Worship As A Performative Act

Worship is a powerful and world-changing activity for Christian believers. When Christians worship, their view of the world is transformed and God's kingdom is made manifest. The following article examines the power of the worship event from a philosophical and social scientific point of view. These perspectives, when paired with the theological perspectives described throughout this volume, teach us about the significance of ritual action in the life of the Christian community. The notion of the performative act is receiving the attention of those who study liturgy and worship. Essentially, the term performance or performative as applied to liturgical ritual refers to an exploration of the rite as it is enacted. Because the meaning of liturgical events is found both in the words expressed and in the actions enacted, it is useful to examine the performative from both of these perspectives. Each of these will be explored here, but only briefly. The Performative Utterance The Engli…