Christian tradition

I'm currently reading "A Brief History of Christian Worship," a fairly simple introduction (just 192 pages) to worship traditions through the centuries, such as baptism, the eucharist, preaching, prayer, architecture, and celebrations.

It's been interesting to read how things adjusted to fit the various situations the church found itself in. For example, the Christianization of the Roman empire during the reign of Constantine provided the church with plenty of opportunities for pomp and circumstance. The printing press allowed uniformity in liturgy, and together with rising nationalism and the Reformation, helped make the reading and preaching of the Bible central to church gatherings. For many centuries, illiterate and non-Latin-speaking churchgoers relied on ornate buildings and decorations to "read" the Bible.

I really enjoy reading about church history because it's so amazing to see how God has worked to preserve a "remanent" of faithful believers against the varying threats of each church age--whether it be external persecution or internal corruption. Through it all, God has been faithful to us. It makes me appreciate my own role in His story. That's a pun ... his story is history. :-)