Several historic streams have shaped the worship of the relatively young Reformed denomination known as the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA). John Knox, father of Presbyterianism, came under the influence of John Calvin at Geneva and later wrote a liturgy known as “The Form of Prayer” (1556). Knox’s spiritual descendants in the next century met at Westminster Abbey in London to produce the Westminster Confession and Catechisms, which form the theological basis for the PCA, as well as the Westminster Directory for the Public Worship of God (1645). This directory included general rubrics and principles rather than a set liturgy. In 1661, however, Richard Baxter did produce a widely used liturgy known as the Savoy Liturgy. Out of these influences came the Book of Common Worship (1906, 1932, 1946), which has set the stage for modern American Presbyterian worship.
Historic Characteristics
One general characteristic of Presbyterian worship has been adherence to the rubric provision method in contrast both to free liturgy and to a prescribed liturgy such as that of The Book of Common Prayer. This approach has provided some latitude for contemporary attempts at renewal. The Westminster Directory is condensed and updated in the PCA’s Directory for the Worship of God, which claims to be “an approved guide and should be taken seriously as the mind of the Church agreeable to the Standards. However, it does not have the force of law and is not to be considered obligatory in all its parts.” Consequently one finds great variety in the worship of PCA churches within the accepted framework of Reformed covenantal theology.
A related characteristic has been adherence to the regulative principle of worship. This principle is found in chapter 21 of the Westminster Confession summarized in the Directory of Worship as follows: “Since the Holy Scriptures are the only infallible rule of faith and practice, the principles of public worship must be derived from the Bible, and from no other source. The Scriptures forbid the worshipping of God by images, or in any other way not appointed in his Word, and requires the receiving, observing, and keeping pure and entire all such religious worship and ordinances as God hath appointed in His Word (S.C. 51, 50)” (Directory 47.1). Whereas church leaders can agree in principle that the elements of worship services must have biblical warrant, in practice there is difference of opinion as to how this principle should be implemented.
Thus in a few PCA churches one can find liturgical dance, whereas most would strongly reject such a practice. Some churches make abundant use of colorful, symbolic liturgical banners in the sanctuary, whereas other sanctuaries reflect more Puritan and Zwinglian visual simplicity. Nevertheless the regulative principle, though ignored and forgotten in some quarters, serves as a lodestar to guide attempts at liturgical renewal in the PCA.
Presbyterian worship traditionally has been characterized as emphasizing the verbal rather than the visual. Thus some have considered it very cerebral, appealing to literate congregations served by highly educated clergy. Some renewal efforts have attempted to recover more balance with activities designed to appeal to the emotional side of the worshipers.
Another characteristic has been a confessional element in the liturgy. This arises out of the Reformed theological emphasis on human depravity and unworthiness in the presence of a transcendent, holy God. Thus prayers of confession have formed an important part of traditional Presbyterian liturgy.
Perhaps the strongest characteristic of this Reformation denomination has been an emphasis on the preaching of the Word as central in the liturgy. This emphasis has been seen architecturally in the common use of a pulpit as the visual focal point at the center of the chancel. Historically these pulpits were large in size and elaborate in style. Prescribed lectionaries were replaced by the lectio continua method of Calvin and Knox, in which consecutive passages of Scripture were read and preached from as the dominant component of the worship service. The PCA has emphasized a seminary educated clergy equipped to undertake preaching, which is an ordinance of God. “Preaching requires much study, meditation, and prayer, and ministers should prepare their sermons with care, and not indulge themselves in loose, extemporary harangues, nor serve God with that which costs them naught” (Directory 53.5).
Current Trends
Diversity increasingly marks worship in the more than one thousand churches constituting the PCA. Worship styles range from the more traditional televised services of the Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church, pastored by D. James Kennedy, to the more innovative services of several of the New Life Presbyterian churches and the New City Fellowship of Chattanooga. Nevertheless several general trends can be discerned.
Greater musical variety, in terms of style and range of instruments used, is evident across the country. The Reformed heritage, which once emphasized singing of Psalms exclusively, has broadened even beyond hymns and gospel songs to include contemporary choruses, praise songs, and Scripture songs. Some churches have introduced a time of praise singing for the first five or ten minutes of the service whereas others have incorporated such music into the service itself in deference to the changing preferences of the younger generations of parishioners. This has caused tensions in some congregations. Even the denomination’s Trinity Hymnal (Philadelphia: Great Commission Publications; the Orthodox Presbyterian Church) in its 1990 edition includes numerous Scripture songs and contemporary praise choruses, some with guitar chords. The denomination’s Christian Education and Publications department sponsors an annual national conference on “Music in Worship” to help raise church leaders’ level of music competence.
Another trend is increased congregational participation in worship services. This includes open sharing and participatory prayer by worshipers, as well as increased use of lay people in leading services. Some PCA congregations use laity to assist the pastor as worship service planners.
The question of the participation of children in Communion has received considerable recent attention. Whereas the PCA is committed confessionally to baptism of the covenant children of believing parents, children have generally not partaken of Communion until they have come to understand the gospel and are admitted by the Session (elders) to the Lord’s Supper, having made a public profession of their faith. Whereas this age can’t be fixed it has traditionally been thought to be at least junior-high age. A study committee of the denomination explored this issue in recent years with a minority report arguing for pedo-Communion. The majority report concluded Communion should be open only to such as are of years and ability to examine themselves (1 Cor. 11:26–27).
Perhaps the most dominant trend in recent years in the PCA is increasing homogenization with evangelical Protestantism. The result is fewer denominational distinctives that distinguish a PCA worship service from that of any other evangelical church. Several factors may account for this. Rapid church growth, including a concerted effort to plant new churches, contributes to a blurring of distinctives. The PCA was organized in 1973 with 240 churches and by 1990 had over 1000 churches. For several years in the 1980s it was the fastest growing denomination in the United States. This growth, added to the mobility of parishioners, makes for increasing pluralism as people from many denominational backgrounds find their way into PCA churches with a few having had a Presbyterian background. This is accompanied by a lack of understanding of the historic distinctives of Presbyterianism on the part of the average worshiper.
More influential than historical precedents are cultural influences including religious radio and television. Worshipers from many denominations are exposed to the same contemporary Christian music and watch some of the same televangelists and religious programming. Parishioners bring these influences with them into their church worship services. On top of this one finds little emphasis on worship in the curricula of seminaries that train ministers for the PCA. Most of these seminaries offer only one liturgical course, and that often an elective.
All this contributes to the loss of denominational distinctives. It is a trend that is likely to continue into the next century as coming generations interact with cultural influences in seeking worship forms that enable parishioners to glorify God and enjoy him forever.