The Disciples at the Lord's Table

The Disciples at Table! The Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) is about to enter its third century of worship, evangelism and Christian worship. This book is a snapshot of their Table practice: its origins, forms, prayers, and ecumenical development. Single-minded pioneers and advocates of Eucharistic Table fellowship each Sunday, the Disciples forged a unique experience of worship within the restorationist paradigm.

What did this worship look like? A free tradition, explicitly ""non-liturgical,"" these Christian communities were open to the directives of the Scriptures and the inspiration of the Spirit. There were no official texts. Yet there was a plethora of worship books and aids, in effect unofficial texts, operating to guide, inform and develop the Disciples' understanding of the Lord's Table and their worship. For the first time these devotional books have been uncovered and studied, revealing something of the deeper influences behind Disciples practice, the common lines of thought and ritual that unknowingly bind the communities, and the difficulties that have emerged in light of ongoing ecumenical worship and research.

""By promoting a free style of worship, the Disciples of Christ have appealed to many people of faith who struggle to fit their beliefs into a structured liturgy. Yet even freedoms tend to cohere over time. This book will enlighten those seeking to know about trends in worship services that balance tradition and ecumenism with creativity and sincerity. Moore makes a solid contribution to the history and future of Christian prayer.""
--Paul Turner, Pastor, St. Anthony Catholic Church, Former President, North American Academy of Liturgy

""In the early days of the Stone-Campbell movement, worship was theologically grounded. Those theological foundations seemed to have gotten lost in practice through succeeding generations. This carefully researched and well-written work recaptures theological significance by presenting some important but forgotten Disciples of Christ worship resources of the mid- to late twentieth century. Examples and analyses of communion prayers from selected manuals illustrate redevelopment in Disciples Eucharistic theology and language. Highly recommended for seminarians, clergy, and elders.""
--John Imbler, Director of Denominational Formation (Disciples of Christ), Adjunct Professor of History of Christianity & Disciples Studies, Executive Vice President Emeritus, Phillips Theological Seminary

""Gerard Moore makes a substantial contribution with this insightful exercise in liturgical theology. In his Preface he states there has been little research about the theology of Eucharist in the manuals of worship of the Disciples of Christ as seen from the texts themselves. Using both text and context brilliantly, he fills that gap. All Christian traditions will benefit from his scholarly work.""
--Gerard Austin, O.P., Dominican Scholar in Residence, Barry University, Miami Shores


Gerard Moore is Head of School, School of Theology, Charles Sturt University, Australia, and Associate Professor, where he is Lecturer in Worship and a member of the Practical and Contextual Theology Centre for Research. He is the author of a number of books, including Earth Unites with Heaven: An Introduction to the Liturgical Year (2014).