Protestant Worship: Traditions in Transition

by James F. White

Drawing on years of teaching experience, James F. White provides a unique, comprehensive overview of Protestant worship by examining the origins, development, and present characteristics of various Protestant groups. This study of Protestant worship is an excellent resource for seminary professors and students, clergy, church historians, and laypersons.

Genres: Church History, Theology, School, Christian

252 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1989

Reviews

[Jonathan Hastings · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book is a surprisingly helpful history of worship. But the author’s own extremely liberal theological bend shines through throughout especially at the end.

History: I was greatly helped by the history of the reformation and how it shaped worship and liturgy in the Anglican. Presbyterian, Lutheran, reformed, and anabaptist traditions and the author did a solid job of showing how each of these movements were related and how certain practices led to modern worship, revivalism, and Pentecostalism. Many dots were connected. And it solidified my conviction that worship on Sundays is something that ought to guided by scripture in the big principals, but not all the particulars. This was Calvin’s view, and the puritans might have reacted too strongly to the Anglicans extra biblical practices.

End: the end of the book though, is a master class in why the scriptures matter in every part of our life. The author has thrown off scripture as his authority and therefore concludes by commending the radical nature of the quakers, shakers, and Pentecostals. He approves of the revivalistic frontier worship that morphed into pragmatism because his liberal bend leaves him saying the old trope “whatever works for you, is what you ought to do”. In the end of the book the fruit of his ideology is revealed when he claims that Christian’s will potentially mix worship with other religions and “add arms into jesus” in a Hindu-like fashion. Appalling appalling appalling ending that reveals liberalism as another religion.

[Frederick · Rating 4 out of 5]

It is interesting to learn how much of the pattern by which we worship today is no more than a couple of hundred years old, if that. Conservative Christians talk about old-time religion and yet there is nothing old about it. Worthwhile read. I recommend it.

[Sam Nesbitt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very good and enjoyable treatment on Protestant approaches to liturgy and church architecture. Good combination of historical analysis and systematic construction. I particularly benefited from White’s concepts of liturgical centers and liturgical spaces.

[Luke Brodine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Solid history on the subject. As with any overview it is zoomed out but he does give a nice overview of 5 centuries of church history and worship. Also helpful in seeing interconnection between major traditions. A good starting place for students of the subject who may have not been exposed to more than one or two traditions.

[John Compton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Insightful look at the last 500 years of Protestant worship. White explains the many different developments of worship in the 9 major branches of denominations that exist today.