Word and Sacrament: Tracing the Theological Movements of Reformed Worship

Julie Erkel Hagee

Paul Galbreath, Word and Sacrament: Tracing the Theological Movements of Reformed Worship (Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press, 2024)

Reviewed by Julie Erkel Hagee

Baptismal life is messy. It is inescapably linked with the sign of death of the old in order to make room for the new life that comes as a gift of the Spirit (p.161).

I knelt on the floor in front of the class as my seminary professor generously poured water over my head in triplicate, soaking my head and drenching my clothes. While this was not a “real” baptism, the presence of the Holy Spirit was palpable. Once I was back in my seat, I shivered my way through the rest of the class, unable to identify where the chilling effects of the air conditioning ended and the animating movement of the Spirit began. I hold onto this memory with wonder, referring to it when I need to reconnect with the depth of meaning baptism provides.

I had a similar encounter when reading Word and Sacrament: Tracing the Theological Movements of Reformed Worship. In it, Paul Galbreath guides the reader through the history and theology of Reformed liturgy and dares to wonder about future ways of engaging Scripture, the Lord’s Supper, and baptism in today’s church. Holding historical analysis in one hand and openness to the Spirit in the other, the result is a text which unlocks deep understanding of our tradition while also challenging our practices in a truly reforming fashion.

Divided into three main parts, the book examines John Calvin’s influence on Reformed understanding of Word and sacrament, modern influences on the Reformed understanding of Word and sacrament, then finally delves into the future of Reformed worship and ponders how we should both celebrate and question the ways we have engaged with Word and sacrament in the past.

The comforting and structured nature of our liturgy and spiritual practices can be a buoy to us as we navigate a world of ever-growing polarization and ever-shifting culture. At the same time our liturgy must change and adapt to our ever-reforming theology. Galbreath wants to make sure we approach these changes “with our senses open to the beauty and suffering of the earth and our hearts and hands open to the poor” (p. 122). He argues that through the biblical text, God demonstrates a commitment to earth care and a preference for the poor that we should emulate in our liturgy and in our daily lives.

Galbreath contends that through this lens the elements of the Lord’s Supper cannot be separated from the actual physical needs of people facing food insecurity and baptismal water cannot be separated from the sacred nature of all water. Nor can our faith be pure spirituality without materiality. Our liturgical practice must guide us toward just and life-giving action in the world. This wondering dialectic can feel messy, but it is necessary in order to live out our baptismal life in Christ through the gift of the Spirit.

Fourteen years after my Introduction to Worship class in seminary, Galbreath has revivified my appreciation of the history of our Reformed rituals and opened my mind to wonder about how the future of our liturgy can get its hands dirty in our daily lives. This book has rightfully earned a permanent place on my bookshelf. I know I will refer to it often as I seek to teach and preach Word and sacrament in my congregation and come to times when reviving the wonder of these gifts of the church is necessary to its flourishing.