Poetry In Worship

More than any other type of literature, poetry pays attention to the aesthetic qualities of words. As a result, poems can compress worlds of meaning into a mere few words or lines. Poems convey ideas, images, and narratives in ways that can hardly be forgotten. Poems can paint vibrant word-pictures of even abstract images and mysteries. And poems can stimulate the imagination and convey emotion to an extent that can not be achieved by other forms of verbal language. Given this potential for communication, poetry can be of great value in the practice of Christian worship. Poetry is most often used in the singing of hymns. Poems are also used in the contexts of sermons or homilies. This section discusses these common uses of poetry, but also goes further, suggesting ways in which poetry can be used throughout a worship service.…