by Abbot Tryphon
Orthodox worship is unchanging, and grounded in tradition.
A visitor to the monastery recently shared his preference of contemporary worship with drums, guitar, etc. He insisted that God doesn’t really care how we worship, as long as we offer Him our praise. Knowing this man to be a serious Christian, and an upfront disciple of the Lord Jesus Christ, made it clear to me that I could not judge him, or be critical of his views. However, it did leave me with a grateful heart, knowing that I am not convinced that he is correct.
Believing, as he does, that God does not care how we worship Him, reminded me of a question I asked my Baptist grandmother, as a boy of twelve. Why did she think the God of the Old Testament cared so much about how His people worshiped him, that He detailed just how the vestments of their High Priest were to be designed, and how they should build His temple? Her reply suggesting that once Christ appeared, God the Father didn’t care about all those Old Testament rules, did not convince me, child that I was.
The key difference between the young visitor’s view of worship, and that of we Orthodox Christians, is clearly based on the difference between “man centered” worship, and worship directed to God in Trinity. Worship is not about pleasing me, or the personal taste of my neighbor, but about what is truly pleasing to God. One person may find “contemporary,” “pop,” “folk,” “rock,” and other “styles” of worship appealing, but is it truly pleasing to God?
Our Orthodox way of worship is not about “personal taste”, for that would make it “man centered”. Our worship is, rather, centered on the God Who has invited us into communion with Him. It is a worship offered “in Spirit and Truth”, and thus pleasing unto God, and we should care only whether our worship is truly God pleasing.
Worship is not about being entertained, nor should we worry about our worship being “relevant”. Worship, if it be true worship, must give us a glimpse of eternity, and of the divine. Our worship can not truly be worship unless it be focused on God.
Our worship “in Spirit and Truth” asks that we “lay aside all earthly cares”. But, how can this take place if we engage in forms of worship that change with the decisions made by local “worship leaders”, who are constantly attempting to make worship “relevant” to the tastes of an ever changing group of church members, flowing in and out of their “mega churches”.
Our Orthodox faith calls us to transform our fallen human existence by bringing it into the very presence of God Himself. He has called us into His Kingdom, not ours. God is calling us to that place where He is, rather than “where we are”, or where we would like Him to be.
Our form of worship must reflect the fullness of Truth as preserved and proclaimed by the Ancient Orthodox Catholic Church. It is worship centered in the Divine Liturgy that becomes the essential act of worship and thanksgiving. This is the only form of worship that has the ability to usher us into heavenly worship, uniting us to the Church Triumphant, and joining us to the ongoing Heavenly Banquet.
With love in Christ,
Abbot Tryphon
