Worship as praise of an all-powerful deity has traditionally been associated with the passive side of life. If worship as praise is indeed passive, it could be that such worship has the effect on people of taking power away. Worship as praise would be at best irrelevant and at worst a hindrance in an age that is, as perhaps never before, preoccupied with the active exercise of power. The central issue of this book is the question, ""Can worship be both praise and empowerment?"" By examining Christian worship in these terms, the author seeks to make a strong affirmation of the importance of worship for the movements of liberation that are seeking to exercise power responsibly in our time. In this respect Worship as Praise and Empowerment can be described as a major work of liberation theology in the North American setting. Why worship? What are some of the contemporary obstacles to worship? What really transpires in the act of worship? These are just some of the important questions addressed in this insightful book of liturgical theology.