Forget about homosexuality being the "Great Divider" in the Episcopal/Anglican Church. This week in my Music and Liturgy class, we've had a pretty spirited debate about the types of music found in modern churches, and well... I was pretty surprised at how anti-contemporary music many of my classmates were. Here are a few quotes from the discussion:
Not all of the comments were negative:
It's pretty interesting to see others' views on this. I defended the use of contemporary music as a way of reaching people in today's culture who simply don't want to hear hymns played on the organ (or piano) and sung by a choir. In many small churches this can be a pretty painful experience (in my opinion). However, I've always said that good music is good music. I'd rather hear a good organist and choir and a bad praise band anyday. But, I'll also choose a good praise band over a good organist and choir anyday as well. I can see where someone may not prefer Contemporary music in their church, but I was surprised that many had such negative view of it - not just as a matter of taste but a matter of sanctity.
If any of my classmates (or teachers) find their way here, I want to assure you that I'm posting this in a spirit of curiosity, not to mock anything that anyone has said. I have my opinion and you obviously have yours. It's America, you're free to be wrong, haha.
Then there are the various movements to use so-called 'contemporary' music in services, which often means turning the liturgy into a rock and roll concert, band front and center. I'm not a huge fan of even the older hymns in general, as I find them for the most part sanguine and overly sentimental. And rock music -- no matter what the words -- also communicates something, and it is rarely the gospel, the great Sabbath peace who is Christ, as far as I'm concerned.
Music is a very powerful thing, and that it has its own energy (if I may say it this way), its own reality, and that we need to be very aware of how we use it and what inspires and drives it. So, what I have said about rock music, for an example (sorry Jonah!), is that rock music has an energy, a thrust, a reality, a source, which may not be compatible with the thrust and source of the Gospel.The constant singing off the wall, repeating the words (cause you did not get it the first time), to a live band that is wearing earplugs does not constitute a worship service –the only thing missing is the idols and MolochMy orthodox theology includes a particular view of what constitutes worship "in spirit and in truth." It happens to exclude music that I associate with secular if not outright pagan "religion." I find it to be a very serious distraction to my worship, my "devotion to God."
Not all of the comments were negative:
Psalm 100:2 says to "make a joyful noise onto the Lord" and we have historically place a solemn note to that while some Baptist churches have put a more upbeat note to it. Being a middle of the road type of person I ask why can't we have both.
It's pretty interesting to see others' views on this. I defended the use of contemporary music as a way of reaching people in today's culture who simply don't want to hear hymns played on the organ (or piano) and sung by a choir. In many small churches this can be a pretty painful experience (in my opinion). However, I've always said that good music is good music. I'd rather hear a good organist and choir and a bad praise band anyday. But, I'll also choose a good praise band over a good organist and choir anyday as well. I can see where someone may not prefer Contemporary music in their church, but I was surprised that many had such negative view of it - not just as a matter of taste but a matter of sanctity.
If any of my classmates (or teachers) find their way here, I want to assure you that I'm posting this in a spirit of curiosity, not to mock anything that anyone has said. I have my opinion and you obviously have yours. It's America, you're free to be wrong, haha.
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