Today in South Africa, we celebrate a holiday known as “Heritage Day”. It’s a special moment for this ‘Rainbow Nation’ to recognise and enjoy our cultural diversity, embracing our difference as an asset, rather than a liability. In order to do this work well, it requires us to look back - to remember where have come from, individually, as separate communities, and together as a nation - in order to look ahead to a new, connected future. It is an opportunity to remember the miracle of this nation, and to allow our shared journey to give us hope for the years ahead.
In the world of today, the idea of having a ‘heritage’ is seldom considered very deeply, and in some cases it’s even thought of as an obstacle to growth, progress or living a full and independent life. As we grow more and more enamoured of youth, and more and more consumed by the newest bright shiny objects, it’s easy to feel that the old ways, the old ideas and the old people who preserve them are just getting in the way. But, we disconnect from our heritage at great expense. When we remember where we come from, when we embrace the wisdom and traditions of the past, when we honour and listen to our elders, we are given the insight, the grounding and the stamina to grow, to embrace the new and to live fully, while avoiding the trap of shallow, short-term expediency. Embracing our heritage is not an obstacle to innovation and life. It is a necessary ingredient.
The same is true of our worship. It’s tempting to throw out old ‘traditions’ as dry and lifeless, and many churches - whether independent, contemporary, charismatic, mainline or emergent - make this mistake. We easily embrace new technologies, new musical genres, new movements and new ideas for growth, while laughing quietly at the elders who resist these innovations. Yet, our worship has become shallow, entertainment-driven and gimmicky - with the result that many frustrated people of faith are leaving the church. We throw out our worship heritage at our own risk.
There are many valuable gifts that we can receive from our Christian heritage in worship. The intimate silences of the contemplatives, the joyful experiences of the Pentecostals, the tried and tested practices of the liturgical churches, the music of the Gospel choirs, the arts and icons of the Catholic and Orthodox churches - all are part of our Christian heritage. The diversity of spiritual experiences and worship practices is a strength, not a weakness. The traditions of these various branches of the Church are all avenues into transforming encounter with God, if we will only embrace them. The practices we learn from our Christian heritage give us roots and depth that ensure that we are not just driven by the latest spiritual fashions, but are immersed in the timeless wisdom of our faith.
So, as we celebrate our heritage today, let’s also celebrate our Christian heritage. Let’s embrace our diversity and honour one another for the different gifts we bring. And let’s worship in ways that allow our heritage to lead us into deep and transforming encounter with God.
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John van de Laar is a Methodist minister, liturgical consultant and the author of the book Food for the Road – Life Lesson from the Lord’s Table. He holds a Master’s Degree in theology from UNISA, and is the founder of Sacredise.com, an international worship training and resourcing ministry. John is married to Debbie, and they have two sons.
Visit www.sacredise.com for more articles by John, as well as resources for personal and public worship – music, prayers, liturgies, images and drama scripts.