Worship in the Best of Both Worlds: Explorations in Ancient-Future Worship - Softcover

In this hugely important book, Philip Greenslade offers us a paradoxical vision of worship that both liturgical and spontaneous; tearful and festive; reverent and intimate. It is a great riposte to so much middle-of-the-road Christianity. --Ian Stackhouse, Senior Pastor, Guildford Baptist Church, UK

Here is a biblical vision of worship as God-centered, passionate, intimate, world-shaping, explosive, politically subversive, brutally honest, prophetic, Spirit-led and yet rooted in tradition. If this does not inspire you to worship then you may be dead! --Robin Parry, author of Worshipping Trinity

In this highly readable book Philip Greenslade has convincingly demonstrated that integrated worship is not an option but a necessity. I highly recommend it to pastors and church leaders. --Simon Chan, Earnest Lau Professor of Systematic Theology, Trinity Theological College, Singapore

Here is a biblical vision of worship as God-centered, passionate, intimate, world-shaping, explosive, politically subversive, brutally honest, prophetic, Spirit-led and yet rooted in tradition. If this does not inspire you to worship then you may be dead! --Robin Parry, author of Worshipping Trinity

In this highly readable book Philip Greenslade has convincingly demonstrated that integrated worship is not an option but a necessity. I highly recommend it to pastors and church leaders. --Simon Chan, Earnest Lau Professor of Systematic Theology, Trinity Theological College, Singapore

There are various tensions in Christian worship and, rather than opting for a balanced approach or a one-sided approach, Philip Greenslade recommends that Christians learn to embrace both extremes of each polarity. Worship is both about pleasing God and our own enjoyment. Worship is world-affirming (with a positive view of creation) and world-denying (confronting fallen political powers). Worship is charismatic and liturgical. Worship is an engagement with transcendent majesty and transforming intimacy. Worship is both prophetic praise and realistic lament. Worship remembers the past and anticipates the future. Worship embraces spontaneous instinctive cries and a learned language. It is by worshipping at the extremes that we can experience deeper riches in our knowledge of God.