I love Advent and Christmas!  It’s the one time of the year when Christians remember the importance of liturgy, symbolism, ceremonies, feasting, sharing with the poor, and aesthetics in the home.  I suppose dour Puritans just sit through the season, frowning at all the joviality, but for the rest of us, it’s a reminder of what really matters.  Deep down, we know that high and important holidays call for a high liturgy.  I dare say even the most contemporary, seeker-sensitive church does something different in their worship service to mark this time of year.  And even though we loath the self-centered commercialism of it all, deep down we know that birth of a King should be honored with ceremonies, feasting, and decorations, and gift-giving.  We know this at weddings, we know this at Christmas and Easter, but we forget it for the rest of the year. 

As Douglas Wilson says about much of American worship these days: ”The problem with contemporary worship music is not the kind of music it is, but rather the kind of occasion everyone seems to think the service is,” (Mother Kirk, pg. 130).  We realize that Christmas and Easter are really holy-days, and so we treat them differently.  But, the rest of the year, Sunday is just a time when we come to church to be entertained, to socialize, to hear an inspiring sermon, and get our spiritual “fix” for the week.

Now, to the main point.  Caleb Roberts (check out the promising new blog he contributes to) asks: “I am fortunate enough to attend a PCA church that embraces the use of the colors but doesn’t seem to draw them in and establish them in the life and heartbeat, if you will, of the church. I am still learning, but is there not some significance to the assignment of various colors to the different periods of the Church Year? If so, what was the historical way in which the colors were woven into the fabric of the liturgy?”

For starters, The Voice  has a good summary of how liturgical colors are used (both in the past, and currently).  And this is a good place to make my main point–there is no fixed pattern for liturgical color use.  There are general patterns, which have become standardized over time (just as there is no one liturgy that Christians have always followed, but there are liturgical patterns that have become standardized over time).  We should be wary of adopting any color scheme, thinking that we are somehow returning to the practice of the ancient and universal church.  It just ain’t so.  This is, however, a useful area to explore, because it forces us to consider some deeper questions.

For example, most churches who follow a pattern of liturgical colors probably use the Western pattern.  But, the Eastern churches have a plethora of their own traditions (as this website demonstrates.)  I’m not an expert, but it seems like the Eastern patterns are generally similar to the Western patterns.  However, just as we should be willing to adopt the best elements of the Eastern liturgies, so we should at least consult the Eastern liturgical tradition before settling on any pattern scheme.

This also raises the question of whether we should even celebrate church holy-days in the traditional ways.  Many Western liturgical practices are really medieval innovations.  This is why I’m not an Anglican.  Anglicanism isn’t ancient enough!  I love and appreciate aspects of Anglicanism, but traditional Anglicanism is just too medieval (and non-traditional Anglicanism has a boat-load of its own problems). We need to be Biblical and patristic, in my humble opinion.  The Anglicans have useful things to teach us, but let’s also listen to the Orthodox, the Lutherans, and even (gulp!) modern liturgical scholars! 

So, is Advent a joyful season?  Should we fast more?  Or is it a joyful season?  Should we feast more?  The medieval church (in both the West and the East) tended to focus on the penitential aspect of the church year.  Thus, in both the West and the East (more so in the East, I think), there are extended periods of fasting in preparation for Holy Days.  I’m not downplaying the importance of fasting, but it is a question of emphasis.  What we are emphasizing in our celebration of the church year will determine how we use liturgical colors.  So, I would encourage Reformed folks who are interested in liturgical worship to dig into the history and theology of the Church Year.  Scripture should be our guide, but we have a lot of catching up to do as we seek to understand the mind of the historic church.

As we consider liturgical colors, I think we really need to do some serious work to lay out what Scripture says about colors, symbolism, and aesthetics.  I’m sure the Biblical Horizons guys have done work on this, but I haven’t got to it yet. 

Secondly, let me provide a couple quotes to illustrate some of the history behind the current liturgical color scheme.

First, Max Thurian provides an excellent summary of what each color should mean, and how it highlights the truths of each liturgical season.  My only problem is that he doesn’t really provide any foot-notes for his assertions.  But, I respect his opinion as a scholar, and he should definitely be part of the discussion. 

Regarding the evolution of the present scheme, he writes: “The liturgical colours began to be fixed according to a symbolical rule in the ninth century, but it was not until the end of the twelfth century that a canon of colours was established at Rome.  Different uses in different centres continued for many centuries.  Even to-day at Milan, in the Ambrosian rite, there is a rule of colours that differs from that generall accepted throughout the West” (The Eucharistic Memorial, vol. 1, pg. 66).

Secondly, Frank Senn (in his massive book, which I haven’t finished yet!) observes: “During the Gothic revival [in the 1800s] there was also a desire to provide altar hangings and antependia on reading desks and pulpits in the same liturgical color as vestments of the clergy.  Victorian commercial interests were mobilized to provide matching sets of stoles, maniples, chasibules, tunics, dalmatics, and copes as well as altar paraments and antepedia all in the ‘correct’ liturgical colors for Anglo-Catholics and Roman Catholic parishes.  This commercial interest helped a great deal in standardizing liturgical colors during the nineteenth century.  Previously a great deal of variability could be detected in liturgical colors. [Senn then gives a handy chart of the different colors, and variations, that have been used for different liturgical seasons.]” (Christian Liturgy: Catholic and Evangelical, 607).

The liturgical terms Senn rattles off in the previous paragraph prove my point.  I don’t really know what half of them refer to!  I doubt if the average Reformed pastor has any idea either.  So, in conclusion, I encourage us all to do more study and research before adopting a liturgical color scheme.  If a church does adopt one, be open to the possibility of change, as God gives us more light!

Revolution in World Missions by K.P. Yohannan

My rating: 5 of 5 stars
This was a convicting book. Having recently returned from a trip to India, I’ve seen the immense poverty and hardship in that country. A huge percentage of the world’s population lives far below the standards we enjoy in the U.S. Yohannan is director of Gospel for Asia, and their primary goal is to support native missionaries in Asia. For many reasons, natives can minister more effectively than Westerners in most Asian countries. God is doing an amazing work in the Third World. The Church is exploding in growth! What is humbling is how much native missionaries do with so little. If we had to live in their circumstances, we would quickly crumble and start questioning the goodness of God. They are an incredible testimony to us, and should motivate us to get off our fat American rear-ends and throw ourselves into supporting their work!

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Douglas Wilson has a great summary of Biblical principles that should guide the Church’s works of Mercy and Missions.

The Eucharist Sacrament of the Kingdom: Sacrament of the Kingdom by Alexander Schmemann

My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Although Alexander Schmemann did not live to polish this last of his works, it is still a major contribution to liturgical theology. Schmemann writes with his usual piety, knowledge, and practical insight. The work is devotional and pastoral, rather than academic and polemical. Schmemann points out many areas in which Eastern Orthodox practice has fallen away from its own rich history and legacy. He is not afraid to criticize his own tradition, and I admire him for that. At the same time, I believe we Western Protestants have much to learn from Orthodoxy. Many of the theological “problems” that we obsess over simply aren’t that big a deal for Orthodoxy. They have refreshing, and complementary, perspectives on liturgy, the eucharist, and even the meaning of salvation.

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The Eucharist in the New Testament by Jerome Kodell

My rating: 4 of 5 stars Although Kodell is Roman Catholic, it hardly shows in this fine introduction to recent scholarship of the Eucharist (Lord’s Supper). Although conservtive evangelicals will disagree with some of his conclusions, he presents an accessible overview of some difficult questions. For instance, was the Last Supper really a Passover meal or not? Matthew, Mark and Luke seem to say it was, but John seems to say that it wasn’t. Check out the book and see what some of the finest New Testament scholars have approached the problem!

Of Water and the Spirit: A Liturgical Study of Baptism by Alexander Schmemann

My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I love Schmemann! He combines deep learning with deep spirituality, and communicates it in a practical way. The book reads like a long sermon on the importance of baptism, and the relevance of ancient church traditions to the modern world.

Adopted for Life: The Priority of Adoption for Christian Families & Churches by Russell D. Moore

My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Fantastic! Moore is a respected Baptist preacher and scholar, but the book is eminently practical. More importantly, Moore writes out of his own experience as an adoptive father. Essential reading for every Christian!

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From the chairman of the Slavic Reformation Society:

“Greetings in the Lord Jesus Christ! As chairman of the Board of the Slavic Reformation Society, I wanted to give you a year-end update on our ministry in Russia. In September, ten pastors from Russia, the Ukraine and Kazakhstan attended our pastors’ training session in St. Petersburg. Another six ministers applied for this two-week intensive course but for one of the first times we had to turn qualified men away because we were unable to pay their travel/living expenses.

Currently, we have 18 pastors applying for our March 2010 session! This as an encouraging endorsement of our teaching and mentoring. The American professor who taught in September reported that these men were the most mature men he had witnessed in his fifteen years of ministry in Russia. The pastors we are mentoring represent more than 1,000 congregants, so your investment in the ministry multiplies 100 times. As you may know, Blake Purcell is in Texas this year and is visiting churches and supporters with a goal of raising our ongoing monthly support. But, we have a special need to raise $25,000 by the end of this year to meet our short term budget requirements.

This amount will cover our operating costs in St. Petersburg and meet our obligations to the Purcells. Additionally, it will provide the foundation to expand the March 2010 intensive course to include the 18 pastors desiring to attend. Help SRS see the Word of the Lord multiply and prevail in the Russian-speaking world by giving a special end-of-year gift of $100 to $1,000 or more.

You may mail your tax-deductible contributions to SRS PO Box 794 Louisville, MS 39339 or contribute via PayPal on our website.

If you have any questions or would like to have Blake share the ministry with your congregation, you may call him at 940.613.9611 or write blakepurcell2000@yahoo.com.

Yours in Christ, Mike Forster, Chairman Slavic Reformation Society

My brother has started blogging.   His latest post on loving our wives is quite good.

The last few paragraphs of this article by Carl Trueman summarize some of the reasons I don’t blog more (besides the sheer lack of time!).  I find that the more time I put into real people (my wife, my children, my students, fellow church members), the less time I have to blog.  That might just be my limitations, but read Trueman’s arguments for yourself …

I found this article quite helpful in developing a Reformed Catholic view of Halloween – “Is Halloween a Witches’ Brew?” by Harold L. Myra.

Here is something I wrote a few years ago on the subject. 

And here are some more developed thoughts that I didn’t have time to write then!

“Reformation Day Thoughts (09)” - a talk I plan to give to at a church gathering on Oct. 31.