Worship As Theology (D. Saliers Reading)

(Written February 16, 2009)
By Waltrina N. Middleton

Saliers' Worship As Theology wasn't the most exciting read I have had in seminary, but I was able to walk away with some inspirational moments. In particular, I appreciated Saliers suggestion that "life is a liturgical response to God." Saliers says that when a prayer is offered...we have a responsive hymn and we, God's creation are the responsive hymns.

I promised myself I would not be among those who say "that was an aha moment." But if I had to have one, then I will point to that. The idea of being born in response to God reminds me of how special we all are. I wonder what this would have meant to me as a young girl going through her awkward stages in her life and as that young adult who felt misunderstood and alone? Certainly, the words resonate with this woman and provides comfort as I fight each day not to allow depression to win and to stay focused when ministry becomes so hard you wonder why on earth you would submit yourself to this line of work in the first place.

Saliers says liturgy is an intentionally gathered community in mutual dialogue with God's self communication. He adds, Liturgy is the ongoing mutuality of God and the pathos of our human life." I thought about the mutual dialogue component and thought also about the call and response tradition within the African American community. What strikes me the most is the fact that in a call and response, both the caller and the respondent are equals and invaluable to the process.

Too often the church can place guy so high and out of reach it becomes difficult to be in conversation with God. But when God is in communion with us and in dialogue with us, and when I see myself in a call and response with God, God is not so unattainable. Suddenly, God shares in my experience and God is close enough to hear.

Saliers also reminded us that we should not just communicate only our joys. He says, "We must not exclude suffering from the language of prayer. Ignoring our suffering threatens to turn our praise into untruth."

How comforting and assuring to know that my suffering, hardships, tests and trials can be observed as truths. I can recall mourning the loss of a classmate in high school and being reprimanded for it because I was not acting civilized. I was told to get it together. Another person once told me to just get over it when I mourned the loss of my grandmother. I was not allowed in those vulnerable and transparent moments of pain to be transparent and vulnerable. I basically had to express a lie and reveal a self that was not true to my experience at that moment in time.

But Saliers asserts we could not be able to know our thanksgiving without the suffering. Without the suffering, we would not be able to discern how great God is to whom we pray.

Saliers went on to write about liturgy of prayer, the hope we should hold on to when facing our crucifixion, worship and praise as a partnering tool for prayer, and a reminder that through true prayer and worship, we receive God's "self giving."

The humility in those two words won't let us forget that is is all because of God. It all comes from God. It all belongs to God. We magnify and give thanks for God's generous, gracious, and loving nature that gives of self. When we worship and when we pray, we are only returning to God what already belongs to the Great I Am.

Prayer is our opportunity to acknowledge God, recognize God's self giving, and confess to God. Through these stages, we engage in an ongoing communion with God.