Reviewed by Tom Lennie

Even though this book has already inspired the 'Trinity' CD by Phatfish and friends, I have to confess that gazing at the cover of this treatise on the Trinity didn't exactly bring on a rush of adrenalin. But wait a minute. The author enthusiastically proclaims that the doctrine of the Trinity is not just a theological concept, but can be highly practical, not least in the activity of worship. In the first three chapters, Parry gives an overview of the chief events of both the Bible and the individual "normal" Christian life, showing that in every event, all persons of the Trinity play an important role. He then insists that prayer and worship must also be understood in Trinitarian terms, for when we worship the Father, we do so "through the Son" and "in the Spirit", both of which terms he explains. However, there is a problem section in Worshipping Trinity. In the section on the need to direct worship and prayer TO the Holy Spirit, Parry fails to explain why, over many centuries, there is no record of any biblical character - including Jesus - doing this, nor any instruction to do so, in a book directly inspired by the Holy Spirit himself. Parry goes on to show that, in fact, much contemporary worship focuses either on the Father or the Son (he did a case study of 28 recent Vineyard albums), and thus there lacks balance in his analysis. Ultimately, he calls for our worship, in whatever form (be it, eg, music, Communion, preaching, spiritual gifts, or a wide range of artistic expressions), to become more Trinitarian, a move which he hopes will not be just another worship fad. Endorsed by Keith Getty and Matt Redman, among others, Worshipping Trinity is a very readable book and will, at least, get us thinking more deeply about our worship.

The opinions expressed in this article are not necessarily those held by Cross Rhythms. Any expressed views were accurate at the time of publishing but may or may not reflect the views of the individuals concerned at a later date.

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If worship is God-centred and God is the Trinity then worship should be Trinity-centred. This book explores the meaning and implications of that simple claim.

'An extremely valuable resource for any pastor, leader or worshipping heart.'
Matt Redman

Written for church leaders, worship leaders and songwriters as well as those interested in theology, Robin Parry looks at why the Trinity matters and addresses pressing questions such as:

What is the relationship between theology and worship?

Why is the Trinity central to Christian living and believing?
Does the Trinity help us understand what we do when we worship?
How can we write and select songs that foster an awareness of the Trinity?
How can we make the Trinity central through Holy Communion, spiritual gifts, preaching, and the use of the arts?

Practical and realistic, Worshipping Trinity shows how we can maintain the centrality of the Trinity in a fast-changing worship culture.