Debating Worship: Traditional or Contemporary?

Aged Hymnal

Worship, its theology and practice, has always been a controversial issue. Over the past few decades there has been much confusion and division within congregations on any given Sunday morning. The disagreement surrounded what might be considered ‘appropriate content’ for worship. The division raged between two groups – the so-called contemporaries and traditionalists.

The ‘contemporarists’ (my word) wanted changes to the order of service which they describe as boringly traditional, too rigid and inflexible. This group were mostly the youth and young at heart who wish to see something different. Among the differences they wanted was the introduction of the the now infamous, ‘praise and worship songs’, more musical instruments, dance, and use of contemporary worship jargon from popular worship in the media.

The ‘traditionalists’ however, did not want any of the above brought into the church. They believed that the contemporary inclusions were at best disrupting the dignity of the worship experience. They found no theological substance in contemporary worship forms, and believed praise songs were largely meaningless and shallow. The criticisms imply that the youth know nothing about commitment to God in worship.

Can these two groups see eye to eye?

comunity worship

My own concern in all this is that in the effort to please one or both groups, we can lose focus of what worship really is. The event becomes the private property of some members. Worse yet, it is reduced to cheap entertainment. People attend only for a ‘feel-good’ fix and disappear afterward. They surface each Sunday for their fix. There is no commitment to service during the week.

Worship is not an exercise in ‘feeling good’. We meet for Prayers, The Word, Singing, Fellowship in word and The Sacraments. (1Cor.11: 23-25) These elements make up the content of worship. What we are really getting hot about is how the content is structured or organized. Basically, we disagree about what the Liturgy or Order of Service helps us to do in the corporate worship exercise.

We are still a long way off in resolving this issue. Both groups of worshipers are still up in arms. The pastor is usually either caught in the middle trying to keep peace, as between warring factions. Sometimes, there results an even bigger problem when the pastor takes one particular side. It might even result in members of one group leaving the church as they no longer feel comfortable with the style of worship.

Check out the worship scene in your church. Do you find that there is unity in your congregation and everyone is happy with how things are proceeding? That is rare, and I’d love to hear what accounts for this in your church. Do share with us.

Peace,
Marvia