In reply to James Gibbs.

I appreciate your thoughts presented here and I myself have often shared this type of comment arising from our confessional documents which clearly state that specific forms of worship cannot be required. In our present day, however, I think we take this statement of the confessions a little too severely, forgetting that the position the Reformers had taken was one forced upon them by the RCs who were demanding that the forms of the RC Church were required and could not be deviated from. The reformers were arguing from a position of cleansing the church of practices which were harmful. In our modern circumstances we are faced with all sorts of attacks on the liturgical practices – often by individuals who would take things much too far. Though the statement that “worship practices cannot be required” is still true, it is also true that we should not jettison practices which have served the church well without good reason and certainly not unless there is something better to put in its place. Far too many clergymen have used this statement to monkey around with the liturgy and caused more harm than good. I would add to this statement that no specific practice or format of worship may be required” -- we should not so quickly toss out the covering and clothing of the church as so many rags without giving a fair consideration of the treasures they represent and the value the still retain. It is neither wise, prudent nor a salutary thing to do.