Going back to the first letter, I realized there was another point I wanted to mention. Lewis makes this rather depressing statement with regard to church service, "The business of us laymen is simply to endure and make the best of it. Any tendency to a passionate preference for one type of service must be regarded simply as a temptation."
Again, I really do not see where Lewis is coming with such a pessimistic view. The goal of the service is speak to God, to praise Him, thank Him, to come closer to Him. Sometimes that involves unburdening ourselves to Him, or including Him in our festive mood. But to do that, the mode of service does matter. Some people like singing, for example, some do not. Some prefer a slow pace, others a faster pace. It matters because we concentrate better, we pay more attention, and our mind matters less when the service fits our style. It's easy to say one does not need a style when in comes to prayer, but I don't think it's true. If the cantor starts with an operatic rendition of a service my concentration will dissipate. That's not a good thing and perhaps it's something for which I should better train myself, but it's true.
Lewis complains of the shepherds going off on their own way and vanishing over distant horizons. But maybe all of those paths lead to the same place, but some people like mountain climbing while others prefer to go around.
But even beyond that I'm bothered by Lewis' formulation. A prayer service is an opportunity to connect with God, and the best we can do is endure?
Malcom appears to disagree with Lewis from a different perspective. He claims that the goal of the service is to glorify God and thus the priest must do what he can in his way to achieve that goal. Lewis disagrees with Malcom because the glorification of God is when the people truly woship Him. The priest is presumably to be that connection.
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