John Lester Ruth | Scholars@Duke

John Lester Ruth
Research Professor of Christian Worship

Lester Ruth is a historian of Christian worship with particular interests in the early church and the last 250 years, especially the history of contemporary worship. He is passionate about enriching the worship life of current congregations, regardless of style. He believes that careful reflection on the worship of other Christians—whether past or present, whether Protestant, Roman Catholic, or Eastern Orthodox—can serve to enrich the church today.

Dr. Ruth specializes in the history of Contemporary Praise and Worship.

Current Research Interests

I am focused on developing a fuller liturgical history of the band-based form of worship that has swept the globe, especially among Pentecostals and evangelicalism. Known as Contemporary Worship by some and Praise & Worship by others, this way of worship's history is little known apart from the history of its music. I am working to fill in the remainder of this history.

Current Appointments & Affiliations

Research Professor of Christian Worship, Divinity School, Duke University 2011

Contact Information

90968, 059D Langford, Durham, NC 27708
90968, Duke Divinity School, 059D Langford, Durham, NC 27708-0968
lruth@div.duke.edu (919) 660-3582
For more information and to find links to recent presentations.

Background
Education, Training, & Certifications
- Ph.D., University of Notre Dame 1996
- M.A., University of Notre Dame 1994
Academic Positions Outside Duke
- Adjunct instructor, Robert E. Webber Institute for Worship Studies. 2001 - 2015
- Lily May Jarvis Professor of Christian Worship, Asbury Theological Seminary. 2000 - 2011
- Assistant Professor of Liturgcal Studies, Yale Divinity School and Yale Institute of Sacred Music. 1998 - 2000
Expertise
Subject Headings
Global Scholarship
- Expertise
  - United States of America (Country)
Publications & Artistic Works
Selected Publications
- Books
  - Ruth, J., and E. Mathis. Leaning on the Word: Worship with Argentine Baptists, Mid-Twentieth Century (In preparation). Vol. Vol. 7. Grand Rapids, MI: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2017.
  - Lim, S., and J. Ruth. Lovin' on Jesus: A Concise History of Contemporary Worship. Nashville, TN: Abingdon Press, 2017.
  - Park, A., J. L. Ruth, and C. Rethmeier. Worshiping with the Anaheim Vineyard: The Emergence of Contemporary Worship. Vol. Vol. 5. Grand Rapids, MI: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2017.
  - Ruth, J. Longing for Jesus: Worship at a Black Holiness Church in Mississippi, 1895-1913. Vol. Vol. 3. Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing, 2013.
  - Webber, R. Evangelicals on the Canterbury Trail: Why Evangelicals are Attracted to the Liturgical Church - Revised Edition. Edited by J. Ruth. New York, NY: Church Publishing, 2013.
  - Webber, R. Evangelicals on the Canterbury Trail: Why Evangelicals are Attracted to the Liturgical Church - Revised Edition. Edited by J. Ruth. New York, NY: Church Publishing, 2013.
  - Ruth, J. L. The Church at Worship. Gran: Eerd, 2010.
  - Ruth, J., C. Steenwyk, and J. D. Witvliet. Walking where Jesus walked: worship in fourth-century Jerusalem. Grand Rapids, Mich: Eerdmans, 2010.
    Link to Item
  - Ruth, L. Early Methodist life and spirituality: a reader. Nashville, Tenn: Abingdon Pr, 2005.
    Link to Item
  - Satterlee, C., and J. Ruth. Creative Preaching on the Sacraments. Nash: Discipleship Resources, 2001.
  - Ruth, L. A little heaven below: worship at early Methodist quarterly meetings. Nashville: Kingswood Books, 2000.
    Link to Item
  - Ruth, J. L. Accompanying the Journey: A Handbook for Sponsers. Nashville: Discipleship Resources, 1997.
- Academic Articles
  - Ruth, J. L. “Writing With Awe.” Worship Leader 22, no. 6 (2013): 32–33.
  - Ruth, J. L. “The Most Republished Evangelical Hymn and Multiple Senses of Scripture: Text with commentary.” Liturgy 28, no. 2 (2013): 48–49.
  - Ruth, J. L. “New Song According to Charles Wesley: Capturing Biblical Honesty in Songwriting.” Worship Leader, 2011.
  - Ruth, J. L. “The Transcendent Economy of Trinitarian Worship.” Asbury Hearld 120, no. 2 (2010): 10–11.
  - Ruth, L. “A rose by any other name: attempts at classifying North American Protestant worship.” American Theological Inquiry 2, no. 1 (January 15, 2009): 85–104.
    Link to Item
  - Ruth, J. L. “What Writers of Contemporary Worship Songs Can Learn From Charles Wesley: Reflections and Axioms.” Proceedings of the Charles Wesley Society 12 (2009): 65–84.
  - Groeling, J., and L. Ruth. “The times, they are a-changin': how a training seminar for online education changed a seminary one faculty member at a time.” Theological Education 42, no. 2 (January 1, 2007): 57–66.
    Link to Item
  - Matt Sigler, J. L. “Charles Wesley and the Power of Poetic Theology.” The Asbury Hearld 117, no. 2 (2007): 12–14.
  - Ruth, Lester. “Converting My Course Converted Me: How Reinventing an On-campus Course for an Online Environment Reinvigorated My Teaching.” Teaching Theology and Religion 9, no. 4 (October 2006): 236–42. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-9647.2006.00289.x.
    Full Text
  - Ruth, L. “Overture: "The Word of the Lord".” Homily Service 38, no. 9 (2005): 1–3.
  - Ruth, L. “Why not "Move" Advent to November.” Reformed Worship 69 (2003): 8–10.
  - Ruth, L. “Urban itinerancy: "stational" liturgy in early American Methodism.” Studia Liturgica 32, no. 2 (January 1, 2002): 222–39.
    Link to Item
  - Ruth, L. “Reconsidering the emergence of the Second Great Awakening and camp meetings among early Methodists.” Worship 75, no. 4 (July 1, 2001): 334–55.
    Link to Item
  - Ruth, L. “Where Heaven and Earth (and East and West) Meet: The Nativity Hymns of Charles Wesley.” Sacramental Life, 1998, 170–75.
  - Ruth, L. “A Little Heaven Below : The Love Feast and Lord's Supper in Early American Methodism.” Wesleyan Theological Journal 32, no. 2 (September 1, 1997): 59–79.
    Link to Item
  - Ruth, L. “"The Lord Appears Glorious upon Our Continent": Revival among Methodists in the Second Great Awakening.” Challenge to Evangelism Today 1, no. 30 (1997).
  - Ruth, L. “Lex Agendi, Lex Orandi : Toward an Understanding of Seeker Services as a New Kind of Liturgy.” Worship 70, no. 5 (September 1, 1996): 386–405.
    Link to Item
  - Ruth, L. “The Use of Seeker Services : Models and Questions.” Reformed Liturgy & Music 30, no. 2 (January 1, 1996): 48–53.
    Link to Item
  - Ruth, L. “A Reconsideration of the Frequency of the Eucharist in Early American Methodism.” Methodist History 34, no. 1 (October 1, 1995): 47–58.
    Link to Item
  - Ruth, L. “Salvete Flores Martyrum: The Feast of the Innocent Infants in the Early Church.” Ecclesia Orans 12, no. 3 (1995): 373–94.
  - Ruth, L. “The Early Roman Christmas Gospel : Magi, Manger, or Verbum Factum?” Studia Liturgica 24, no. 2 (January 1, 1994): 214–21.
    Link to Item
  - Ruth, L. “Realized in the Eucharist: A Suggestion for Receiving New Members.” Sacramental Life 6, no. 5 (1994): 29–33.
  - “Go East, Young Songwriter, Go East: How Ancient Eastern Orthodox Writers can help Us Write New Songs.” Worship Leader 20, no. 3 (n.d.): 32–33.
- Book Sections
  - Ruth, L. “Liturgical revolutions.” In Oxford Handbook of Methodist Studies, 313–31. Oxford: Oxford Univ Pr, 2009.
    Link to Item
  - Ruth, L. “Lex amandi, lex orandi: the Trinity in the most-used contemporary Christian worship songs.” In Place of Christ in Liturgical Prayer, 342–59. Collegeville, Minn: Liturgical Pr, 2008.
    Link to Item
  - Ruth, J. L. “How Great is Our God: The Trinity in Contemporary Christian Worship Music.” In The Message in the Music: Studying Contemporary Praise and Worship, edited by R. H. W. Jr. Nashville: Ab, 2007.
  - Ruth, L. “A rose by any other name: attempts at classifying North American protestant worship.” In Conviction of Things Not Seen, 33–51. Grand Rapids: Brazos Pr, 2002.
    Link to Item
  - Ruth, L., and P. Chilcote. “Word and Table: A Wesleyan Model for Balanced Worship.” In The Wesleyan Tradition: A Paradigm for Renewal. Nashville: Abingdon Press, 2002.
  - Ruth, L., and E. B. Anderson. “Creating Space for Baptism and the Renewal of the Baptismal Covenant.” In Worship Matters: A United Methodist Guide to Worship Work. Nashville: Dis, 1999.
  - Ruth, L., and R. E. Webber. “A Theological Critique of Church Growth Worship.” In The Complete Library of Christian Worship. Nashville: Star Song, 1994.
- Other Articles
  - Ruth, L. “The Second Sunday in Pentecost Worship,” 2002.
- Digital Publications
  - Caccamo, J. F., T. E. Johnson, and J. Ruth. “Living Worship: A Multimedia Resource for Students and Leaders.” Brazos Press, December 15, 2010.
    Link to Item
Teaching & Mentoring
Recent Courses
- HISTTHEO 999: DIRECTED STUDY 2021
- LTS 730: Introduction to Christian Worship 2021
- LTS 760: Introduction to Christian Worship 2021
- LTS 800: Songwriting and Theology 2021
- LTS 831: Songwriting and Theology 2021
- LTS 999: Directed Study 2021
- CHURHST 890: Topics in Church History 2020
- LTS 803: Advanced Seminar in Liturgical Studies 2020
- LTS 999: Directed Study 2020
- LTS 709: Introduction to Christian Worship 2019
- LTS 760: Introduction to Christian Worship 2019
- LTS 763: Planning Contemporary Worship 2019
- LTS 806: Preaching on the Sacraments: Patristic Imitation 2019
- LTS 999: Directed Study 2019
- PREACHNG 809: Preaching on the Sacraments: Patristic Imitation 2019
- PREACHNG 999: DIRECTED STUDY 2019
- XTIANEDU 999: DIRECTED STUDY 2019

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Education, Training, & Certifications

Academic Positions Outside Duke

Subject Headings

Global Scholarship

Expertise

Selected Publications

Books

Academic Articles

Book Sections

Other Articles

Digital Publications

Recent Courses