The Assembly

Gordon W. Lathrop's central claim is that, among everything gathered in a Christian worship space, the community of believers is the most significant sign of Christ. The minister, the altar, the bread and wine, and the baptismal font all matter, but the assembly itself, understood as the Body of Christ, carries the greater weight. The idea took on new urgency for the author during the pandemic, when staying apart was the wisest and most caring choice. That period deepened his conviction, and he argues that as congregations return to meeting in person, they will need to rethink how they prepare people for life in the assembly.

The book sets out why gathering matters so much to Christianity and how it can be done well. Lathrop writes for congregations and for the pastors and priests who lead them, hoping to help them restore in-person worship that is vital, participatory, and nourishing after the pandemic. His aim is that readers will come to value the assembly as the main way the church exists and as a source of strength for everyday Christian living.

The first part examines the assembly in depth, explains why the sacraments are events of the assembly, and shows how gathering together shapes Christians for their daily lives. The second part offers a catechism focused on the assembly, with particular attention to the sacraments, the Lord's Prayer, the Apostles' Creed, and the Ten Commandments.