Doing liturgical justice to the Trinity

Do evangelical Christians do justice to the Holy Trinity, especially the Holy Spirit, with our "Jesus only" emphasis in worship? Non-evangelicals often criticize the "Jesus only" spirituality on Sundays, as many churches seem to offer little or no adoration to the work of all three persons of the Trinity from Genesis to Revelation. The story of redemption is the story of the work of all three persons of the Trinity. Salvation comes to individuals and the world through the work of the Triune God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

For example, rarely do "Jesus only" Christians pray directly to the Holy Spirit. Rarely do we sing hymns and spiritual songs to the Holy Spirit. Rarely do we rightly assign the enabling work of the Christian life to the actual, real work of the Holy Spirit. Outside of charismatic and Pentecostal circles, there are many who are so "Jesus-centered" that the Holy Spirit may not even be specifically recognized on Sunday in any form. In some circles, it even seems that "grace" is the third person of the Trinity instead of the Holy Spirit.

Many evangelicals seem to forget in their liturgy (if they have one) that it is the Holy Spirit who unites us to Christ (1 Corinthians 12:13; Romans 8-9), regenerates us (John 3:5-8), converts us by bringing us to repentance (Acts 11:15, 18) and granting us faith (1 Corinthians 12:3), assures us of our adoption (Romans 8:16; Galatians 4:6), works to justify us (1 Corinthians 6:11), sanctifies us (2 Thessalonians 2:13; 1 Peter 1:2), and perseveres us to glory (Ephesians 1:13-14; 4:30).

Irenaus strongly emphasized the joint actions of all three persons of the Trinity. "The Father plans and gives commands, the Son performs and creates, while the Spirit nourishes and increases," writes Boris Bobrinsky, professor of Dogmatic Theology at the St. Sergius Institute of Orthodox Theology in Paris, in his essay "God in Trinity." Our liturgical and sacramental life and theology should lead us into understanding the work of the Holy Trinity. Bobrinsky brings a good reminder to evangelicals that Christian worship expresses "the gift of knowledge and of new life that comes from the Father, through Christ, in the Holy Spirit."

The mystery of Christ, the Word made flesh, seated at the right hand of the Father in the active work of the Holy Spirit allows us to define and clarify the specificity of Christian worship, Bobrinsky argues. As such, no worship experience should conclude without directed focus, worship, and glorification of God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. Doesn't the Holy Spirit deserve more than just an honorable mention on Sunday mornings?

Editor's Note: Be sure to read Marvin Olasky's interview with Anthony Bradley in the current issue of WORLD. You can also listen to the complete interview by clicking here. Anthony's new book, Liberating Black Theology, has also just been released.