Ancient Christian Worship

Early Church Practices in Social, Historical, and Theological
Perspective.

This introduction to the origins of Christian worship illuminates the
importance of ancient Christian worship practices for contemporary
Christianity. Andrew McGowan, a leading scholar of early Christian liturgy,
takes a fresh approach to understanding how Christians came to worship in the
distinctive forms still familiar today. Deftly and expertly processing the
bewildering complexity of the ancient sources into lucid, fluent exposition, he
sets aside common misperceptions to explore the roots of Christian ritual
practices--including the Eucharist, baptism, communal prayer, preaching,
Scripture reading, and music--in their earliest recoverable settings. Students
of Christian worship and theology as well as pastors and church leaders will
value this work.

Contents:
1. Introduction: The Origins of Christian Worship
2. Meal: Banquet and Eucharist
3. Word: Reading and Preaching
4. Music: Song and Dance
5. Initiation: Baptism, Anointing, and Foot Washing
6. Prayer: Hours, Ways, and Texts
7. Time: Feasts and Fasts
Epilogue: The Making of Christian Worship
Indexes

Consistently learned and insightful, Andrew McGowan offers a comprehensive " introduction to the worship life of early Christians. He covers the broad
spectrum of Christian practice, from celebrating common meals to reading and
commenting on Scripture, praying in various forms, initiating new members, and
shaping sacred time and space. He is sensitive to both the continuities and the
evolutionary changes in practice as Christians adapted their common life across
a range of cultures and social circumstances. McGowan covers an impressive
range of primary materials and deftly sifts through the scholarly debates
surrounding them, preparing an easily accessible feast for anyone interested in
the origins and multifold forms of early Christian liturgical practice. - " Harold W. Attridge

Recommended € 29,90