The disciples at the Lord's table: Prayers over bread and cup across 150 years of Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) worship

About The Disciples at Table! The Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) is about to enter its third century of worship, evangelism and Christian worship. This book is a snapshot of their table practice: its origins, forms, prayers, and ecumenical development. Single-minded pioneers and advocates of Eucharistic Table fellowship each Sunday, the Disciples forged a unique experience of worship within the restorationist paradigm. What did this worship look like? A free tradition, explicitly "non-liturgical," these Christian communities were open to the directives of the Scriptures and the inspiration of the Spirit. There were no official texts. Yet there was a plethora of worship books and aids, in effect unofficial texts, operating to guide, inform and develop the Disciples' understanding of the Lord's Table and their worship. For the first time these devotional books have been uncovered and studied, revealing something of the deeper influences behind Disciples practice, the common lines of thought and ritual that unknowingly bind the communities, and the difficulties that have emerged in light of ongoing ecumenical worship and research. Endorsements & Reviews "By promoting a free style of worship, the Disciples of Christ have appealed to many people of faith who struggle to fit their beliefs into a structured liturgy. Yet even freedoms tend to cohere over time. This book will enlighten those seeking to know about trends in worship services that balance tradition and ecumenism with creativity and sincerity. Moore makes a solid contribution to the history and future of Christian prayer." --Paul Turner, Pastor, St. Anthony Catholic Church, Former President, North American Academy of Liturgy "In the early days of the Stone-Campbell movement, worship was theologically grounded. Those theological foundations seemed to have gotten lost in practice through succeeding generations.