Church Matters: Retrieving the Great Tradition

236

Chur ch Mat ter s : Ret r i ev i ng the Great Trad i t i on

A Cultural Calendar, continued

Little support for recovery of the Christian year exists among the rank-and-file membership. Some of the Bible colleges and seminaries offer courses that include a few sessions on the calendar, but there seems to be little more than curiosity about the Christian year among the majority. More than a few preachers have preached from the Lectionary schedule for a year without making people aware of it, for they would be opposed to it if they knew. Though most Christian churches are not moving toward recovery of the Christian year, some preachers and many worship leaders are attempting to deepen the worship vocabulary of their congrega tions through the use of drama and symbolism, with explanations (on-the-fly catechisms, of sorts) of one element at a time. Mountain Christian Church, located in a highly Catholic area in Joppa, Maryland, has a large gothic-style building with a divided chancel and employs more visual symbolism in worship than most Christian churches. For instance, candles are used every week and a veiling of the cross is conducted on Good Friday. Virtually all of the churches using such acts are historic, large city churches previously associated with the Disciples of Christ.

In sum, broad interest in the Christian year or a liturgical approach to worship is still a long way off.