The Search for the Origins of Christian Worship: Sources and Methods for the Study of Early Liturgy

by Paul F. Bradshaw

This is a substantially expanded and completely revised verision of Bradshaw's classic account, first published in 1993. Traditional liturgical scholarship has generally been marked by an attempt to fit together the various pieces of evidence for the practice of early Christian worship in such a way as to suggest that a single, coherent line of evolution can be traced from the apostolic age to the fourth century. Bradshaw examines this methodology in the light of recent developments in Jewish liturgical scholarship, of current trends in New Testament studies, and of the nature of the source-documents themselves, and especially the ancient church orders. In its place he offers a guide to Christian liturgical origins which adopts a much more cautious approach, recognizing the limitations of what can truly be known, and takes seriously the clues pointing to the essentially variegated character of ancient Christian worship.

Genres: Theology, Church History, History, Academic, Christianity, Nonfiction

256 pages, Paperback

First published January 7, 1993

Reviews

[William Stapleton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bradshaw, Paul F. The Search for the Origins of Christian Worship. London, UK, SPCK Publishing, 2002.

I. Introduction
A. Importance of studying the origins of Christian worship
B. Role of sources and methods in uncovering early liturgical practices
C. Overview of the book's structure and content

II. Sources for the Study of Early Christian Worship
A. Biblical texts and their relevance
1. New Testament references to worship
2. Implications for early Christian liturgical practices
B. Non-biblical Christian writings
1. Early Christian documents outside the New Testament
2. Writings of Church Fathers and early theologians
C. Archaeological evidence
1. Early Christian artifacts and inscriptions
2. Reconstruction of liturgical spaces and objects

III. Methods for Analyzing Early Christian Liturgy
A. Comparative analysis
1. Comparison with Jewish worship practices
2. Similarities and differences with pagan rituals
B. Liturgical reconstruction
1. Piecing together fragments of liturgical texts
2. Understanding liturgical actions and sequences
C. Historical context
1. Sociopolitical influences on early Christian worship
2. Theological developments shaping liturgy

IV. The Development of Liturgical Traditions
A. Apostolic origins and oral traditions
1. Tracing early practices to the apostolic era
2. Challenges of relying on oral transmission
B. Local variations and regional liturgical centers
1. Emergence of diverse liturgical practices
2. Influence of key centers like Antioch and Alexandria
C. Formalization and standardization
1. Shift from fluid practices to standardized liturgies
2. Role of ecclesiastical authority in shaping liturgical norms

V. Controversies and Challenges in Early Christian Worship
A. Christological debates and liturgical language
1. Influence of theological controversies on liturgical expression
2. Language choices and implications for worship
B. Sacramental theology and liturgical actions
1. Eucharistic practices and theological interpretations
2. Baptismal rituals and evolving significance
C. Interaction with pagan rituals and cultural assimilation
1. Adoption of elements from surrounding cultures
2. Efforts to differentiate Christian worship from pagan practices

VI. Reception and Impact of Early Christian Worship
A. Influence on later liturgical developments
1. Continuity and adaptation of early practices
2. Liturgical innovations and reforms
B. Formation of Christian identity
1. How early worship shaped Christian self-understanding
2. Liturgy as a means of expressing faith and community
C. Contemporary implications and relevance
1. Lessons from early Christian worship for modern liturgical practices
2. Engaging with historical sources in shaping present worship experiences

VII. Conclusion
A. Recap of key findings and insights
B. Call for continued research and exploration of early Christian worship
C. Final reflections on the enduring significance of liturgical origins

Summary:

"The Search for the Origins of Christian Worship: Sources and Methods for the Study of Early Liturgy" by Paul F. Bradshaw is a comprehensive exploration of the origins, evolution, and practices of Christian worship in its early years. Bradshaw delves into the various sources available for understanding early liturgy, including biblical texts, non-biblical Christian writings, and archaeological evidence. He also examines the methodologies employed in analyzing these sources, such as comparative analysis, liturgical reconstruction, and historical contextualization.

The book outlines the development of liturgical traditions, tracing them from apostolic origins and oral traditions to the emergence of local variations and the eventual formalization and standardization of liturgical practices. Bradshaw also addresses controversies and challenges that shaped early Christian worship, including Christological debates, sacramental theology, and the interaction with pagan rituals.

By examining the reception and impact of early Christian worship, the author highlights how these practices influenced later liturgical developments and contributed to the formation of Christian identity. The book concludes with a call for continued research and reflection on the origins of Christian worship, emphasizing the relevance of historical insights in shaping contemporary liturgical experiences.

Bradshaw's work provides scholars, theologians, and anyone interested in liturgical history with a valuable resource for understanding the intricate tapestry of early Christian worship, its sources, methodologies of study, and its lasting influence on the faith and practice of the Church.


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[Diogenes the Dog · Rating 3 out of 5]

Bradshaw is primarily pointing out all the shortfalls of the extant sources and those that draw from them. Whereas, some discussion of what can be safely assumed as givens vis-a-vis early worship would be beneficial, because the reader may walk away thinking the early church must have been a complete free-for-all, which, as Bradshaw certainly knows is not what it was.

[Michael F]

A good introduction to scholarship on early Christian worship—read this if you want to know how we know what we know, what the different academic positions are, and how scholarship has evolved over the last century. McGowan’s Ancient Christian Worship is easier to read and probably better if you mainly are interested in our current view of the primary sources and not in academic debates.

Some primary takeaways:

1. Christian liturgy seems to have started out with a very diverse array of forms and was then partially standardized over time.

2. Theories about Jewish origins are considered much more tenuous than formerly. In the first half of the 1900s, scholars attempted to show that many elements of Christian worship stemmed from Jewish sources, such as meal prayers or synagogue services. Now though, liturgical scholars are highly dubious of these claims and certainly do not think they can be proven since the rabbinic sources on Jewish liturgy date from after much of the Christian evidence. Furthermore, there is reason to believe that Jewish worship changed a great deal in the intervening time—e.g. most scholars currently think that meal prayers were extemporaneous and that synagogue services were more like Bible study groups than formal worship meetings with set liturgy before the destruction of the temple (this latter point mainly on the evidence of the gospels, which are some of our earliest accounts of synagogue services).

3. In general, all the evidence is very sparse and ambiguous, and it’s impossible to know what’s going on with anything for certain.

[Logan Prettyman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Phenomenal scholarship—even though the truth of early Christianity’s plurality is disappointing. Bradshaw also unexpectedly encouraged my Baptist leanings, not what I expected from a Notre Dame faculty! This should be the first book any student of early Christian liturgy reads.

[Deacon David · Rating 5 out of 5]

Astonishing

[Luke Brodine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great reading on pre-Constantinian church worship. Bradshaw assesses the credibility of the extant documents that much of the study of early church worship has drawn since the 19th century, and then attempts to reconstruct what can be known of their worship. A major goal of this work is to cast a critical eye toward the liturgical scholarship of the mid-20th century and bring the reader up-to-date on current scholarship; for me, this is important as I believe many of my understandings of this subject have been shaped by people reading these scholars. Bradshaw's primary thesis is to disprove the prevailing theory that the oldest elements of church worship can be discerned from what elements are held in common across the different primary sources. On the contrary, the process of standardization was a later development, and that many times the earlier elements are those that were at variance with their contemporaries. Another goal of the work is to dismantle prevailing notions that there were set forms in 1st century Christian and Jewish worship, which Bradshaw shows were not standardized until at least post CE 70. Overall, to me this is a solid scholarly work that is readable enough for those interested in the subject.

[Victoria Gaile · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fascinating discussion of how liturgical practices evolved and how to interpret liturgical texts according to different guidelines than other ancient texts. The author uses several apt & amusing (to this reader, anyway) comparisons to contemporary experience with liturgical texts and practices to illustrate his points.

[Sarah]

Looked over 1st edition for comps because it's all I could get my hands on--should find and review 2nd edition when I'm next at my parents'.

[David Withun · Rating 4 out of 5]

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