Movement 102

7
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WERE TWO ilOTETIIS ITI
the morning worship at the World
Council of Churches Assembly in
trHERE
Harare in December last year
which moved me profoundly. The first was
when we were reflecting on the image of the
grain of wheat which dies in order to bear
fruit. We were invited to move to a number
of cloths located around the tent (we were
upwards of 3 000 people each morning
gathered in a huge blue 'Big Top'). There we
had to write the name of someone, or a
group of people who had given their lives to
follow Jesus, in the certain hope of
resurrection. We moved slowly, taking our
time, not rushing those in front, waiting for
our turn to pen the name of the
'disappeared', the martyred, the brave.
These 'banners' were then taken to the front
where they were displayed for all to see.
Some of the names were read aloud to the
gathered worshippers. Some of the names
were unfamiliar, in languages difficult to
The liturgical tourist
understand, but we were united in prayer at
a level which transcended boundaries of
language, tradition and liturgical
'correctness.'
The second moving moment was when
we were led in singing 'He's got the whole
world in his hands'. This is a song I have
sung since I was 4 years old; a song
hackneyed beyond belief, complete with the
'actions' and the blank, bored stare as the
words are repeated again and again. Yet
our leader was a young man from the USA
who sang it with such feeling, such passion,
such energy of a true spiritual that it
became a new song for me: it became a
song of unlty that moved me to tears. And
we didn't have to do the actions (thank
God). We were united in prayer,
transcending the boundaries of language
and of tradition. Ecumenical worship is alive
and well.
There are many ways of worshipping
together. One is simply to share the 'best'
liturgical offerings from each denomination.
There is merit in this approach: for those
who are not used to Anglican evensong,
Roman Catholic mass, Orthodox vespers,
Reformed meditation, this style gives us the
chance to be liturgical tourists. And this
inter-denominational approach to worship
allows us never to forget the pain of the
division which we encounter at the table,
a pain which we did not tackle head on in
Harare. Experiencing stark contrasts and
painful separation while remaining true to
traditions is an important part of our shared
prayer and worship life.
What this inter-denom inational approach
lacks, however, is the opportunity to
experience that greater sense of belonging
together in faith which transcends traditions
and taps in to the Tradition of prayer,
sharing and praise which is ours,
collectively. The fear of an 'ecumenical mishmash'
is what, quite rightly, puts many off:
we might simply end up with a weak, watery
version of a number of traditions, meshed
together into a liturgical equivalent of lentil
goo. But this need not be the case.
What happened in Harare confirmed yet
again, for me, that in worship as in no other
part of our ecumenical journey it is possible
to find a common sense of belonging in
faith. Through shared action, through
singing new songs together, through the
repetition of key liturgical acts like the entry
of the word, confession, intercession we
move beyond the spectator/ performer axis
into a new way of worshipping together
which may be the key to renewed
ecumenical dialogue in these countries and
around the world.
God of surprises
Over the next five pages you will find three essays that
explore something surprising in our understanding of God:
an unexpected change in direction. Things don't stay in the
boxes we put them and theology rarely goes to plan...
David Muir explores issues for the Black church in Britain. The need to
replace apathy with anger and courage were brought sharply into focus
by the murder of Stephen Lawrence and the subsequent inquiry.
Matt Bullimore discusses the limits of liberalism - the path of most
academic theolos/ - and examines tradition and how it can be
appropriated by radical theolos/.
John Bentham, until recently a vicar in inner city Nottingham, finds old
barriers are breaking down. He suggests that evangelicals serve as a
model for social action in local communities.
One thing I underctand now is that one's intellect alone won't pull one
through, and that the greatest seryice it can perform is to open a
window for that thing we call the dMne spidt. lf one Eusts to it alone
it's like trusting to an artificial system of vendlation - conect in theory
but musty in practice. How I wish it were as easy to throw everything
open to the spirit of God as it is to ftesh air.
HrrDA CLARK (1908)
FROM QUAKER FAITH AND PRACTICE
movement 5