Roblog

It’s that time of year—when nasty Presbyterian-types, me included, repost Carl Trueman’s (as I see it) now-classic article about Protestants and Lent. One of the arguments levied against those same Presbyterian types who largely agree with Trueman is that most Presbyterian churches celebrate Easter and Christmas, something they have snatched from the orthodox Church Calendar. This makes them inconsistent and—aha!—unable to criticize those who celebrate and promote Lent as a part of Presbyterian worship.

My suspicion is that a majority of those very Presbyterians, as well an even greater majority of American evangelical (and I am not taking the bait on the debate of what in the world “evangelical” really means these days) Protestants, likely celebrates Easter without much of a clue that there is even such a thing as a church calendar; it is simply part of their evangelical Protestant tradition. In their minds it is as important as all the other days in their tradition: Bring a Friend Sunday, First Responder Appreciation Sunday, Military Appreciation Sunday, and, of course, Mother’s Day and Father’s Day. Thanksgiving and Christmas are in that mix, too—and how they’re marked runs the gamut, as everyone well knows.

The number of truly Westminsterian Presbyterians (PCA or otherwise) is quite a small circle of folks in comparison both to most, ironically but hardly surprisingly, PCA churches and especially to the broader evangelical Protestant American contemporary traditions. Especially in the South it is the case that most PCA churches celebrate Easter like, well, Baptists! I have to admit that has more or less–well, more than less—been my approach. I plead “guilty”!

Maybe, knowing what I know, I am being inconsistent. But, seeing as every Lord’s Day that I have led worship we have always celebrated the glorious resurrection of Jesus Christ from the tomb, I am ok with especially drawing attention to it on the one Sunday that all my Baptist and evangelical Protestant brethren are inconsistently doing the same. I love the Lillies, the resurrection hymns, the seer-sucker and ladies hats (yes, I know that’s not part of worship). But, just the same, and knowing what I know, I’ll stand with all of them here. I’ve got plenty of Baptist left in me!

Now, I realize I may have destroyed my own argument. Still, if we give even an inconsistent nod to being intentionally confessional Presbyterians (uptight, unemotional, no-physical-movement caricatures aside), I believe Trueman’s points with regard to the contemporary Protestant infatuation with Lent are important to engage with regard to their substance, for the very reasons they are so readily waved aside. But if one’s ultimate argument is that elements of high liturgical worship, especially days of the Church Calendar, ought to be adopted because they inform the worship experience with a transcendence that has to be felt to be truly appreciated, then I doubt that any attempt at dialogue will go very far. 

In the end, worship that is done in Spirit and truth exalts the person and work of Jesus above all else, using Scripture as the guide, the guardrails, and the engine of our expression. Any part of worship that dwells on any aspect of our humanity, fallen or redeemed, without ending in the proclamation of Christ and his sufficient grace falls short of what true worship is supposed to be: Spirit- and truth-led joyful adoration! I have found that the consistent use of law and gospel, of confession and assurance of God’s grace in Christ always leads to heartfelt, emotional love and adoration—even to the point of sometimes causing this inconsistent but nonetheless intentional confessionalist to raise his hands in the air! High church and orthodox traditions do not have a monopoly on beauty, reflection, and mystic sweet communion.

It is way too easy for some to dismiss Trueman and those like him as a crotchety and cold confessionalists. Easy—but it is neither fair nor substantive. I, for one, would like to see more substantive interaction. 

And, by the way, Trueman can’t possibly be all that crotchety because he loves the Who. So there you go.

Tagged: Lent, Worship