- Alternative worship
Alternative Worship is "what happens when people create
worship for themselves," according to Steve Collins ( [http://www.smallfire.org/intropage2.html] ). As a phenomenon it began mainly inEurope in the early to mid 1990s. It is practiced mainly byGen-X 'ers and teenagers more than older generations.Alternative Worship usually refers to an approach to Christian worship and worship planning that emphasizes decentralized leadership, congregational participation, multi-sensory experience, ritual and narrative form. It is often discussed in contrast to
Contemporary worship or "Youth" services. In fact it is (arguably) in part a reaction "against" evangelical or charismatic forms of worship. It tends to use popular (secular) music forms in place of hymns, and more casual talks in place of the traditional sermon. Alternative Worship often does not have an obvious leader or stage, and may not involve singing or lecture-style presentations at all.Alt worship services often feature elements from ancient Christianity, such as a labrynth, a kyrie, candle lighting and the sacraments in combination with very new elements, like projected images or video and/or electronic music.
Terms that are more appropriate to the approach used in these services would be Holistic Worship,
Multisensory worship or Creative Worship.Alternative worship is often associated with the
Emerging Church .References
"The Book of Uncommon Prayer" by Steven L Case (Zondervan 2002) ISBN 0-310-24142-1
"Alternative Worship" by Jonny Baker and Doug Gay ISBN 0-8010-9170-5
"Multi-Sensory Church - Ready-to-use ideas for creative worship using, art, liturgies, ritualsby Sue Wallace . Scripture Union ISBN 1-85999-667-1
"Multi-Sensory Prayer - Creative prayer ideas using, art, the body, the sensesby Sue Wallace . Scripture Union ISBN 1-85999-465-2
"Multi-Sensory Scripture by Sue Wallace ISBN 1-84427-166-8
"The Prodigal Project" by Mike Riddell, Mark Pierson, Cathy Kirkpatrick. London, SPCK, 2000 ISBN 0-281-05250-6
"Some Theological Reflections on [http://mysite.orange.co.uk/springnuts/windsor.htm Seeker Friendly Worship and Alternative Worship] for Non-Churched People. Windsor long-course essay.
"The Complex Christ" by Kester Brewin. London, SPCK, 2004 ISBN 0281056692
External links
* [http://www.alternativeworship.org alternativeworship.org]
* [http://www.vaux.net vaux]
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.
