Building on some of my thoughts in this post, I was listening to Walter Brueggemann field questions this morning, one of which was on the state of contemporary worship and "praise music" (whatever that is). He was asked what he thought of it, and he responded, "I'm an old guy, so I don't like it."
We laughed, and many of those in his same demographic nodded agreement.
He then went on to treat it with some seriousness, and said he saw two problems with praise music as it is currently being done:
1. It does not draw us back into the narrative of faith.
and
2. It is too easily tempted to slide into entertainment.
The first objection is a difficulty not realized by many parishioners of many churches, probably because many of the pastors have failed to frame worship as a draw back into, a foretaste of, a practice of, a recitation of the narrative of faith.
The second objection is to let worship become even more consumeristic than it has already become, and let whim and style rule over substance and deep meaning.
BUT,
What if new music were written in the style of current musical sensibilities, but drew us more deeply into faith narrative, and did so with an intentionality that precluded it being mere entertainment?
What if liturgy were made a living and active force for faith development again (with apologies to those churches for which is already is), and we held these warnings in mind regardless of what we are doing?
I think such music is possible, and hope to be further inspired in its creation.
Is that Isaac Watts I hear laughing in the background?
2 comments:
As a definite NON-fan of contemporary worship in my United Methodist church, I agree with the person who described the music as
"7/11 music" - - - the same 7 words sung over and over 11 times. It has no call to deeper reflection or commitment. My concern is that children and young adults who attend only this type of worship never learn to appreciate traditional worship and liburgy.
"It has no call to deeper reflection or commitment."
What I am playing with is the question, "but what if it did?" and I am challenging myself to see if I can't write some that does.
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