Introduction To Drama In Worship

Important in worship are not only the arts that we hear (music) and see (the visual arts), but also the arts that involve both seeing and hearing (drama and dance). These arts are complex and challenging, both to the artist and to the worshiper. They communicate messages at many levels, either by presenting an idea or image or by representing a significant event or narrative. Careful reflection and instruction is necessary to insure that artist and worshiper alike understand the appropriate role of drama and dance in worship and the unique language of each art that allows it to fill that role. The following entries present arguments for the inclusion of these arts in worship, along with guidelines for their appropriate use and examples of each that can be used and adapted in local congregations. Moments of heightened awareness, slowed or accelerated in pace and characterized by tension or pathos, are the small dramas of everyday life. Drama is part of living; it is also an inevitable part of worship. The liturgy itself has a dramatic quality, featuring dialogue between God and his people and heightening the worshipers' awareness of God's presence. In addition, drama in worship may recreate an important scriptural narrative or portray a scene from modern life that elicits or requires a scriptural response. Entries in this section give some historical background regarding the relationship of drama and worship, describe various types of drama appropriate for worship, and offer guidance for developing drama ministries in the congregation.

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