Worship vs performance

On 21 September, Anglicans Online posed the question “[w]hen is a service worship and when is it performance? This was prompted by a concert based on Compline at which there was an information sheet containing the names of soloists and biographical sketch of the conductor but no mention of the history or nature of the Compline service. The issue was also addressed in Thinking Liturgy where one response suggested that the real dichotomy is not between worship or performance, but worship or entertainment, which the writer considered to be an issue for the CofE: for others, the word “performance” suggested actor(s) and an audience for whom there was little participation.

These exchanges prompt two thoughts: one relating to legislation, and the other to participation. Continue reading