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God's Transforming Work – celebrating ten years of Common Worship

Reviewed by Julian Reindorp.

Introduced by Archbishop Rowan Williams, this is a stimulating reflection on a generation of liturgical change and experiment in the Church of England. The book and approach of Common Worship “is the richest provision for worship the Church (of England) has known since the Reformation” (p.137). It marks an enormous shift from a 'book' culture to a 'download, cut and paste' culture.

As one liturgical scholar bishop concludes “the Church of England seems happier and more united in its liturgy than it has been for many decades.” This is sadly not true for other aspects of its life!

Each of its eleven sections explores one aspect of liturgy: Archbishop Rowan – defining liturgy for today; Michael Perham – the silent music of our praise, an overall reflection; Angela Tilby –whatever happened to original sin?; Anders Berquist – Common Worship ordination services; Jeremy Fletcher – a service of the Word (family services, etc.); Simon Reynolds – believing in a God who sings, the musical resources; Richard Giles – the tent repitched, the Triduum of Maundy Thursday, Good Friday and the Dawn Liturgy on Easter Day (particularly stimulating); Jeremy Davies – God's patterns - reflections on liturgical shape at Salisbury Cathedral; Peter Moger – forming the practitioners, the need for liturgical training in the wide range of resources; Gilly Myers – the liturgical future; the editor on Bishop David Stancliffe, the inspirational chair of the liturgical commission – “God in Christ does three things for us - he shares our life; then he changes it; then he hands us the responsibility of bearing him to others” (p.165).

Two definitions stayed with me: Rowan Williams – “at heart liturgy is about standing before God, moving into a new creation with its new possibilities and its new obligations” (p.9); and Jeremy Davies – “we believe that liturgy has the power to express our deepest longings before God in worship and we believe that liturgy is intimately connected to our pastoral concerns and our apologetic commitments...”(p.122).

I learned new things from every contributor, was glad that I have now retired and others, more expert with their word processors and their knowledge of the wide range of resources now available, are leading worship, among them my excellent parish priest.