POV - oral culture/liturgical church

Our first culture was oral, based in the spoken word. The air was filled not by radio waves or the instant connections of cyberspace but by human voices: person to person. Oral communication is not only about speaking but also about hearing: not reading the printed word, watching television or movies, or visiting a Web site. In fact, the ancient Hebrews considered understanding to be a type of hearing. - Rex Miller, “The Millenium Matrix” pg 19.

Imagine a world without the constant buzz of airplanes above; without the sputtering of automobiles across the highways; without books and newspapers to read; without the Internet to surf. This is the world in which Jesus of Nazareth lived, a world that birthed Christianity, a world that is hard for many of us to imagine.

This world was fundamentally different than the one in which we live today, where spoken word was the main form of communication. Yes, yes… there were alphabets, written language and scrolls documenting things, but these luxury’s could only be afforded to the wealthy and educated, a unique minority. Reading and writing was not for the common people, the poor and the ignorant. In this era news was communicated through proclamations in the town square, history was told by chief storytellers using symbolic images, metaphors and allegories, and entertainment was given through plays and theatrical performances.

Knowing this, we must re-frame our perspective of church, faith, and truth, because our T.R.E.E. of understanding is much different then that of our religious patriarchs. In his book, “The Millennium Matrix,” Rex Miller has put together a timeline of communication evolution, offering the differences in each era and how these differences direct how we define our immediate reality. The following is my regurgitation of his thoughts on the characteristics of Oral Culture/Liturgical Church:

Truth is Relational: The truth and the truth giver are intimately connected, the credibility of the message was based entirely on the credibility of the messenger. Hence why killing the bearer of bad news was not abnormal.

Faith is Trust: Faith is not based on conscience or an “internal voice or compass” but rather on the voice of God or one of his prophets. The New Testament buffets this claim, see Romans 10:17, “faith comes through hearing… hearing through word of Christ.”

The Community of Faith: In community, right belief (orthodoxy) is secondary to the action of loyalty and faithfulness.

Worship Service: Liturgy, a ceremony centered on ritual and using symbols, sacraments and signs to create a mystical event. Escatological reference - this is the foundation for the Pharisee’s belief (as well as some Christians today) that right living will usher in end times… or put another way - they are always looking for “end” cause and effect signs. (in my opinion, this option leaves us looking at the stars and waiting on God to move, rather than living our lives in response to God’s movements).

Worship Styles: Chant and Psalm.

Church Architecture: Sacred places are physical expressions of heavenly reality. Examples include Gothic architecture, where cathedrals were intricate constructs designed to bring heaven’s story, order, awe, and mystery to earth. As a illiterate peasent, you could see how these massive and beautiful creations would bring about an emotional response, the stained glass windows, the sculptures, the mosaics, the cross in the layout all told a story, proclaimed a narrative, and led many to the saving grace found in Jesus.

Shifts in Morality: Teachings were rooted in wisdom, knowledge found in experience and history. Wisdom is rooted in relationship, thereby, circumventing the logical process found in A+B=C… (wisdom gets to the solution rather than being bogged down in the process).

There is much more to digest in this re-framing, but the preceding characteristics are a great beginning place to re-think our perspective on truth, faith, church and community. Next, I will be looking at the print revolution, which started around 1500 A.D. with the invention of the Gutenberg Printing Press. Cool.