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A Body of Praise: Understanding the Role of Our Physical Bodies in Worship
Do our physical bodies really matter in corporate worship? Isn't our soul the most important part of us? Aren't our bodies, at best, negligible to worship and, at worst, a hindrance? The answer to this last question is categorically no, as Christians have attested throughout history and across the global church. The purpose of the body instead is to offer to God in worship what only it can offer--and what must be offered to God.
By drawing on the wisdom of the Bible, church history, and theology, and by taking advantage of the unique insights of the arts and sciences, ethics, and spiritual formation, a respected theologian and pastor argues in this book that there is something for our physical bodies to do that decisively forms Christlikeness in us within the context of corporate worship. What we do with our postures, gestures, and movements in worship matters. How our senses of sight, scent, sound, taste, and touch are involved in worship matters. How our spontaneous and prescriptive activities form us in worship matters. All of it matters to faithful and fulsome worship for the sake of a body that is fully alive in the praise of God.
By drawing on the wisdom of the Bible, church history, and theology, and by taking advantage of the unique insights of the arts and sciences, ethics, and spiritual formation, a respected theologian and pastor argues in this book that there is something for our physical bodies to do that decisively forms Christlikeness in us within the context of corporate worship. What we do with our postures, gestures, and movements in worship matters. How our senses of sight, scent, sound, taste, and touch are involved in worship matters. How our spontaneous and prescriptive activities form us in worship matters. All of it matters to faithful and fulsome worship for the sake of a body that is fully alive in the praise of God.
216 pages, Kindle Edition
Published March 28, 2023
35 people are currently reading
484 people want to read
About the author
W. David O. Taylor
14 books73 followersW. David O. Taylor is Assistant Professor of Theology and Culture at Fuller Theological Seminary. He is the author of "Open and Unafraid: The Psalms and the Life of Faith" (Thomas Nelson: 2020), "Glimpses of the New Creation: Worship and the Formative Power of the Arts" (Eerdmans: 2019) and editor of "For the Beauty of the Church: Casting a Vision for the Arts" (Baker: 2010). He has written for The Washington Post, Image Journal, Christ & Pop Culture, and Christianity Today, among others. An Anglican priest, he has lectured widely on the arts, from Thailand to South Africa. He lives in Austin with his wife Phaedra, a visual artist and gardener, and his daughter Blythe and son Sebastian. Twitter: @wdavidotaylor. Instagram: @davidtaylor_theologian.
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
December 30, 2022
I grew up wanting all of this to not be true. I didn't want to believe that my physical body had some sort of role in worship, though at least part of this wanting came out of my deeply ingrained childhood messaging that my body was disabled, my body was less, and my body was not worthy.
I wouldn't say that I ever bought into the idea that my body was useless, but I would say that I saw my body as more functional than worthy.
Over the years, this viewpoint began to change. I grew up a Jehovah's Witness, so I started out life with a rather twisted theology. As I moved through years of trauma associated with disability, family issues, and sexual assault, my relationship with my body ranged from self-abusive to wildly disconnected to gently moving toward healing. By the time I entered my mid-20s, I began really exploring the role of my body in my healing, in my faith, in my relationship with God, and eventually in the various ministry roles I've served over the years including children's minister, interim pastor, pastoral care, chaplain, and others.
Understanding the role of my body in physical worship really began to take shape when I was in seminary and doing a ministry placement helping to plant a Disciples of Christ web-based congregation. It seemed ideal for me - accessible, less physically taxing, and even practically perfect for a hardcore introvert for whom socialization is downright exhausting.
We planted the church, but as we came to life I began to realize that for something was missing.
That "something" is brought vividly to life in W. David O. Taylor's "A Body of Praise: Understanding the Role of Our Physical Bodies in Worship," an insightful and well-informed book that argues that there is something for our physical bodies to do that decisively forms Christlikeness in us within the context of corporate worship. Taylor, an associate professor of theology and culture at Fuller Theological Seminary and an Anglican priest, writes that what we do with our postures, gestures, and movements in worship matter. How our senses of sight, scent, sound, taste, and touch are involved in worship matter. How our spontaneous and prescriptive activities form us in worship matter.
In short, our bodies matter. However, what's really refreshing with "A Body of Praise" is how Taylor approaches the subject matter broadly and without the usual limiting and labeling language. As someone who has been disabled since birth, I would not have been surprised had Taylor taken the usual route of language that embraced the nondisabled body and became dismissive of disabled bodies and those with other limitations.
Much to my delight, Taylor writes beautifully about the role of disabled bodies in worship and the necessity of churches in empowering this. I do wish, perhaps, there had been stronger emphasis on giftedness of pastors and church leaders with disabilities, but I will confess that every time I started to think we were going to head toward an ableist direction Taylor would pleasantly surprise me.
Taylor draws upon the wisdom of the Bible, church history, and theology, and by taking advantage of the unique insights of the arts and sciences, ethics, and spiritual formation. As a disabled creative, I was particularly excited by Taylor's exploration of the role of arts and sciences. I also appreciated discussions around Imago Dei, a theological discussion that has long been of interest to me, and explorations of trauma, culture, and ritual.
Taylor begins my mapping out the discussion to unfold before taking us on a journey through historical, Biblical, theological, arts, scientific, and ethical perspectives on the physical body in worship. While the latter chapters begin to feel just a touch repetitive, I found myself deeply engaged and quite moved by "A Body of Praise."
While Taylor doesn't necessarily come out "against" streaming worship, it's clear that he embraces in-person worship and the vitality of the body's experience in worship that does often get lost in non-communal experiences. I can't help but feel myself that far too many congregations have been content to say "We have a streaming worship" and yet never enfold into that a communal experience that is absolutely vital and necessary in praise, worship, and living the Christian life.
In what is likely to be my last book of 2022, I've found one of my favorites and 2023 readers will experience similar delight when it's released in March 2023.
I wouldn't say that I ever bought into the idea that my body was useless, but I would say that I saw my body as more functional than worthy.
Over the years, this viewpoint began to change. I grew up a Jehovah's Witness, so I started out life with a rather twisted theology. As I moved through years of trauma associated with disability, family issues, and sexual assault, my relationship with my body ranged from self-abusive to wildly disconnected to gently moving toward healing. By the time I entered my mid-20s, I began really exploring the role of my body in my healing, in my faith, in my relationship with God, and eventually in the various ministry roles I've served over the years including children's minister, interim pastor, pastoral care, chaplain, and others.
Understanding the role of my body in physical worship really began to take shape when I was in seminary and doing a ministry placement helping to plant a Disciples of Christ web-based congregation. It seemed ideal for me - accessible, less physically taxing, and even practically perfect for a hardcore introvert for whom socialization is downright exhausting.
We planted the church, but as we came to life I began to realize that for something was missing.
That "something" is brought vividly to life in W. David O. Taylor's "A Body of Praise: Understanding the Role of Our Physical Bodies in Worship," an insightful and well-informed book that argues that there is something for our physical bodies to do that decisively forms Christlikeness in us within the context of corporate worship. Taylor, an associate professor of theology and culture at Fuller Theological Seminary and an Anglican priest, writes that what we do with our postures, gestures, and movements in worship matter. How our senses of sight, scent, sound, taste, and touch are involved in worship matter. How our spontaneous and prescriptive activities form us in worship matter.
In short, our bodies matter. However, what's really refreshing with "A Body of Praise" is how Taylor approaches the subject matter broadly and without the usual limiting and labeling language. As someone who has been disabled since birth, I would not have been surprised had Taylor taken the usual route of language that embraced the nondisabled body and became dismissive of disabled bodies and those with other limitations.
Much to my delight, Taylor writes beautifully about the role of disabled bodies in worship and the necessity of churches in empowering this. I do wish, perhaps, there had been stronger emphasis on giftedness of pastors and church leaders with disabilities, but I will confess that every time I started to think we were going to head toward an ableist direction Taylor would pleasantly surprise me.
Taylor draws upon the wisdom of the Bible, church history, and theology, and by taking advantage of the unique insights of the arts and sciences, ethics, and spiritual formation. As a disabled creative, I was particularly excited by Taylor's exploration of the role of arts and sciences. I also appreciated discussions around Imago Dei, a theological discussion that has long been of interest to me, and explorations of trauma, culture, and ritual.
Taylor begins my mapping out the discussion to unfold before taking us on a journey through historical, Biblical, theological, arts, scientific, and ethical perspectives on the physical body in worship. While the latter chapters begin to feel just a touch repetitive, I found myself deeply engaged and quite moved by "A Body of Praise."
While Taylor doesn't necessarily come out "against" streaming worship, it's clear that he embraces in-person worship and the vitality of the body's experience in worship that does often get lost in non-communal experiences. I can't help but feel myself that far too many congregations have been content to say "We have a streaming worship" and yet never enfold into that a communal experience that is absolutely vital and necessary in praise, worship, and living the Christian life.
In what is likely to be my last book of 2022, I've found one of my favorites and 2023 readers will experience similar delight when it's released in March 2023.
April 3, 2023
This book was thought-provoking at times, frustrating at others, but all-around not of particular use to me. My highest praise for the book is also the source of my consternation: The author is clearly very well-read. He cites early church fathers like Irenaeus and Chrysostom, Reformers like John Calvin and Martin Luther, 20th century theologians like Karl Barth and T. F. Torrance, Catholic theologians like Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger, contemporary theologians like John Kleinig, biblical scholars like Walter Brueggemann and David Toshio Tsumura, pastors like Eugene Peterson, and the list goes on. It feels at times like there's nothing he hasn't read!
But this caused two problems for me: First, for as often as he cites Calvin, he does not interact at all with Calvin's doctrine of worship. He never considers the question of the regulative principle, even to dismiss it. Unfortunately, for all it's thought-provoking points, that makes this book pretty much useless for any traditional Reformed pastor.
Second, his doctrine of worship seems entirely too close to a principle of "anything goes." He cites positively the worship practices of Anglicans, Roman Catholics, contemporary nondenoms, Eastern Orthodox, Charismatics, and even Quakers! There is little to no consideration of what might be out-of-bounds. That seems to me like it would hamper the book's usefulness for non-Reformed pastors as well.
It's not all bad. I could heartily agree with much of the anthropology here. His principles for evaluating and appropriating Patristic sources were spot-on. His reflections on how various practices might teach and train the worshiper were interesting. He raised the issue of disabled persons in corporate worship, which was a subject I had thought little about until now. But still, ultimately, the book ended up having hardly anything I felt I could take and use myself.
[I received a free copy of this book from Baker through NetGalley.]
But this caused two problems for me: First, for as often as he cites Calvin, he does not interact at all with Calvin's doctrine of worship. He never considers the question of the regulative principle, even to dismiss it. Unfortunately, for all it's thought-provoking points, that makes this book pretty much useless for any traditional Reformed pastor.
Second, his doctrine of worship seems entirely too close to a principle of "anything goes." He cites positively the worship practices of Anglicans, Roman Catholics, contemporary nondenoms, Eastern Orthodox, Charismatics, and even Quakers! There is little to no consideration of what might be out-of-bounds. That seems to me like it would hamper the book's usefulness for non-Reformed pastors as well.
It's not all bad. I could heartily agree with much of the anthropology here. His principles for evaluating and appropriating Patristic sources were spot-on. His reflections on how various practices might teach and train the worshiper were interesting. He raised the issue of disabled persons in corporate worship, which was a subject I had thought little about until now. But still, ultimately, the book ended up having hardly anything I felt I could take and use myself.
[I received a free copy of this book from Baker through NetGalley.]
April 15, 2023
A thorough examination of how important our bodies are to worship and spirituality. Covers historic evidence, biblical description, and contemporary narrative. Full of citations.
March 20, 2024
Read with our worship leader at church! So many good and thoughtful insights about the importance of our bodies in worship. Have a greater appreciation for the historic liturgies of the church and the ways they intentionally sought to involve the whole person in worship. Highly recommend.
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November 14, 2024This is a hard book for me to rate. Mainly because of lower-tier theological differences, so I don’t think it’s fair for me to rate it from that perspective.
I think the author is an excellent writer & I appreciate his pastoral heart, especially toward artists. The book had a lot of thought-provoking arguments for expressive worship that I will definitely revisit when I need a good reference. For example, I had never considered how engaging our bodies in worship can serve others who have disabilities & cannot participate in singing. I was also personally challenged by the reminder that we are just as much physical beings as we are spiritual, & God wants us to sacrificially offer our whole being to him in worship.
I think the author is an excellent writer & I appreciate his pastoral heart, especially toward artists. The book had a lot of thought-provoking arguments for expressive worship that I will definitely revisit when I need a good reference. For example, I had never considered how engaging our bodies in worship can serve others who have disabilities & cannot participate in singing. I was also personally challenged by the reminder that we are just as much physical beings as we are spiritual, & God wants us to sacrificially offer our whole being to him in worship.
January 21, 2025
Accidentally savored every chapter. Every Christian should read this.
April 10, 2023
W. David O. Taylor invites the reader to a rich exploration of our understanding of faith and the human body in the book, A Body of Praise.
________________________________________
Reading Level: Easy to Moderate
This book is written for adults seeking to better understand how our bodies intertwine with our experiences of faith in God.
Faith Engagement Level: Easy/Moderate to Digest
There are certainly aspects of this book that will challenge us as readers in our understanding of the role of the human body in worship, but this is a necessary and wonderful challenge to embrace.
Reader Age Recommended: Ages 13+
The contents of this book are safe for younger readers to explore and absorb. In fact, some aspects of this book may even be a healthy choice to invite younger readers to engage.
WHY SHOULD I READ THIS BOOK?
How often have we stopped to consider how our bodies engage in worship of God? Do we consider how our aches and pains, our joint inflammation, our injuries, differences of ability, and our experiences of the physical world impact and enrich our journeys of faith? This book is a call to meaningful engagement of our bodies – and not just our minds or spirit within the context of worship.
As a note for those who might not feel incredibly comfortable with charismatic embodied worship – do not fear. This is not a book that is trying to say that one method or practice of worship is superior. This book is simply calling us to embrace a holistic experience of the body, mind, and soul in relation to one another. Liturgy and the body are as equally intertwined as the charisma of the Spirit and the body.
________________________________________
WHAT DID THIS BOOK CHALLENGE ME TO DO?
Don’t sleep on this opportunity to challenge your view of the interconnectedness that exists within your own experience of faith and life. I was deeply challenged by this book to explore my own understanding of worship and the connectedness of my own body. In fact, I also found myself challenged theologically – does my practice of worship reflect the truth of Scripture or a gnostic separation of body and soul?
This book was a critical call to reflection on my practices as a believer, and one that I encourage other readers to immerse themselves in as a means of enriching your faith in a world that is increasingly moving to a disembodied metaverse. As a pastor whose responsibilities include creating points of connections for our online congregation, I was also challenged to consider the ways in which I can encourage those who cannot gather in the physical assembly of believers to embrace the importance of hands and feet beyond the seemingly intangible body of Christ.
________________________________________
Reading Level: Easy to Moderate
This book is written for adults seeking to better understand how our bodies intertwine with our experiences of faith in God.
Faith Engagement Level: Easy/Moderate to Digest
There are certainly aspects of this book that will challenge us as readers in our understanding of the role of the human body in worship, but this is a necessary and wonderful challenge to embrace.
Reader Age Recommended: Ages 13+
The contents of this book are safe for younger readers to explore and absorb. In fact, some aspects of this book may even be a healthy choice to invite younger readers to engage.
WHY SHOULD I READ THIS BOOK?
How often have we stopped to consider how our bodies engage in worship of God? Do we consider how our aches and pains, our joint inflammation, our injuries, differences of ability, and our experiences of the physical world impact and enrich our journeys of faith? This book is a call to meaningful engagement of our bodies – and not just our minds or spirit within the context of worship.
As a note for those who might not feel incredibly comfortable with charismatic embodied worship – do not fear. This is not a book that is trying to say that one method or practice of worship is superior. This book is simply calling us to embrace a holistic experience of the body, mind, and soul in relation to one another. Liturgy and the body are as equally intertwined as the charisma of the Spirit and the body.
________________________________________
WHAT DID THIS BOOK CHALLENGE ME TO DO?
Don’t sleep on this opportunity to challenge your view of the interconnectedness that exists within your own experience of faith and life. I was deeply challenged by this book to explore my own understanding of worship and the connectedness of my own body. In fact, I also found myself challenged theologically – does my practice of worship reflect the truth of Scripture or a gnostic separation of body and soul?
This book was a critical call to reflection on my practices as a believer, and one that I encourage other readers to immerse themselves in as a means of enriching your faith in a world that is increasingly moving to a disembodied metaverse. As a pastor whose responsibilities include creating points of connections for our online congregation, I was also challenged to consider the ways in which I can encourage those who cannot gather in the physical assembly of believers to embrace the importance of hands and feet beyond the seemingly intangible body of Christ.
June 9, 2023
At the beginning of the first chapter of Taylor's excellent book, as the author asked questions about what was lost in not being able to attend his aunt's funeral because of pandemic protocols, I began to recognize the importance of this subject (the body in worship) for this time (the disembodied church community). In a pastoral sense, the gentle reminders that this conversation matters as much and more than it ever has helped me keep connecting my fatigued church-leader's heart.
Because of the context of our current moment, I especially found Taylor's thesis for A Body of Praise highly compelling (evoking Irenaeus) that "a body that is fully alive in the Spirit-ed company of other bodies who have gathered to worship God as Christ's own body. The second part of his thesis that we "must...need...and get to" worship God with our bodies made me want to keep turning pages. And throughout the book, in a thorough yet stimulating overview of all that it means to inhabit bodies as ones made in the image of God, Taylor delivers a multi-faceted benediction to be blessed in our bodies.
Readers will leave the book invigorated to worship the Creator who became a body in order to restore the body in all of its marvelous capacities--especially the capacity to "worship the Holy Trinity with the totality of our bodies" and to demonstrate love to the bodies of others and our own selves.
Because of the context of our current moment, I especially found Taylor's thesis for A Body of Praise highly compelling (evoking Irenaeus) that "a body that is fully alive in the Spirit-ed company of other bodies who have gathered to worship God as Christ's own body. The second part of his thesis that we "must...need...and get to" worship God with our bodies made me want to keep turning pages. And throughout the book, in a thorough yet stimulating overview of all that it means to inhabit bodies as ones made in the image of God, Taylor delivers a multi-faceted benediction to be blessed in our bodies.
Readers will leave the book invigorated to worship the Creator who became a body in order to restore the body in all of its marvelous capacities--especially the capacity to "worship the Holy Trinity with the totality of our bodies" and to demonstrate love to the bodies of others and our own selves.
November 2, 2025
Recently, our Anglican church community made some changes to the Sunday liturgy — a bit of reordering, some additions, some subtractions. My initial reaction, despite not wanting to be that person resistant to change, was critical and disapproving. I was also frustrated because I didn’t yet have the language or understanding to explain why it bothered me.
This book gave me that answer: over years of participation, our worship practices and rituals had become embodied in me — and their absence felt like a kind of grief. I realized that the simple act of turning and facing one another as the cross was processed to the center of the congregation and the New Testament was read had always resonated deeply for me.
Rituals and practices evolve as communities of faith grow, and I’m grateful for Taylor’s book for giving me that “Yes, that’s it — I’m not insane!” feeling.
This book gave me that answer: over years of participation, our worship practices and rituals had become embodied in me — and their absence felt like a kind of grief. I realized that the simple act of turning and facing one another as the cross was processed to the center of the congregation and the New Testament was read had always resonated deeply for me.
Rituals and practices evolve as communities of faith grow, and I’m grateful for Taylor’s book for giving me that “Yes, that’s it — I’m not insane!” feeling.
March 4, 2024
Poses some good questions about the use of body in worship. And some helpful/beautiful explanations on specific practices (like the reason for making the sign of the cross).
One thing that could have been a helpful point of clarification is the definition of worship. At times it seems like the author defined worship as praise, whereas other times he aligned worship with sacrifice. It made me think that Old Testament examples of dancing before the Lord might have been suitable for praise, but not suitable for a sacrificial (worship) setting. All of which might add some additional nuance into the conversation.
One thing that could have been a helpful point of clarification is the definition of worship. At times it seems like the author defined worship as praise, whereas other times he aligned worship with sacrifice. It made me think that Old Testament examples of dancing before the Lord might have been suitable for praise, but not suitable for a sacrificial (worship) setting. All of which might add some additional nuance into the conversation.
February 14, 2023
A Body of Praise: Understanding the Role of Our Physical Bodies in Worship by W. David O. Taylor is an important work that needs further attention in the church. All bodies matter and bodies are an integral part of corporate worship. The author of this book goes into detail why this is the case and looks deeply into the way the body in worship has been viewed in history. This book is very informative and scholarly. Great book overall. I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher with no obligations. These opinions are entirely my own.
November 23, 2023
This book was hard to get into at the beginning. I just couldn’t find the real message until I reached chapter 9 about disability and”normal” bodies. Wow, it definitely impacted me enough to bring the rest into focus. Like many, I’ve considered my faith intellectual more than physical but now I appreciate both.
April 29, 2023
This book is learned and accessible at the same time. I learned a lot about the body and worship from the book, and you can listen to my conversation with the author here: https://inallthings.org/podcast-embod...
July 20, 2023
Excellent book that well written and accessible to the layman. Favorite quote:
"Our body likewise belongs to Christ not simply as an act of the will... It is a pneumatological affair. Our body belongs to Christ because God's Spirit has incorporated us in Christ."
"Our body likewise belongs to Christ not simply as an act of the will... It is a pneumatological affair. Our body belongs to Christ because God's Spirit has incorporated us in Christ."
November 10, 2023
A wide-ranging and incredibly thoughtful book on a subject I didn't realize I needed a book about. It's also super readable, grounded in a great grasp of church history, and well worth your time.
My full video review here: https://youtu.be/ZQantjJswHU
My full video review here: https://youtu.be/ZQantjJswHU
March 22, 2024
Such a great intro to thinking about the role of your body in worship (both inside and outside the church).
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews