Symbol and Sacrament Through the Ages

Worship implements and acts have evolved over the centuries, sometimes causing confusion about what's "new" and what is "traditional." Here's a minicourse in worship history:

Sanctuary.  Early Christians, fearing persecution, met and worshipped in private homes and away from town, standing or sitting in fields, on hillsides or along grottoes. With the introduction of church pews in the Middle Ages, worship became more sedentary. The Cross.  It first appeared in Christian houses of worship and on altars in the fourth century, often adorned with a lamb. The crucifix (portrayal of Christ on the cross) didn't appear until the end of the seventh century. Holy communion  (or the Eucharist).  The earliest Christians celebrated the Lord's Supper in the context of a family-style meal or at times with a foot-washing ceremony. By the 12th century, services developed around the bread and the cup, with worshipers passing the bread and cup among themselves. Later, the Eucharist was celebrated in a more formal context, with clergy administering the elements to worshipers. Music.  The first Christians sang hymns and psalms of praise, sometimes responsively or with accompaniment. Although women cantors and choirs were common in biblical times, some groups did - and still do - forbid women to lead worship. Saint Augustine, in the fourth and fifth centuries, considered banning music as a "dangerous pleasure." The pipe organ was introduced during the Reformation. Service.  The early church instructed Christians to say the Lord's Prayer three times a day. Lectionaries were used as early as the fourth century. According to our own denominational history, the 1844 Methodist Discipline suggested orders of service for morning and evening prayers.

- From A Brief History of Christian Worship by James F. White.