Reddit reviews A Primer on Worship and Reformation: Recovering the High Church Puritan: Recovering the High Church Puritan

You should read A Primer on Worship and Reformation: Recovering the High Church Puritan.

The basic premise is about reforming the way in which we worship. American Evangelical worship has swept the country and changed the way in which we worship, promoting Emotionalism and turning what is supposed to be reverent and holy into something that is conforming and worldly. It's time to reform our liturgy by turning to a high view of worship and the church. We who are willing to do such are Puritans in the original sense, that is, somebody who, instead of separating, striving to change the church from within. The church has split too many times, and instead of dividing it further, we need to reunite by turning to Biblical principles and prayer. I don't exactly agree with everything he says, but I stand behind his premise as a "high church Puritan".

I call myself a High Church Traditionalist apart from being a Reformed Baptist. Anybody: Presbyterians, Methodists, and even Charismatics can be High Church Traditionalists.

First, let me define my terms. To be "High Church" in this context is not to employ Ritualistic elements in worship, but to hold to a high view of the Church and worship. The rise of Evangelicalism in the United States has led to a disintegration in the quality of worship that the church does. Anything goes! No longer is there reverence in prayer in many Evangelical churches. I have heard some people pray over their food with "Thanks for the food, dude!". As if you can talk to God however you want with as little respect as you want. No longer is there Congregational singing in many Evangelical churches. A worship band gets on a large stage with fog machines and laser lights. It's more of a rock concert than a worship service. All of these things shifts the focus away from God and onto the devices and intentions of Men. To be a High Church Traditionalist is to advocate for purging the Church of this slaughter and return to Biblical forms of worship.

When I say that I am a Traditionalist, I do not mean that we should blindly follow traditions of Men. In my area (NE Alabama) it is fashionable to want to be "Old Fashioned". People want to be Old Timey simply because they think that the people who led the church when they were little (usually the 1950's) "had it right". Tradition is unavoidable, and all churches and denominations have their traditions. This is not necessarily a bad thing, though. Traditions can be healthy for a community, and can bring people together. Traditions develop structure and brings order. When it is bad is when we want to base these traditions on "the way we've always done things". When we develop our traditions, we should seek to pattern them on Biblical principles, the way that God intended them to be. Our worship should be patterned on how God wants to be worshipped. This is known as the Regulative Principle of Worship.

So, High Church Traditionalism is simply an attempt to move toward a Biblical Tradition that employs a high view of the church and scripture. If you want to read more:

A Primer on Worship and Reformation by Douglas Wilson

This is a really short book at only 72 pages. It took me a good Sunday evening to read it. This book was highly influential in my thought.

Principles of Worship: An Irenic Reformed Approach