Dimensions of Baptism Biblical and Theological Studies

336 Dimensions of Baptism

towards such a future reality.^9 From within the reformed tradition, J.-J.

von Allmen claims that:

by its worship the church becomes itself, becomes conscious of itself, and

confesses itself as a distinct entity. Worship thus allows the church to

emerge in its true nature.^10

He argues that ekklesia in the New Testament was probably used to refer

to the Christian community because of its use in the LXX to translate the

Hebrew qdhdl From this he argues that the assembly of Israel was primar-

ily a liturgical assembly and that we must similarly understand ekklesia.

He commends and cites P. Brunner:

Church worship, as an assembly in the name of Jesus, of the Christian

community, is what might be described as the true manifestation of the

church on earth. The occurrence of such a meeting is the epiphany of the

church.^11

In studying the Church and its worship, it is important to distinguish

between the actuality of the Church's life and its vocation or aspirations,

particularly in examining the function of worship in relation to the nature

of the Church. It is the eschatological perspective which enables us to see

worship as not only an embodiment or expression of the Church but as an

instrument for its sanctification, a means by which it might, through grace,

become more truly itself. As Geoffrey Wainwright remarks,

For the Christian community, meaning is in the making: life is oriented

towards God's ultimate purpose, and history-making is the way to the

attainment of that purpose for both individuals and humanity as a whole;

the most characteristic Christian rituals are therefore predominantly trans-

formative in character, actions that signify divine grace coming to begin

and continue the shaping of active recipients into the people God is calling

them to become. Christian ritual is thus marked by eschatological tension.^12

9. So Kelleher, 'Liturgy', p. 493, explains, 'Both individual and collective sub-
   jects, communities, mediate themselves by their living. In other words, in their choices,
   decisions, and actions they both manifest and create a self. This means that every
   assembly engaged in liturgical action is also involved in the process of mediating itself.
   Since liturgical assemblies are particular realizations of the church, the church itself is
   being mediated.'


10. J.-J. von Allmen, Worship: Its Theology and Practice, (London: Lutterworth,
    1965), p. 42.


11. Allmen, Worship, p. 43.


12. Geoffrey Wainwright, Doxology: The Praise of God in Worship, Doctrine and
    Life (London: Epworth, 1980), p. 121.