While the Reformation is often characterized by its critique of medieval liturgical practices, this study highlights the Reformers’ efforts to retain and refine Nicene orthodoxy in worship. It examines how their theological commitments to Trinitarianism influenced liturgical reforms, including the structure of worship services, the role of the Word, and the emphasis on Christocentric prayer and hymnody. How did the Reformers incorporate Nicene Trinitarian theology into their liturgical reforms, and what implications does this have for understanding Reformation worship as a retrieval of early Christian patterns of devotion?
This study employs a historical-theological analysis of key Reformation writings on worship, particularly those of John Calvin and Martin Bucer, in conversation with Nicene and post-Nicene Trinitarian theology. Engaging with scholars such as Lewis Ayres (2004), Fred Sanders (2016), and Scott Swain (2021), the paper examines how Nicene formulations of Trinitarian worship influenced Reformation liturgical structures. Specific attention is given to the Reformers’ theological rationale for Christocentric and Word-centered worship, demonstrating how their liturgical reforms reflect continuity with early Christian doxological patterns.
This paper will argue that the Reformers’ retrieval of Nicene Trinitarian theology fundamentally shaped their liturgical reforms, particularly in their emphasis on Christocentric and Word-centered worship. Their retrieval offers a model for contemporary worship that is both biblically grounded and historically rooted, challenging modern evangelicalism’s tendency toward theological amnesia.