Worship by Faith Alone - (Dynamics of Christian Worship) by Zac Hicks (Paperback)

About the Book

What does "gospel-centered" worship look like for today's church? Scholar, worship leader, and songwriter Zac Hicks contends that this idea can be found in Thomas Cranmer's theology of worship, which was shaped by the Protestant principle of justification by faith alone and reflected in his 1552 edition of the Book of Common Prayer.

Book Synopsis

What does "gospel-centered" worship look like for today's church? Scholar, worship leader, and songwriter Zac Hicks contends that this idea can be found in Thomas Cranmer's theology of worship, which was shaped by the Protestant principle of justification by faith alone and reflected in his 1552 edition of the Book of Common Prayer.

Review Quotes

"In Worship by Faith Alone, Zac Hicks brings together analysis of Cranmer's thought and Reformation liturgy with a deep concern for the health of modern worship. Useful to church leaders and students of worship and liturgy, Worship by Faith Alone offers readers a vision of worship that is gospel centered in word, action, and atmosphere, exemplifying the belief that history has relevance for the contemporary world."

"In an era obsessed with questions of worship style or the worshiper's positive experience, Zac Hicks's study of Thomas Cranmer reminds us that the more critical issue is how worship proclaims and participates in the gospel of Jesus Christ. I have long been concerned that much of the worship in this contemporary era has been ashamed of this gospel, not by overt rejection but by a more subtle-and equally disastrous-omission. Worship by Faith Alone through Cranmer's historical example shows how to avoid this drastic error."

"The rediscovery of Thomas Cranmer's vision for worship, enshrined in the Book of Common Prayer, is one of the exciting developments of recent years. Zac Hicks takes us to the source of Cranmer's inspiration in the great doctrine of justification by faith alone, which he expressed in timeless prose. A must-read for everyone who wants to worship God in spirit and in truth."

"Worship and trust go together, for good or ill. Zac Hicks shows how the Book of Common Prayer was shaped brilliantly by Thomas Cranmer to commend a deep trust in the sufficiency of Jesus Christ, in whom is all comfort and eternal life. Worship by Faith Alone shows us the richly Protestant nature of Cranmerian Anglicanism. Even more so, Hicks shows us how worship can convey Jesus Christ to us."

About the Author

Zac Hicks (DMin, Knox Theological Seminary) is adjunct lecturer in music and worship at Samford University, and author of The Worship Pastor: A Call to Ministry for Worship Leaders and Teams. Previously, he served as the Canon for Worship and Liturgy at Advent Cathedral. He lives with his wife, Abby, and their four children in Birmingham, Alabama.