist groups in England and Wales.  Covers the period of the 19^th century, including texts from Congregationalist, Baptist, Methodist, Quaker, Unitarian and other sources.]

SELL, ALAN P. F., ED., WITH DAVID J. HALL AND IAN SELLERS.  Protestant Nonconformist Texts:  The Twentieth Century.  Volume four.  Aldershot, Hampshire:  Ashgate Publishing, 2007.  [Addresses the development of non-conformist groups in England and Wales.  Covers the period of the 20^th century, including texts from many sources illustrating a wrestling with both decline and engagement in contemporary debates.]

SPINKS, BRYAN D.  Freedom or Order?  The Eucharistic Liturgy in English Congregationalism, 1645-1980.  Allison Park, P.A.:  Pickwick Publications, 1984.

STEVENSON, KENNETH, AND BRIAN SPINKS, EDS.  The Identity of Anglican Worship.  Harrisburg, P.A.:  Morehouse Publishers, 1991.

TORBET, ROBERT G.  History of the Baptists.  Third edition.  Valley Forge:  Judson Press, 1973.

TUZIK, ROBERT L., ED.  How Firm a Foundation:  Leaders of the Liturgical Movement.  Chicago:  Liturgy Training Publications, 1990.  [A collection of short essays featuring critical figures in the rise and promotion of liturgical renewal in the Catholic tradition in the 19^th and 20^th centuries.]

VIAL, THEODORE M.  Liturgy Wars:  Ritual Theory and Protestant Reform in Nineteenth-Century Zurich.  Routledge, 2003.

VISCHER, LUKAS, ED.  Christian Worship in Reformed Churches Past and Present.  Grand Rapids:  Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing, 2003.  [Published in the Calvin Institute of Christian Worship Liturgical Studies Series, Vischer has compiled an outstanding collection of essays by contemporary scholars (drawn from an international conference) discussing the shape of worship in the Reformed tradition.  Historical insights are accompanied by contemporary implications for renewal in this work.]

WESTERFIELD TUCKER, KAREN B.  American Methodist Worship.  Oxford:  Oxford University Press, 2001.  [Westerfield Tucker has provided a comprehensive examination of the development of Methodist worship within a particular North American context in this book.]

WHITE, JAMES F. Protestant Worship: Traditions in Transition. Louisville: Westminster John Knox Press, 1989.  [White sketches the emergence of Lutheran, Reformed, Anabaptist, Anglican, Separatist and Puritan, Quaker, Methodist, Frontier, and Pentecostal, worship traditions in this volume.  His insights provide useful historical circumstances and understandings that will assist with respecting the variety of theological approaches to worship our congregations exhibit today.]

IV.  Theological Resources for Worship Study

A.  General Introductions to Liturgical Theology

ATKINS, PETER.  Memory and Liturgy:  The Place of Memory in the Composition and Practice of Liturgy.  Aldershot, Hampshire:  Ashgate Publishing, 2003.  [Published in the Liturgy, Worship and Society series, this book looks at the special role that memory plays in the development and experience of worship.]

CHAN, SIMON.  Liturgical Theology:  The Church as Worshiping Community.  Downers Grove:  Intervarsity Press, 2006.  [Chan issues a call to evangelicals to develop a mature theological understanding of the church in light of its identity as a community of worship.  The larger Christian tradition is viewed here as a source that can help evangelicals better understand the fullness of worship and the implications of this understanding for being church in the world.

COOKE, BERNARD. Sacraments and Sacramentality. Mystic, C.T.: Twenty-Third Publications, 1994.  [An excellent primer for understanding the importance of sacraments in relation to the human person and the theological significance of the communal rituals of the Christian church.]

COOKE, BERNARD and GARY MACY.  Christian Symbol and Ritual:  An Introduction.  New York:  Oxford University Press, 2005.  [Bernard and Macy provide a substantial discussion of celebration, ritual, and symbol, in our ordinary lives and in relation to the Christian faith.  The authors examine the significance of friendship, worship, and healing in relation to symbol and ritual.  And useful distinctions between official communal rituals and private rituals are explored.]   

FAGERBURG, DAVID W. What Is Liturgical Theology? A Study in Methodology. Collegeville, Minn.: Liturgical Press, 1992.

FORD, DAVID R. AND DANIEL W. HARDY.  Living in Praise:  Worshipping and Knowing God.  Second edition.  Grand Rapids:  Baker Academic, 2005.  [First published in 1984 (an additional epilogue is virtually the only change from the first edition), Ford and Hardy provide an in-depth study of the act of praising God, establishing a fundamental biblical and theological foundation for the very activity itself.  Christian identity, evil, knowing God and prophecy are a sampling of topics that help to focus their reflections.  The authors provide a dense and fruitful exploration of an integral aspect of human existence.]

HUGHES, GRAHAM.  Worship as Meaning:  A Liturgical Theology for Late Modernity.  Cambridge:  Cambridge University Press, 2003.  [Hughes delves into liturgical constructions of meaning within the larger context of late twentieth-century meaning theory in this work.  Making particular use of the writings of Charles Peirce, he employs semiotic theory to analyze the construction, transmission and apprehension of meaning within an actual worship service.]

KAVANAGH, AIDAN. On Liturgical Theology (Hale Memorial Lectures of Seabury-Western Theological Seminary, 1981). New York: Pueblo, 1984.

LATHROP, GORDON W.  Holy Ground:  A Liturgical Cosmology.  Minneapolis:  Fortress Press, 2003.  [In this third treatise of liturgical theology, Lathrop explores the extent to which the central symbols and interactions of Christian liturgy yield, for their participants, a new proposal for their understanding and experience of the world.]

LATHROP, GORDON W.  Holy People:  A Liturgical Ecclesiology.  Minneapolis:  Fortress Press, 1999.

LATHROP, GORDON W. Holy Things: A Liturgical Theology. Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 1993.

OLD, HUGHES OLIPHANT. Themes and Variations for a Christian Doxology (Clinton Lectures, 1989, University of Dubuque Theological Seminary). Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing, 1992.

SALIERS, DON E. Worship as Theology: Foretaste of Glory Divine. Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1994.  [Saliers focuses on specific dimensions of liturgical action here, seeking to identify differences between more formal worship traditions (liturgical/sacramental) and less formal traditions (‘free church’/evangelical).]

SCHMEMANN, ALEXANDER. For the Life of the World: Sacraments and Orthodoxy. Crestwood, N.Y.: St. Vladimir's Seminary Press, 1988.  [An excellent initial exposure to the theological understanding and significance of sacraments in Eastern Orthodox worship.]

SCHMEMANN, ALEXANDER. Introduction to Liturgical Theology. Crestwood, N.Y.: St. Vladimir's Seminary Press, 1986.  [A classic introduction to the theological meaning and purpose of the liturgical life and practices of Eastern Orthodoxy.]

VAN DYK, LEANNE, EDITOR.  A More Profound Alleluia:  Theology and Worship in Harmony.  Grand Rapids:  Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing, 2005.  [Published in the Calvin Institute of Christian Worship Liturgical Studies Series, this collection of essays by the editor and contributors such as John Witvliet, William Dyrness, Ronald Byars, Martha Moore-Keish, and David Stubbs, pairs elements of worship with larger theological issues (such as the Trinity, Christology, and Ecclesiology).  The goal of these essays is to increase the theological understanding and significance of our worship celebrations.]

VANDER ZEE, LEONARD.  Christ, Baptism and the Lord’s Supper:  Recovering the Sacraments for Evangelical Worship.  Downer’s Grove:  Intervarsity Press, 2004.  [Emphasizes the connection between baptism, the Lord’s Supper, and the continuing ministry of Jesus Christ.  Vander Zee encourages an intentional focus on sacramental celebrations in seeking a more wholistic approach to faith and the renewal of worship.]

VARGHESE, BABY.  West Syrian Liturgical Theology.  Aldershot, Hampshire:  Ashgate Publishing, 2004.  [As a volume in the “Liturgy, Worship and Society” series, this book examines the theological orientation of an ancient and important Eastern liturgical tradition.

VOGEL, DWIGHT.  Primary Sources of Liturgical Theology:  A Reader.  Collegeville, M.N.:  The Liturgical Press, 2000.

WAINWRIGHT, GEOFFREY. Doxology, the Praise of God in Worship, Doctrine and Life: A Systematic Theology. New York: Oxford University Press, 1984.

WALLACE, RONALD.  Calvin’s Doctrine of the Word and Sacrament.  Wipf and Stock Publishers, 1997.

WHITE, JAMES F.  The Sacraments in Protestant Practice and Faith.  Nashville:  Abingdon Press, 1999.  [White provides a clear and helpful investigation of the sacraments of baptism and Eucharist within a variety of Reformation traditions.  His descriptions and differentiations are helpful for today, as we consider the potential the sacraments have for contemporary worship renewal.]

WITVLIET, JOHN D.  Worship Seeking Understanding: Windows into Christian Practice .  Grand Rapids:  Baker Book House, 2003.  [A collection of some of the best essays that Witvliet has published over the last ten years.  The essays address a variety of topics, paying attention to biblical studies, theological issues, and pastoral care.  Witvliet successfully navigates between theory and practice, between related disciplines, and across denominational lines in this fine work.]

B.  The Lord’s Supper or Eucharist

BALDOVIN, JOHN F.  Bread of Life, Cup of Salvation.  New York:  Sheed and Ward, 2003.  [A lucid articulation of the significance and meaning of the celebration of the Mass in light of the latest editions of the Catechism of the Catholic Church and the General Instruction of the Roman Missal.  A historical overview of the development of the celebration is included, along with practical implications for sharing in the celebration.]

BRADSHAW, PAUL.  Eucharistic Origins.  New York:  Oxford University Press, 2004.  [Bradshaw notes the plurality of Eucharistic celebrations in the early church and adds some new ways of imagining their development.  He suggests an alternative vision of early Eucharistic celebrations here, focusing on the possibility of the rite’s connection to an evening meal of significant length.  He also notes only a gradual prominence in the association of the wine and bread with Christ’s blood and body over time.]

CUMING, GEOFFREY J. and R. C. JASPER. Prayers of the Eucharist. Third edition.  Collegeville, M.N.: Liturgical Press, 1987.

FOLEY, EDWARD. From Age to Age: How Christians Celebrated the Eucharist. Chicago: Liturgy Training Publications, 1991.

IRWIN, KEVIN.  Models of the Eucharist.  New York:  Paulist Press, 2005.  [Writing from a Catholic perspective, Father Irwin discusses a variety of models for understanding the celebration of Eucharist.  He is especially concerned with developments in eucharistic celebrations that have occurred in the wake of Vatican II.]

JEREMIAS, JOACHIM.  The Eucharistic Words of Jesus.  London:  SCM Press, 1966.  [An excellent study of the Gospel texts reflecting Jesus and the Last Supper, the institution narrative, and early celebrations of the Lord’s Supper.]

KASPAR, WALTER CARDINAL.  Sacrament of Unity:  The Eucharist and the Church.  New York:  Herder and Herder, 2005.  [Kasper reflects upon the ecumenical ramifications of eucharistic celebrations.]

MACY, GARY. The Banquet's Wisdom: A Short History of the Theologies of the Lord's Supper. New York: Paulist Press, 1992.  Reprinted:  Akron:  OSL Publications, 2005.

O'CONNOR, JAMES T. The Hidden Manna: A Theology of the Eucharist. San Francisco: Ignatius Press, 1996.

RORDORF, WILLY, ET. AL. The Eucharist of the Early Christians. New York: Pueblo Publishing Company, 1978.

SCHILLEBEECKX, EDWARD.  The Eucharist.  New York:  Sheed and Ward, 1968.  [Schillebeeckx powerfully unfolds the theological importance of Eucharist in a post-Vatican II environment.  Of particular importance is his discussion of “transsignification” to better express the mystery of “transubstantiation.”]

SCHMEMANN, ALEXANDER. The Eucharist: Sacrament of the Kingdom. Trans. by Paul Kachur. Crestwood, N.Y.: St. Vladimir's Seminary Press, 1989. [The best articulated theological exposition detailing the Eastern Orthodox understanding and appreciation of the Eucharist.]

SENN, FRANK C.  A Stewardship of the Mysteries.  New York:  Paulist Press, 1999.  [Senn seeks to provoke a constructive dialog between Christian traditions about sharing in celebrations of Eucharist, the sacrament of Christian unity.  Senn identifies pertinent theological issues and offers suggestions for mutual understanding and appreciation.]

SMITH, GORDON T.  A Holy Meal:  The Lord’s Supper in the Life of the Church.  Grand Rapids:  Baker Academic, 2005.  [Theological reflections intended to stimulate congregational renewal in and through substantial Eucharistic understandings and corporate celebrations.]

STOOKEY, LAURENCE HULL.  Eucharist:  Christ’s Feast With the Church.  Nashville:  Abingdon Press, 1993.  [Written in less technical language, Stookey provides a marvelous introduction to the diversity of theological understandings of the Lord’s Supper as they have developed historically.  Particular attention is paid to the traditions of Methodists, Presbyterians, and the United Church of Christ.]

WELKER, MICHAEL.  What Happens in Holy Communion?  Grand Rapids:  Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2000.  [Welker gives an explanation of holy communion based on the biblical tradition and evaluates the ecumenical discourse on communion of the past thirty years, seeking to find common understanding between various traditions.]

C.  Baptism and Christian Initiation

ARMSTRONG, JOHN H., ED.  Understanding Four Views of Baptism.  Grand Rapids:  Zondervan Publishing House, 2007.  [A variety of issues related to baptism (for example, mode, age and frequency) are considered in this volume from multiple perspectives.  Scholars from Baptist, Christian Church/Church of Christ, Lutheran and Reformed traditions share their understandings with an eye toward mutual understanding and respect.]

BEASLEY-MURRAY, GEORGE R.  Baptism in the New Testament.  Grand Rapids:  Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing, 1962.  [Beginning with Old Testament rituals and moving through early church practice, Beasley-Murray provides a thorough critical analysis of Scripture in defense of believers’ baptism.]

BRIDGE, DONALD and DAVID PHYPERS. The Water that Divides: A Survey of the Doctrine of Baptism.  Fearn, Great Britain:  Mentor Books, 1998. [Beginning with Scripture, the authors describe the approaches of both pedobaptists and believer Baptists, historically and theologically.  They help to unravel the tension between both practices today and seek to constructively identify the significant underlying issues.]

FISHER, J.D.C.  Christian Initiation:  Baptism in the Medieval West.  Chicago:  Liturgy Training Publications, 2004.  [A reissue of Fisher’s classic study of baptism in the Western medieval church, with an introduction by G. Austin.  Originally a part of the Alcuin Club liturgical studies series, this investigation traces the gradual separation of baptism, confirmation, and first communion, in various Western rites.]

FISHER, J.D.C.  Christian Initiation:  Confirmation Then and Now.  Chicago:  Liturgy Training Publications, 2005.  [A reissue of Fisher’s substantial study of the rite of confirmation (for the Alcuin Club, 1978).  His analysis begins with early nonbiblical evidence, surveys various Christian rites from the third to the fifth centuries, and concludes with a discussion of the rite for Anglican communities in the latter part of the twentieth century.]

KREIDER, ALAN.  The Change of Conversion and the Origin of Christendom.  Harrisburg, P.A.:  Trinity Press International, 1999.  [An engaging short volume, Kreider argues persuasively that Augustine’s concern for conversion is a significant root for the popularization of the practice of infant baptism.]

MURPHY CENTER FOR LITURGICAL RESEARCH.  Made, Not Born:  New Perspectives on Christian Initiation and the Catechumenate.  Notre Dame, I.N.:  University of Notre Dame Press, 1976.  [Wonderful essays examining the historical and theological development of Christian initiation in the church, with an eye toward renewing a catechumenate model in the church today.]

SCHMEMANN, ALEXANDER.  Of Water and the Spirit.  Crestwood, N.Y.:  St. Vladimir’s Seminary Press, 1974.

SPINKS, BRYAN D.  Early and Medieval Rituals and Theologies of Baptism:  From the New Testament to the Council of Trent.  Aldershot, Hampshire:  Ashgate Publishing, 2006.  [Published in the Liturgy, Worship and Society series, this is the first of a pair of books examining baptismal liturgy and theology in a comprehensive way, with attention to implications for contemporary reflection and practice.  Syrian, Egyptian, Roman and additional African developments are included.]

SPINKS, BRYAN D.  Reformation and Modern Rituals and Theologies of Baptism.  Aldershot, Hampshire:  Ashgate Publishing, 2006.  [Published in the Liturgy, Worship and Society series, this is the second of a pair of books examining baptismal liturgy and theology in a comprehensive way, with attention to implications for contemporary reflection and practice.  Roman Catholic, Lutheran, Reformed, Anglican, Methodist, Baptist, and Amish traditions are included in this discussion.]

STOOKEY, LAURENCE HULL.  Baptism:  Christ’s Act in the Church.  Nashville:  Abingdon Press, 1982.  [Stookey provides an accessible guide to how baptism has been understood theologically throughout the development of the church.  He pays attention to particular pastoral issues related to the practice of baptism also.]

TURNER, PAUL.  Ages of Initiation:  The First Two Millennia.  Collegeville, M.N.:  The Liturgical Press, 2000.  [A helpful survey of the texts related to the history of confirmation and first communion, focusing on the age of the candidate and the sequence of the rites.  A companion CD includes extensive primary source materials with the brief book serving as a summary of these sources.]

TURNER, PAUL.  Confirmation:  The Baby in Solomon’s Court.  Revised and updated.  Chicago:  Liturgy Training Publications, 2005.  [Originally published in 1993, an excellent survey of the development of the rite of confirmation through the history of the church.  Turner identifies seven models of confirmation and initiates critical reflections useful for our practices today.  Revisions include recent developments in implementing the catechumenate today.]

WEBBER, ROBERT E.  Journey to Jesus:  The Worship, Evangelism, and Nurture Mission of the Church.  Nashville:  Abingdon Press, 2002.  [Webber proposes a model for nurturing believers in their faith through the establishment and celebration of particular stages of development.  His work is based on early catechumenate models of initiation and has much to offer churches today struggling to move their faithful to Christian maturity.]

WHITAKER, E.C., AUTHOR, AND MAXWELL E. JOHNSON, ED.  Documents of the Baptismal Liturgy.  Revised and expanded edition.  Collegeville, M.N.:  The Liturgical Press, 2003.  [Useful translations of baptismal liturgies from the second to the ninth centuries, from both the Western and Eastern church, help to provide an understanding of the range of understandings and practices connected to this ritual in the history of the church.  Whitaker was the original author of this text.  Johnson has gathered additional, more recent materials (since the original 1960 edition), that shed light on the historical development of baptismal rites.]

YARNOLD, EDWARD.  The Awe-Inspiring Rites of Initiation:  Baptismal Homilies of the Fourth Century.  Slough, Great Britain:  St. Paul Publications, 1971.

D.  Pastoral Rites and Practices

BATTS, SIDNEY F.  The Protestant Wedding Sourcebook:  A Complete Guide for Developing Your Own Service.  Louisville:  Westminster/John Knox Press, 1993.  [The value of this book is the collection of a variety of texts associated with all moments in the wedding liturgy and the reproduction of a host of Protestant wedding services.]

BELL, CATHERINE.  Ritual:  Perspectives and Dimensions.  New York:  Oxford University Press, 1995.

BRADSHAW, PAUL F.  Ordination Rites of the Ancient Churches of East and West.  New York:  Pueblo Publishing Company, 1990.

Bradshaw, Paul F., and Lawrence A. Hoffman, editors.  Life Cycles in Jewish and Christian Worship.  Notre Dame:  University of Notre Dame Press, 1996.  [Particularly helpful for essays concerning birth rituals and rites of adolescence.]

BUSH, PETER AND CHRISTINE O’REILLY.  Where 20 or 30 Are Gathered:  Leading Worship in the Small Church.  Bethesda, M.D.:  The Alban Institute, 2006.  [Published in the Vital Worship, Healthy Congregations series from the Alban Institute, this volume is a helpful resource for those serving churches of 50 people or less in rural, suburban or urban settings.  The unique challenges and opportunities of these small communities are identified with ideas for facilitating and renewing worship experiences.]

DRIVER, TOM F.  Liberating Rites:  Understanding the Transformative Power of Ritual.  Boulder, C.O.:  Westview Press, 1998.

DUDLEY, MARTIN, AND GEOGGREY ROWELL, EDITORS.  The Oil of Gladness:  Anointing in the Christian Tradition.  Collegeville, M.N.:  The Liturgical Press, 1993.

EMPEREUR, JAMES L.  Prophetic Anointing:  God’s Call to the Sick, the Elderly, and the Dying.  Wilmington, D.E.:  Michael Glazier, 1982.

EVANS, ABIGAIL RIAN.  Healing Liturgies for the Seasons of Life.  Louisville:  Westminster/John Knox Press, 2004.  [Evans explores a variety of personal and community crises, seeking to provide worship suggestions that will bring healing and hope.]

FOWLER, GENE.  Caring through the Funeral:  A Pastor’s Guide.  St. Louis:  Chalice Press, 2004.  [A comprehensive volume addressing aspects of loss, grieving, pastoral care, and the funeral service as a worship event (including practical guidance for service planning and sample services).]

GLICK, ROBERT P.  With All Thy Mind:  Worship that Honors the Way God Made Us.  Bethesda, M.D.:  The Alban Institute, 2006.  [Published in the Vital Worship, Healthy Congregations series from the Alban Institute, Glick seeks to provide assistance in recognizing the variety of temperaments and backgrounds of those in our congregations and ways in which this diversity can be navigated in relation to a wide, creative range of worship practices.]

GUSMER, CHARLES W.  And You Visited Me:  Sacramental Ministry to the Sick and Dying.  Revised edition.  New York:  Pueblo Publishing Company, 1989.

MARSCH, MICHAEL.  Healing through the Sacraments.  Collegeville, M.N.:  The Liturgical Press, 1987.  [Written from a Roman Catholic perspective, this brief volume examines the potential healing that can occur through a range of sacramental celebrations in the church.]

MEEKS, BLAIR GILMER.  Standing in the Circle of Grief:  Prayers and Liturgies for Death and Dying.  Nashville:  Abingdon Press, 2002.  [Resources for a host of grief-related circumstances, including suicide, death of a parent, and death of an infant.]

MEYENDORFF, JOHN.  Marriage:  An Orthodox Perspective.  Crestwood, N.Y.:  St. Vladimir’s Seminary Press, 1984.

NEVILLE, GWEN KENNEDY, AND JOHN H. WESTERHOFF, III.  Learning Through Liturgy.  New York:  Seabury Press, 1978.

PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, U.S.A.  Christian Marriage. The Worship of God. (Supplemental Liturgical Resource, No 3). Philadelphia: The Westminster Press, 1986.

PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, U.S.A. The Funeral: A Service of Witness to the Resurrection. The Worship of God (Supplemental Liturgical Resource, No 4).  Philadelphia:  The Westminster Press, 1986.

RAMSHAW, ELAINE.  Ritual and Pastoral Care.  Minneapolis:  Fortress Press, 1987.

RUTHERFORD, RICHARD, AND TONY BARR.  The Death of a Christian:  The Order of Christian Funerals.  Revised edition.  Collegeville, M.N.:  Pueblo/The Liturgical Press, 1990.

SEARLE, MARK, AND KENNETH W. STEVENSON.  Documents of the Marriage Liturgy.  Collegeville, M.N.:  Pueblo/The Liturgical Press, 1992.

SHEPPY, PAUL P.J.  Death Liturgy and Ritual, Volume one, A Pastoral and Liturgical Theology.  Aldershot, Hampshire:  Ashgate Publishing, 2003.  [Published in the “Liturgy, Worship and Society” series, this is the first of a pair of books examining a Christian understanding of death and the ritual ways in which we experience it in faith communities.]

SHEPPY, PAUL P.J.  Death Liturgy and Ritual, Volume two, A Commentary on Liturgical Texts.  Aldershot, Hampshire:  Ashgate Publishing, 2004.  [Published in the “Liturgy, Worship and Society” series, this is the second of a pair of books examining a Christian understanding of death and the ritual ways in which we experience it in faith communities.]

SMITH, KATHLEEN S.  Stilling the Storm:  Worship and Congregational Leadership in Difficult Times.  Bethesda, M.D.:  The Alban Institute, 2006.  [Published in the Vital Worship, Healthy Congregations series from the Alban Institute, Smith identifies three primary types of difficult circumstances that congregations face (crisis, transition and conflict) and offers suggestions for allowing worship to facilitate reconciliation and healing.]

SPRINKLE, STEPHEN V.  Ordination:  Celebrating the Gift of Ministry.  St. Louis:  Chalice Press, 2004.  [Written as a practical theological guide for preparing candidates for ordination, especially in free church traditions.  Sample services are included, with advice for planning these celebrations.  Sprinkle seeks to renew church leadership with a sound biblical and theological foundation in this work.]

STEVENSON, KENNETH W.  To Join Together:  The Rite of Marriage.  New York:  Pueblo Publishing Company, 1987.

STEVENSON, KENNETH.  Nuptial Blessing:  A Study of Christian Marriage Rites.  New York:  Oxford University Press, 1983.

WESTERHOFF, III, JOHN H., AND WILLIAM H. WILLIMON.  Liturgy and Learning through the Life Cycle.  Revised edition.  Akron, O.H.:  OSL Publications, 1994. 

WILLIMON, WILLIAM H.  Remember Who You Are:  Baptism and the Christian Life.  Nashville:  Abingdon Press, 1980.

WILLIMON, WILLIAM H.  Worship as Pastoral Care.  Nashville:  Abingdon Press, 1979.

ZIMMERMAN, MARI WEST.  Take and Make Holy:  Honoring the Sacred in the Healing Journey of Abuse Survivors.  Chicago:  Liturgy Training Publications, 1995.

E.  The Christian Year

ADAM, ADOLF. The Liturgical Year: Its History and Its Meaning After the Reform of the Liturgy. Collegeville, M.N.: The Liturgical Press, 1992.

BASS, DOROTHY C.  Receiving the Day:  Christian Practices for Opening the Gift of Time.  San Francisco:  Jossey-Bass Publishers, 2000.

BLACKBURN, BONNIE, AND LEOFRANC HOLFORD-STREVENS.  The Oxford Companion to the Year:  An Exploration of Calendar Customs and Time-Reckoning.  Oxford:  Oxford University Press, 1999.  [Customs associated with each day of the calendar year, seasons, weeks, festivals, and holidays of all sorts, are discussed in this encyclopedic work.  Development of calendars in general, as well as the influence of the Christian church in particular are represented.  This work is especially helpful for discerning how both sacred and secular holidays might be better understood in relation to our church celebrations today.]

BOLING, RUTH.  Come Worship With Me:  A Journey Through the Church Year.  Louisville:  Geneva Press, 2000.  [Intended for children, a useful exploration of the Christian year (through Reformed lenses) with beautiful illustrations.]

EVERY, GEORGE, RICHARD HARRIES, AND KALISTOS WARE.  The Time of the Spirit:  Readings Through the Christian Year.  Crestwood, N.Y.:  St. Vladimir’s Seminary Press, 1984.

HALMO, JOAN.  Celebrating the Church Year with Young Children.  Collegeville, M.N.:  The Liturgical Press, 1988.  [While assuming some prior familiarity with the Christian year, Halmo provides numerous ideas of activities for both home and church environments that would engage children in celebrating various seasons and festivals.]

HALVERSON, DELIA.  Children’s Activities for the Christian Year.  Nashville:  Abingdon Press, 2004.  [Introductory material and activities intended to orient and educate children concerning the meaning and significance of the Church year.]

HALVERSON, DELIA.  Teaching and Celebrating the Christian Seasons:  A Guide for Pastors, Teachers, and Worship Leaders.  St. Louis:  Chalice Press, 2003.  [Resource materials for helping to educate adults in the meaning and importance of observing the Church year.]

HICKMAN, HOYT L., DON E. SALIERS, JAMES F. WHITE, AND LAURENCE HULL STOOKEY. The New Handbook of the Christian Year. Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1992.  [Based on the Revised Common Lectionary, this resource offers theological insights into the various seasons of the Christian year and an abundance of sample liturgies that could be used in community celebrations.]

HYNES, MARY ELLEN.  Companion to the Calendar:  A Guide to the Saints and Mysteries of the Christian Calendar.  Chicago:  Liturgy Training Publications, 1993.

JOHNSON, MAXWELL E., EDITOR.  Between Memory and Hope:  Readings on the Liturgical Year.  Collegeville:  The Liturgical Press, 2000.  [An ecumenical collection of essays investigating recent scholarly insights into the historical and theological development of the Christian year.]

METFORD, J. C. J.  The Christian Year.  London: Thames and Hudson, 1991.

NARDONE, RICHARD. The Story of the Christian Year. New York: Paulist Press, 1992.

PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, U.S.A. Liturgical Year: The Worship of God (Supplemental Liturgical Resource, No 7). Louisville: Westminster/John Knox Press, 1992.

PRYCE, MARK, ED.  Literary Companion to the Lectionary:  A Poetic Gathering to Accompany the Readings for Sundays, Principal Feasts, and Selected Holy Days.  Minneapolis:  Fortress Press, 2003.

SELF, DAVID.  The Roots of Christian Festivals.  London:  SPCK, 2005.  [An overview of the history and theological significance of major and minor festivals in the Christian Year.]

STOOKEY, LAURENCE HULL. Calendar: Christ's Time for the Church. Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1996.

TALLEY, THOMAS J. The Origins of the Liturgical Year. Collegeville, M.N.: Liturgical Press, 1986.

VADELA, NATALIE.  Our Year with God:  A Child’s Introduction to Catholic Holy Days and the Liturgical Year.  Boston:  Pauline Books and Media, 2000.  [An introduction of the Christian year to children in light of the Roman Catholic calendar.]

WESTERHOFF, JOHN H. III. A Pilgrim People: Learning Through the Church Year. Minneapolis: Seabury Press, 1984.

WEBBER, ROBERT E.  Ancient-Future Time:  Forming Spirituality through the Christian Year.  Grand Rapids:  Baker Books, 2004.  [In his third title in the Ancient-Future series, Webber discusses two major cycles of time based upon the Christian Year, “The Cycle of Light” (from Advent through the season after the Epiphany) and “The Cycle of Life” (from Lent through the season after Pentecost).  Scripture and the historical practices of the church are used as sources for seeking how our spiritual life today can be enriched through observing Christian seasons and festivals.  Webber’s approach will especially benefit those who are less familiar with the Christian Year and its significance for establishing greater depth in our faith.]

WILDE, JAMES A. (Editor), ADE BETHUNE (illustrator), MARY P. RYAN (designer). At That Time : Cycles and Seasons in the Life of a Christian. Chicago: Liturgy Training Publications, 1989.

WIRZBA, NORMAN.  Living the Sabbath:  Discovering the Rhythms of Rest and Delight.  Grand Rapids:  Baker Book House, 2006.  [Published in The Christian Practice of Everyday Life series, Wirzba discusses the complexity of biblical and theological understandings of Sabbath time with an eye toward shaping our contemporary patterns of life.  Principles derived from his understanding of Sabbath time are applied to areas of life such as growing and consuming food, education, recreation, economics and worship, seeking to reclaim a portion of God’s intentions for human life.]

V.  Worship Design Resources

A. Worship and Contemporary Culture

Authentic Worship In a Changing Culture. Grand Rapids: CRC Publications, 1997.  [Produced as a study document by the Worship Study Committee within the Christian Reformed Church, this booklet encourages the discussion of how we can maintain a focus on the Gospel while incorporating change in our worship expressions.  The question and answer section addresses practical, common issues that many of our congregations face today.]

BASDEN, PAUL. The Worship Maze: Finding a Style to Fit Your Church. Downers Grove, I.L.: Intervarsity Press, 1999.

BOSCH, DAVID JACOBUS. Transforming Mission: Paradigm Shifts in Theology of Mission (American Society of Missiology Series, No. 16). Maryknoll, N.Y.: Orbis Books, 1994.

BROWN PAUL B. In and For the World: Bringing the Contemporary into Christian Worship. Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 1992.

BYARS, RONALD P.  The Future of Protestant Worship:  Beyond the Worship Wars.  Louisville:  Westminster/John Knox Press, 2002.  [Byars identifies the negative witness and fallout of churches fighting over various aesthetic expressions of Christian worship.  He suggests moving away from the labels of “traditional” and “contemporary” in identifying worship styles.  He seeks a “convergence” type of worship event, allowing for multiple styles of expression, celebrating the “bath, book, and meal” (Baptism, the Word of God, and the Lord’s Supper) that is central to the core of the faith.]

CARSON, D. A., ET. AL., EDS.  Worship by the Book.  Grand Rapids:  Zondervan Publishing Company, 2002.  [Voices from three Protestant traditions, the Free Church, the Reformed Church, and the Anglican Church, seek to voice a biblical theology for worship for their respective traditions in this book.  The goal of this work is to demonstrate how worship of integrity can be developed from differing theological understandings to enrich the corporate events of faithful communities.]

DAWN, MARVA.  How Shall We Then Worship?  Biblical Guidelines for the Worship Wars.  Tyndale House Publishers, 2003.

DAWN, MARVA J. Reaching Out Without Dumbing Down: A Theology of Worship for the Turn-of-the-Century Culture. Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1995.  [Dawn provides a scathing indictment of those who uncritically reshape Christian worship in the image of popular cultural expressions.  Her insights are on target, but her argumentation sometimes leaves little room for conversation.]

DAWN, MARVA J.  A Royal “Waste” of Time:  The Splendor of Worshiping God and Being Church for the World.  Grand Rapids:  Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1999.  [Less caustic than her earlier “Reaching Out” volume, Dawn provides criteria for evaluating worship expressions and emphasizes the need for communal process in determining what might be appropriate for community celebrations.]

DEARBORN, TIM A. AND SCOTT COIL, EDS.  Worship at the Next Level:  Insight from Contemporary Voices.  Grand Rapids:  Baker Books, 2004.  [A collection of reflections by scholars such as James F. White, Robert Webber, John Witvliet, Leonard Sweet, and Miroslav Volf, challenging us to pursue worship celebrations of theological depth and cultural diversity in a post-modern environment.  The essays have been previously published, primarily in the last seven years, but represent some outstanding thoughts on moving our worship beyond individualistic, pragmatic, generation-bound expressions.]

DEWAAL, NORMA MALEFYT, AND HOWARD VANDERWELL.  Designing Worship Together:  Models and Strategies for Worship Planning.  Bethesda, M.D.:  The Alban Institute, 2005.  [Published in the Vital Worship, Healthy Congregations series from the Alban Institute, a seasoned pastor and church musician have joined together in producing a book intended to facilitate the creative design process of worship in the midst of our plethora of resources and individual preferences.  Both authors are resource development specialists for the Calvin Institute of Christian Worship.  Emphasizing the centrality of the biblical narrative, numerous tools for planning, implementing, and evaluating worship events are included in this volume.]

DORAN, CAROL and THOMAS H. TROEGER. Trouble At The Table: Gathering the Tribes For Worship. Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1992.

FRANKFORTER, A. DANIEL.  Stones for Bread.  Louisville:  Westminster/John Knox Press, 2001.

LONG, THOMAS G.  Beyond the Worship Wars:  Building Vital and Faithful Worship.  The Alban Institute, 2001.  [Long provides a brief, practical volume on navigating contentious issues related to congregational worship, with an eye toward developing dynamic ministries focused on clarity of mission and maintaining healthy relationships in the midst of renewal.]

JOHNSON, TODD E., ED.  The Conviction of Things Not Seen:  Worship and Ministry in the 21^st Century.  Grand Rapids:  Brazos Press, 2002.  [A festschrift published in honor of Robert E. Webber, this collection of essays by worship scholars is an excellent resource for insight into such issues as the merging of tradition and innovation in worship, the classification of worship services, ritual, style, theological education, pastoral care, and inclusion of the visual arts in worship.]

PLANTINGA, JR., CORNELIUS, AND SUE A. ROZEBOOM.  Discerning the Spirits:  A Guide to Thinking about Christian Worship Today.  Grand Rapids:  Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2003.  [Published in the Calvin Institute of Christian Worship Liturgical Studies Series, this book is born from a collaborative effort of scholars in multiple liturgical fields considering issues related to the pursuit of excellence in worship today.  Plantinga and Rozeboom synthesize the fruit of many conversations over an extended period of time in their various chapters.  Broad themes including the contemporary church, globalization of worship, diversity in expressions, and theological depth, shape the contour of conversation in this book.  Sidebars are scattered throughout the volume, featuring thoughts from various team participants, including Marva Dawn, Justo Gonzalez, C. Michael Hawn, Lester Ruth and John Witvliet.]

ROMANOWSKI, WILLIAM D. Pop Culture Wars: Religion and the Role of Entertainment in American Life. Downers Grove: Intervarsity Press, 1996.

SALIERS, DON.  Worship Come to its Senses.  Nashville:  Abingdon Press, 1996.  [Saliers explores the renewal of worship by identifying four essential qualities which characterize authentic and relevant Christian worship—awe, delight, truthfulness and hope.  Saliers considers a range of worship expressions utilized today in light of these qualities, seeking to overcome some of the polarizing impulses which divide congregations.]

WEBBER, ROBERT E. Planning Blended Worship: The Creative Mixture of Old and New. Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1998.  [Based on a “four-fold” approach to Christian worship, Webber provides a practical guide for exploring and renewing the content, structure, and style of our services today.]

WENZ, ROBERT. Room for God? A Worship Challenge for a Church-Growth and Marketing Era. Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1994.

WITVLIET, JOHN, AND EMILY BRINK, EDS.  The Worship Sourcebook.  Grand Rapids:  Baker Book House, 2004.  [Emerging from the leadership of the Calvin Institute of Christian Worship, this volume is a vast, ecumenical array of resources (about 800 pages) for generating creative and powerful worship events.]

YORK, TERRY W.  America’s Worship Wars.  Peabody, M.A.:  Hendrickson Publishers, 2003.  [Reflections concerning the debate between different styles of worship and music.  Suggestions are offered for navigating difficult waters.]

B.  Music and Worship

Abbington, James, ed.  Readings in African American Church Music and Worship.  Chicago:  GIA Publications, 2002.  [A collection of essays that help to understand the unique contributions and significance of African-American music in relation to worship.  Highly recommended.]

African American Church Music Series.  Chicago:  GIA Publications.  [A collection of four part arrangements of songs rooted in the African-American tradition.]

Bangert, Mark, et. al.  Leading the Church’s Song.  Minneapolis:  Augsburg/Fortress Publishing, 1998.  (Includes CD)  [A series of essays exploring the diversity of congregational song available to churches, with guidance for how better to appreciate the many offerings among us.]

BEGBIE, JEREMY S.  Theology, Music, and Time.  Cambridge:  Cambridge University Press, 2000.  [A dense, rich exploration of considering the question of how music can enrich and advance theology.  Begbie explores a wide range of musical phenomena (rhythm, meter, resolution repetition, improvisation) and through them opens up some of the central themes of the Christian faith (creation, salvation, eschatology, time and eternity, Eucharist, election, and ecclesiology).]

BEST, HAROLD M. Music Through the Eyes of Faith. San Francisco: Harper San Francisco, 1993.  [Best related musical practice to a larger theology of creation and creativity.  He explores concepts of musical quality and excellence, musical unity, and utilizing music from other cultures.]

BEST, HAROLD.  Unceasing Worship:  Biblical Perspectives on Worship and the Arts.  Downers Grove:  Intervarsity Press, 2003.  [Best is thoughtful and balanced in his writing.  The first half of his book discusses worship in general; the second half yields wisdom related primarily to the relationship between worship and music.  Useful insights into the presence and appropriate use of the arts in worship abound in Best’s work.]

CLARK, LINDA J., JOANNE SWENSON AND MARK STAMM.  How We Seek God Together:  Exploring Worship Style.  The Alban Institute, 2001.  (Includes videotape)  [The final report of the Worship, Music, and Religious Identity Research Project, this study examines three Methodist congregations in Massachusetts in depth to discern how and why congregations make the choices they do in relation to worship music and song.  This study is designed to provide a model through which a congregation can gain insight into its own choices and navigate the muddy waters of varying pious practices and aesthetic preferences.]

COLLINS, DORI ERWIN, AND SCOTT C. WEIDLER.  Sound Decisions:  Evaluating Contemporary Music for Lutheran Worship.  Minneapolis:  Augsburg Fortress, 1997.

Edited.  African American Heritage Hymnal.  Chicago:  GIA Publications, 2001.  [Compiled for ecumenical interaction, a collection of nearly 600 compositions, with responsive readings and litanies.]

Edited.  Sound the Bamboo: CCA  Hymnal 2000.  Hong Kong:  Christian Conference of Asia, 2000.  [Featuring over 300 compositions from twenty-one countries.  Ethno-musicologist I-to Loh played a primary role in selecting and shaping these compositions for congregational settings.]

ESKEW, HARRY and HUGH T. McELRATH. Sing with Understanding: An Introduction to Christian Hymnology. Nashville: Broadman Press, 1980; reissued Genevox, 1995.

FOLEY, EDWARD.  Foundations of Christian Music:  The Music of Pre-Constantinian Christianity.  Collegeville, M.N.:  The Liturgical Press, 1996.  [A brief, articulate discussion of the musical life of God’s people, from the Temple of Herod to the third century house church.]

FOLEY, EDWARD.  Ritual Music:  Studies in Liturgical Musicology.  Beltsville, M.D.:  The Pastoral Press, 1995.  [Foley begins with the Judeo-Christian roots of music for worship, discusses the auditory environment of the early church, considers the role of the cantor historically, examines Martin Luther as a pastoral musician, and explores documents and criteria for evaluating music in Roman Catholic worship today, in this helpful collection of essays.]

FOLEY, EDWARD, EDITOR.  Worship Music:  A Concise Dictionary.  Collegeville, M.N.:  Michael Glazier/The Liturgical Press, 2000.  [A helpful, focused, reference tool generated to address the religious and ritual aspects of music (not a general dictionary of musical terms).  Focuses on musical topics that are important to a variety of Judeo-Christian worship traditions.]

FRAME, JOHN M. Contemporary Worship Music: A Biblical Defense. Phillipsburg, N.J.:  Presbyterian and Reformed, 1997.

HAWN, C. MICHAEL.  Gather into One:  Praying and Singing Globally.  Grand Rapids:  Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2003.  [Published in the Calvin Institute of Christian Worship Liturgical Studies Series, Hawn provides an examination of five of the most influential global church musicians found in North American hymnals.  He discusses the significance of global music expressions and demonstrates how these expressions can help empower and renew worship within our churches today.  This represents one of the best volumes exploring global music for worship today.]

HOOD, STACY.  Rekindling Your Music Ministry:  A Guide for Congregations with Multiple or Alternative Worship Patterns.  Nashville:  Abingdon Press, 2002.  [Practical advice for attempting to reduce conflict over various musical preferences, focusing on God, and incorporating new musical styles in worship.]

HUSTAD, DONALD W. Jubilate II: Church Music in Worship and Renewal. Carol Stream, I.L.: Hope Publishing, 1993.

JOHANSSON, CALVIN. Music and Ministry A Biblical Counterpoint. Peabody, M.A.: Hendrickson Publishers, 1998.

KIDD, REGGIE M.  With One Voice:  Discovering Christ’s Song in Our Worship.  Grand Rapids:  Baker Books, 2005.  [Kidd provides a substantial theological exploration of the power of instrument and song in relation to worship.   Personal story, biblical interpretation, and historical insights are woven together to illustrate the rich theological significance of our songs and argue for a wide array of musical offerings in praise of Christ.]

LEAVER, ROBIN A. AND JOYCE ANN ZIMMERMAN, EDITORS.  Liturgy and Music:  Lifetime Learning.  Collegeville:  The Liturgical Press, 1998.  [A host of essays are included in this work, exploring many dimensions of the relationship between music and worship.]

LIESCH, BARRY WAYNE. The New Worship: Straight Talk on Music and the Church. Revised edition.  Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 2001.  [An exploration of various worship styles and issues related to the incorporation of a variety of musical offerings in worship.  Sound, practical advice for developing a theology of music in worship, focused on the centrality of Christ.]

MARINI, STEPHEN.  Sacred Song in America:  Religion, Music, and Public Culture.  Illinois University Press, 2003.  [Marini explores a whole range of American sacred music, seeking to demonstrate how an understanding of the meanings and functions of this musical expression can contribute to a greater understanding of religious culture.  Marini’s study is more academic, but sheds light on issues related to music and worship.]

McLEAN, TERRI BOCKLUND.  New Harmonies:  Choosing Contemporary Music for Worship.  The Alban Institute, 1998.  (With CD.)  [Bocklund seeks to provide material that can be used to wisely select music appropriate for corporate worship.  Specific suggestions are made for developing criteria for evaluating music in light of the reader’s specific context.]

McGANN, MARY E.  Exploring Music as Worship and Theology:  Research in Liturgical Practice.  Collegeville, M.N.:  The Liturgical Press, 2002.  [McGann uses music as a central lens through which to explore liturgical practice.  She offers a methodology for studying and interpreting the musical-liturgical experiences of the worshiping community in this brief work.]

McKay, V. Michael.  To Tell the Truth.  A Compilation of Inspirations about the Birth of Songs from the Heart, Soul, and Mind of a Storyteller.  Chicago:  GIA Publications, 2002.

MOUW, RICHARD J. AND MARK A. NOLL, EDS.  Wonderful Words of Life:  Hymns in American Protestant History and Theology.  Grand Rapids:  Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2004.  [Published in the Calvin Institute of Christian Worship Liturgical Studies Series, this volume is drawn from a conference sponsored by the Institute for the Study of Evangelicals.  Eleven essays provide some marvelous windows into the historical context and theological significance of the development of American hymnody.]

MUSIC, DAVID W. AND MILBURN PRICE.  A Survey of Christian Hymnody.  Fourth edition, revised and enlarged.  Carol Stream, IL:  Hope Publishing Company, 1999.  [A brief survey of hymnody, including chapters addressing early church song, Lutheran chorales, psalmody, and British and American hymns.  Some good bibliographic references are included.]

National Black Catholic Clergy Caucus, eds.  Lead Me, Guide Me:  The African American Catholic Hymnal.  Chicago:  GIA Publications, 1987.

RATTENBURY, J. ERNEST.  The Eucharistic Hymns of John and Charles Wesley.  Akron:  OSL Publications, 1999.

SCHEER, GREG.  The Art of Worship:  A Musician’s Guide to Leading Modern Worship.  Grand Rapids:  Baker Book House, 2006.  [Scheer seeks to encourage excellence in contemporary worship development by balancing older and newer expressions in relation to the individual context of a local congregation.  Practical issues such as assembling worship teams, selecting music and conducting rehearsals are the focus of this work.]

TIETZE, CHRISTOPHER.  Hymn Introits for the Liturgical Year:  The Origin and Early Development of the Latin Texts.  Chicago:  Liturgy Training Publications, 2005.  [An exploration of the introit texts for the Mass, explaining the history and development of this component of the celebration.  Tietze orients his study toward understandings that will assist in the practical implementation of introits in worship today.]

WATSON, J.R., ED.  An Annotated Anthology of Hymns.  New York:  Oxford University Press, 2002.  [A selection of two hundred and fifty of the best known hymns in the English language are assembled here with commentary that articulates the context, significant sources and critical issues related to each entry.  The hymns included represent compositions from the early days of the church to the mid-twentieth century.]

WESTERMEYER, PAUL.  Te Deum:  The Church and Music.  Minneapolis:  Fortress Press, 1998.  [A particularly fine examination of music in the life of the Church.  Westermeyer is thorough in his analysis and reflections.  Extensive bibliographic references and substantial footnotes are found in this excellent work.]

WREN, BRIAN.  Praying Twice:  The Music and Words of Congregational Song.  Louisville:  Westminster/John Knox Press, 2000.  [Wren’s study is exceptional in its scope and depth.  He discusses various dimensions of congregational song, including its purpose, significance, theological content and power, evaluation, and the necessity for renewal.]

C. Incorporating the Arts in Worship

i.  Introductory Resources

BEGBIE, JEREMY S, ED.  Beholding the Glory:  Incarnation through the Arts.  Grand Rapids:  Baker Book House, 2000.  [A useful general introduction including chapters highlighting literature, poetry, dance, icons, sculpture, and music in relation to theology.]

BEGBIE, JEREMY S, ED.  Sounding the Depths:  Theology Through the Arts.  London:  SCM Press, 2002.  [Essays by theologians and artists who participated in a multi-year project exploring the relationship between theology and the arts.  The reflections here describe how the arts (for example, music, theatre, and sculpture) can help explore theological concepts and various authors describe the process of working together in collaborative projects in this area.  Rowan William, Nigel Forde, and Tom Wright are a few of the authors represented in this collection.]

BRAND, HILLARY, AND ADRIENNE CHAPLIN.  Art and Soul:  Signposts for Christians in the Arts.  Downers Grove:  Intervarsity Press, 2002.  [Brand and Chaplin explore a host of issues and concerns that face a Christian who is interested in working within any of the creative arts. They address questions ranging from postmodern assumptions about art through the very practical issue of who might (or should) support the artist in his/her work.]

BROWN, FRANK BURCH.  Good Taste, Bad Taste, and Christian Taste.  Oxford:  Oxford University Press, 2000.  [A continuation of Brown’s earlier, “Religious Aesthetics” book, focusing on criteria for discerning “appropriate” creative expressions for varying Christian communities.]

BROWN, FRANK BURCH.  Religious Aesthetics: A Theological Study of Making and Meaning.  Princeton:  Princeton University Press, 1989. [One of the best introductions to a philosophical and theological discussion of aesthetic issues in relation to the church and its art forms.  Brown is exceptional in his clarity and insight.]

EDITED.  Spirit of Fire:  Faith and Arts Resource.  Sojourners, 2003.  [Explores many basic issues related to the interaction between the arts and the Christian faith.  Topics include common values shared by artists and those of the Christian faith, mobilizing the arts for social change, the vocation of the artist in the life of the church, and models for bringing the arts into the church.]

GARCIA-RIVERA, ALEJANDRO R.  The Community of the Beautiful:  A Theological Aesthetics.  Collegeville:  Michael Glazier/Liturgical Press, 1999.  [Writing as a theologian grounded in the Latin American church, Garcia-Rivera provides us with a rich exploration of aesthetics and theology in light of an understanding of beauty that embraces fragmentation.]

GARCIA-RIVERA, ALEJANDRO R.  A Wounded Innocence:  Sketches for a Theology of Art.  Collegeville:  Michael Glazier/Liturgical Press, 2003.  [Writing from a Latino/Latina perspective, Garcia-Rivera seeks to explore the theological potential in art via a metaphor of brokenness or suffering.  He examines a series of visual artifacts, unpacking some of the theological meaning he finds embedded in the works.]

GOENS, LINDA M.  Praising God Through the Lively Arts.  Nashville:  Abingdon Press, 1999.  [A practical resource filled with examples of drama in relation to scripture reading, choral scripture reading, liturgical dance, and clowning ministry.]

HELLER, ENA GIURESCU, ED.  Reluctant Partners:  Art and Religion in Dialogue.  New York:  The Gallery at the American Bible Society, 2004.  [A collection of essays emerging from a series of symposia sponsored by the American Bible Society entitled, “New Directions in the Study of Art and Religion.”  This volume represents creative, interdisciplinary approaches to cultivating constructive and lively exchanges between faith and art.]

KLEIN, PATRICIA S.  Worship without Words:  The Signs and Symbols of our Faith.  Second edition.  Brewster, M.A.:  Paraclete Press, 2006.  [An excellent, brief guide that explains the signs, symbols, gestures, vestments, and architectural and sacramental elements that accompany worship, both corporate and private.]

ROTH, ANNE VAN DILLEN.  Art and Soul:  Exploring God’s Power through Scripture and Creative Arts.  Nashville:  Abingdon Press, 2002.

RYKEN, LELAND.  The Liberated Imagination:  Thinking Christianly About the Arts.  Colorado Springs:  Shaw/Waterbrook Press, 1989.  [Previously published as, Culture in Christian Perspective:  A Door of Understanding and Enjoying the Arts, Ryken identifies the tremendous potential that the arts have for Christians in recognizing and affirming the creation, our humanity, and the fullness of life that God would have us experience.]

SEASOLTZ, R. KEVIN.  A Sense of the Sacred:  Theological Foundations of Christian Architecture and Art.  New York:  Continuum International Publishing Group, 2005.  [An examination of the use and development of art and architecture in the life of the Church, beginning with reflections in the Bible and continuing to the present day.  Theological and liturgical issues are both addressed in the text.  Seasoltz also highlights the significant role of culture as Christian communities have adopted various expressions through time.]

STONE, KAREN.  Image and Spirit:  Finding Meaning in Visual Art.  Minneapolis:  Augsburg Books, 2003.  [A useful guide for beginning to learn how to receive and interpret visual expressions.  Many practical insights are offered here, that will both empower the viewer and convey the important role that visual expressions play in our culture and lives.]

THIESSEN, GESA ELSBETH, ED.  Theological Aesthetics:  A Reader.  Grand Rapids:  Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing, 2004.  [A well-chosen compilation of reflections concerning God, beauty, goodness, and the arts, from the early church fathers to the present day.  Major headings include the early church, the medieval church, the Reformation, seventeenth to nineteenth centuries, and the twentieth century.  A wide range of perspectives is represented in this collection.]

THISTLEWAITE, DAVID.  The Art of God and the Religions of Art.  Carlisle:  Solway, 1998.  [Thistlewaite seeks to explore ways in which modern art can be found to convey truth concerning our Creator and the world in which we live.]

Turner, Steve.  Imagine:  A Vision for Christians in the Arts.  Downers Grove, I.L.:  Intervarsity Press, 2001.  [A call for artists of the Christian faith to engage in producing substantial, evocative, and powerful expressions in all areas of the arts, both in service to the church and for the sake of the world.]

VAN DER LEEUW, GERHARDUS. Sacred and Profane Beauty: The Holy in Art. New York: Holt, Rinehart & Winston, 1963.

VILADESAU, RICHARD.  Theology and the Arts:  Encountering God Through Music, Art, and Rhetoric.  New York:  Paulist Press, 2000.  [Uses examples from music, visual art, and rhetoric, to explore different aspects of the ways that art enters into theology and theology into art, both in pastoral practice and in systematic reflection.  Considers art to be a genuine theological text.]

VRUDNY, KIMBERLY L., AND WILSON YATES, EDS.  Arts, Theology, and the Church:  New Intersections.  Cleveland:  The Pilgrim Press, 2005.  [A collection of twelve essays emerging from a consultation on theology and the arts that was initiated in 2002.  The essays are grouped under three headings of theory (exploring the theoretical intersection between theology and art), interpretation (discussing how the arts enhance biblical and historical understandings of the faith), and practice (addressing issues related to how we can utilize the arts to shape our worship and theological education in profound ways).  Scholars featured include Wilson Yates, Frank Burch Brown, Doug Adams, Robin Jensen and Don Saliers.]

WOLTERSTORFF, NICHOLAS. Art in Action: Toward a Christian Aesthetic. Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing, 1980.

WUTHNOW, ROBERT.  All in Sync:  How Music and Art are Revitalizing American Religion.  Berkeley:  University of California Press, 2003.  [Wuthnow, a sociologist, makes use of recent survey data (including over 400 in-depth interviews) in this book to explore the relationship between the arts, spirituality, and American culture.  He notes how the arts inspire both connection with the transcendent and emphasize one’s personal experience in seeking spiritual growth.  The data included in this work can help those who lead worship to understand how the arts can be a powerful way of bringing renewal to the faith of many.]

ii. Visual Art and Worship

Adams, Doug.  Eyes to See Wholeness:  Visual Arts Informing Biblical and Theological Studies in Education and Worship Through the Church Year.  Prescott, AZ:  Educational Ministries, Inc., 1995. [Many practical exercises for groups.  Sensitive to the Christian year seasons.]

Adams, Doug and Diane Apostolos-Cappadona, editors.  Art as Religious Studies. The Crossroad Publishing Company, 1987.  [A good anthology with regard to visual art and Judaism and Christianity.  Helpful bibliographies.]

ADAMS, DOUG, AND MICHAEL E. MOYNAHAN, EDITORS.  Postmodern Worship and the Arts.  Sarasota, C.A.:  Resource Publications, 2002.

Apostolos-Cappadona, Diane, editor.  Art, Creativity, and the Sacred:  An Anthology in Religion and Art.  New York:  The Crossroad Publishing Company, 1984.  [A good anthology of essays relating art and spirituality.  Helpful bibliographies.]

Apostolos-Cappadona, Diane.  Dictionary of Christian Art.  New York:  Continuum Publishing, 1994.

Apostolos-Cappadona, Diane, editor.  Women, Creativity, and the Arts.  New York:  Continuum Publishing, 1995.

AUSTIN, MICHAEL.  Exploration in Art, Religion and Imagination.  London:  Equinox Publishing, 2005.  [Austin seeks to identify ways in which the arts can enhance theology and offer useful critique of inadequate theological understandings, ultimately, to enhance a more complete appreciation of our human existence.]

Begbie, Jeremy S.  Voicing Creation's Praise:  Toward a Theology of the Arts.  Edinburgh:  T & T Clark, 1991.  [Helpful for theological grounding of the visual arts in service to the church.]

Blain, Susan A., et.al., editors.  Imaging the Word:  An Arts and Lectionary Resource.  Three volumes.  Cleveland:  United Church Press, 1994, 1995, 1996.  [Large format books composed of fragments of biblical texts for each week (according to the Revised Common Lectionary), accompanied by pithy quotes and visual depictions which support themes in the text.  These volumes are coordinated with curriculum for all ages for churches that would like to orient biblical lessons around the same themes in Sunday school and worship.]

Bustard, Ned, editor.  It Was Good:  Making Art to the Glory of God.  Baltimore:  Square Halo Books, 2000.  [A collection of essays by practicing Christian artists exploring various issues related to the production of artistic expressions from the perspective of a believer.  Issues addressed include form and content, glory, subject and theme, identity, creativity, truth, imagination, and symbolism.]

Caemmerer, Richard R.  Visual Art in the Life of the Church:  Encouraging Creative Worship and Witness in the Congregation.  Minneapolis:  Augsburg Fortress, 1983.

Dillenberger, John.  A Theology of Artistic Sensibilities:  The Visual Arts and the Church.  New York:  The Crossroad Publishing Company, 1986.  [Good for theological grounding.]

Drury, John.  Painting the Word:  Christian Pictures and Their Meanings.  New Haven:  Yale University Press, 1999.

DYRNESS, WILLIAM A.  Reformed Theology and Visual Culture:  The Protestant Imagination from Calvin to Edwards.  Cambridge:  Cambridge University Press, 2004.  [A welcome analysis of the theological reasoning behind a more complex aesthetic appreciation of visual expressions and artifacts among many in the Reformed tradition from about 1500-1750.  Dyrness addresses sixteenth century Geneva and England, seventeenth-century England and Holland, and seventeenth- and eighteenth-century Puritan New England in his book.  While some visual forms were avoided, it becomes clear that others were encouraged.]

Dyrness, William A.  Visual Faith:  Art, Theology, and Worship in Dialogue.  Grand Rapids:  Baker Book House, 2001.  [A good introduction to the interaction between visual art, theology, and popular culture.  Worship is only treated in a minor way in this work.]

Ferguson, George.  Signs and Symbols in Christian Art.  Oxford:  Oxford University Press, 1961.  [A useful volume providing brief explanations of the theological significance of signs and symbols present in Christian art through the ages.]

Finney, Paul Corby.  The Invisible God:  The Earliest Christians on Art.  New York:  Oxford University Press, 1994.

Finney, Paul Corby, ed.  Seeing Beyond the Word:  Visual Arts and the Calvinist Tradition.  Grand Rapids:  Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing, 1999.  [A series of European and American essays considering the interaction between Calvinism and the arts over the last 400 years.]

Gerding, Jeri.  Drawing to God:  Art as Prayer, Prayer as Art.  Notre Dame, IN:  Sorin Books, 2001.  [An engaging volume of art exercises designed to encourage the reader to explore their relationship with God through visual expressions.]

HARRIES, RICHARD.  The Passion in Art.  Ashgate Publishing, 2004.  [A historical-theological analysis, tracing depictions of the suffering of Christ in works of art through twenty centuries, including images from the Roman catacombs, the first depiction on a cross in the fifth century, and twentieth century paintings.]

HOURIHANE, COLUM, ED.  Objects, Images, and the Word:  Art in the Service of the Liturgy.  Princeton:  Princeton University Press, 2004.  [A collection of essays exploring the complex relationship that evolved between worship and the visual arts in the medieval church.  This book represents the sixth occasional paper in the Index of Christian Art published by Princeton.]

IRVINE, CHRISTOPHER, AND ANNE DAWTRY.  Art and Worship.  Collegeville, M.N.:  Pueblo/The Liturgical Press, 2002.

JENSEN, ROBIN M.  The Substance of Things Seen:  Art, Faith, and the Christian Community.  Grand Rapids:  Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing, 2004.  [Published in the Calvin Institute of Christian Worship Liturgical Studies Series, Jensen seeks to illustrate the function of the arts in the lives and practices of Christians.  Written for laity, church leaders, and artists, Jensen desires to promote the renewal of Christian education and worship through the arts.]

KAPIKIAN, CATHERINE.  Art in Service of the Sacred.  Nashville:  Abingdon Press, 2006.  [A practical guide for assisting congregations in exploring their faith through the arts.  Focus lies on engaging the community in appreciating and sharing in the production and use of the visual arts in the life of the church.  A DVD is included with the book which features original artwork of the author.]

Morgan, David.  Visual Piety:  A History and Theory of Popular Religious Images.  Berkeley:  University of California Press, 1998.  [A strong argument for taking popular (‘low art’ vs. ‘high art’) religious images seriously given their impact on mass culture.]

Morgan, David, and Sally M. Promey, editors.  The Visual Culture of American Religions.  Berkeley:  University of California Press, 2001.

Murray, Peter and Linda.  The Oxford Companion to Christian Art and Architecture.  Oxford:  Oxford University Press, 1998.

NICHOLS, AIDAN. The Art of God Incarnate: Theology and Image in Christian Tradition. Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing, 1980.

O’Grady, Ron, ed.  Christ for All People:  Celebrating A World of Christian Art.  Maryknoll, N.Y:  Orbis Books, 2001.  [A volume which briefly touches on historical and contemporary depictions of Christian art, especially from a multi-cultural perspective.]

pongracz, patricia c. and Wayne roosa.  The Next Generation:  Contemporary Expressions of Faith.  New York:  Museum of Biblical Art/Grand Rapids:  Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2005.  [An enhanced exhibition catalog of forty-four artists who are currently creating works that seek to engage biblical symbols and content in visual forms.  This exhibition was sponsored by the Museum of Biblical Art in New York, the first of what they hope will be a triennial event.  A substantial introductory essay connects exhibited works to reflections on their significance according to the intentional movements identified within the show itself (“God in the Details,” “God in the Mystery,” “The Book,” “Faith and Healing by Grace,” “The Altarpiece and Book as Idea,” and Last Things.”)]

RAGUIN, VIRGINIA C.  Glory in Glass:  Stained Glass in the United States.  Origins, Variety, and Preservation.  New York:  American Bible Society, 2003.

RAGUIN, VIRGINIA C.  Stained Glass:  From Its Origin to the Present.  New York:  Harry N. Abrams, 2003.

Rouet, Albert.  Liturgy and the Arts.  Collegeville:  The Liturgical Press, 1997.  [Concentrates on the purpose of worship and why the arts are an irreplaceable component of good liturgy.]

SPACKMAN, BETTY.  A Profound Weakness:  Christians and Kitsch.  Carlisle:  Piquant Editions, 2005.  [Spackman explores the thorny relationship between the Christian faith and popular cultural visual artifacts in this largely pictorial journey.  In more than 400 pages, thoughtful critical reflection is merged with a wide array of mass-produced wares, slogans and sentimental, pious expressions of faith.]

STEFFLER, ALVA WILLIAM.  Symbols of the Christian Faith.  Grand Rapids:  Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing, 2002.

SULLIVAN, MICHAEL.  Windows into the Soul:  Art as Spiritual Expression.  Harrisburg:  Morehouse Publishing, 2006.  [A guidebook of exercises allowing for an integration of theological exploration and visual art.  Each chapter introduces materials for prayer, reflection and a tangible art project through which to experience new levels of spiritual growth.]

Takenaka, Masao.  Christian Art in Asia.  Tokyo:  Kyo Bun Kwan, 1975.  [The first of two books compiled by Takenaka, featuring Christian visual depictions from Asian sources.  Gathered through his work with Christian Conference of Asia.  Excellent color plates.]

Takenaka, Masao, and Ron O’Grady.  The Bible Through Asian Eyes.  Auckland:  Pace Publishing, 1991.  [Second of two books portraying Asian Christian art, focusing on the Old and New Testaments as the primary sources for inspiration.]

THISSEN, GESA ELSBETH, EDITOR.  Theological Aesthetics:  A Reader.  Grand Rapids:  Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing, 2005.  [More than 125 primary sources, from the first century to the twentieth, are collected here, providing a substantial exposure of how Christian leaders have pondered the relationship between theology and the arts.]

VILADESAU, ROBERT.  The Beauty of the Cross:  The Passion of Christ in Theology and the Arts from the Catacombs to the Eve of the Renaissance.  New York:  Oxford University Press, 2005.  [A thorough examination of the development of theological interpretations of the crucifixion of Christ and the cross in and through poetry and visual artifacts.  The ultimate attraction and beauty attached to a moment of physical torture is a particular focus of the study.  Projected as the first of two volumes, Viladesau intends to produce a second book extending this study to the present day, utilizing primarily music and film as objects of analysis.]

Walton, Janet R.  Art and Worship:  A Vital Connection.  Wilmington, D.E.:  Michael Glazier, 1988.  [A useful discussion emphasizing how the church and artist need to remain in open dialog with one another to maximize the worship experience for the community.]

iii. Drama and Worship

Cloninger, Curt.  Drama for Worship:  Contemporary Sketches for Opening Hearts to God.  Two volumes.  Cincinnati:  Standard Publishing, 1998, 1999.

Deitering, Carolyn.  Actions, Gestures, and Body Attitudes.  Saratoga, CA:  Resource Publications, 1980.

Farley, todd.  The Silent Prophet.  Pasadena:  Mimeistry Inc., 2002.

Major, Richard.  Developing a Dynamic Drama Ministry.  Cincinnati:  Standard Publishing, 1999.

Miller, Paul M.  Create a Drama Ministry.  Kansas City, M.O:  Lillenas, 1984.

Mullholland, James.  The Drama of Worship.  Kansas City, M.O:  Lillenas, 1989.

Pederson, Steve.  Drama Ministry:  Practical Help for Making Drama a Vital Part of Your Church.  Grand Rapids:  Zondervan Publishing Company, 1999.

RUE, VICTORIA.  Acting Religious:  Theatre as Pedagogy in Religious Studies.  New York:  The Pilgrim Press, 2005.  [Focuses on the potential for experiencing religion through techniques utilized in the performance of professional theatre.  The goal of this study is to help illustrate how theatre might be used to convey theological understandings more vividly.]

SIEWERT, ALISON, ED.  Drama Team Handbook.  Downers Grove:  Intervarsity Press, 2003.

SIEWERT, ALISON.  Drama Team Sketchbook:  Twelve Sketches that Bring the Gospel to Life.  Downers Grove:  Intervarsity Press, 2004.

Smith, Judy Gattis.  Drama Through the Church Year.  Colorado Springs:  Meriwether, 1984.

Tanner, Charles M.  Acting on Faith:  Worship Plays from the Covenant Players.  Nashville:  Abingdon Press, 1994.

Waddy, Lawrence.  Drama in Worship.  New York:  Paulist Press, 1978.

The Way of the Cross:  Leader’s Book.  Chicago:  The Liturgy Training Publications, 2002.  [Contains dialog for participants to observe/pray the Stations of the Cross using three sets of stations:  the fourteen traditional stations of the Church; the fourteen biblical stations identified by Pope John Paul II in 1991; and stations oriented toward encounters with New Testament women.]

iv.  Movement in Worship

Adams, Doug, and Diane Apostolos-Cappadona, editors.  Dance as Religious Studies.  New York:  Crossroad Publishing, 1990.

Adams, Doug.  Congregational Dancing in Christian Worship.  Austin:  The Sharing Company, 1984.

Davies, John Gordon.  Liturgical Dance:  An Historical, Theological and Practical Handbook.  London:  SCM Press, 1984.

De Sola, Carla.  The Spirit Moves:  Handbook of Dance and Prayer.  Richmond, C.A.:  The Sharing Company, 1977.

Gagne, Ronald, Thomas Kane and Robert Ver Eecke.  Introducing Dance in Christian Worship.  Revised edition.  Portland:  Pastoral Press, 1999.

RANDell, janet.  In Him We Move:  Volume one, Creative Dancing in Worship.  Carlisle:  Solway, 1999.  [Includes many practical exercises and examples of choreographed offerings.  Reflections address the embodying of biblical imagery, the “grammar” of dance, stagecraft, and improvisation.]

RANDell, janet.  In Him We Move:  Volume two, Manual of Creative Dances for Worship.  Carlisle:  Solway, 1999.  [An extensive collection of choreographed dances that could be reproduced in congregational worship settings.]

Rock, Judith, and Norman Mealy.  Performer as Priest and Prophet:  Restoring the Intuitive in Worship Through Music and Dance.  San Francisco:  Harper and Row, 1988.

Rock, Judith, and Norman Mealy.  Theology in the Shape of Dance:  Using Dance in Worship and Theological Process.  Austin:  The Sharing Company, 1977.

Taylor, Margaret Fisk.  A Time to Dance:  Symbolic Movement in Worship.  Philadelphia:  United Church Press, 1967.

Troxell, Kay, editor.  Resources in Sacred Dance:  Annotated Bibliography.  Peterborough, N.H.:  The Sacred Dance Guild, 1987.

v.  Film and Faith

BARSOTTI, CATHERINE m. AND rOBERT K. jOHNSTON.  Finding God in the Movies:  Thirty-three Films of Reel Faith.  Grand Rapids:  Baker Books, 2004.  [Using a topical approach, Barsotti and Johnston provide a model for considering films as a resource for engaging the Christian faith and its teachings.]

Benne, Robert.  Seeing is Believing:  Visions of Life through Film.  Lanham:  University Press of America, 1998.

Johnston, Robert K.  Reel Spirituality:  Theology and Film in Dialogue.  Second edition.  Grand Rapids:  Baker Academic, 2006.  [Published in the Engaging Culture series, Johnston provides an excellent primer for discerning how to interpret film in light of faith concerns.  Theological grounding and practical application are both ample, providing theoretical understanding and a tangible approach to encountering these powerful cultural artifacts.]

MARSH, CLIVE.  Cinema and Sentiment:  Film’s Challenge to Theology.  Paternoster, 2004.  [Examines the making of film in Western culture.  Also compares the watching of films to Christian worship in an effort to demonstrate the potential for a form of religious engagement in film-watching.]

Marsh, Clive, editor.  Explorations in Theology and Film:  Movies and Meaning.  Malden:  Blackwell Publishers, 1997.

May, John R., editor.  Image and Likeness:  Religious Visions in American Film Classics.  New York:  Paulist Press, 1992.

May, John R., editor.  New Image of Religious Film.  Communication, Culture and Theology Series.  Franklin:  Sheed and Ward, 1997.

McNULTY, EDWARD.  Faith and Film:  A Guidebook for Leaders.  Louisville:  Westminster John Knox Press, 2007.

Miles, Margaret R.  Seeing and Believing:  Religion and Values in the Movies.  Boston: Beacon Press, 1997.

Stone, Bryan P.  Theological Themes at the Cinema.  St. Louis:  Chalice Press, 2000.

vi.  The Built Environment and Worship

ARCHDIOCESE OF CHICAGO OFFICE FOR DIVINE WORSHIP COMMISSION ON CHURCH ART AND ARCHITECTURE.  Guidelines for the Building and Renovation of Churches.  Chicago:  Liturgy Training Publications, 2004.  [Developed to be used in conjunction with the North American bishop’s document, Built of Living Stones.]

Barron, Robert.  Heaven in Stone and Glass.  Crossroad Publishing, 2000. [A helpful analysis of symbolism connected to Gothic cathedrals.]

Bowman, Ray, and Eddy Hall.  When Not to Build:  An Architect’s Unconventional Wisdom for the Growing Church.  Grand Rapids:  Baker Book House, 2000.

Chinn, Nancy.  Spaces for Spirit:  Adorning the Church.  Chicago:  Liturgy Training Publications, 1998.  [A practical guide for pursuing the incorporation of the visual arts in worship spaces.  Sections address visual issues of design, forming an arts committee, and practical steps for implementing some kinds of environmental installations.  Excellent photographs.]

CROSBIE, MCHAEL J.  Architecture for the Gods.  Mulgrave:  Images Publishing, 1999.  [A collection of award winning designs for spaces for worship, set in an all color, over-sized format.  Outstanding photographs of the facilities are accompanied by drawings and some textual remarks.  The majority of the forty-two buildings featured are for Christian gatherings (of multiple traditions), eight are for Jewish celebrations and one for Islamic prayer and education.  Contemporary trends in worship space design can be gleaned from this offering.]

CROSBIE, MCHAEL J.  Architecture for the Gods.  Book Two.  Mulgrave:  Images Publishing, 2002.  [A new collection of fifty-four new spaces for worship.  More than forty of these buildings serve Christian communities and ten serve Jewish communities.  The same full color format and organization is found in this second volume of religious architecture.  As with the first book, this collection features building from the United States and serves as an excellent catalyst for conceiving of new expressions of worship space.]

CROSBIE, MCHAEL J.  Houses of God:  Religious Architecture for a New Millennium.  Mulgrave:  Images Publishing, 2006.  [A third, marvelous collection of sets of images, drawings and text for places of worship from recent years.  The majority of spaces are Christian, split among Roman Catholic and Protestant traditions.  Ten spaces serve Jewish communities, one is for Buddhist believers and several non-specific religious spaces are featured).  Most buildings are from the United States, although a handful are from Europe and Japan.  Crosbie continues to highlight excellent examples of contemporary design that could work to inspire many faith communities today.]

Cunningham, Colin.  Stones of Witness:  Church Architecture and Function.  Sutton Publishing, 1999. [Examining church architecture from the perspective of worship function.]

DESANCTIS, MICHEAL E.  Building from Belief:  Advance, Retreat, and Compromise in the Remaking of Catholic Church Architecture.  Collegeville:  The Liturgical Press, 2002.  [An argument for reconsidering a limited “modern” approach to church design, seeking to find a role for complexity and sacrality in our churches today.]

Giles, Richard.  Re-Pitching the Tent:  Reordering the Church Building for Worship and Mission.  Revised, expanded edition.  Collegeville, M.N.:  The Liturgical Press, 2000.  [A particularly “user-friendly” guide to helping congregations consider the significance of their church spaces, with a process to follow and practical steps to take in implementing the renovation or building of new facilities for ministry.]

GORRINGE, T.J.  A Theology of the Built Environment:  Justice, Empowerment, and Redemption.  Cambridge:  Cambridge University Press, 2002.  [Gorringe explores the Christian faith in an urban setting, examining the use of space, design, architecture and town planning, from a theological perspective.]

Hall, Sarah.  The Color of Light:  Commissioning Stained Glass for a Church.  Chicago:  Liturgy Training Publications, 1999.  [A beautifully illustrated, practical guide to understanding and pursuing stained glass in churches today.]

heathcote, edwin, and iona spens.  Church Builders.  London:  Academy Editions, 1997.  [An exceptional volume that places church architecture of the twentieth century in context in the first part of the book, examining both theological and architectural influences.  Europe and North American are the primarily geographical areas examined, although a small section on South America exists.  The second part of the book features select architects and a sampling of their churches.  Excellent color and black-and-white photographs and drawings are ample.]

HOWE, JEFFREY.  Houses of Worship:  An Identification Guide to the History and Styles of American Religious Architecture.  San Diego:  Thunder Bay Press, 2003.  [An engaging exploration of American church architecture.  Useful insights concerning styles and movements throughout the text, many line drawings, and nearly all of the hundreds of photographs are in color.]

Huffman, Walter C., and S. Anita Stauffer.  Where We Worship.  Minneapolis:  Augsburg Publishing House, 1987.  [Practical and well-organized.  Available in both a study book and leader’s guide edition.]

KILDE, JEANNE HALGREN.  When Church Became Theatre:  The Transformation of Evangelical Architecture and Worship in Nineteenth-Century America.  Oxford:  Oxford University Press, 2002.  [A well written exploration and analysis of evangelical, revival impulses in American Protestantism and its implications for their houses for worship.  Essential reading for understanding the impulses and priorities of “mega-churches” and their building choices today.]

LOVELAND, ANNE C. AND OTIS B. WHEELER.  From Meetinghouse to Megachurch:  A Material and Cultural History.  Columbia:  University of Missouri Press, 2003.  [An exploration of the evolution of church designs in relation to evangelistic impulses.  Sixty-three evangelical megachurches today are examined in depth, yielding insights into their worship and ministries.]

Mauck, Marchita.  Places for Worship:  A Guide to Building and Renovating. (American Essays in Liturgy)  Collegeville:  The Liturgical Press, 1995.  [A brief, practical guide to considering changes to our worship spaces.  Addresses the formation of a planning committee, selection of professionals, and outlines the process usually pursued in achieving a new building or renovation project.]

Mauck, Marchita.  Shaping a House for the Church.  Chicago:  Liturgy Training Publications, 1990.

Mazar, Peter.  To Crown the Year:  Decorating the Church Through the Seasons.  Chicago:  Liturgy Training Publications, 1995. [An idea book for visually enhancing the worship environment in light of the church year.]

McCormick, Gwenn E.  Planning and Building Church Facilities.  Baptist Sunday School Board, 1993.

Philippart, David, ed.  Basket, Basin, Plate, and Cup:  Vessels in the Liturgy.  Chicago:  Liturgy Training Publications, 2001.  [An excellent series of essays discussing the use, creation, and care of all manner of vessels for worship.  The creative works of several artists are featured in this volume.]

Philippart, David, ed.  Clothed in Glory:  Vesting the Church.  Chicago:  Liturgy Training Publications, 1997.  [A wonderful collection of essays exploring the vesting of clergy, liturgical objects, and the environment for worship.  Marvelous color photographs throughout the book.]

Schloeder, Steven J.  Architecture in Communion:  Implementing the Second Vatican Council through Liturgy and Architecture.  Ignatius Press, 1998.  [Schloeder discusses important theological and historical insights relevant to the design and furnishing of the worship space.  The significance of the church as a “house of the people of God” and “house of God” is present.  While written especially for Roman Catholic communities, much important insight is relevant to all Christian communities.]

STOCK, WOLFGANG JEAN.  European Church Architecture, 1900-1950:  Towards Modernity.  Munich:  Prestel, 2006.  [A companion volume to the examination of European church design, Catholic and Protestant, initiated in the 2002 volume edited by Stock.  In this work, a similar format is followed, seeking to examine and articulate the theological and architectural impulses that lay behind modern church design.  Many photographs and drawings accompany the essays.]

STOCK, WOLFGANG JEAN.  European Church Architecture, 1950-2000.  Munich:  Prestel, 2002.  [An examination of expressions of church architecture in Western Europe, divided into Catholic and Protestant explorations.  Useful essays identify architects, architectural styles and theological impulses that have impacted the development of church design.  Many photographs and drawings accompany the essays.]

Takenaka, Masao.  The Place Where God Dwells:  An Introduction to Church Architecture in Asia.  Hong Kong:  Christian Conference of Asia/Auckland:  Pace Publishing, 1995.  [A glimpse into church buildings from eleven Asian countries.  An introductory essay helps the reader to appreciate the theological understandings that lie behind the various churches that are featured in the book.]

TAYLOR, RICHARD.  How to Read a Church:  A Guide to Symbols, Images, and Rituals in Churches and Cathedrals.  New York:  Paulist Press, 2005.  [A primer that is helpful for understanding the historical symbolic meanings attached to the architecture, art, and worship rituals of the church.]

TORGERSON, mARK A.  An Architecture of Immanence:  Architecture for Worship and Ministry Today.  Grand Rapids:  Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2007.  [Published in the Calvin Institute of Christian Worship Liturgical Studies Series, the author explores the genesis of modern church design in light of recent theological, liturgical and architectural movements.  Historical insights are joined by evaluatory remarks suggesting directions for renewing church architecture today.]

VISsER, MARGARET.  The Geometry of Love:  Space, Time, Mystery, and Meaning in an Ordinary Church.  New York:  North Point Press, 2000.

Vosko, Richard S.  Designing Future Worship Spaces:  The Mystery of a Common Vision.  Meeting House Essay Series, Number Eight.  Chicago:  Liturgy Training Publications, 1996.

VOSKO, RICHARD S.  God’s House is Our House:  Re-Imagining the Environment for Christian Worship.  Collegeville:  Liturgical Press, 2006.  [Vosko is both a Roman Catholic priest and liturgical consultant who has spent more than 30 years in the field of designing environments for worship.  His wisdom and insight have produced an excellent guide to thoughtfully pursue new or renovated church design.  Theological, liturgical and practical insights are provided in a manner that will help clergy and laity of all traditions navigate the complex issues related to spaces for worship in our pluralistic context.]

WHITE, JAMES F.  Protestant Worship and Church Architecture:  Theological and Historical Considerations.  Eugene:  Wipf and Stock, 2003.  [A reprint of an original 1964 edition, White’s work is the only comprehensive treatment which examines worship in relationship to the design of worship spaces throughout Protestant history.  This work is important for understanding how our worship spaces today have developed and how they continue to influence our worship activities.]

White, James F., and Susan J. White.  Church Architecture:  Building and Renovating for Christian Worship. Akron:  OSL Publications, 1998.  [A practical guide which raises many issues involved in pursuing the design of spaces for worship.]

Williams, Peter W.  Houses of God:  Region, Religion, and Architecture in the United States.  Urbana:  University of Illinois Press, 1997.  [Williams highlights significant buildings and trends in church architecture throughout various regions of the United States over time.  A good volume for gaining a sense of the development of church architecture historically.]

D. Worship and Preaching

CHILDERS, JANA.  Performing the Word:  Preaching as Theatre.  Nashville:  Abingdon Press, 1998.

Crawford, Evans E., and Thomas H. Troeger, eds.  The Hum:  Call and Response in African American Preaching.  Nashville:  Abingdon Press, 1995.

EDWARDS, O. C.  A History of Preaching.  Nashville:  Abingdon Press, 2004.  [A thorough investigation of the history and meaning of Christian preaching.  Ample primary sources are integrated into a helpful narrative.  A CD accompanies the book.]

FULLER, REGINALD H. AND DANIEL WESTBERG.  Preaching the Lectionary:  The Word of God for the Church Today.  Third edition.  Collegeville:  The Liturgical Press, 2006.  [In this new edition, Fuller and Westberg incorporate the New Revised Standard Version of the bible and the Revised Common Lectionary in their commentary and suggestions for preaching throughout the Christian year.  A helpful resource, especially for those less accustomed to using the lectionary in preaching.]

GREENHAW, DAVID M. AND RONALD J. ALLEN, EDS.  Preaching in the Context of Worship.  St. Louis:  Chalice Press, 2000.

HILKERT, MARY CATHERINE. Naming Grace: Preaching and the Sacramental Imagination. Continuum Publishing Group, 1997

KALAS, J. ELLSWORTH.  Preaching the Calendar:  Celebrating Holidays and Holy Days.  Louisville:  Westminster John Knox Press, 2004.  [A resource developed to encourage appropriate connections to the Christian gospel in the midst of civil and sacred special celebrations.]

Kim, Eunjoo Mary.  Preaching the Presence of God:  A Homiletic from an Asian American Perspective.  Valley Forge:  Judson Press, 1999.

Nieman, James R., and Thomas G. Rogers.  Preaching to Every Pew:  Cross-cultural Strategies.  Minneapolis:  Augsburg-Fortress, 2001.

OLD, HUGHES OLIPHANT. The Reading and Preaching of the Scriptures in the Worship of the Christian Church:  Volume one, The Biblical Period. Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing, 1998.  [With this volume, Old has launched a six-volume history of preaching in the Christian church.  His examination is thorough and his writing is accessible.]

OLD, HUGHES OLIPHANT. The Reading and Preaching of the Scriptures in the Worship of the Christian Church:  Volume two, The Patristic Period.  Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing, 1998.

OLD, HUGHES OLIPHANT. The Reading and Preaching of the Scriptures in the Worship of the Christian Church:  Volume three, The Medieval Church.  Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing, 1999.

OLD, HUGHES OLIPHANT. The Reading and Preaching of the Scriptures in the Worship of the Christian Church:  Volume four, The Age of the Reformation. Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing, 2002.

OLD, HUGHES OLIPHANT. The Reading and Preaching of the Scriptures in the Worship of the Christian Church:  Volume five, Moderatism, Pietism, and Awakening. Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing, 2004.

OLD, HUGHES OLIPHANT. The Reading and Preaching of the Scriptures in the Worship of the Christian Church:  Volume six, The Modern Age. Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing, 2006.  [Conclusion of Olds’s monumental work, beginning with the period of the French Revolution and continuing through the fall of the Berlin wall.  Includes figures such as Kuyper, Schleiermacher, Newman, Spurgeon, Finney, Moody, and Fosdick among many others.]

SATTERLEE, CRAIG A.  When God Speaks through Change:  Preaching in Times of Congregational Transition.  Bethesda, M.D.:  The Alban Institute, 2005.  [Published in the Vital Worship, Healthy Congregations series from the Alban Institute, Satterlee discusses constructive ways in which congregational change can be facilitated in and through preaching in the local church.  Being careful to maintain the centrality of the proclamation of the Gospel in preaching, he suggests a number of strategies that can work toward viewing change as normal and healthy.]

SCALISE, CHARLES J. From Scripture to Theology: A Canonical Journey into Hermeneutics. Downers Grove, I.L.: Intervarsity Press, 1996.

SCHMIT, CLAYTON J.  Too Deep for Words:  A Theology of Liturgical Expression.  Louisville:  Westminster/John Knox Press, 2002.  [Written particularly for those who are preaching and praying in worship, Schmit discusses the significant relationship between verbal and aesthetic expressions.]

TISDALE, LEONORA TUBBS. Preaching as Local Theology and Folk Art. Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 1997.

TROEGER, THOMAS H.  Preaching and Worship.  St. Louis:  Chalice Press, 2003.

WOLTERSTORFF, NICHOLAS. Divine Discourse: Philosophical Reflections on the Claim That God Speaks. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1995.

E. Prayer and Spiritual Formation

ANDERSON, E. BYRON.  Worship and Christian Identity:  Practicing Ourselves.  Collegeville:  The Liturgical Press, 2003.  [Anderson argues that sacramental and liturgical practices are the central means by which a church shapes the faith, character, and consciousness of its members. He explores such important questions as: What is the relationship between worship and belief? What is the relationship between corporate worship and the formation of Christian persons and communities? What is the relationship between worship and our knowledge of ourselves, our world, and God? How might our attention to the reform and renewal of worship and sacramental practice provide a framework for theological, evangelical, and sacramental renewal?]

BRADSHAW, PAUL F.  Two Ways of Praying.  Nashville:  Abingdon Press, 1995.

BROTHER LAWRENCE.  The Practice of the Presence of God.  Fleming H. Revell Company, 1999 (reprint).

BROWN, SALLY A. AND PATRICK D. MILLER, EDS.  Lament:  Reclaiming Practices in Pulpit, Pew, and Public Square.  Louisville:  Westminster/John Knox Press, 2005.  [A collection of essays by faculty at Princeton Theological Seminary exploring the concept of lament, its absence in much of our church life, and its potential benefit for our contemporary churches.]

BURGESS, JOHN P.  After Baptism:  Shaping Christian Life.  Louisville:  Westminster/John Knox Press, 2005.  [Burgess discusses Christian identity in this volume, seeking to emphasis how baptism, Eucharist, and the commandments could be emphasized today in helping to build a unique and solid foundation for the initiated.]

EVANS, ABIGAIL RIAN.  Healing Liturgies for the Seasons of Life.  Louisville:  Westminster/John Knox Press, 2004.  [Includes a definition, brief history, and elements of liturgical healing.  Addresses leadership issues and seeks multi-cultural wisdom.]

HOFFMAN, LAWRENCE A. The Art of Public Prayer: Not for Clergy Only. Washington, D.C.: Pastoral Press, 1988; reissued by Skylight Paths, 1999.

HOTZ, KENDRA G. AND MATTHEW T. MATTHEWS.  Shaping the Christian Life:  Worship and the Religious Affections.  Louisville:  Westminster/John Knox Press, 2006.  [An introduction to worship discussing the impact that worship can have on forming a Christian view of the world.]

JOB, RUEBEN P., AND NORMAN SHAWCHUCK.  A Guide to Prayer for All God’s People.  Nashville:  The Upper Room, 1990.  [Similar in format to their earlier work, this volume is intentionally directed toward a wider audience.  Includes daily prayer, scripture readings based on the lectionary, additional reflections, and more models for spiritual retreats.]

JOB, RUEBEN P., AND NORMAN SHAWCHUCK.  A Guide to Prayer for Ministers and Other Servants.  Nashville:  The Upper Room, 1983.  [A wonderful resource for daily prayer and scripture reading (follows the New Common Lectionary).  Includes additional reflections for each week and models that could be adapted for spiritual retreats.]

KILSEY, LORRAINE.  The Prayer of Fire:  Experiencing the Lord’s Prayer.  Paraclete Press, 2004.  [A call to carefully and contemplatively consider and appreciate the Lord’s Prayer.  Suggestions for mediating on this prayer of Christ in order to experience it more fully are found throughout the book.]

NELSON, GERTRUD MUELLER. To Dance with God: Family Ritual and Community Celebration. Mahwah, N. J.: Paulist Press, 1987.

NORRIS, KATHLEEN. The Cloister Walk. New York: Riverhead Books, 1997.

NOUWEN, HENRI J. M.  With Burning Hearts:  A Meditation on the Eucharistic Life.  Maryknoll, N.Y.:  Orbis Books, 1994 (reprinted, 1998).

OLD, HUGHES OLIPHANT.  Leading in Prayer.  Grand Rapids:  Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing, 1995.

PAYNE, LEANNE.  The Healing Presence:  Curing the Soul through Union with Christ.  Grand Rapids:  Baker Book House, 1995.

PAYNE, LEANNE.  Real Presence:  The Christian Worldview of C.S. Lewis as Incarnational Reality.  Grand Rapids:  Baker Book House, 1995.

PETERSON, EUGENE H., JIM LYSTER, JOHN SHARON, AND PETER SANTUCCI. Subversive Spirituality. Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing, 1997.

PFATTEICHER, PHILIP H.  Liturgical Spirituality.  Valley Forge, P. A.:  Trinity Press International, 1997.

PIEPER, JOSEF.  A Brief Reader on the Virtues of the Human Heart.  San Francisco:  Ignatius Press, 1997.

PIEPER, JOSEF.  Leisure:  The Basis of Culture.  San Francisco:  San Francisco:  Ignatius Press, 1998.

PIEPER, JOSEF.  Only the Lover Sings:  Art and Contemplation.  San Francisco:  Ignatius Press, 1990.

SALIERS, DON E. Worship and Spirituality: Spirituality and the Christian Life. Philadelphia: The Westminster Press, 1984.

SCHWANDA, TOM. Celebrating God's Presence: The Transforming Power of Public Worship. Grand Rapids: CRC Publications, 1995.

STEERE, DOUGLAS V. Prayer and Worship. New York: Friends United Press, 1985.

STEVENSON, KENNETH W.  The Lord’s Prayer:  A Text in Tradition.  Minneapolis:  Augsburg Fortress, 2004.  [A detailed historical analysis of interpretations of the Lord’s Prayer in the life of the Church, Eastern and Western.  Stevenson considers the contributions of biblical and theological scholars, from the Patristic period to the modern era, in his book.]

STEWARD, DOROTY M.  The Westminster Collection of Christian Prayers:  Over 1,500 Prayers Arranged by Theme.  Louisville:  Westminster/John Knox Press, 2002.

STEWART-SYKES, ALISTAIR.  Tertullian, Cyprian and Origen On the Lord’s Prayer.  Crestwood:  St. Vladimir’s Seminary Press, 2004.  [An excellent collection of reflections from patristic sources on the significance and meaning of the Lord’s Prayer.]

STOOKEY, LAURENCE HALL.  Let the Whole Church Say Amen!  A Guide for Those Who Pray in Public.  Nashville:  Abingdon Press, 2001.  [A practical guide for public prayer, addressing vocabulary, forms, and the mechanics of prayer.  Exercises in editing prayers included.]

WEBBER, ROBERT E. The Book of Family Prayer. Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson Publishers, 1996.  [A resource created to enrich the prayer life of the family in the home, Webber has assembled scripture readings, responses, and prayers to be shared throughout the year.  The liturgical year and other occasions for celebration both find ample representation in this useful guide.]

WEBBER, ROBERT E. The Divine Embrace:  Recovering the Passionate Spiritual Life.  Grand Rapids:  Baker Book House, 2006.  [Published in the Ancient-Future series, Webber explores a biblically grounded, historically rich and theologically sound approach to spiritual formation.  His decades of work in the area of worship renewal allows Webber to provide practical and effective approaches to experiencing more of the fullness of God.]

WILLARD, DALLAS.  Renovation of the Heart:  Putting on the Character of Christ.  Navpress, 2002.  [Beginning with an introduction to spiritual formation, Willard outlines the avenues through which spiritual transformation can take place in the human person, including thoughts, feelings, choices, social context, the body, and the soul. Each chapter concludes with questions for personal or group reflection.]

WOOLFENDEN, GREGORY W.  Daily Liturgical Prayer:  Origins and Theology.  Aldershot, Hampshire:  Ashgate Publishing, 2004.  [Published in the “Liturgy, Worship and Society” series, this is a historical and theological analysis of the development of liturgical prayer throughout the history of the church across traditions including pre-Crusader Constantinopolitan, East and West Syrian, Coptic, Ethiopian, non-Roman and Roman Western.]

F. Worship and Evangelism

BENEDICT, DANIEL T., JR.  Come to the Waters:  Baptism and Our Ministry of Welcoming Seekers and Making Disciples.  Nashville:  Discipleship Resources, 1996.

BENEDICT, DANIEL T. and CRAIG KENNETH MILLER. Contemporary Worship for the 21st Century: Worship or Evangelism? Nashville: Discipleship Resources, 1994.

KEIFERT, PATRICK R. Welcoming the Stranger: A Public Theology of Worship and Evangelism. Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 1992.

MORGENTHALER, SALLY. Worship Evangelism: Inviting Unbelievers into the Presence of God. Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing Company, 1995.

POHL, CHRISTINE D.  Making Room:  Recovering Hospitality as a Christian Tradition.  Grand Rapids:  Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing, 1999.

WEBBER, ROBERT E.  Ancient-Future Evangelism:  Making Your Church a Faith-Forming Community.  Grand Rapids:  Baker Books, 2003.  [The second title in his Ancient-Future series, Webber is concerned here about a process of evangelism that will yield mature disciples.  Webber provides a useful approach to being a mission-oriented church in a post-modern world.  Following a brief survey of evangelism in the history of the church, Webber focuses on four stages of Christian development:  conversion, discipleship, spiritual formation, and Christian vocation.  He then develops theological reflection that considers important desires latent in our contemporary culture, suggesting a more holistic approach to evangelism today.]

WEBBER, ROBERT E. Liturgical Evangelism: Worship as Outreach and Nurture. Harrisburg, P.A.: Morehouse Publishing, 1992.

G. Worship and Social Justice

KOESTER, ANNE Y., EDITOR.  Liturgy and Justice:  To Worship God in Spirit and Truth.  Collegeville:  Liturgical Press, 2002.  [Drawn from a conference on pastoral liturgy at the University of Notre Dame in 2001, this is an excellent collection of essays addressing many ways in which worship can help us work toward justice in our world.]

LABBERTON, MARK.  The Dangerous Act of Worship:  Living God’s Call to Justice.  Downer’s Grove:  Intervarsity Press, 2007.  [Labberton critiques the often inward focused impulse present in worship today, seeking to recover the social implications of embodying worship that both honors God and seeks justice for all people.  The biblical foundation for this approach to worship and suggestions for returning to such an incarnation are both included in this book.]

NELSON-PALLMEYER, JACK, AND BRET HESLA.  Worship in the Spirit of Jesus:  Theology, Liturgy and Songs without Violence.  Cleveland:  The Pilgrim Press, 2005.  [The authors explore some of the theology, liturgies, and songs of Christian worship, seeking to identify violent images of God that might be present in them.  They discuss historical and contemporary consequences of these images in the life of the Church and then offer alternative, nonviolent resources for worship.]

RASHKOVER, RANDI, AND C. C. PECKNOLD, EDS.  Liturgy, Time and the Politics of Redemption.  Grand Rapids:  Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2006.  [Published in the series Radical Traditions, this volume seeks to foster dialog between Jewish and Christian communities in relation to the potential impact of liturgical practice on public life.  Eleven scholars from Jewish and Christian traditions contribute essays seeking to demonstrate parallel impulses in liturgical texts and rituals that could promote the practice of wise religious reasoning in the public domain.]

SCHAREN, CHRISTIAN.  Public Worship and Public Work:  Character and Commitment in Local Congregational Life.  Collegeville:  Liturgical Press, 2004.  [Scharen examines the relationship between worship and ethical practice through an ethnographic study of three active congregations.  The theological connection between worship and work is highlighted in his book.]

SMITH, HARMON L. Where Two or Three Are Gathered: Liturgy and the Moral Life. Cleveland: Pilgrim Press, 1995.

WEBBER, ROBERT E. and RODNEY CLAPP. People of the Truth: The Power of the Worshiping Community in the Modern World. San Francisco: Harper & Row, 1988.

WESTERMEYER, PAUL.  Let Justice Sing:  Hymnody and Justice.  Collegeville:  The Liturgical Press, 1998.

H. Children and Worship

Barton, Anne.  All Age Worship.  Bramcote, Nottingham:  Grove Books, 1993.

Berglund, Mary Catherine.  Gather the Children:  Celebrate the Word with Ideas, Activities, Prayers, and Projects.  Washington:  Pastoral Press, 1987.

Bernstein, Eleanor, and John Brooks-Leonard, editors.  Children in the Assembly of the Church.  Chicago:  Liturgy Training Publications, 1992.

Buchanan, Colin Oglivie.  Children in Communion.  Bramcote, Nottingham:  Grove Books, 1990.

BURNS, STEPHEN.  Liturgical Theology:  Children and the City.  London:  Epworth/SCM Press, 2006.  [Using the work of scholars such as Gordon Lathrop, Don Saliers and James White, Burns develops an example of contextualized liturgical theology aimed at involving children actively in urban worship renewal.]

Cavalletti, Sofia.  Living Liturgy:  Elementary Reflections.  Chicago:  Liturgy Training Publications, 1998.

CAVALLETTI, SOFIA.  The Religious Potential of the Child:  Experiencing Scripture and Liturgy with Young Children.  Chicago:  Liturgy Training Publications, 1992.  [Known as “Catechesis of the Good Shepherd,” Cavalletti and Gianna Gobbi established an oral-based, Montessori style program for children ages three to six years old, to explore the mysteries and marvels of Christian scripture and worship.  This volume gives the reader a glimpse into the tremendous riches of pursuing such a program in the life of the Christian community.]

CAVALLETTI, SOFIA.  The Religious Potential of the Child:  Six to Twelve Years Old.  Chicago:  Liturgy Training Publications, 2002. 

Cavalletti, Sofia, Gianna Gobbi and Silvana Q. Montanaro.  The Good Shepherd and the Child:  A Joyful Journey.  Chicago:  Liturgy Training Publications, 1996.

DAWN, MARVA J.  Is It a Lost Cause?  Having the Heart of God for the Church’s Children.  Grand Rapids:  Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing, 1997.

Gobbel, A. Roger, and Phillip C. Huber.  Creative Designs with Children at Worship.  Atlanta:  John Knox Press, 1981.

GOBBI, GIANNA, ET. AL.  Listening to God with Children:  The Montessori Method Applied to the Catechesis of Children.  Treehaus Communications, 1998.

Halverson, DelIa T., and Barbara P. Garcia.  God’s Children in Worship:  Congregational Guide.  Nashville:  United Methodist Church, Discipleship Resources, 1988.

JUENGST, SARA COVIN. Sharing Faith with Children: Rethinking the Children's Sermon. Louisville: Westminster/John Knox Press, 1994.

Lehn, Cornelia.  Involving Children and Youth in Congregational Worship.  Newton, Kansas:  Faith and Life Press; Scottsdale:  Mennonite Publishing House, 1982.

LEONARD, JANICE E. Heritage from the Lord: The Place of Children in Worship. Chicago: Laudemont Press, 1997.

Morris, Margie.  Helping Children Feel at Home in Worship.  Nashville:  United Methodist Church, Discipleship Resources, 1988.

NG, DAVID and VIRGINIA THOMAS. Children in the Worshipping Community. Louisville: Westminster John Knox Press, 1981.

SANDELL, ELIZABETH J.  Including Children in Worship.  Minneapolis:  Fortress Press, 1991.

STEWART, SONJA M. and JEROME W. BERRYMAN. Young Children and Worship. Louisville: Westminster John Knox Press, 1990.  [Based largely on reworking the insights and materials of Cavaletti’s, “Catechesis of the Good Shepherd,” Stewart and Berryman do a wonderful job of adapting this style of religious education in worship for Protestant congregations.]

WITVLIET, JOHN D., EDITOR.  A Child Shall Lead:  Children in Worship, A Sourcebook for Educators, Musicians, and Clergy.  Grand Rapids:  The Choristers Guild and the Calvin Institute of Christian Worship, 1999.

Young, Daniel.  Welcoming Young Children to Communion.  Bramcote, Nottingham:  Grove Books, 1983.

I. Women and Worship (Including the Issue of Gender-Neutral Language)

DUCK, RUTH C. Finding Words for Worship: A Guide for Leaders. Louisville: Westminster/John Knox Press, 1995.

HITCHCOCK, HELEN HULL. The Politics of Prayer: Feminist Language and the Worship of God. San Francisco: Ignatius Press, 1992.

RAMSHAW, GAIL. Liturgical Language: Keeping it Metaphoric, Making it Inclusive (American Essays in Liturgy). Collegeville, M.N.: The Liturgical Press, 1996.

RAMSHAW, GAIL.  Reviving Sacred Speech:  The Meaning of Liturgical Language.  Akron, O.H.:  OSL Publications, 2000.  [Ramshaw has taken an opportunity to reconsider her earlier work from 1985, “Christ in Sacred Speech,” in this book.  While she affirms much of her earlier work, she places more emphasis on a Trinitarian approach to God-language in this work and exhibits more reliance on feminine witnesses to the faith.]

RAMSHAW, GAIL.  Worship:  Searching for Language.  Washington, D.C.:  The Pastoral Press, 1988.  [In this collection of re-edited essays, Ramshaw explores the richness of language in worship—its power to reveal mystery, challenge assumptions, and effect spiritual formation.]

WALTON, JANET.  Feminist Liturgy:  A Matter of Justice.  Collegeville:  The Liturgical Press, 2000.  [A good introduction to the history and theological issues of feminism in relation to worship.]

WHITE, SUSAN.  A History of Women in Christian Worship.  New York:  Pilgrim Press, 2003.  [A long overdue recollecting of the many ways in which women have been actively working in the field of worship, its practice and renewal, for many years.]

WITHERUP, RONALD D. A Liturgist's Guide to Inclusive Language. Collegeville, M.N.: The Liturgical Press, 1996.

J. Cultural Diversity and Worship

BELL, JOHN L. Many and Great Songs of the World Church. Hymn Society of America, 1991.

BLACK, KATHY.  Culturally-Conscious Worship.  Chalice Press, 2000.

BLACK, KATHY. Worship Across Cultures: A Handbook. Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1998.

BLOUNT, BRIAN K., AND LEONORA TUBBS ISDALE, EDITORS.  Making Room at the Table:  An Invitation to Multicultural Worship.  Westminster/John Knox Press, 2001.

COSTEN, MELVA WILSON. African American Christian Worship. Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1993.

COSTEN, MELVA WILSON.  In Spirit and in Truth:  The Music of African American Worship.  Louisville: Westminster/John Knox Press, 2004.  [Costen traces the development of music for African American worship from its roots in Africa, through its emergence in camp meeting songs, black metered hymnody, spirituals, Pentecostal music, and contemporary gospel.  Biblical, historical, theological, and liturgical concerns are noted.]

COSTEN, MELVA WILSON, AND DARIUS LEANDER SWANN, EDITORS.  The Black Christian Worship Experience.  Black Church Scholar  4.  Atlanta:  Interdenominational Theological Center, 1992.

Crespo, Orlando.  Being Latino in Christ:  Finding Wholeness in Your Ethnic Identity.  Downers Grove:  Intervarsity Press, 2003.

Deyoung, Curtiss Paul, et. al., eds.  United by Faith:  The Multiracial Congregation as an Answer to the Problem of Race.  New York:  Oxford University Press, 2003.

FRANCIS, MARK R.  Liturgy in a Multicultural Community.  Collegeville, M.N.:  Liturgical Press, 1991.

FRANCIS, MARK R., AND ANSCAR J. CHUPUNGCO.  Shape a Circle Ever Wider:  Liturgical Inculturation in the United States.  Chicago:  Liturgy Training Publications, 2000.

GONZALEZ, JUSTO L., EDITOR.  ˇAlabadle!: Hispanic Christian Worship. Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1996.

Hawn, C. Michael.  One Bread, One Body:  Exploring Cultural Diversity in Worship.  Bethesda, M.D.:  The Alban Institute, 2003.  [Published in the Vital Worship, Healthy Congregations series from the Alban Institute, Hawn has written a useful book for identifying and celebrating the diversity present in many North American congregations today.]

KIRK-DUGGAN, CHERYL A.  Soul Pearls:  Worship Resources for the Black Church.  Nashville:  Abingdon Press, 2004.

LATHROP, GORDON, EDITOR.  What Does ‘Multicultural’ Worship Look Like?  Minneapolis:  Augsburg-Fortress, 1996.

MARTĺNEZ, JOEL N. AND RAQUEL M. MARTĺNEZ, EDS.  Fiesta Christiana:  Recursos para la Adoración.  Nashville:  Abingdon Press, 2003.  [A bilingual collection of services intended to encourage renewed worship among Latino/Latina congregations.  Attention to cultural and historical traditions is reflected in the materials compiled.]

MAYNARD-REID, PEDRITO U.  Diverse Worship:  African-American, Caribbean, and Hispanic Perspectives.  Downers Grove, I.L.:  Intervarsity Press, 2000.  [An effective primer for introducing important ethnic impulses in North American worship practices to those unfamiliar with African-American, Caribbean and Latino/Latina communities.  Historical, theological and ritual dimensions of ethnic worship patterns are examined.]

McKinney, Lora-Ellen.  Total Praise:  An Orientation to Black Baptist Belief and Worship.  Valley Forge:  Judson Press, 2003.  [Provides basic information for distinctive beliefs and worship expressions within Baptist traditions from an African American perspective.]

Ortiz, Manuel.  One New People:  Models for Developing a Multiethnic Church.  Downers Grove:  Intervarsity Press, 1996.

PAK, SU YON, UNZU LEE, JUNG HA KIM, AND MYUNG JI CHO.  Singing the Lord’s Song in a New Land:  Korean American Practices of Faith.  Louisville:  Westminster/John Knox Press, 2005.  [Emerging from a Valparaiso project seeking to understand how faith practices vary between cultural contexts in North American, this collaborative work highlights eight practices of the Korean American church:  keeping the day, singing, fervent prayer, resourcing the life cycle, bearing wisdom, living as an oppressed minority, fasting, and nurturing.]

RIVERS, CLARENCE JOSEPH, EDITOR.  This Far By Faith:  American Worship and Its African Roots.  Washington, D.C.:  National Office for Black Catholics, 1977.

STAUFFER, S. ANITA, EDITOR.  Christian Worship: Unity in Cultural Diversity. Geneva: Department for Theology and Studies, Lutheran World Federation, 1996.

TIRABASSI, MAREN C. and KATHY WONSON EDDY, EDITORS.  Gifts of Many Cultures: Worship Resources for the Global Community. Cleveland: Pilgrim Press, 1995.

TOVEY, PHILLIP.  Inculturation of Christian Worship:  Exploring the Eucharist.  Aldershot, Hampshire:  Ashgate Publishing, 2004.  [Published in the Liturgy, Worship and Society series, this volume contains an interdisciplinary exploration of models of inculturation in relation to expressions of Eucharistic celebration.]

Walker, Wyatt Tee.  Spirits that Dwell in Deep Woods:  The Prayer and Praise Hymns of the Black Religious Experience.  Chicago:  GIA Publications, 1987.

K.     Incorporating Technology into Worship

BAUSCH, MICHAEL G.  Silver Screen, Sacred Story:  Using Multimedia in Worship.  The Alban Institute, 2002.  [Bausch provides a wonderful basic guide, examining the potential for multi-media resources in worship, developing a support base for media use, using media wisely, and producing multimedia worship.  For those interested in beginning to explore the area of multi-media worship, Bausch’s book would be a good entry point.]

EASON, TIM.  Media Ministry Made Easy:  A Practical Guide to Visual Communication.  Nashville:  Abingdon Press, 2003.  With DVD.  [Addresses pragmatic issues related to the development of a media ministry, using graphics, creating presentations for ministry, and video production.]

GAILLARDETZ, RICHARD R.  Transforming our Days:  Spirituality, Community and Liturgy in a Technological Culture.  New York:  Crossroad Publishing Company, 2000.

JENSEN, RICHARD A.  Envisioning the Word:  The Use of Visual Images in Preaching.  Minneapolis:  Augsburg-Fortress, 2005.  With CD.  [A guide for assisting clergy and others to effectively utilize visual resources in conjunction with preaching events.  Historical uses for visual artifacts in reflecting on theological insights, advantages of visual resources in relation to exegesis and multiple pragmatic issues for incorporating visual images in sermons are all addressed.]

JEWELL, JOHN P.  New Tools for a New Century:  First Steps in Equipping Your Church for the Digital Revolution.  Nashville:  Abingdon Press, 2002.  [Addresses some of the “nuts and bolts” issues related to developing and implementing electronic media for teaching and preaching ministries.]

JEWELL, JOHN P.  Wired for Ministry:  How the Internet, Visual Media, and Other New Technologies Can Serve Your Church.  Grand Rapids:  Brazos Press, 2004.  [Jewell offers practical strategies for integrating technology into various church ministries, identifying ways in which these tools can help and hinder the life of the church.]

MILLER, KIM, AND THE GINGHAMSBURG CHURCH WORSHIP TEAM.  Handbook for Multi-Sensory Worship.  Volume one.  Nashville:  Abingdon Press, 1999.  With CD.

MILLER, KIM, AND THE GINGHAMSBURG CHURCH WORSHIP TEAM.  Handbook for Multi-Sensory Worship.  Volume two.  Nashville:  Abingdon Press, 2002.

MOORE, JASON AND LEN WILSON.  Design Matters:  Creating Powerful Imagery for Worship.  Nashville:  Abingdon Press, 2006.  With DVD.  [A pragmatic guide intended to provide guidance in developing visual literacy in a congregation.  Specific guidance for working with particular software products and materials on the internet is provided.]

SAMPLE, TEX.  Powerful Persuasion:  Multimedia Witness in Christian Worship.  Nashville:  Abingdon Press, 2005.  [Sample evaluates the ways in which our contemporary culture processes information communicated via multiple media, drawing some conclusions intended to challenge the church when tempted to adopt an uncritical posture toward emulating such models for evangelism and ministry.]

SAMPLE, TEX.  The Spectacle of Worship in a Wired World:  Electronic Culture and the Gathered People of God.  Nashville:  Abingdon Press, 1998.

SCHULTZ, QUENTIN.  High-Tech Worship?  Using Presentational Technologies Wisely.  Grand Rapids:  Baker Book House, 2004.  [A guide for thoughtfully considering the advantages and disadvantages of incorporating technology into worship events.  Schultz writes with discernment, providing useful questions for congregational conversations.]

SLAUGHTER, MICHAEL.  Out on the Edge:  A Wake-Up Call for Church Leaders on the Edge of the Media Reformation.  Nashville:  Abingdon Press, 1998.  With CD.  [Writing especially to those who seek to appeal to the “unchurched,” Slaughter discusses the “media reformation” he sees at work in our culture today, articulates a strategy to connect experientially with people in ministry, and makes suggestions for building teams to accomplish media-savvy efforts.]

STELLA, CONSTANCE.  Video Ministry:  Using Media in Worship Without Going Hollywood.  Nashville:  Abingdon Press, 2006.  With DVD.  [A practical guide for developing quality video presentations for worship events in light of non-professional training, equipment and ambitions.]

WHITE, SUSAN J.  Christian Worship and Technological Change.  Nashville:  Abingdon Press, 1994.  [White highlights ways in which the church has embraced various technological advances in history and made use of them in developing the work of the church.]

WILSON, LEN.  Digital Storytellers:  The Art of Communicating the Gospel in Worship.  Nashville:  Abingdon Press, 2002.  With DVD.  [Emphasizing the narrative dimension of our culture today, suggestions are made for connecting powerfully through story and visual expressions in worship.]

WILSON, LEN.  The Wired Church:  Making Media Ministry.  Nashville:  Abingdon Press, 1999.  With CD.  [An introductory type work suggesting ways in which one could pursue and build multimedia expressions in relation to worship and Christian education.]

L.     Worship Team Resources

FLATHER, DOUGLAS R., AND TAMI FLATHER.  The Praise and Worship Team Instant Tune-Up.  Grand Rapids:  Zondervan Publishing House, 2002.  [Addresses a host of issues that occur in the building up and development of teams for worship leadership in the local church.]

McFEE, MARCIA.  The Worship Workshop:  Creative Ways to Design Worship Together.  Nashville:  Abingdon Press, 2002.  [A practical guide for initiating workshops in the local church setting in an effort to spark a creative process for effecting worship renewal.  Historical priorities of worship design are included in this approach.]

MILLER, KIM.  Designing Worship:  Creating and Integrating Powerful God Experiences.  Group Publishing, 2004.  With DVD.  [Miller uses her years of worship leadership at Ginghamsburg United Methodist Church, Tipp City, Ohio, to offer guidance for building and facilitating worship teams.  The DVD includes five samples of multi-sensory worship resources.]

NAVARRO, KEVIN J.  The Complete Worship Leader.  Grand Rapids:  Baker Book House, 2001.  [Divided into four sections, becoming a theologian, a disciple, an artist, and a leader, Navarro shares substantial reflections to guide the formation of worship leaders in light of a foundation in a biblical faith.]

NOLAND, RORY.  The Heart of the Artist.  Grand Rapids:  Zondervan Publishing Company, 1999.  [Noland has been the leader of the music ministry at Willow Creek Community Church since 1984.  He discusses character issues, servanthood, and spiritual disciplines pertinent to artists.  He shares stories and wisdom for leaders seeking to nurture and coordinate artists of all kinds in service to the church.]

NOLAND, RORY.  Thriving As An Artist in the Church:  Hope and Help for You and Your Ministry Team.  Grand Rapids:  Zondervan Publishing Company, 2004.  [Produced in the Willow Creek Resources series, Noland discusses issues and conflicts that artists may encounter as they seek to utilize their gifts in the life of the church.  Affirmation, encouragement, and suggestions for resolving differences with others are provided.]

PARK, ANDY.  To Know You More:  Cultivating the Heart of the Worship Leader.  Downer’s Grove:  Intervarsity Press, 2002.  [Park draws on twenty-five years of worship leading experience in his book.  He discusses basic issues related to developing as a leader of worship and explores the dynamics of establishing and maintaining an excellent worship team.]

REDMAN, MATT, EDITOR.  The Heart of Worship Files.  Regal Books, 2003.  [Words of wisdom from a host of “high-profile” worship leaders today.  Reflections vary in substance, but some helpful advice could be gleaned for worship team leadership.]

REDMAN, MATT.  The Unquenchable Worshipper:  Coming Back to the Heart of Worship.  Regal Books, 2001.  [Inspiring reflections that will help worship leaders focus on the purpose and importance of our corporate worship events.]

SIEWERT, ALISON, EDITOR.  Worship Team Handbook.  Downers Grove:  Intervarsity Press, 1998.  [Practical advice from the team that develops and executes worship events for the Intervarsity Urbana conferences on establishing and developing effective teams for worship leadership.]

TOWNLEY, CATHY.  Designing Worship Teams:  Discovering and Birthing the Drama of Twenty-first Century Worship.  Nashville:  Abingdon Press, 2002.  [Using a narrative approach, within a framework of considering the “drama” of worship, Townley highlights some important points to consider as worship evolves in a “post-modern” context.  While providing some important insights, some critical questions are avoided or remain unanswered.]

M.       Multi-media Resources

(Materials in this section include a website address for each entry to ease acquisition, for they are not all readily available from multiple sources.)

American Bible Society.  The Life of Christ series.  New York:  American Bible Society, various dates.  (www.bibles.com)  [A series of six videotapes (some released on DVD recently) has been released by the American Bible Society from 1991-99, consisting of “audiovisual translations” of particular passages of scripture from the Gospels.  Current titles include, “Out of the Tomb” (Mark 5.1-20), “A Father and Two Sons” (Luke 15.11-32), “The Visit” (Luke 1.39-56), “The Neighbor” (Luke 10.25-37), “The Nativity” (Luke 2.1-21), and “Resurrection” (John 20.1-31).  Each tape is about 9-12 minutes in length, with images and spoken/sung scripture intertwined creatively.  “A Father and Two Sons,” “The Visit” and “The Nativity” are more music oriented, featuring particular professional vocalists.  The tapes are meant to provoke reflection on the meaning of the passages for today.  Study guides are included.]

The Changing Face of Worship:  The Church in a Post-modern World.  North American Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention, 2003.  58 minutes  (www.interfaithbroadcasting.com)  [A documentary, originally aired on ABC affiliate television stations in December 2003 (via the Interfaith Broadcasting Commission), that examines nine “emerging” churches in the United States.  Gatherings featured include:  Revolution, Atlanta, GA; Sojourn, Louisville, KY; Solomon’s Porch, Minneapolis, MN; Mosaic, Los Angeles, CA; and Mars Hill Fellowship, Seattle, WA.  Footage from worship events in these churches are featured, interspersed with conversation from clergy, parishioners, and academics (including Stanley Grenz, Regent College, Leonard Sweet , Drew University, and Darrel Guder, Princeton Theological Seminary).  This program serves as an important, if limited, window into the conception and practice of worship among “emerging” churches in the United States at this time.]

Creative Worship: A Video Workshop for Worship Leaders And Teams.  Nashville:  Abingdon Press, 2006.  Approx. 100 minutes in a DVD format.  (www.cokesbury.com)  [An offering connected to a larger series of DVDs under the title, “Worship Connection—DVDs For All the Ways We Worship.”  This particular disc features a variety of speakers addressing issues related to worship renewal including Robert Webber, Tex Sample, Leonard Sweet, and Tom Bandy.  A 32 page leader’s guide accompanies the DVD to help facilitate discussion of the materials featured.]

Dancing with God:  Worship at St. Gregory’s.  San Francisco:  St. Gregory of Nyssa Episcopal Church, 2000.  46 minutes  (www.saintgregorys.org)  [A teaching resource illustrating a celebration of Word and Table with congregational liturgical movement.  St. Gregory’s utilizes their own liturgical celebration of Eucharist, based heavily on patristic resources.  Specific spaces for Word and Table are utilized with integrity.  This videotape demonstrates an integrated expression of liturgy and the arts for a particular contemporary community of faith.]

The Face:  Jesus in Art.  New York:  Thirteen/WNET and Voyager Productions, Inc., 2001.  DVD or videocassette, two hours.  (www.amazon.com)  [A teaching resource that traces the ways in which Jesus has been portrayed in visual art down through the centuries.  Funded by Roman Catholic and Protestant agencies, this excellent production highlights the many aspects of Christ’s character that have been featured in different historical periods.  New insights into liturgical history are gleaned when the viewer gains an understanding of how theological understandings of Christ shifted through time, and were reinforced by the visual depictions of Jesus in a given day.]

Fractals:  Alternative Resources for Worship in the Emerging Culture,  2004.  CD format.  (fractals@cityside.org.nz)  [Produced by Cityside Baptist Community Church, Auckland, New Zealand, this CD represents reflections on worship and a sampling of materials and ways in which worship is celebrated in this emerging church.  The material here builds upon The Prodigal Project, a book and CD that Pierson produced in collaboration with ministry colleagues Riddell and Kirkpatrick earlier (London:  SPCK, 2000).  The CD is text driven, with Pierson seeking to elucidate the philosophy and theology that undergirds the ministry of Cityside and its worship practices.  Pierson is lucid and helpful in his reflections.  He does not offer a model to be emulated in this project so much as material (which may be used by those who purchase the CD) that he and his staff hope will spark organic growth in other faith communities.  Development of ways for pursuing a variety of worship events are here, including such standards as morning and evening services and less widely used practices such as the labyrinth.  Attention is paid to the significance of the liturgical year, with a marvelous section reflecting on marking the Way of the Cross.]

Highway Video Volumes, Vibe Video, and Highway Elements.  Mountain View, CA:  Highway Video, 1997-2007.   Available in multiple media formats (depending on the product lines).  (www.highwayvideo.com)  [Founded in 1997, Highway Video produces some of the best video/digital offerings for worship and ministry today.  The Highway Video series of products offers three to five minute, thematically-driven, vignettes provoking thoughtful engagement of the Christian faith.  A variety of styles of presentation are pursued, including “man-on-the-street” type documentary, comedy, and “interpretive” (some with and some without musical accompaniment; sometimes with textual additions) creations. Their offerings could be used in worship events and/or discussion settings.  The quality of production is exceptional, with innovative executions of image, text, and music.  The Video Vibe products are combinations of images, text (including scripture), and music, gathered to focus on particular themes (such as love, forgiveness, holiness, and mercy).  They are presented both with and without titles.  They are developed to be experiential, yielding a flexibility of location in worship events.  The Highway Element series is a collection of original .MOV and MPEG-1 movies that can be integrated into worship events to create particular settings or atmosphere.  For those seeking to use sophisticated visual materials of substance, Highway Video products will provide excellent resources for worship and ministry.  They will particularly appeal to those willing to engage in open-ended faith reflections.]

A History of the Mass.  Chicago:  Liturgy Training Publications, 2001.  40 minutes  (www.ltp.org)  [A teaching resource that briefly traces the evolution of the Eucharistic celebration of the Catholic church.  The discussion is divided into historical periods, beginning with the Lord’s Supper and ending with our present day celebrations.  Although brief (only 40 minutes), this resource is a useful overview of how and why the Mass has changed through the years.  Study guide included.]

Icon:  Visual Images for Every Sunday.  Minneapolis:  Augsburg Fortress Publishing, 2000 (Set one), 2004 (Set two), 2005 (Set two for projection).  CD format.  (www.augsburgfortress.org)  [Line art suitable for all seasons of the liturgical year have been assembled in two collections.  Icon One contains 250 new images (and 50 previously released images) by artist Tanja Butler.  Icon Two contains 250 new images by artist Lucinda Naylor.  The images in both collections are based on the church year and the three year ecumenical lectionary (including the Revised Common Lectionary, the Roman Catholic lectionary, and the Book of Common Prayer lectionary).  The Icon One and Icon Two collections are black and white images intended to provide art work for congregational bulletins and other self-published materials (images saved as TIFF files).  Icon Two for projection is the Naylor collection of images, in color, designed for use with presentation software.  The images are available in both full-screen and small sizes, in PowerPoint format (.ppt).  Additional backgrounds in various colors are also included on the CD.  User guides are provided for all collections.  The guides for the second collection include helpful content listings/thumbnail sketches and an index of subjects and themes.]

Interludes.  Angelhouse Media.  2004.  (www.angelhousemedia.com)  [The Interludes One and Interludes Two collections, both on DVD, are sets of fifteen, thirty-second, reflective transitions that can be used between elements in a service.  Each video segment consists of images, sound, and brief biblical content.  Individual segments may be downloaded for purchase separately.]

Kane, Thomas A.  The Dancing Church:  Video Impressions of the Church in Africa.  Mahwah, N.J.:  Paulist Press, 1991.  58 minutes  (www.paulistpress.com)  [A teaching resource that highlights the integration of African cultural expressions of bodily movement into Roman Catholic liturgical celebrations.  Commentary accompanies the video footage, allowing for maximal understanding.  A wonderful catalyst for provoking thought concerning the appropriate use of liturgical movement and cultural influences in worship.  Study guide included.]

Kane, Thomas A.  The Dancing Church of the South Pacific.  Mahwah, N.J.:  Paulist Press, 1998.  80 minutes  (www.paulistpress.com)  [A teaching resource that highlights the integration of cultural dance and the arts of Polynesia and Melanesia into Roman Catholic liturgical celebrations.  Commentary accompanies the video footage, allowing for maximal understanding.  Again, a wonderful example of allowing culture and faith to find relevant expressions of integrity.  Study guide included.]

Kane, Thomas A.  ˇFiesta!  Celebrations at San Fernando.  Mahwah, N.J.:  Paulist Press, 1999.  49 minutes  (www.paulistpress.com)  [A teaching resource that chronicles various culturally infused (Latino/Latina) celebrations of the liturgical year at the San Fernando Cathedral in San Antonio, Texas.  Commentary accompanies the video footage, allowing for maximal understanding.  Highlights include the blending of the Spanish dance form, Flamenco, with the Catholic liturgy, and extended coverage of special celebrations during Holy Week.  A real appreciation for popular religious expressions and the liturgy emerges from this exploration.  Study guide included.]

Lift Up Your Hearts:  The Eucharistic Prayer.  Chicago:  Liturgy Training Publications, 1994.  23 minutes  (www.ltp.org)  [A teaching resource intended to promote graceful and joyous celebrations of communion.  This tape is one of five tapes focused on different moments of the Mass (others include a basic introduction, the entrance rites, the liturgy of the Word, and the distribution of the elements and sending forth).  St. Peter Church, Cleveland, Ohio, is featured in the tape.  The activity of the Mass, particularly the Eucharistic prayer, is reflected upon by both parishioner and priest alike, with emphasis on the communal offering that occurs in the celebration.  Study guide included.]

Liturgies of the Triduum.  Chicago:  Liturgy Training Publications, 1999.  (www.ltp.org)  [A teaching resource of three videotapes (26-55 minutes each) exploring the theological meanings and actions attached to Holy Thursday, Good Friday, and the Easter Vigil celebrations in the Catholic church.  Three different parishes, located in San Jose, CA, Saint Louis, MO, and Washington DC, are featured in each tape.  Cultural diversity is evident among the celebrations.  This resource is particularly helpful in understanding how the Triduum could be marked in powerful liturgical expressions.  Study guides accompany each tape.]

NOOMA video projects.  Fifteen projects, 2002-2007.  (www.nooma.com)  [Rob Bell, founding pastor of Mars Hill Bible Church, Grandville, Michigan, is producing a series of short films (each about 12-15 minutes in length) concerning basic questions related to the Christian faith.  His work is intended to be inviting to those seeking spiritual enlightenment and compelling for those interested in investigating Christian theological beliefs.  Each project is available on DVD and is accompanied by notes for enhancing discussion of the film.]

Praying with the Songs of Taizé.  Chicago:  GIA Publications, Inc., 1996.  48 minutes  (www.giamusic.com)  [A teaching and worship videotape resource that introduces the viewer to the Taizé community of France and its unique compositions from Father Joseph Gelineau.  Examples of the communal use of Taizé music are joined by commentary illuminating the thought behind these beautiful compositions.  Those who are interested in the source and use of Taizé music will benefit from this recording.  Additional videotapes of Taizé music (particular celebrations) are available from GIA as well.]

This is the Night:  A Parish Welcomes New Catholics.  Chicago:  Liturgy Training Publications, 1992.  (www.ltp.org)  [A teaching resource that follows candidates for initiation from the celebration of the third scrutiny during Lent, through their baptisms and receptions at the Easter Vigil, to Easter Sunday morning.  Helpful for inspiring the potential fullness that could accompany Christian initiation.  Study guide included.]

Tieg, Mons.  Architecture for Worship.  St. Paul:  Luther Productions, 2002.  60 minutes  (www.lutherproductions.com) [Featuring the church design work of Edward A. Sövik, and reflections from him, this teaching oriented videotape will provoke thoughtful conversation about worship space.  The videotape is produced in two parts, shaped for group discussion.  Part one focuses on the altar, font, pulpit and congregational seating.  Part two focuses on flexible space, lighting, locating music ministries, and inheriting space for worship.  This resource is a good introduction to the relationship between worship space and liturgical activity.  Study guide included.]

WEBER, ROB AND STACY HOOD.  Re-connecting Worship:  Where Tradition and Innovation Converge—A Video-Based Kit for Group Study.  Nashville:  Abingdon Press, 2004.  With DVD and VHS tape.  (www.cokesbury.com)  [A study oriented package of materials seeking to encourage a multifaceted approach toward worship discussion and renewal.  Addresses issues related to contemporary music, technology, maintaining integrity in worship design and the constructive planning of worship.  Includes print resources in addition to the DVD and VHS tape.]

Webber, Robert.  Ancient-Future Worship:  A Model for the Twenty-first Century.  Institute for Worship Studies, 1999 (set two), 2000 (set one), 2002 (set three).  Multiple segments on each tape, 20-30 minutes in length each.  (www.ancientfutureworship.com)  [A series of three pairs of videotapes and guides developed to provoke substantial reflection for renewing worship in churches today.  Understand It!:  Convergence Worship, is the first set of tapes, accompanied by a guide.  Cultural ramifications for worship, a biblical foundation for worship, and the relationship between divine and human activities in worship constitute the content of the set.  A guide to facilitate conversation is included with the videotapes.  See It:  Ancient-Future Worship, is the second set of tapes and guides.  Webber begins with a discussion of worship, addresses the significance of hospitality, and presents a four-fold order of service for consideration and discussion.  A study guide provides the dialog found on the two videocassettes; a discussion guide outlines the material on the tape and provides many suggestions for facilitating conversation and reflection.  Worship Evangelism:  Journey to Jesus, is the third set of tapes accompanied by a guide.  In these materials, Webber explores the significant relationship between worship and evangelism, highlighting the process necessary for developing mature disciples of Christ through time.  A guide to initiate conversation is included with the tapes.]

WILSON, LEN, JASON MOORE, TOM BOOMERSHINE, AND AMELIA COOPER.  Fresh Out of the Box:  Volume one, Digital Experiences for Palm Sunday through Pentecost Sunday; Volume two, Digital Experiences for Youth Gatherings; Volume three, Digital Experiences for Advent and Christmas; Volume four, Digital Experiences for Lent and Easter.  Nashville:  Abingdon Press, 2002-2004.  (www.cokesbury.com)  [A series of media offerings intended to add a “digital” dimension to worship celebrations.  Each volume includes ten worship experiences.  Each volume includes a book and DVD.  A complete text of each service is included in the book, with media materials recorded on the DVD.]

Worship Image Gallery.  Grand Rapids:  Zondervan Publishing House, 2003.  CD format.  (www.zondervan.com)  [Produced by Youth Specialties, this is a collection of 700 photographs and digital artwork for use with MediaShout and PowerPoint presentation software.  Text may be placed over the images.  A subject based index viewer is provided.  Compatible with both Windows and Macintosh platforms.]

N.     Internet Website Resources

[The following websites will provide a range of resources for aspects of worship studies and tools for searching materials related to specific topics of interest.  Please consult the resources of local universities, seminaries and city libraries for additional support.]

ATLA Selected Religion Web Sites Project, www.atla.com/digitalresources/  [The American Theological Library Association has developed this project as a repository for member libraries to share collections of visual and textual materials.]

ATLA Selected Religion Web Sites Project, www.atla.com/tsig/atsrw/projectdescription.html  [The American Theological Library Association has developed this project to facilitate the location of selected web sites in theology and religion.  A link on the page noted here will allow for viewing the list of cataloged websites.]

Calvin Institute of Christian Worship, www.calvin.edu/worship  [The Calvin Institute of Christian Worship has an exceptional website for locating resources addressing worship leadership, planning and renewal.  Articles, audio files, bibliographies and numerous resources relevant to traditions across the Christian spectrum are here.  Special attention is given to collaborative approaches to worship celebration and incorporating the arts actively in worship.  Workshops and courses offered through the Institute are noted, as well as complete information on their annual Symposium on Worship and the Arts.  Grant opportunities for projects oriented toward renewing worship are also included.]

Christians in Theatre Arts, www.cita.org  [CITA is a coalition of artists and scholars committed to engaging the theatre arts in relation to the Christian faith.  Resources connected to exploring the dramatic arts in worship can be located through this website, as well as individuals, conferences and publications seeking to promote the relationship between theatre and faith.]

Christians in the Visual Arts, www.civa.org  [CIVA is a coalition of artists and scholars committed to engaging the visual arts in relation to the Christian faith.  Individual artists, exhibitions, publications, workshops, conferences, and other resources may be located through their website.  Those seeking to utilize the visual arts more fully in worship would benefit from the resources noted here.]

Google Books Library Project, www.google.com/googlebooks/library.html  [The search engine, Google, has created an electronic card catalog that may be of use for initially seeking resources related to specific worship topics.  While not comprehensive, it may provide some helpful links to useful materials.]

Institute for Christian Worship, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, www.sbts.edu/Academics/Schools/Church_Music_and_Worship/Institute_for_Christian_Worship.aspx  [The Institute for Christian Worship, SBTS, has a complete list of lectures on worship topics by many leaders in the field of worship studies that have been delivered since 2001.  A number of the lectures have PDF notes available.]

Notre Dame Center for Liturgy, www.liturgy.nd.edu  [The Notre Dame Center for Liturgy provides many resources oriented toward enhancing and renewing Christian worship.  Excellent bibliographies on various worship topics and copies of various church documents related to worship are accessible through this website.  Conference schedules (past and present) and publications are also noted.]

The Sacred Dance Guild, www.sacreddanceguild.org  [The Sacred Dance Guild seeks to explore and promote the place of dance in relation to prayer and spiritual formation.  Individuals, conferences and multiple resources can be located through the website.  Although the site addresses all forms of religious dance expressions, a significant portion of the resources reference Christian worship and faith.  Links to individual chapters of the guild will provide connections to regional and local contacts.]

Seminary Library, www.seminarylibrary.com  [Logos Bible Software company has created a subscription database of 6,200 public domain books related to theological studies.  The books have been scanned and may be sent via electronic file to your home computer.]

Wabash Center, www.wabashcenter.wabash.edu  [The Wabash Center explores and promotes excellence in teaching theology and religion in higher education.  Grants, workshops consultants and resources may be located through their extensive website.]

Please report any problems with this site to webmaster@iwsfla.org