Liturgy of the Ordinary by Tish Harrison Warren
Week 4: Chapter 3 — Brushing Teeth: Boredom and the Daily Office
Read Chapter 3 of Liturgy of the Ordinary. Key passages: Psalm 119:164; Luke 18:1.
Previewing Week 4 of Liturgy of the Ordinary
Read 3 of 7 discussion questions below. Unlock the complete 11-week guide when you’re ready.
Boredom is one of the most honest problems in the spiritual life — this chapter asks what we do when faithfulness feels like exactly nothing.
Discussion Questions
7 questions1.Warren uses brushing teeth as a metaphor for practices that are unglamorous, repetitive, and easy to resent. What is her argument that such practices are not the enemy of spiritual life but are, in fact, its very structure?
2.She discusses the Daily Office — the ancient Christian practice of praying at fixed hours throughout the day — and admits that it often feels flat and routine. Have you ever found a spiritual practice going dry? What did you do, and what do you wish you had done?
3.Warren writes that boredom in prayer can actually be a school of faithfulness — it strips away the emotional payoff and asks us to show up anyway. Do you agree? Is there a difference between holy perseverance and going through empty motions?
a.How do you know when to push through and when to reassess a practice that no longer seems to be working?
b.What does Warren suggest about where the 'fruit' of a boring practice often appears?