1. A growing number of protestant Christians are discovering historic church practices for the first time. Why now? Why do you believe Christians desire to deepen their roots in the ancient practices of the church?
Many evangelical Christians have a sense of rootlessness in their identity and faith. Modern life shuffles us around and thins out our connections, even as the cultural pressures outside the church have intensified. Many Christians are disillusioned with celebrity Christianity and with spiritual gimmicks. People are realizing they need more depth, more substance and more rooted connection with the global and historic church if they are going to thrive spiritually.
The ancient practices of the church calendar, the historic creeds and the sacraments of Eucharist and baptism have this timeless quality to them. And they actually highlight the best parts of being an evangelical: a high view of Scripture, Christ-centered worship and missional living. People are realizing that there’s an historic, even sacramental way to be a Protestant Christian. And for many, myself included, this has become an alternative to deconstruction.
2. How can churches begin to implement the sacraments in fresh ways, if they haven’t already done so?
Churches interested in going this direction can start with celebrating communion and baptism more frequently. The Reformers sometimes referred to “Word and Sacrament.” Consider that the sacraments are a visualized gospel, picturing God’s love for us in Christ. This works in tandem with the verbalized gospel in the sermon to build up the people of God. If you are a pastor, move beyond teaching us what communion isn’t to showing us what it is: at the very least, a reminder of Christ’s sacrificial death and glorious resurrection, not to mention a foretaste of the wedding feast to come.
Other small steps could include using some time-tested prayers and creeds from The Book of Common Prayer, which was compiled by Thomas Cranmer, a fellow Protestant Evangelical. They are beautiful, poetic and full of Scripture. I recommend the 2019 version. From there, you can highlight particular seasons in the church calendar, starting with Advent (starts Nov. 27 this year) and Lent (beginning Feb. 27 next year).
3. Why is there fear and/or suspicion in the evangelical world over sacramental practices?
With its emphasis on saving souls and the hope of heaven, evangelical Christianity has sometimes neglected the body and the material world in its vision for discipleship. So using our bodies to participate in worship can feel awkward and possibly idolatrous. Yet from the beginning, Christian worship and discipleship has been participatory and active, involving not just our souls and ideas but also our bodies. Because of the incarnation of Jesus, we affirm that “matter matters” not just to the Creator but also to his redeemed creatures. A redeemed soul will one day have a resurrected body. We can celebrate that now by using them to worship Christ.
Another reason we hold sacramental practices in suspicion is the threat of dead religion and legalism. Again, there’s a legitimate point here. Sometimes sacramental practices have become an end in themselves, and have hidden Christ’s glory rather than revealing it. Yet can the same be said of “low-church” worship services and practices? Anything good can become corrupted. Apart from the presence of God, all our worship is dead. Legalism can corrode even the most grace-filled churches. There’s a Christ-centered way to hold together reverence and joy, freedom and structure, action and rest.
