So how did ancient synagogues function?
In what ways is that similar/dissimilar to what we see in the early church?
And for those of you who really don't care about any of this:
Synagogues (literally, assemblies... like ekklesia it is a gathering of the people not a building) began during the Babylonian captivity. With the temple destroyed and the people in captivity the Rabbis of the day came up with a way for the people of God to have worship gatherings without the temple. Initially, these gatherings began as meetings in homes and then as they grew and became more established they built their own buildings, appointed elders to lead the gatherings, and hired rabbis to teach them and their children. Eventually, each community had its own synagogue with it's own elders and rabbis. Sound familiar?
These synagogue assemblies centred on the scriptures and prayer. Scriptures were read, a rabbi would explain the text, and debate/discussion would follow. Times of communal prayer also
took place. I have read nothing to indicate that music was a part of these synagogue gatherings but we all know how important the worship arts were to the people of Israel... that's for another
day.
Anyway, I don't know about you, but to me all of this sounds very similar to how the early church operated. [The picture is of the Synagogue in Capernaum]
So, how is this connected to our current discussion? In "Pagan Christianity" Viola makes the argument that the bulk of how we "do church" has its roots in Graeco-Roman paganism rather than in the scriptures. I would agree that much of how we do things is based on tradition and not the scriptures. But I'd say that today's church owes just as much (and I'd argue much more) to the Jewish synagogue than to pagan religions.
You guys are bright, intelligent people. What do you think?
What am I missing?
Do you know of other similarities (or dissimilarities) to synagogue worship?
Here's the newest trailer for the upcoming "Astro Boy" movie!
3 comments:
Astroboy looks like fun. We should get a bunch of people to go together.
So how is the church today like the ancient Jewish synagogue? Reading Scripture you say? Prayer you say? We were in a nice Saskatoon church on Sunday and there was very little prayer and no Scripture readings. What's with that? I know I'm a crabby old man, but back in the day we prayed and read Scripture in worship: a Psalm a Gospel and an Epistle. And we tried to develop biblical literacy.
Ha! You are a crabby old man:)
I tend to agree with you, though... but I also have to say that just because the Synagogues did it like that doesn't mean, well, ANYTHING!
What I'm saying is that the form of the Synagogue was hugely formative in the years of the early church. But, of course, when it comes right down to it we're left in the same place as before:
1. The Synagogue is descriptive, not prescriptive BECAUSE:
2. the Synagogue wasn't ever prescribed by God (that we can see in scriptures). It was started by men; we have no record that God asked them to do it at all, let alone in a specific way.
I don't think you'd argue with any of that, but I had no idea how else to respond to your crabby old comment:)
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