The Church's 'Public Service'

The meaning of the Greek word behind ‘liturgy’ has been variously translated as ‘the work of the people’ and ‘public service’, with one emphasizing the ‘doers’ of the work and the other ‘the work’ done. In both cases, however, the communal is paramount: ‘The people’ act as one body for the sake of a larger ‘public’ beyond any church. The task is not a simple one, and the work of responding to the needs of a complicated, even chaotic, world is complex to say the least. Contributors to this volume engage the challenge from diverse perspectives. Peter Catt, dean of Brisbane’s St. John’s Anglican Cathedral, addresses the unintended consequences of offering a ‘radical welcome’ to people long excluded from much church life. Without attention to the sometimes problematic sources of Christian liturgy—including its ‘texts of terror’—Christian worship may further alienate those it is meant to invite. Uniting Church in Australia minister Matthew Julius delves further into the many ‘publics’ Christian worship addresses, along with their presumed forms of ‘participation’. Julius’ proposals for ‘liturgicking’ expand both those involved and their manner of participation. Paul Taylor engages intrachurch complexity in his exploration of concelebration in a ‘synodal’ church. How might a large number of ordained priests vested in a single liturgy thwart a growing appreciation of the Roman Catholic Church as community of many equal voices. Michelle Eastwood raises a related issue in the Lutheran Church of Australia regarding the recent expansion of liturgical leadership of women. Jenny Close draws together the challenge faced by all who prepare and celebrate liturgy: the juxtaposition of divine.