Essentials of Worship

In 1964, Jerzey Grotowski, theatre theorist and stage director, wrote an essay titled, “Theatre’s New Testament,” where he briefly attempts to describe what he believes is “essential” to theatre. First, he outlines the many different interpretations made by various people involved with theatre- academics see it as a written text, common audiences as entertainment, “culture seekers” desire to experience certain emotions to give them self-satisfaction. And then, of course, there are actors who think of theatre as all about them, designers who think it is about them, directors who think they are the most important, and producers who, because they provide the money, believe they are the essential element to theatre.

He then states, “the number of definitions of theatre is practically unlimited. To escape from this vicious circle one must without doubt eliminate, no add. That is, one must ask oneself what is indispensable to theatre.” He then goes on to eliminate those things which are not essential to theatre: costumes and sets, musical accompaniment, lighting effects, even a text (for theatre can be improvised).

Grotowski states, “But can theatre exist without actors? I know of no example of this… Can the theatre exist without an audience? At least one spectator is needed to make it a performance. So we are left with the actor and the spectator. We can thus define the theatre as ‘what takes place between the spectator and actor.’” The only thing required, is some common ground the spectator and actor share, “something they can either dismiss in one gesture or jointly worship.”

Can we do this exercise with Christian worship as well? What is essential to our worship? Scripts of bulletins, prayers, and creeds? No. Hymns and other songs? No. Vestments, beautiful spaces, religious images? No. We can, and Christians have for centuries, worship without any or all of these things. What is essential are worshipers, the performers in our analogy, our three-in-one audience, God, and the common ground being that of a story of salvation in Christ.