--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Liturgy is the means that the church uses…" description: "\"“Liturgy is the means that the church uses to keep baptized Christians in living touch with the entire living holy community as it participates formati..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f8a/eugene-h-peterson-1745_christianity_liturgy-is-the-means-that-the-church-use_3002545.png" --- # Liturgy is the means that the church uses to keep baptized… ![“Liturgy is the means that the church uses to keep baptized Christians in living touch with the entire living holy community as it participates formationally in Holy Scripture. I want to use the word 'liturgy' to refer to this intent and practice of the church insofar as it pulls everything in and…” quote by Eugene H. Peterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f8a/eugene-h-peterson-1745_christianity_liturgy-is-the-means-that-the-church-use_3002545.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f8a/eugene-h-peterson-1745_christianity_liturgy-is-the-means-that-the-church-use_3002545.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f8a/eugene-h-peterson-1745_christianity_liturgy-is-the-means-that-the-church-use_3002545.png) > ““Liturgy is the means that the church uses to keep baptized Christians in living touch with the entire living holy community as it participates formationally in Holy Scripture. I want to use the word 'liturgy' to refer to this intent and practice of the church insofar as it pulls everything in and out of the sanctuary into a life of worship, situates everything past and present coherently as participation in the revelation written for us in Scripture. Instead of limiting liturgy to the ordering of the community in discrete acts of worship, I want to use it in this large and comprehensive way, the centuries-deep and continents-wide community, spread out in space and time, as Christians participate in actions initiated and formed by the words in this book - our entire existence understood liturgically, that is connectedly in the context of the three personal Father, Son, and Holy Spirit and furnished with the text of the Holy Scripture.”” [Eugene H. Peterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-h-peterson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A theological exposition that liturgy is the ongoing, communal participation in Scripture, uniting past, present, and future believers. **In simple terms:** Liturgy connects all believers through worship and Scripture. Key Takeaway Engage fully in communal worship to experience unity. Themes faith community scripture Mood reverent thoughtful Type theological educational When to use this quote - church services - Bible study groups - spiritual retreats - interdenominational events - personal devotion Key Concepts theology ecclesiology Questions to Reflect On - How does liturgy shape your personal faith? - In what ways can worship be more inclusive? A Different Perspective Risk of abstract language alienating laypeople. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Christianity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christianity/) [Church](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/church/) [Community](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/community/) [Holy spirit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/holy-spirit/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Liturgy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/liturgy/) [Past and present](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/past-and-present/) [Prayer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prayer/) [Space and time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/space-and-time/) [Spiritual reading](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spiritual-reading/) [Worship](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/worship/) ## Related quotes > [“Liturgy puts us to work along with all the others who have been and are being put to work in the world by and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-h-peterson/liturgy-puts-us-to-work-along-with-all-the-others-who-have-been-and/) [Eugene H. Peterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-h-peterson/) > [“It is useful to reflect that the word 'liturgy' did not originate in church or worship settings. In the Greek world it referred to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-h-peterson/it-is-useful-to-reflect-that-the-word-liturgy-did-not-originate-in/) [Eugene H. Peterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-h-peterson/) > [“Liturgy gathers the holy community as it reads the Holy Scriptures into the sweeping tidal rhythms of the church year in which the story…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-h-peterson/liturgy-gathers-the-holy-community-as-it-reads-the-holy-scriptures/) [Eugene H. Peterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-h-peterson/) > [“The task of liturgy is to order the life of the holy community following the text of Holy Scripture. It consists of two movements.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-h-peterson/the-task-of-liturgy-is-to-order-the-life-of-the-holy-community/) [Eugene H. Peterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-h-peterson/) > [“What we are after is first noticing and then participating in the way the large world of the Bible absorbs the much smaller world…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-h-peterson/what-we-are-after-is-first-noticing-and-then-participating-in-the-way/) [Eugene H. Peterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-h-peterson/) > [“Paul Ricoeur has wonderful counsel for people like us. Go ahead, he says, maintain and practice your hermaneutics of suspicion. It is important to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-h-peterson/paul-ricoeur-has-wonderful-counsel-for-people-like-us-go-ahead-he/) [Eugene H. Peterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-h-peterson/) > [“Not that the study is not important. A Jewish rabbi I once studies with would often say, 'For us Jews studying the bible is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-h-peterson/not-that-the-study-is-not-important-a-jewish-rabbi-i-once-studies/) [Eugene H. Peterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-h-peterson/) > [“Obedience is the thing, living in active response to the living God. The most important question we ask of this text is not, 'What…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-h-peterson/obedience-is-the-thing-living-in-active-response-to-the-living-god/) [Eugene H. Peterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-h-peterson/) > [“To pay no attention to health of body but only that of soul. To plan day on arising and evening examination of conscience. More…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-day/to-pay-no-attention-to-health-of-body-but-only-that-of-soul-to-plan/) [Dorothy Day](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-day/) > [Don't consider me too demanding if I ask you once again to set great store by holy books and read them as much as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pio-of-pietrelcina/don-t-consider-me-too-demanding-if-i-ask-you-once-again-to-set-great/) [Pio of Pietrelcina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pio-of-pietrelcina/) > [Spiritual reading is a regular, essential part of the life of prayer, and particularly is it the support of adoring prayer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evelyn-underhill/spiritual-reading-is-a-regular-essential-part-of-the-life-of-prayer/) [Evelyn Underhill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evelyn-underhill/) > [Only God knows the good that can come about by reading one good Catholic book.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bosco/only-god-knows-the-good-that-can-come-about-by-reading-one-good/) [John Bosco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bosco/) > [“There is another reason also why the soul has traveled safely in this obscurity; it has suffered: for the way of suffering is safer,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saint-john-of-the-cross/there-is-another-reason-also-why-the-soul-has-traveled-safely-in-this/) Saint John of the Cross > [“Spiritual reading, therefore, is slow, deliberate, meditative reading in which we allow the words to penetrate our heart and question our spirit.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-j-m-nouwen/spiritual-reading-therefore-is-slow-deliberate-meditative-reading-in/) [Henri J.M. Nouwen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-j-m-nouwen/) > [“Only God knows the good that can come about by reading one good Catholic book.” — St. John Bosco”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/st-john-bosco/only-god-knows-the-good-that-can-come-about-by-reading-one-good-2/) St. John Bosco ## More by Eugene H. Peterson > [“Forget about deciding what’s right for each other. Here’s what you need to be concerned about: that you don’t get in the way of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-h-peterson/forget-about-deciding-what-s-right-for-each-other-here-s-what-you/) [Eugene H. Peterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-h-peterson/) > [Like a child exploring the attic of an old house on a rainy day, discovering a trunk full of treasure and then calling all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-h-peterson/like-a-child-exploring-the-attic-of-an-old-house-on-a-rainy-day/) [Eugene H. Peterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-h-peterson/) > [“Liturgy gathers the holy community as it reads the Holy Scriptures into the sweeping tidal rhythms of the church year in which the story…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-h-peterson/liturgy-gathers-the-holy-community-as-it-reads-the-holy-scriptures/) [Eugene H. Peterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-h-peterson/) > [“The core message of the gospel is that God invades us with new life, but the setting for this is most often in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-h-peterson/the-core-message-of-the-gospel-is-that-god-invades-us-with-new-life/) [Eugene H. Peterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-h-peterson/) > [“Liturgy puts us to work along with all the others who have been and are being put to work in the world by and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-h-peterson/liturgy-puts-us-to-work-along-with-all-the-others-who-have-been-and/) [Eugene H. Peterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-h-peterson/) > [“At day’s end I’m ready for sound sleep, For you, GOD, have put my life back together.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-h-peterson/at-day-s-end-i-m-ready-for-sound-sleep-for-you-god-have-put-my-life/) [Eugene H. Peterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-h-peterson/) > [I think pastors are the worst listeners. We're so used to speaking, teaching, giving answers. We must learn to be quiet, quit being so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-h-peterson/i-think-pastors-are-the-worst-listeners-we-re-so-used-to-speaking/) [Eugene H. Peterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-h-peterson/) > [“When I look for help in developing my pastoral craft and nurturing my pastoral vocation, the one century that has the least to commend…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-h-peterson/when-i-look-for-help-in-developing-my-pastoral-craft-and-nurturing-my/) [Eugene H. Peterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-h-peterson/) > [Religion is a very scary thing, because a pastor is in a position of power. And if you use that power badly, you ruin…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-h-peterson/religion-is-a-very-scary-thing-because-a-pastor-is-in-a-position-of/) [Eugene H. Peterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-h-peterson/) > [The vocation of pastor(s) has been replaced by the strategies of religious entrepreneurs with business plans.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-h-peterson/the-vocation-of-pastor-s-has-been-replaced-by-the-strategies-of/) [Eugene H. Peterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-h-peterson/) > [Repentance is a realization that what God wants from you and what you want from God are not going to be achieved by doing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-h-peterson/repentance-is-a-realization-that-what-god-wants-from-you-and-what-you/) [Eugene H. Peterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-h-peterson/) > [It's essential for us to develop an imagination that is participatory. Art is the primary way in which this happens. It's the primary way…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-h-peterson/it-s-essential-for-us-to-develop-an-imagination-that-is-participatory/) [Eugene H. Peterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-h-peterson/) > [“My uncle Ernie didn't believe in God. At least that's what he said. But he always Went to church on Christmas. Which I thought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-h-peterson/my-uncle-ernie-didn-t-believe-in-god-at-least-that-s-what-he-said-but/) [Eugene H. Peterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-h-peterson/) > [You don't make your words true by embellishing them with religious lace. In making your speech sound more religious, it becomes less true.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-h-peterson/you-don-t-make-your-words-true-by-embellishing-them-with-religious/) [Eugene H. Peterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-h-peterson/) > [“And the remainder of the Message details God’s intricate and loving plan to redeem, restore, and reconcile creation back to himself after what happened…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-h-peterson/and-the-remainder-of-the-message-details-god-s-intricate-and-loving/) [Eugene H. Peterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-h-peterson/) [Explore all 210 Eugene H. Peterson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-h-peterson/) ## More Christianity quotes > [Christianity was never meant to be defined by its disciplines, but by its passions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-johnson/christianity-was-never-meant-to-be-defined-by-its-disciplines-but-by/) [Bill Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-johnson/) > [I think, here's what I've realized from interviewing people, and I've been very open about my Catholicism and my love of Christ and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-mohr/i-think-here-s-what-i-ve-realized-from-interviewing-people-and-i-ve/) [Jay Mohr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-mohr/) > [“God hates Hell. He hates the idea of people going there. 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Instead of limiting liturgy to the ordering of the community in discrete acts of worship, I want to use it in this large and comprehensive way, the centuries-deep and continents-wide community, spread out in space and time, as Christians participate in actions initiated and formed by the words in this book - our entire existence understood liturgically, that is connectedly in the context of the three personal Father, Son, and Holy Spirit and furnished with the text of the Holy Scripture.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Eugene H. 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