Essentials Red Fall 08 (Week 3)

For the Institute of Contemporary and Emerging Worship Studies, St. Stephen’s University, Essentials Red Online Worship History course with Dan Wilt

This week we were studying the worship languages of sacramental ’sign-acts’, specifically Baptism and the Eucharist.  Through our course material and class discussions a number of key ideas flowered into threads of conversation.  

The conversation, guided mainly by our class room question, centered on around the idea of re-appropriating ancient values, ideas and practices (biblically based) of the sacraments but applying these ideas in fresh and new ways that are culture current and best effectively communicate the intended root idea / value / message.

In my class room work, I’ve expounded on the needed process of exegizing / hermeneuticizing the sacraments to extract the core ’substance’.(1)  This is necessary so that we do not ‘miss the point’ and end up perpetuating a less relevant form rather than effectively communicate a meaning.  From this juncture, we can then provide a fresh, culture current practice with which to facilitate this sacramental communication between God, people and one another.

With the Eucharist, I love the discussions centered around the communal nature of this sacrament.  I also appreciate and share Crystal’s enthusiasm for the connection of the Eucharist also being a celebration of the resurrection.  (Necessary historical perspective given the historical shift that brought in a strong overtone of penitence focusing more on the death and sacrifice rather than the resurrection.)  The Eucharist not only looks back to the resurrection in celebration, but also looks forward to the Marriage Supper of the Lamb in anticipation.  And both of these things, past and future, are available in the present through the sacrament.

The great challenge is finding ways that are culture current that still adequately communicate the substance.(1)  So the never-ending question is how do we communicate ideas like these (community, resurrection, ‘parusiatic’ meals) effectively?  I like some of the ideas of using a whole loaf of bread to communicate community, yet we have concerns like sanitation that make this difficult.  I’m fondest of reclaiming ideas of having whole meals together.  I believe this much better communicates community and covenant, but logistically this is also difficult to do on a regular basis.  

The good news is that we do not need to lock into a specific form (though repetition is our good friend) but we have the freedom to rotate through these ideas and improve them as time progresses.  I believe that the strength of doing so is not only for variety, but also to bring the same sacraments into differing perspectives that allow us to emphasize and appreciate the different aspects that constitute the one sacrament.  More good news is that while we stick to a biblical and historical core to anchor ourselves, we can also use our God given creativity to express the anchored core in differing ways to continue to bring to life remembered revelation and fresh revelation of the actions of God historic, present and future.

With Baptism, I take the John Wimber approach to this sacrament – ‘Jesus did say Baptize.  He didn’t say how.’(2)  So again, I believe if we are once again incredibly thoughtful towards remaining true to the biblical and historical substance(1) of the sacrament, we can find creative ways to express it and even emphasize facets that need emphasis in a given moment.  

With one of our children’s ministries, we’ve baptized kids (and their families) by full immersion in a hot tub built into the back of an old fire truck!  Non-standard, but a creative way to emphasize specific aspects to those specific people.

I believe that our deepest respect for the biblical and historical foundations and our willingness to innovate building on this foundation is essential.  But our creativity to serve effective communication is also essential.

1 By using the generic term “substance” I’m referring to a number of simultaneous an interlocked ideas related to the nature of the core of a sacrament – ideas, values, messages, essential elements to the timeless metaphors (for example the necessity of food and drink to the Eucharist).

2 Exact source of the paraphrased quote is unknown.  Here I would suggest that there is room for even differing theologies (like infant baptism vs. adult baptism) while keeping integrity to the biblical message and honoring the whole body of Christ.  My father, Don Rousu, wrote a book, “Let’s Quit Fighting about Baptism”, which gives a defense for infant baptism and calls for the need to be honoring of other traditions that to their best to remain faithful to the witness of scripture.