With pastoral ministry experience in Methodist and Baptist churches, J. Michael Jordan brings a diverse ecclesial background to the topic of worship. Jordan received his PhD in Liturgical Studies from Drew University and currently serves as Dean of the Chapel and Associate Professor of Religion at Houghton University. In Worship in an Age of Anxiety, Jordan’s pastoral intuitions and liturgical background shine through to produce a timely and well-written work.

The author begins by identifying one of the significant but often unspoken issues facing those coming into worship services on Sunday mornings: “We come to worship far more informed about our anxiety than we used to be, or at least with new words and taxonomies to describe and categorize our situations” (p. 3). The reality of this problem leads to the thesis of the book: “in worship, we should speak plainly about anxiety, not ignoring its presence but speaking honestly about the limits of its power in the Christian’s life, giving realistic hope to those who experience anxiety” (pp. 4–5). Jordan approaches this thesis in two phases. First, he establishes the problem of anxiety by considering its development and use in the church. Then, in the second section, he focuses on liturgical solutions to address anxiety through Christian worship.

Chapter 1 places anxiety in the contemporary context. For Jordan, “anxiety can best be defined as a ‘future-oriented mood state’ accompanied by various negative emotional symptoms (like intense worry and apprehension), and/or bodily symptoms like muscle tension” (p. 11). To fill out this definition, he then surveys the results of modern research on anxiety in order to provide more insight into the extent and complexities of the problem. Chapter 2 further establishes the issue in the context of the worship service through a historical study of the use of anxiety as a tool of revivalism. The author highlights several examples, but the preaching ministries of Charles Finney, D. L. Moody, and Billy Graham are his primary cases. In chapter 3, he considers the impact of these figures and their ministries by evaluating the implicit theologies of anxiety in worship today.

The remainder of the book considers the healing opportunities found in worship practices. Chapters 4–8 each focus on a specific liturgical element: liturgical time, liturgical space, church music, preaching, and the sacraments. The author’s key argument is that liturgy—through its repetition, structure, and rich symbolism—provides a sense of stability and safety in a world of chaos and unpredictability. One example of this approach is in the author’s treatment of the sacraments. On this liturgical act, the author reacts to reductionism and individualism often common in the Lord’s Supper, stating, “Communion could be an ordinance and still be something other than an object lesson; it could be a time of meeting with God and a chance to receive grace” (p. 220). The author’s idea of grace in this context is related to sustaining the believer in the midst of anxious circumstances.

In evaluating Jordan’s work, the reader will identify many strengths within its pages. Perhaps the most insightful section is contained in chapter 3, where the author considers the results of the anxiety-laced methodologies of the nineteenth- and twentieth-century revivalist preachers. Specifically, the author traces these practices to the seeker-sensitive movement, the practice of rededication, and the shift toward evaluating worship services based on the number of decisions made. Understanding these connections allows the opportunity to correct some of the issues facing churches today.

A second strength of Jordan’s work is his thoroughness in advocating for specific liturgical elements to be sources of healing from anxiety. Instead of looking at some of the issues in the church and finding external solutions, the author rightly refocuses the reader’s attention on the church as a place of healing and comfort. In an age of deconstruction and “church hurt,” Jordan gives the reader another way to heal without abandoning ecclesial devotion. He asserts, “Regular worship attendance is one of the very few routines that many people continue to have that are explicitly about the big things of life: meaning, repentance, renewal, reconciliation, death, resurrection” (p. 228). Implied in this statement is the exhortation to find healing in the church.

Along with his thoroughness in advocating for liturgical elements as sources of healing, Jordan’s work as a whole is academically thorough. With each chapter, the reader will be encouraged by the author’s engagement with other works, church traditions, and contemporary worship issues.

Without overly detracting from its immense helpfulness, Jordan’s work has two weaknesses. First, his analysis of the revival methodology of the twentieth century and the subsequent trends in contemporary worship may swing to an unhelpful extreme. In chapter 2, the author identifies the cycle of anxiety, repentance, and relief as the primary tool of well-known revivalists like Finney and Moody. The author believes that the goal of this cycle is to produce specific results by cultivating anxiety in the hearts of the listeners. Jordan is right to highlight the dangers of manipulation in this context, but he does not give enough credence to the important role anxiety plays in the life of someone who recognizes their need for a savior. Secondly, the author could have more thoroughly explored the potential pitfalls of focusing too heavily on emotional healing in worship. Indeed, an over-realized emphasis on emotional healing might risk overshadowing other important elements of the Christian life and the process of sanctification.

Worship in the Age of Anxiety is a timely book that church leaders need to read to aid their work in crafting sermons and worship services that build up the body (1 Cor 14:26). Jordan’s historical and liturgical insights, coupled with his pastoral sensitivity, make this book a valuable resource for helping churches respond to the pervasive anxiety issue in contemporary society today.