Our bodies are not passive in rituals; they are active, and that increases the transforming power of rituals. In my sabbatical-ending ritual, I used physical things in a smaller, manageable system (candles on a table) to act out what was occurring in my larger, less manageable life: a transition from sabbatical to teaching. Scientists have...Read More
I lost my job last month. I knew I would lose it two months prior. In fact, it was years of a slow fade and a slow demise that led to the closing of the University where I worked for 21 years. I prepared myself for this possibility. But when it came, when it was...Read More
What is the essence of Christian worship and why does it matter? I would like to start with two questions: 1. Are you a chicken, or are you a pig? 2. What does that question have to do with the study of worship? I’ll come back to that a little later. Stay tuned. The famous...Read More
In recent years there has been a proliferation of higher education degrees in worship studies. But why should we study worship at all? Let me begin with an explanation of what IWS is: IWS is a school of theology, specifically emphasizing the theology of worship. But what is theology? The etymology of the word would...Read More
“I have sewn sackcloth over my skin, And laid my head in the dust.” (Job 16:15 NKJV) Today is Ash Wednesday, which marks the beginning of the season of Lent. God calls us to observe a holy Lent through assessment, penitence, discipline and renewal, using the classical church practices of prayer, fasting and almsgiving. Historically, the Church...Read More
The August 2022 Edition of the IWS Community Newsletter: Student, alumni, and faculty news, photos from graduation, articles from staff and faculty, and more!Read More
IWS Professor Dr. Constance Cherry’s award-winning The Worship Architect: A Blueprint for Designing Culturally Relevant and Biblically Faithful Services (Baker Academic) has been updated and expanded. The enhancements in this second edition include new content on global worship and worshiping during a pandemic, major updates related to worship styles and worship music, and more. As...Read More
Lou Kaloger, MWS Professor, preaches at Opening Convocation (January 1 2020) on the occasion of the Feast of the Holy Name. The readings were Numbers 6:22-27, Psalm 8, Galatians 4:4-7, and Luke 2:15-21.Read More
Dr. Dan Sharp's yearly Advent Devotional is now available! For those unfamiliar, after subscribing, you will receive in your email at 5 AM EST each morning that day's devotional. It consists of the pericope for the day, a short commentary on the passage often with contextual information, a link to music related to the content...Read More
