In his book Worship, Community and the Triune God of Grace, theologian James Torrance  offers an insightful evaluation of much of what we call worship.  He writes that our worship…

“…has no doctrine of the mediator or sole priesthood of Christ, is human-centered, has no proper doctrine of the Holy Spirit, it too often non-sacremental, and can engender weariness.  We sit in the pew and watch the minister “do his (sic) thing,” exhorting us “to do our thing,’ until we go home thinking we have done our duty for another week!”

Such an approach to worship is unitarian in nature and view, rather than trinitarian.  It is legalistic, rather than evangelical (i.e. it is about what we do rather than good news about the saving work of the triune God). “

Torrance also writes:

“In theological language, the only priesthood is our priesthood, the only offering is our offering, the only intercessions are our intercessions.”

This ought to be a bit irritating to most of those who read this blog (especially those who share, with me, the label “baptist”).

billnieporte

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