What does it mean for music to be considered local in contemporary Christian communities, and who shapes this meaning? Through what musical processes have religious beliefs and practices once 'foreign' become 'indigenous'? How does using indigenous musical practices aid in the growth of local Christian religious practices and beliefs? How are musical constructions of the local intertwined with regional, national or transnational religious influences and cosmopolitanisms? Making Congregational Music Local in Christian Communities Worldwide explores the ways that congregational music-making is integral to how communities around the world understand what it means to be 'local' and 'Christian'. Showing how locality is produced, negotiated, and performed through music-making, this book draws on case studies from every continent that integrate insights from anthropology, ethnomusicology, cultural geography, mission studies, and practical theology. Four sections explore a central aspect of the production of locality through congregational music-making, addressing the role of historical trends, cultural and political power, diverging values, and translocal influences in defining what it means to be 'local' and 'Christian'. This book contends that examining musical processes of localization can lead scholars to new understandings of the meaning and power of Christian belief and practice.

How do people experience spirituality through what they see, hear, touch, and smell? Sonja Luehrmann and an international group of scholars assess how sensory experience shapes prayer and ritual practice among Eastern Orthodox Christians. Prayer, even when performed privately, is considered as a shared experience and act that links individuals and personal beliefs with a broader, institutional, or imagined faith community. It engages with material, visual, and aural culture including icons, relics, candles, pilgrimage, bells, and architectural spaces. Whether touching upon the use of icons in age of digital and electronic media, the impact of Facebook on prayer in Ethiopia, or the implications of praying using recordings, amplifiers, and loudspeakers, these timely essays present a sophisticated overview of the history of Eastern Orthodox Christianities. Taken as a whole they reveal prayer as a dynamic phenomenon in the devotional and ritual lives of Eastern Orthodox believers across Eastern Europe, the Middle East, North Africa, and South Asia.

There is a clear lack in the Church of England of a coherent and thought through treatment of evil and the devil within the texts which the Church of England traditionally identifies as the repositories of doctrine. Focusing on initiation, healing and deliverance liturgies within the church, "Fight Valiantly" seeks to rectify that deficit, considering the Church of England's liturgical practice in the parishes, and highlighting the present danger of worshippers receiving an inconsistent and potentially incoherent account of the relationship with evil.

Guidance for Leaders Seeking a Richer Way to Employ Worship Music Worship expert Constance Cherry offers comprehensive guidance to Christian leaders seeking a deeper, richer way to employ worship music in engaging ways for twenty-first-century worshipers. Following Cherry's successful book The Worship Architect, this work helps Christian leaders think theologically and act pastorally about worship music in their churches. It addresses larger issues beyond the surface struggles of musical styles and provides tools to critically evaluate worship songs. The book is applicable to all Christian traditions and worship styles and is well suited to both the classroom and the local church. Each chapter concludes with suggested practical exercises, recommended reading, and basic vocabulary terms.

What could there possibly be about Christmas that needs to be ""saved""? Christmas isn't dead, not by a long shot. But when in the movies Santa Claus is in trouble, Christmas is in trouble and must be ""saved."" If bogeys or other circumstances prevent Santa from delivering the presents on Christmas Eve, there will be no Christmas because, as far as the movies are concerned, generally speaking, Santa IS Christmas. Explore 53 reasons for saving Christmas in this lighthearted collection of 228 films (over half of which are animated) from theatrical releases to television movies and specials to episodes of television series. The reasons for saving Christmas just may surprise you.

Year 2000 is a Jubilee year for the Catholic church and very large numbers are expected to make the pilgrimage to Rome. Debra Birch's lively account of pilgrimage to Rome throughout the medieval period is well-documented and clearly presented. HISTORY TODAY [Emma Mason]Well researched, clearly written, and, quite apart from the eternal city, provides an excellent introduction to pilgrimage as a whole. CHURCH TIMES [Nicholas Orme] Rome was one of the major pilgrim destinations in the middle ages. The belief that certain objects and places were a focus of holiness where pilgrims could come closer to God had a long history in Christian tradition; in the case of Rome, the tradition developed around two of the city's most important martyrs, Christ's apostles Peter and Paul. So strong were the city'sassociations with these apostles that pilgrimage to Rome was often referred to as pilgrimage `to the threshold of the apostles'. Debra Birch conveys a vivid picture of the world of the medieval pilgrim to Rome - the Romipetae, or `Rome-seekers' - covering all aspects of their journey, and their life in the city itself. DEBRA BIRCH is assistant secretary at the Institute of Historical Research. CONTENTS The Cult of Saints and Pilgrimage to Rome. The Journey to Rome . Obligations and Privileges . Rome of the Pilgrim I . Rome of the Pilgrim II . Welfare Provisions for Pilgrims in Rome . The Popularity of Pilgrimage to Rome in the 12th Century . The 13th-Century Revival.

A host of both very old and entirely new liturgical practices have arisen in digital mediation, from the live-streaming of worship services and "pray-as-you-go" apps, to digital prayer chapels, virtual choirs and online pilgrimages. Cyberspace now even hosts communities of faith that exist entirely online. These digitally mediated liturgical practices raise challenging questions: Are worshippers in an online chapel really a community at prayer? Do avatars that receive digital bread and wine receive communion? @ Worship proposes a nuanced response to these sometimes contentious issues, rooted in familiarity with, and sustained attention to, actual online practices. Four major thematic lines of inquiry form the structure of the book. After an introductory chapter the following chapters look at digital presence, virtual bodies, and online participation; ecclesial communities in cyberspace; digital materiality, visuality, and soundscapes; and finally the issues of sacramental mediation online. A concluding chapter brings together the insights from the previous chapters and maps a way forward for reflections on digitally mediated liturgical practices. @ Worship is the first monograph dedicated to exploring online liturgical practices that have emerged since the introduction of Web 2.0. Bringing together the scholarly tools and insights of liturgical studies, constructive theology and digital media theories, it is vital reading for scholars of Theology and Religion with as well as Sociology and Digital Culture more generally.

Christian churches and groups within Anglo-American contexts have increasingly used popular music as a way to connect with young people. This book investigates the relationships between evangelical Christianity and popular music, focusing particularly on electronic dance music in the last twenty years. Author Stella Lau illustrates how electronic dance music is legitimized in evangelical activities by Christians' discourses, and how the discourses challenge the divide between the 'secular' and the 'sacred' in the Western culture. Unlike other existing books on the relationships between music cultures and religion, which predominantly discuss the cultural implications of such phenomenon, Popular Music in Evangelical Youth Culture examines the notion of 'spirituality' in contemporary popular electronic dance music. Lau's emphasis on the sonic qualities of electronic dance music opens the door for future research about the relationships between aural properties of electronic dance music and religious discourses. With three case studies conducted in the cultural hubs of electronic dance music - Bristol, Ibiza and New York - the monograph can also be used as a guidebook for ethnographic research in popular music.

Dangerous Prayer offers a strategy for fostering prayer and spirituality in mission that focuses on neighbourhood transformation and global needs using the Lord's Prayer as a radical blueprint. Sustainability in mission is not possible without prayer; vibrancy in prayer is not possible without mission. Christians on mission need a vibrant life of prayer in order to be effective yet to have a vibrant prayer life they need an outlet in mission. The Lord's Prayer offers a radical inspirational framework to help move Christians beyond praying just for themselves and to have their imaginations captured by the mission of God and concern for global needs. Jesus' words guide us to pray for God's Kingdom on earth, for restoration, for food for all who are hungry, for people to experience forgiveness and all that really is good news about Jesus. It is a dangerous prayer because of its counter-cultural and radical stance, and because it invites us to be, in part, the answer to our prayers. This book offers inspiring and practical approaches for unleashing the whole people of God for missional prayer and prayerful mission.

Online churches are Internet-based Christian communities, pursuing worship, discussion, friendship, support, proselytization, and other key religious goals through computer-mediated communication. The first examples appeared in the mid-1980s, but this genre of online activity has been revolutionized over the last decade by considerable institutional investment and the rise of new low-cost social media platforms. Hundreds of thousands of people are now involved with online congregations, generating new kinds of ritual, leadership, and community as well as new networks of global influence.

Creating Church Online is the first large-scale sociological investigation of this area, offering a significant and timely advance in the study of religion, media, and culture. Five ethnographic case studies are presented, based primarily in the UK, USA, and Australasia, providing levels of detail, scope, and variety previously unexplored by researchers in this field. Comparative analysis of these case studies demonstrates the emergence of intriguing new hybrids of digital, local, and institutional religion, reflecting major shifts in contemporary patterns of religious commitment. Author Tim Hutchings constructs a rich account of the culture and practice of five online churches, emphasizing worship, leadership, and community and the relationship between online and everyday life. Through such in-depth analysis, this book explores the significance and impact of online churchgoing in the religious and social lives of participants, as well as the relationship between online and everyday life, in search of a new theoretical framework to map religious users engagement with new media."

Christians who want to see Matthew's Gospel in a fresh and exciting way. Are you looking for a study to help you understand and use Matthew's Gospel? Will help individuals and groups to understand and use Matthew's Gospel in a small study or devotional setting. Journeying with Matthew' is a book to accompany the readings in year A of the Common Worship Lectionary. It aims to help individuals and groups to understand and use Matthew's Gospel.James Woodward is a Canon of Windsor, and the general editor of the book. He has written extensively in the area of pastoral and practical theology. His recent publications include Valuing Age (SPCK 2008).

The events surrounding the birth of Jesus are told with remarkable simplicity in the Bible, but they have too often been obscured by myths, mistletoe, and consumerism.

Now in paperback, "The First Christmas" separates fact from fiction, stripping away Yuletide folklore and questionable traditions to tell how it really was in the world of the Nativity. Delving into Jewish, Greek, Roman, and early Christian sources, Paul L. Maier uncovers fresh and fascinating insights into the true, yet unfamiliar, story of the first Christmas. A captivating combination of sacred and secular history, this informative and entertaining book answers many compelling questions, such as: Why did the Roman emperor Augustus order his famous census? What marriage customs applied to Mary and Joseph? When and where was Jesus born? Who were the Wise Men? What was the Star of Bethlehem?

This beautifully illustrated gift book by a best-selling author and church history expert offers a glimpse at the real, historical drama of Christmas.

Life has a tendency to knock our confidence in prayer. In the face of persistent difficulties, our prayer-fuelled hopes can be overwhelmed by such despair that we end up "on our knees" not so much in prayer, as in defeat. In this honest and engaging book, Chris Band discusses the issues that we may have about prayer but were perhaps afraid to ask: Is prayer wasted effort? Is God less involved in the world than we might wish? Is his will going to be done anyway, whether or not we pray? We discover that our prayers, far from being squandered by God, are powerfully and consistently used by him - both to build his relationship with us and to build his Kingdom through us. On My Knees examines our understanding of who God is and how he works in the world, taking us beyond proof-texts and wishful thinking, to the heart of what the Bible actually teaches about prayer. This encouraging and practical book will inspire and lead each of us afresh, to be on our knees, in prayer.

In this fascinating study of contemporary Christian worshippers, David L. Moody analyzes Christian rap music against traditional Christian theology. For many, mixing the sanctified worship of God with music originating from unconsecrated avenues has become difficult to accept. From the back alleys and streets of "the hood" to the club scene of urban America, Christian rappers walk to a different beat than the preacher at the pulpit. However, similar to a street evangelist, the Black Christian rapper is about singing praise to God and delivering the gospel message to his "lost homies" on the streets. Moody examines the emergence of hip hop based ministries and their place among youth with the Black community.

An ideal gift for anyone getting married, this classic white Bible, in an attractive new slipcase, comes with silver page edges, a marker ribbon, and a presentation page to dedicate your gift personally. The King James Bible is the UK's most popular translation. With the beauty and poetry of traditional English, it is an elegant and fitting gift for a newly married couple, and a symbol of God's blessing for their marriage. This compact edition has: * silver ribbon marker * silver gilt-edged pages * attractive protective slipcase * Presentation page for your personal inscription Collins offers a range of Bibles for every need. Please be in touch with us to see our full catalogue.

Whilst Contemporary Worship Music arose out of a desire to relate the music of the church to the music of everyday life, this function can quickly be called into question by the diversity of musical lives present in contemporary society. Mark Porter examines the relationship between individuals' musical lives away from a Contemporary Worship Music environment and their diverse experiences of music within it, presenting important insights into the complex and sometimes contradictory relationships between congregants' musical lives within and outside of religious worship. Through detailed ethnographic investigation Porter challenges common evangelical ideals of musical neutrality, suggesting the importance of considering musical tastes and preferences through an ethical lens. He employs cosmopolitanism as an interpretative framework for understanding the dynamics of diverse musical communities, positioning it as a stronger alternative to common assimilationist and multiculturalist models.

Mark Bozzutti-Jones offers a unique perspective on the season of Advent. Along with Scripture readings and prayers, he offers four weeks of meditations that focus on the growth of Jesus in the womb of Mary as he approaches the day of his birth, learns his mother's voice, responds to the presence of light and dark, and begins to position himself for birth.
What does this teach us about our own spiritual journey through Advent? Waiting and preparation is essential to the Christian life. By reflecting on our own birth experiences and Jesus' own progress through the womb, Christians can learn how to remain intimate with God, how to approach the light, and how to get ready for new birth in Christ.
The Womb of Advent guides the reader through each day with a mantra, scripture reading, and questions to focus our meditation. Each session ends with a spiritual exercise.

In this first new Eucharistic customary in nearly 20 years, Patrick Malloy, an Episcopal priest and liturgical scholar, presents a clear, illustrated guide for the presider and other leaders of the liturgy, contemporary in approach but based on ancient and classic principles of celebration. The 1979 "Book of Common Prayer, " like its predecessors, is long on telling the Church what to say, and short on telling it what to do. This leaves those who "choreograph" Prayer Book liturgies with a complex task and a powerful influence over the faith of the Church. The author begins with a concise theology of the liturgy that underpins all of his specific directives in the book. Contents include: Theological and liturgical principles; Liturgical ministry and liturgical ministers; Liturgical space; Vesture, vessels, and other liturgical objects; The liturgical year; The shape of the liturgy; The sung liturgy and singing during the liturgy; The order of the Eucharist (the "heart" of the book); and The celebration of Baptism during the Eucharist.

Includes 19 ready-to-use sessions that can be tailored to a group's needs

These newly authorized rites are intended to be a supplement to the burial services in the Book of Common Prayer, adding a rich variety of new material from many sources, including prayers for one who has died in military service, for one of unknown faith, for an unbeliever, and for a member of an inter-faith family. All of the major pastoral issues of the Prayer Book rites are addressed from the reception of the body to the consecration of the grave and the interment but with a freshness of language in new texts that the speak to contemporary sensibilities.

CONTENTS

Introduction with planning information Two vigil rites before a funeral Rites for the reception of the body Collects, prayers and readings for the burial service, including a celebration of the Eucharist Rites of committal Burial of one who does not profess the Christian faith Additional prayers Committal at a crematory A service of remembrance Suggested hymns and songs

Since the beginning of the anthropology of pilgrimage, scant attention has been paid to pilgrimage and pilgrim places in central, eastern and south-eastern Europe. Seeking to address such a deficit, this book brings together scholars from central, eastern and south-eastern Europe to explore the crossing of borders in terms of the relationship between pilgrimage and politics, and the role which this plays in the process of both sacred and secular place-making. With contributions from a range of established and new academics, including anthropologists, historians and ethnologists, Pilgrimage, Politics and Place-Making in Eastern Europe presents a fascinating collection of case studies and discussions of religious, political and secular pilgrimage across the region.

Confirmation was an important part of the life of the eighteenth-century church which consumed a significant part of the time of bishops, of clergy in their preparation of candidates, and of the candidates themselves in terms of a transition in their Christian life. Yet it has been almost entirely overlooked by scholars. This book aims to fill this void in our understanding, and offers an important contribution and correction of our understanding of the life of the church during the long eighteenth-century in both Britain and North America. Tovey addresses two important historical debates: the 'pessimist/optimist' debate on the character and condition of the Church of England in the eighteenth century; and the debate on the 're-enchantment' of the eighteenth century which challenges the secular nature of society in the age of the 'enlightenment'. Drawing on new developments of the study of visitation returns and episcopal life and on primary research in historical records, Anglican Confirmation goes behind the traditional Tractarian interpretations to uncover the understanding and confidence of the eighteenth-century church in the rite of confirmation. The book will be of interest to eighteenth-century church historians, theologians and liturgists alike.

This book explores the part played by music, especially group singing, in the Protestant reforms in Strasbourg. It considers both ecclesiastical and 'popular' songs in the city, how both genres fitted into people's lives during this time of strife and how the provision and dissemination of music affected the new ecclesiastical arrangement.