Ancient Christian Worship: Early Church Practices in Social, Historical, and Theological Perspective

by Andrew B. McGowan

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.

Genres: Christianity, Church History, Theology, History, Christian, Spirituality, Religion

320 pages, Hardcover

First published September 30, 2014

About the author

Andrew B. McGowan (PhD, University of Notre Dame), an Anglican priest, is president and dean of the Berkeley Divinity School and the J. L. Caldwell McFaddin and Rosine B. McFaddin Professor of Anglican Studies and Pastoral Theology at Yale Divinity School. He previously served as warden of Trinity College, University of Melbourne, and is the author of Ascetic Eucharists: Food and Drink in Early Christian Ritual Meals.

Reviews

[Marty · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book takes one an interesting journey of early Christian worship an emphasises how communal gatherings help cement and fertilise worship and community in the first 4 centuries.

As a work, it is highly readable and it would be a useful addition to anyone's collection who is interested in this period.

However, there were, for me, a number of negatives to the work. Firstly there is significant repetition to comments and discussion points. Clearly the book was research and written as very separate chapters, but then little thought was given to it as a corpus; a final read through by an editor would have done wonders.

A more significant issue is that the author has a tendency to make conjecture without justification or references so there are, at times, points presented as 'fact' but are in reality merely personal opinion. Tied in with this is that the author has a habit of projecting cognitions and emotions on to the ecclesial body. While I don't have a philosophical objection to an interpretive phenomenological approach, what was often lacking was evidence for his superordinate themes and conclusions.

So as a work it was well worth a read, but be prepared for some frustrations.

[Michael F]

A good and readable summary of what we do and do not know about Christian liturgy in the first few centuries of the church. I would recommend this as an introduction to anyone interested in the topic.

[Filip Šimek · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting approach to liturgy dealing with its aspects one element at time. I did find it very interesting, it's not 100% hardcore scholarly written work but no fancy, popular series of "interesting" anecdotes and stories with real value either. Worked for me, I'll definitely come back to this one.....good starting point for any research into early Christian practices.

[Amanda Marie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is obviously not a light read. It is more of a scholarly work. In fact, I could have seen this book being used in some of my undergraduate courses. In the eARC, almost half of the book was footnotes/endnotes. This alone would scream scholarly work. And this is. This is the type of book that I spent four years reading for classes during my undergrad.

I liked that the majority of the sources used were the Church Fathers. I liked that for numerous reasons, one of which is that the Patristics are hard enough to understand literally in translation, let alone symbolically. Having them included in this book also gave room for McGowen to include analysis which helps immensely in understanding. It also helps that the pertinent parts of each are noted so that I didn’t have to read each of the Patristics in totality (which I did quite a bit of for school).

There are places in this book that made me want to track down the original source and whip out my Latin. This is mainly because I want to know more of the context than McGowan gives at times. This is probably just me wanting to know more which I admit happens quite a bit.

Overall, I enjoyed this book and it really made me think. I know this isn’t going to be a book for everyone. It is scholarly and I liked it.

I received this book for free from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

This review first appeared on CatholicAmanda.com.

[Nick Watson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent overview of the development of worship in the first centuries after Christ (there are references to Chalcedon and Augustine, but most of the substance is pre-400AD). Coverage is quite comprehensive and refers to recent developments in understanding of original texts, but the book is readable and doesn't seem to assume much prior knowledge of church history or worshipping traditions. A reader's involvement with or experience of a worshipping community would help to give context, but most who would be interested enough to read the book will probably have this!

One theme to emerge is of the interplay in the formation of worship between the distinctively Christian aspects and significance of worshipping practice and the non-sacral gatherings and actions inherited by or surrounding the worshippers in a given place.

Chapters are as follows, giving an indication of coverage.

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

[John · Rating 4 out of 5]

Helpful compendium on ancient Christian practice, covering everything from table, baptism, and prayer to word, music, and calendar. I might quibble with his emphasis on discontinuity in the Eucharist from first century to fourth, even as I appreciate him coming back around and landing on a fundamental continuity in meaning, if not practice. But overall, a stimulating work that is challenging in light of what passes for modern ideas of worship (i.e. music).

[Carina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read + skimmed this for my Church History class. McGowan does an excellent job of staying close to ancient texts and artifacts, and his bibliography is EXTENSIVE. The main task of this book is to reconstruct early liturgical practices and understand them on their own terms. It was so cool to see just how Catholic the early Church was, even though that was not the point of this work. The development of liturgy is very fascinating to me and this was a great introduction!

[Tyler Collins · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read 75% of this book for my "Introduction to Christian Liturgy & Its Development" course under Fr. Toby Karlowitz at Nashotah House Seminary.

This book is concise enough to be read by an average person but contains a helpful depth of content. It is well-written and readable. I will return to this for future reference.

[Tynan Brooks]

Wish it delved deeper into certain topics, but this definitely gives me a clearer picture of the early Church, confirming some beliefs I already had and dispelling certain romanticized/partisan ideas.

[Cristina Vargas · Rating 5 out of 5]

An insightful look at the early church

Erudite and elegantly written, McGowan starts by questioning the very idea of worship as something distinct from Christian living or Christian beliefs.

[G.L. Barbour]

Fascinating history and useful connection to contemporary culture

[Griffin Gooch · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best pictures ever painted of how the early church did church.

[Allison · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 ⭐️

[Ryan Jankowski · Rating 3 out of 5]

“Worship is not what goes on in temples or synagogues, or even in homes where Christians meet, but happens wherever social relations of dependence and obedience are expressed. It has more to do with politics and ethics than with what we would call worship, although it has a necessary physical and embodied aspect."

McGowan makes an effort to disassociate modern conceptions and practices of worship with what he has found throughout the history of the church. Some of which he makes a persuasive case. But much is left to speculation and McGowan leads the reader astray when he doesn't qualify his conclusions as speculative.

He dabbles in a variety of topics; such as the christian relation to the sabbath, the eucharist, offices of the church, church structure, etc. None of which really goes in to much depth.

[Scott Rushing · Rating 5 out of 5]

McGowan has written a comprehensive survey of ancient Christian worship practices that will likely serve as the standard textbook of the subject for years to come. He devotes chapters to the origins and development of the Eucharist, preaching, music, baptism, and feasts. I give this book my highest recommendation.