20 'locking of liturgy in a small closed room.'

This is largely because of the tendency of such attempts to be involved with minute historical details of liturgies, and their

subsequent lack of any outward looking perspective. Such a perspective is essential to worship in a secularized situation.

Many of the comments mentioned above had about them a note of cautious optimism; they recognised a new situation, and, whilst

being fully aware of the problems inherent in it, saw new opportunities, potentially beneficial. But only a few writers have seen great positive advantages for worship in secularization. Panikkar has said that.

18 Kirby, J.C., op.cit., pp.378-9-

19 e.g., Davis, C ., 'Ghetto or desert: liturgy in a cultural dilemma', Studia Litugica, VII (2-3), 1970, p.10. Liturgical revision has been described by van den Heuvel as 'ghetto-cleaning'. (Adler, E.,

'Worship in a secular age', Student World, XVI (l), 1963, p-89). 20 ' Abineno, J.L.C., 'Patterns of liturgy', The South East Journal of

Theology, VI, 1964, p.60 (cited by Davies, J.G., Worship and Mission, S.C.M., 1966, p.143).

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’• . . only worship can prevent secularization from becoming inhuman, and only secularization can prevent worship from becoming m e a n i n g l e s s .'21

This more positive approach to the relationship between worship and secularization will form the basis for the discussion in the rest of this section.

The Concept of Worship

In the present context,, the question of the nature and definition of worship naturally arises. It is not practicable or desirable here to enter fully into the complex question of the nature of worship, but certain central issues must be briefly considered.

The lack of clarity in the meaning of the word ’worship' can be seen from the fact that in the New Testament alone there are over thirty cultic expressions (e.g. £oCT£^£<.oc^ BtoS'

t S 'oc t ^ 0 V toe < 9 ^ ' ^ 0"K. £ t o L ^ 7 T t <S*toC K. O V /toL ^

A tiro lot, SoijXcuL, 22

7T£o<rff:ov ^ etc. ^ "

It has been suggested that cultic terminology is consciously avoided in the N.T. for the description of Christian worship, for it serves only to describe the Temple worship of the O.T., from which the early

23

Christians wished to dissociate their worship The English word 'worship' has hardly any equivalent in other European languages - whose

24

nearest synonym is probably 'cult' . As used today, worship is a

.n 21 Panikkar, R., Worship and Secular Man, D.L.T., 1973, P-1- ! 22 cf. Panikkar, R., 'Secularization and worship', Studia Liturgica,

VII (2-3), 1970, p.28. 23 Hahn, F., op.cit., p.36. 24 Panikkar, op.cit., p.29-

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generic term covering a wide range of human activities and emotions. It is therefore useful to employ a threefold approach to the understand­ ing of worship, rather than to try to give a precise definition. One or more of these three areas of description is likely to be involved in any statement about worship.

Firstly, there is the emotional aspect of worship. This involves particularly the emotion of awe, often associated with the concept of

25

the numinous . Probably one of the best non-theological examples of the ’awe-type' of worship is to be found in The Wind in the Willows,

where Rat and Mole, displaying all the characteristic emotions of worship, approach the august presence of the Piper at the Gates of Dawn^^« More

25 The classic description of this is that of R. Otto in his The Idea of the Holy, I917. He v/rites of the 'mysterium tremendum' , found

'in the lives of those around us, in sudden, strong ebullitions of personal piety and the frames of mind such ebullitions evince, in the fixed and ordered solemnities of rites and liturgies, and again in the atmosphere that clings to old religious monuments and build­ ings, to temples and to Churches The feeling of it may at times come sweeping like a gentle tide, pervading the mind with a tranquil mood of deepest worship... It may burst in sudden eruption up from the depths of the soul with spasms and convulsions, or lead to the strangest excitements... It may become the hushed, trembling and speechless humility of the creature in the presence of - whom or what? In the presence of thatwhich is a mystery inexpressible and above all creatures.' (Penguin edition, 1959, pp.26-7). cf. discussion of the 'sacral universe' in ch.3 . of this thesis.

26 Graharae, K., The Wind in the Willows, Methuen, I908, There are close ' similarities between the passage concerned and Otto's description quoted above, particularly at the end of the story of the two animals' quest.

'Then suddenly the Mole felt a great Awe fall upon him, an awe that turned his muscles to water, bowed his head, and rooted his feet to the ground. It was no panic terror - indeed he felt wonderfully at peace and happy - but it was an awe that smote and held him and, without seeing, he knew that it could only mean that some august Presence was very, very near. With difficulty he turned to look for his friend, and saw him at his side, cowed, stricken, and trembling violently.' When Mole eventually dared to raise his head to look into the eyes of the Piper, he had a moment of profound insight.

' All this he saw, for one moment breathless and intense, vivid on the morning sky; and still, as he looked, he lived, and still, as he lived, he wondered.

— l4-0 —

formal discussion of the place of awe in worship has been provided by 27

Wilson , who has seen it as being of such significance that he can say that,

28