“Come, let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the LORD our Maker.” – Psalm 95:6 (BSB)
“And they were calling out to one another: ‘Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of Hosts; all the earth is full of His glory.’” – Isaiah 6:3 (BSB)
“You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for You created all things; by Your will they exist and came to be.” – Revelation 4:11 (BSB)
“God is Spirit, and His worshipers must worship Him in spirit and in truth.” – John 4:24 (BSB)
Anglican liturgy begins with adoration for this very reason. In Morning Prayer we say, “O Lord, open our lips, and our mouth shall proclaim your praise.” The structure of worship teaches us to honor God first—not because He needs it, but because we do. Bishop Stephen Andrews (ACNA, Principal of Wycliffe College) observes, “Adoration shifts our gaze from self to God, from need to holiness. It recenters the soul and prepares it for obedience.” (Address on Anglican Spirituality, 2022)
Fr. Chuck Collins (ACNA, Christ Church Anglican, AZ) emphasizes that adoration is the fountain of all other prayer: “If we do not begin with praise, we risk praying from self-centeredness. But when we adore God, everything else flows in its right order—confession, thanksgiving, and intercession.” (Teaching on Classic Anglican Prayer, 2021)
Canon David Roseberry (ACNA, Christ Church Plano) reminds us that adoration is not only for the sanctuary, but for daily prayer: “Begin each time of prayer with the question, ‘Who is God?’—and then answer it in worship. Adoration isn’t a performance; it’s placing God at the center again.” (Prayer and Leadership, 2020)
Fr. Keith Allen (AMiA, St. Brendan’s Anglican Church, AL) adds, “Adoration brings the heart into alignment with heaven. When we adore, we enter the praise of angels. We’re not just saying God is great—we are standing before Him in love and reverence.” (Sermon on Revelation 4, 2019)
“Worship is the purest activity of the soul. In adoration, the soul is raised beyond itself, and contemplates the eternal.” – Clement of Alexandria, Stromata, c. 195 AD
“The seraphim cry out, ‘Holy, holy, holy,’ not because they are instructed to, but because it is the only fitting response to God’s glory.” – Basil the Great, On the Holy Spirit, c. 375 AD
“Adoration belongs to God alone. We adore not for what He gives, but for who He is—the source of all being, the fountain of all goodness.” – Augustine of Hippo, Confessions, c. 398 AD
An Anglican Catechism (Expanded) offers over 350+ Scripture-based answers to the core truths of the Christian faith. Each entry includes biblical texts, theological insight, and reflections from historic and contemporary Anglican voices. Rooted in the classical tradition, it is designed for teaching, discipleship, and spiritual formation.
An Ancient Worship Movement invites readers into the rich, historic worship of the early Church rediscovered through the Anglican tradition. This book calls believers into a deeper, Spirit-filled encounter with Christ through timeless practices.
St. Thomas Church
PO Box 873
Abbotsford, BC,
V2T 7A2, Canada
If you are interested in starting a St. Thomas Church in your area and or ordination path fill the contact card form.
St. Thomas Church is a Church planting movement in ancient tradition.
