When I was taught to bow my head, I was told that it would keep me from looking around during prayer and not get distracted.
I was in elementary school, in a United Methodist Church. The Assistant Sunday School teacher brought coupons for the local roller skating rink for those children who behaved well. I didn't miss church much. But there was a lot I never did understand - like bowing my head.
I know there are many who don't bow their head and close their eyes in prayer because they, too, don't see the need for that. Without the meaning behind this symbol, I wouldn't either: in approaching the king, one bows in reverence; in trust in what he will do to/with you, you can close your eyes.
I will still encourage very little children to bow their head and close their eyes to keep them controlled; but I want to retain these symbols for myself in approach to a trustworthy king.
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About Me
- Matthew Cook
- Training African Leaders to love Children, the church, and Christ (not in that order) Matt trained African leaders at a seminary in Côte d'Ivoire for a dozen years. Still today, through OCC, helps the church to become more contextually affective in living out the great commission.
2 comments:
Did you talk about this during the last day of class for Doing Theology in Context or the evening of the Baci ceremony?
When I first started going to church, I felt very awkward standing with a group of adults who were supposedly praying to a deity who was in heaven (or the clouds) yet their faces were to the ground. I thought maybe they were addressing the evil spirits because they kept telling them what they can and cannot do.
This leads me to ask, "What if a culture's sign of showing respect was to punch the person next to you?" Would showing reverence in prayer including punching people in that context?
Here you are punching people again. Laurie must get awfully bruised. I talked about this the last day of Theology in Context. I believe that cultures find ways of surviving (the ones that survive anyway). Therefore, if punching were included, it certainly wouldn't be a debilitating punch. Otherwise, survival would be threatened.
The world is remarkably practical. There may be possible speculations; but only the probable need be considered.
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