Simona Andreas- Church Visit #2

Simona Andreas- Church Visit #2
Church name: St. Peter and Paul Catholic Church
Church address: 36 N. Ellsworth, Naperville, IL 60540
Date attended: October 30, 2016
Church category: Tridentine Mass

Describe the worship service you attended. How was it similar to or different from your regular context?

The church I attend is a charismatic, small and contemporary, in contrast to this Catholic church I visited. The participation on the congregation's side was very minimal and all the practices, therefore,  seemed more distant to me. I noticed, that I've always been very external and outwardly in the way I worship God. In the church I usually go to, I don't feel still or peaceful, rather I experience a sort of stirring of my soul and spirit. While I enjoy that type of worship, I have always enjoyed Catholic and Orthodox services as moments of escape. I wouldn't prefer attending Catholic services weekly, but I recognize the beauty and simplistic complexity behind the rituals they offer.

How did the worship service illuminate for you the history and contours of global Christianity?

This Catholic service was very different from the masses we had in my Catholic high school. There were elements, which resulted in me realizing once again how various cultures and countries carry out their (same) beliefs very differently. Since this church visit was followed by the visit to an Orthodox church, I found myself comparing the two. Both these experiences highlighted the impact of church history and regional differences. Using Latin and Greek brings those who come to the service, closer to the Early church and therefore the tradition itself.  It is sad though that in the midst of cross-cultural conflict, the church has not stayed united, but has resulted in a divided body.


How did the worship service illuminate for you your personal identity as a Christian?

As mentioned already, I recognized my own tendencies in worship and praise. It was powerful to see that I, as a Christian, am part of a movement that has crossed borders of time and space. When observing the mass, I thought about the practices I take part of as a Christian. It illuminated to me the practices that I hold sacred and the practices I should abandon since they have no profound base. Overall, this church visit, as the last one, was uplifting and encouraging as I got to engage with other parts of the Church.

Kelsey Wall- Church Visit #2

Church name: St John Cantius Church

Church address: 825 N Carpenter St, Chicago, IL 60642

Date attended: 10/30/16

Church category: Tridentine Mass 

1. Describe the worship service you attended. How was it similar to or different from your regular context?

The mass, as with the Orthodox service, was overall more formal than my non-denomination upbringing and current church context. Though the service was formal, there was still a variety in people’s attire, with some men in suits and women with veils, and others with jeans and sweatshirts on. The church itself was absolutely beautiful, with immaculate stained glass windows and representations of the saints lining the boundaries of the church. The high mass, Latin service began with the priest entering in holding a large cross, followed behind by men with candles. Before entering the pew, each person touched his or her knee to the ground. The singing and prayers were done in Latin and the sermon, which was on the kingship of Christ, was in English, lasting only about 10 minutes. The taking of communion was the focus of the service, whereas the sermon is the climax and central focus in my church context. Furthermore, the choir singing was located at the back of the church on the second level, out of sight of the congregation.

2. How did the worship service illuminate for you the history and contours of global Christianity?

Having the opportunity to speak to the Father after the service aided greatly in illuminating the contours of global Christianity from this service. The priest explained the symbolism that pervaded the church, focusing particularly on the statues of the saints and significance of the items on their garments or at their feet. These symbols are reminders to how God worked in and through the saints and the way this should inspire us to live for Christ as well. In order to understand the importance of the figures and symbolism of a church, a knowledge of church history and saints is necessary. The physical church itself is beautiful, but the symbolism behind the physical space indicates the role tradition plays in the Tridentine mass. I know my experience in mass would have been all the more valuable had I understood the meaning of the icons and symbols during the service, rather than simply acknowledging their beauty.

3. How did the worship service illuminate for you your personal identity as a Christian?
Attending this Tridentine mass was a reminder of the way tradition unites the church community in such a unique way. When I worship at my non-denominational church, it is very individualized and I have a great deal of person freedom in the way I worship. In a mass like the one I attended at St. John’s, everyone is participating in the same actions of kneeling, standing, and doing the sign of the cross, which creates a sense of unity in the body of Christ. Furthermore, having the choir out of sight brought to my attentions how easily the worship leaders at the front of the church can distract from directing our worship to Christ. I found that after being better informed about the iconography, I saw the way the church symbolism draws one to pursue living a life for Christ. Many of the saints suffered and yet did not turn from Christ. The rich tradition does not remain stuck in the past, but plays a part in how I live out my faith right now.

                                                     

Kelly Bradley - Church Visit #2

Church name: St. Peter and Paul Catholic Church

Church address: 36 N. Ellsworth, Naperville, IL 60540

Date attended: October 30, 2016

Church category: Tridentine Mass

Describe the worship service you attended. How was it similar to or different from your regular context?

Like the Orthodox church that I visited a couple weeks ago, this worship service was much more formal than the church I usually attend. After we entered the sanctuary and sat down, the priest and deacons entered the sanctuary from the front, holding candles and walking up and down the aisle. They made their way to the front of the sanctuary, lit the incense, and came back down the center aisle sprinkling water on the congregation. For the remainder of the service, we alternated between standing and kneeling as the priest continued the mass. Since it was all in Latin, it was a little difficult to follow along, even with the prayer book, but even though I did not fully understand what was happening, there was a definite atmosphere of beauty and sacredness. The mass ended with communion, which I did not participate in.

How did the worship service illuminate for you the history and contours of global Christianity?

As a result of our class lecture on the 7th ecumenical council and the use of icons, I was much more aware of the images around me. While I have been in similar church buildings before, I have not been as attentive or aware of the significance of the icons, as well as the historical controversy that surrounds them. I thought it was especially interesting to think about them while trying to follow the mass in Latin, as it made me wonder if I was experiencing something similar to how uneducated Christians of old would have appreciated the communication through images. This experience helped me to understand the iconophilic position more fully. Even though I could not understand what was being said and prayed, I was surrounded with visual reminders of the life of Jesus, and that was a different way of encountering God than I have experienced before.

How did the worship service illuminate for you your personal identity as a Christian?

This service was somewhat difficult for me to sit through, because I felt like very much an observer of the worship rather than a participant in it. I found myself making many comparisons between the Orthodox Church visit where, even though I was an outsider, I felt very welcome and drawn into the corporate worship experience. These comparisons have made me think about how interesting it is that throughout history, so many people have known and worshiped the same God in so many different ways. I think that this worship service, along with the previous church visit, has given me a greater sense of appreciation for the way that as each Christian knows God individually and differently, as a Church we are able to know God more fully through each other. I have also been appreciative of the fact that at both church visits, we recited the Nicene Creed. Even though different traditions may have different ways of knowing and thinking about God, we do have a common statement of beliefs to keep us from getting off track, so we have the freedom for diversity within our unity.

Michael Morgan - Church Visit #2

Michael Morgan - Church Visit #2

Church name: St. Mary Catholic Church

Church address: 140 N. Oakwood Ave. West Chicago, IL 60185
Date attended: October 30, 2016

Church category: Tridentine Mass

Describe the worship service you attended. How was it similar to or different from your regular context?

            In most ways, this service was drastically different from my own. The most obvious difference would be language, as all but perhaps five minutes of the service was in Latin. Clearly, I think, Tridentine Mass is not as popular now as it used to be. There were only about 15 people in attendance, but, unlike the Greek Orthodox Church, almost all of them took communion. The structure (broadly speaking) was similar to my own church. We began with liturgy, moved to a sermon, and ended with communion (though I did not partake). The communion is clearly meant to take up a much larger part of the service than I am used to, as the preparation for communion took at least 15 or 20 minutes. Lastly, it was also different in that there was no worship music, not even hymns.

How did the worship service illuminate for you the history and contours of global Christianity?

            This service felt noticeably more familiar than the Orthodox visit to me. My father grew up Catholic, attending Latin Mass, so even personally it felt more relevant to my tradition. One aspect that illuminated the history of Christianity was the use of a dead language. The fact that we were listening to the same language that was spoken at the time of the Roman Empire was a connection which made me feel closer to Christian history. Moreover, the Immaculate Conception was mentioned so it was interesting to see that difference between my tradition and the Catholic tradition after 1854. The emphasis placed on the Eucharist once again help me to recognize that there are a multitude of valid ways that Christians can come to worship. By placing more emphasis on a single part of the service, it also shows differing underlying theologies as to how Christians commune with God in the present.

How did the worship service illuminate for you your personal identity as a Christian?

            This service made me recognize the ways in which I have been conditioned by my tradition to expect and respond to certain things in a church service. For example, I would be used to beginning with worship in order to emotionally prepare myself for the sermon. In Tridentine, however, the Eucharist was far more central and as a result the whole service felt different to me. Another way this service was illuminating for my personal Christian life is that I recognized the autonomy I have as a Christian within the Protestant church. It seems to me in Tridentine, since I do not know the language, I would be primarily subservient to the Bishop with respect to interpretation and theology. In this sense, I am glad that I have the ability to study and learn in my own language, but then again I recognize I may only believe this because I am a Protestant. 

Ashley Edwards--Church Visit #1

Church Name: St. Joseph’s Orthodox Church
Church Address:  412 Crescent St, Wheaton, IL 60187
Date attended: October 30, 2016
Church category: Orthodox Church


Describe the worship service you attended. How was it similar to or different from your regular context?


I was struck by the incorporation of all five senses in the worship service. The priest sang songs and then the congregation joined. Our voices filled the room with The Resurrection Troparia, three Little Litanies, the first three Antiphonies, the Alleluarion, and many more songs and provided an auditory experience. The smell of incense burning gave an olfactory experience. The icons gave a visual experience. The Eucharist gave a taste experience (it would have...I didn’t partake because they asked that only Orthodox Christians who had prepared themselves by fasting partake). Lighting and holding the candles and crossing oneself gave a tactile experience. People came all throughout the service. When I arrived, it was about one-third full, and when I left there were no seats available. At my church, coming late is considered disrespectful, but here it seemed perfectly acceptable. The structure of the service was interesting too. While it was very scheduled, people walked about as they pleased mid-service. My church is less formally scheduled, but people don’t typically walk around during the service time.


How did the worship service illuminate for you the history and contours of global Christianity?


It was interesting to see an American Eastern Orthodox service. I have been to Ukrainian Orthodox Churches in Ukraine and they are quite different from the one I attended today. The cultural influences at work in the congregation and service were clear. I consider this a good thing, because the church should be adapted, as far as is in keeping with biblical standards, to the community which it is serving. This service maintained much of the historical, more traditional Orthodox elements of worship, such as liturgical practices, but was a lot less formal than what I have previously been exposed to. Only one family wore head-coverings, while in Ukraine you cannot get in the door without one. Some of the priests were dressed in yellow robes and red sashes, but some were in khakis and button down shirts. The atmosphere was much lighter here, as is customary to the relatively informal American culture. Nonetheless, there was a beautiful reverence characteristic of Orthodoxy. This is one aspect of the Orthodox church that I really appreciate, because I think in some Protestant circles it is easy to walk into church without feeling we are in a place that demands respect and quietude of spirit. I think the Orthodox church is admirable for its cultivation of this spirit.


How did the worship service illuminate for you your personal identity as a Christian?


I really enjoyed engaging my senses in worship. I am a tactile learner and I think this is something that is missing in the kinds of churches I typically go to. I was able to really be present in the act of worshiping God because my body was participating. It was calming and centering to take part in this service. I enjoyed the structure for its predictability and constancy. It was nice to participate in one voice as a congregation, lifting up songs that have been sung for centuries, joining in worship across chronology and geography. We said the Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed, which reminded me of the history of where we come from and the fact that my relationship with God is unique and my own, but also part of the larger picture of the story of Christianity.

Josiah Haas- Church Visit #2

Josiah Haas- Church visit #2

Church name: St. Mary Catholic Church

Church address: 140 N. Oakwood Ave. West Chicago, IL 60185
Date attended: October 30, 2016

Church category: Tridentine Mass

Describe the worship service you attended. How was it similar to or different from your regular context?

The worship service I attended was similar to my normal Evangelical Free church in a few ways. The service lasted just over an hour, which is very similar to the length I am used to. There was Scripture reading and a very short sermon in the middle, there was a collection of the offering, and at the end of the service there was communion. There were also many obvious differences however; for the most part the service was in Latin, and I couldn’t actually understand what was going on. The majority of the service was liturgy done by the Father/Vicar instead of a lengthy sermon that I am used to. Also, there was no music in this service, whereas in a typical church service for me there will be at least twenty minutes of worshipping through music and singing. Finally, there was so much standing up, kneeling, and sitting down throughout the course of the service that I normally would not do in church.

How did the worship service illuminate for you the history and contours of global Christianity?

This worship service made me remember how influential the Latin language was in the church. Through Latin, the church was able to spread to much of the west, and Latin was the language used in Catholic churches for hundreds of years. Through this, I was able to get a glimpse of the global church because even when I think of Catholicism I only think of it in the American context. However, in respect to the history of the church, American Catholicism is very small. Just to be at a church speaking Latin showed me how far back the church goes, because there are very few settings where Latin would still be spoken. Also, having no worship music reminded me of how contemporary and modernized my church is. This illuminated that that specific style of musical worship is not the only way to praise God, because people have been doing it differently for hundreds of years.

How did the worship service illuminate for you your personal identity as a Christian?

This worship service definitely made me identify strongly as an Evangelical Christian and not as a Catholic. It helped me see some similarities I have to Catholics, because as a kid I basically was taught that they are not Christians or only Christians in name. It was helpful to see similar aspects to our faith in reading God’s Word and confessing to Him and taking communion. However, it made me identify even stronger as an evangelical since there were many aspects of the service that were foreign to me. For example, at the end of the service there was a liturgy hailing Mary and asking her to pray for the people in the service. Also, there were two large statues of Mary in the room compared to a very small one of Jesus on the cross. I have never prayed to Mary or venerated her, and statues like that would not be found in my church, so I was reminded of my protestant beliefs that do not elevate Mary in the same way that the Catholic church does.

Freddy Sanchez - Orthodox Church Visit

Name: Freddy Sanchez
Church name: St. Peter and St. Paul Orthodox Church
Church address: 6980 S. County Line Road Burr Ridge, IL 60527
Date attended: 10/23/16
Church Category: Orthodox

The service I attended was very dissimilar to my home church. As I walked into the service, there was a potent smell of incense. Candles were lit and we began with the divine liturgy. It was interesting to see how the divine liturgy was carried out, as I read the divine liturgy book I noticed that the actions of what the priest would do at that moment came up. If it said, he would kiss the altar then he would. If it said, he would walk and kneel before the image of Christ he would. My church doesn’t have a liturgy. The band at my church is also on the stage which is in front of the sanctuary, here the front of the sanctuary was filled with wooden artwork displaying many Biblical images. There were also many flowers and large candles that took up the space at the forefront.

 It was a very enlightening experience to be a part of such a historically-rich filled atmosphere. The images and artwork that surrounded me forced me to go back in time and catch a glimpse of the many narratives of the Bible. From the crosses on the pews to the dome of the ceiling I saw these stories vividly captured through numerous art forms. I was able to see the nativity of Christ, the flight to Egypt, the crucifixion, and the ascension of Jesus Christ. It seemed as if everything that took place had a deeper meaning to it. For instance, the bread that was chosen was leavened, I was told that the reason for this was to reveal the theological implication of Jesus rising from the dead since the bread rises as it is being baked. The service also gave me a visual for how ancient our faith is; it shows the stories that have lasted for generations.

My personal identity as a Christian has expanded to a much more thankful one. Everywhere I looked I saw a “great cloud of witnesses” (Heb. 12:1) surrounding me. I saw John the Baptist, Peter, Paul, Basil, Mary, Michael the Archangel, and the believers who were next to me in their pews all around me. It felt as if we were all with God. With such a visual I felt more confident in myself as a Christian. If all of these historical figures are real, then they must be cheering for me as I continue in my walk with Jesus Christ. It also gave me a vision for what to look forward to and hope in after this life. I have been given such a wonderful opportunity and inheritance to be in the position to follow Christ and what He has called me to do. My identity as a Christian was continuously brought back to the foundation of when I first believed. 

Cade McDonald- Church Visit #1

Church name: Holy Transfiguration Christian Orthodox Church

Church address: 28W770 Warrenville Road, Warrenville, IL 60555

Date attended: 10/22/16

Church category: Orthodox Church

The service I went to was a Saturday night Great Vespers. The service began with singing and there was much singing all throughout of Psalms and prayers. At one point in the service the priest brought out what looked like a swinging chain that was spraying incense. The priest got up for the homily and spoke on the authority of the Church. After the homily, the congregation sang a few more songs and prayers. We concluded with the Lord’s Prayer and the service was over. This is very different from my regular worship context at a 200 person non-denominational church. First, there were only about twenty people at this service. Second, at my church we don't sing as much or follow a liturgy from a book. Additionally, at my church home we don't have icons adorning the room. The sermon seemed to be pretty similar to my normal context, however. 

This worship service illuminated to me the history and contours of global Christianity because it made me realize that even though I had never seen a service like this, there are many Christians all over the world who are worshipping like this today. Furthermore, there's not just a lot of Christians today who worship like this, but there have been many Christians throughout history who have worshipped like this dating back to the Middle Ages. Lastly, in the sermon the pastor referenced the Reformation and a couple of doctrines that have flown from it that he believes to be damaging. This awakened me to the reality of how big of a deal the Reformation actually was and that it truly impacted global Christianity. This also made me think about what a big deal the Great Schism must have been as well, even though I cannot as clearly see the effects of it based on my context and upbringing.

As far as identity goes, I was certainly a bit out of my comfort zone. I was the only Wheaton student there, so when the priest began speaking about the Reformation I felt like there was a target on my head as the only Reformed Christian in the room. However, I think my personal identity as a Reformed Christian was strengthened and established and I am grateful to be a child of the Reformation. On another note, I did feel very uncomfortable about some of the practices, such as the incense. But for the most part I was glad to sing along, pray, and listen to God’s Word. Ultimately I realized that I find more camaraderie with an Orthodox Christian who is passionate about the gospel than with a Protestant who is passionate about their Protestantism. 

Brendan Delany - Orthodox Church Visit

Church name: Holy Transfiguration Antiochian Orthodox Church

Church address: 28W770 Warrenville Road, Warrenville, IL 60555

Date attended: October 9, 2016

Church category: Orthodox Church

Describe the worship service you attended. How was it similar to or different from your regular context?

The church service that I attended was quite different than my regular context.  I normally attend College Church, so I'm not as far removed as a person who attends a service with contemporary worship and such (though I have attended those types of churches before - my church back home in Virginia is exactly that type), but even so I wasn't quite sure what to expect.  I had no idea that the sanctuary would have so much incense in it, and I didn't know that there would be so many images (icons?) displayed.  There was also much more call and response than I'm used to (though my dad is Catholic and I grew up going to Catholic church, so I'm not completely foreign to a lot of call and response).  Also, this call and response was often sung, which I'm not used to.  Another thing that surprised me is that it looked like the wine used for communion was some type of paste.  I wish that I would have asked the priest or one of the congregants after the service what it was.  One thing that really caught me off guard was that the congregants all kissed the cross at the end of the service.  This is another thing that I wish I would've asked about.

How did the worship service illuminate for you the history and contours of global Christianity?

The worship service helped me to get a glimpse of how the Orthodox Church developed.  I know that the Orthodox Church has largely kept many of the traditions that it began with (unlike many of the Protestant sects), so in a way I was able to participate in a service that was hundreds of years old.  Also, I had been to seemingly countless Catholic and Protestant services but never an Orthodox service, so I was certainly missing out on an experience of a large sect of Christianity.  Now, I understand much more (though there is still a lot to learn) about what the Orthodox Church tradition values.

How did the worship service illuminate for you your personal identity as a Christian?

I've never actually wanted to call myself a member of any sect of Christianity; rather, I just call myself a Christian in general - I feel that basically all churches have strayed in some ways.  Thus, going to this service gave me a chance to connect with God in a way that I hadn't done before but that I certainly still feel to be completely legitimate.  While I won't be "converting" to Orthodox Christianity, I do certainly feel like this church service grew me closer in my relationship to Him.  I think that reaching out to those in the body of Christ that you don't usually spend time with is a great way to grow in your faith.

Caleb Sprenger: Orthodox Church Visit

Caleb Sprenger: Orthodox Church Visit

October 9^th, 2016

The Greek Orthodox Church of St. Demetrios

893 Church Road

Elmhurst IL 60126

1)    During the Wheaton in the Holy Lands program I was able to observe a couple of Orthodox liturgies, so this was not my first time in an Orthodox setting. I even stood through a four-hour Greek liturgy from 12-4am at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre! The service itself was very similar to what I experienced in the Holy Lands, except with substantially more English and we were able to sit down at times. Also, there was a choir and a piano/organ which was definitely not a part of the orthodox liturgy I experienced on the trip. The entire service is sung and follows an exact script. For the most part it was only the priests actually saying the liturgy, with the audience occasionally joining them. There was a lot of incense and the lighting of candles which added to the sensory aspect of the service. There seemed to be various processions throughout the service where the kids holding crosses and lights walked around the room. This was very different from my non-denominational service I am accustomed to. The obvious differences included: Greek vs. English, communal worship through song vs. priest worship through song, preaching vs. liturgy, communion every month vs. communion every week, not-crossing yourself and crossing yourself, no-icons vs. icons and no-dome vs. a dome.

2)    This worship service, along with the Holy Lands trip, significantly changed my perspective of the global church. People are generally very skeptical of things that they are unaware of, and this certainly described how I felt about Eastern Orthodoxy. Through experiencing the community at St. Demetrios, I felt as though the congregation treated me as a brother in Christ and not an outsider. This was not the case in the Holy Lands, when an old woman actually screamed at me for being at their service! Therefore, I have mixed feelings about their hospitality as a church. (I do realize that many churches are not very welcoming and it is not just the eastern orthodox). One of the coolest things about Eastern Orthodoxy that I took for granted before studying church history in depth is their unification. Whereas the West has divided over and over, the East, for the most part, has stayed together. They have even had the same liturgy for 1500 years! How cool is that!

3)    This worship service challenged my conception of my personal identity as a Christian. It did so by challenging my thought that the Christian faith is an individualistic endeavor. Eastern Orthodoxy does not preach a “Jesus and me” gospel but rather stresses the communal faith of the church. Certainly I still believe that every individual needs to decide for themselves to follow Jesus, but sometimes I think individualism in my church context is not what the church is about. The liturgy itself speaks to the Orthodoxy’s commitment to community. In a sense, they participate with the church throughout history through the liturgy. They also devoted time after the service to spend time with one another in community, something that my church rather does.