High Church and Low Church

We are in the year 2009 A. D. A lot of water has run under the bridge of life. For many centuries, we human beings have built up walls to keep us from loving one another and uniting one another under God through Christ. It is all our fault. But we seem to be trapped by our traditions, our baggage, our deep-rooted beliefs, our family backgrounds, our preachers and teachers and influenced predecessors. We just cannot break free. Much of this is "in the name of religion" or "in the name of Christianity."

Here is just one example.

First, from a historical perspective. Not long after the Reformation, the Church of England divided sharply from the Roman Catholic Church. It was not long under the Church of England divided into two large groups of thought: The so-called High Church and the so-called Low Church. Briefly, here are these two ways of thinking--and this is always a "stereotyped" and thus often overstated.

The High Church, originating in the 17th century A. D., is the party in the Anglican Church that emphasizes the Catholicity [Universality] of the Church of England. It emphasizes the continuity of the Church of England with the undivided Catholic church, before the Reformation. This movement represents a theological school of thought and never became a separate church. Typically, it means elaborate ceremonies. In the United States, the Church of England becomes Episcopalians or "Spikes", and often takes political positions, especially promoting the idea of the divine right of kings.

The Low Church originated among pietistic members of the Church of England objecting to rituals in the church and denied that bishops were essential to the nature of the church and rejected apostolic succession. This party affirmed rigorously a literal interpretation of the Thirty-Nine Articles of religion. Increasingly, people in this party moved to non-conforming congregations, toward Presbyterian, Congregational [Independent], Baptist Churches, and yes--Churches of Christ. Their meetinghouses were often called "chapels" to distinguish them from High Church cathedrals. While the High Church emphasizes communion, the Low Church emphasizes preaching. The services are much less formal. This form of worship emphasizes the priesthood of all believers [in contrast to exalted priestly officials], less sacramental worship, and congregational singing.

NOW, go to churches of all kinds, and you will find these two basic "mind sets." Simply observe churches in different parts of the United States and elsewhere, and even in different parts of large cities, like New York, Chicago, Atlanta, Los Angeles, Houston, Dallas, San Antonio. Here is what I see among Churches of Christ.

Group One: Begin the worship service. Most of the men have suits and ties and polished shoes. The women have very trim and nice dresses and shoes and jewelry. The children must be as quiet as a mouse, or else dismissed to another room for attendance by assigned individuals so as not to disturbed the service. The service focuses on the preacher and his sermon with a strong emphasis on information and doctrine and reinforcement of the hearers. There is a single song leader who leads the congregation through non-instrumental well-known songs. There is a Lord's Supper time, usually as brief as possible, in order to fulfill the commandment to partake in the Lord's Supper every week. There may be a prayer or two, usually repetitive, redundant, and expected. The preacher, the elders, the leaders of the church are aloof and do their work in separate places and meetings and thus are above the hoi polloi. There may be some announcements for information for the whole congregation. The hearers are silent listeners--few if any "amens," no lifting up of hands or proclaming "Praise the Lord," or anything like that. It is verboten. Oh, I know all this from the inside out, because I grew up in just this kind of church.

Group Two: Begin the worship service. Men, women, and children wear nice casual clothes, usually without coats and ties, but some do. There is a lot of sharing and talking and affirming and encouraging before, during, and after the service. The preacher is not the focus of the service. God is the center of the service. Many participate in the service--men, women, and children. Many read scriptures, pray, lift up hands, share testimonies, comfort those in all kinds of need. Several people together guide the songs and scriptures and power point presentations and dramatic pieces and the like. The Lord's Supper is very important. These people spend a great deal of thought and time focusing on God and Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit, so they are not interested in rushing through the worship times. Often, the whole church breaks out in clapping and shouting out "amens" and "praise the Lord."

NOW--THINK--Which of these two is "superior" or "more godlike" or "more Christian?" I think I could make a pretty defense for either one.

One could emphasize worship at the Jerusalem temple. David invested untold money and workers and worship leaders to build and maintain the services in Jerusalem. Just read 1 Chronicles 16; 22-29. Here are the priestly officials, the designated temple musicians, the required sacrifices, the prayers, the vows, the tithes. It sounds very High Church to me.

On the other hand, one could emphasize worship in a synagogue in Nazareth, or in a house church among Christians in the first century A. D. All the members are lay people. The worship is very simple. The congregation is rather small. The people are not able to contribute much money for the church. It sounds very Low Church to me.

There is a very important point to all this. We human beings have built religious walls through many centuries making it impossible to have genuine love and fellowship between God and Christ and one another and the world. We are shackled nad paralyzed and very fearful and powerless. Somehow, some way, by God's grace and Christ's love and the power of the Holy Spirit, we must rise above all these notorious, false, divisive walls to higher spiritual ground. May God grant us to see ourselves and our baggage and our burdens.

How can you help with this? Give me some ideas. We need all the ideas and prayers and visions we can have.

John Willis