Message From the Dean of the School of Theology

Thanks for visiting Worship Arts Conference 2008 website!

Last year we celebrated both our University Centennial (1906-2006) as well as our inaugural Worship Arts Conference with Michael Card, focusing on the theme "Lament: Passion and Praise in a Minor Key." God is indeed with the lowly and mournful.

This year our theme is "Worship and Justice." If Mark Labberton (The Dangerous Act of Worship) is correct, God is mightily displeased when his people walk away from worship encounters with the living God . . . and no one is changed by the experience. He asks, "Why do Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego choose fire over idolatry? They know where the real danger lies. They understand that God brooks no rivals. It is better to die than to bow down before anyone or anything than Yahweh." It may be that the real "worship war" in USAmerica may be God fighting against his people to transform them into salt and light for the world and keep them from becoming idolatrous, mirrors turned in only on themselves (to borrow an image from Bishop N.T. Wright).

God in Christ is already "making all things new" (Rev. 21:5) and the church is to be his hands and feet in preaching good news and bringing "higher righteousness" (Matt. 5:17) to the nations. "Rise up, O Men and Women of God," Jesus says to his church today. Or as David Ruis (The Worship God is Seeking) writes, "Let worship and justice kiss!"

Please join a powerful group of speakers and musicians as we reflect on the essential intersection between worship and justice.

Let Worship and Justice kiss!

John Hurtgen, Dean, School of Theology, jehurtgen@campbellsville.edu