IS THERE A PLACE FOR NATIONAL CELEBRATIONS?

Paradoxology asks, Which did you commemorate in Church Today? (Memorial Day or Pentecost Sunday). I've blogged on the issue before and, though I am passionate about it, decided not to rant this year. I did comment over there:

My church remembered Memorial Day. I stepped out during that portion of the service. Unfortunately, neither I nor the church remembered Pentecost. Shame on me for forgetting. Shame on us for not even considering the option.

There is a place for remembering our honored dead and those who put their lives on the line for our good, but such a remembrance must always take a backseat to the worship of the living God when the remembrance is in the context of a corporate worship service. I'm not sure what this would look like, but worship planners, worship leaders, and pastors must think intentionally about the issues and the informing theology, lest we practice or communicate patriotic idolatry.

Tag(s): national holidays worship

See CC License


“Unless otherwise noted Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version, copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.” http://www.esv.org/