Singing Communities
So...having given my research seminar last Friday the latest statement i would like to propose is...every Christian community should congregationally sing. This doesn't mean therefore that every time Christians meet together they should sing, but rather that every Christian should be part of a community that has congregational singing as a key part of its worship time.
Not going to go and give away all my research, but this is what I'm hoping to argue! Let me know what you think!
Gb,
R xx
About Me
- Ruthy Roo
- Ex-Secondary Music teacher, called by God to return to study Theology 4 years ago. Having completed an Manchester Uni Undergraduate Diploma in Theology at Cliff College, Derbyshire, I'm now doing an PhD looking at Music in worship, specifically congregational singing...is it necessary? Paying particular attention to contemporary worship contexts. I'm also training for the Methodist ministry at Wesley House, Cambridge!
3 comments:
Ruth,
Been following your musings for a while but never got round to posting, but I feel today is the day. Not least because I'm afraid to say I disagree with a couple of the point you're making...
1) Following your post of 18th March, I'd disagree that "do not like to air their emotions in public". I know you state it's a generalisation so I'll give you that, but it's also not recognising the complexity of the issue. I agree with you that it's a sociological issue, but that being said...
2) I also think that singing as worship is definately a sociological construct and therefore disagree that "every Christian should be part of a community that has congregational singing as a key part of its worship time."
Forgive me, I'm a little behind on my theology here but although I recognise that early Christians and jews did sing, it was not proscribed by God as the prefered means of worship. What about those of us who can't stick a) the hierarchy that automatically goes with facing in one direction and doing what you or a.n.other worship leader tells us b) generic christian soft rock and much prefer to go nuts listening to faithless. Is that less acceptable?
Grumble, grumble...
Happy to pursue this one with you further as I feel quite strongly about it. Feel free to drop me an email...
I love this whole debate and after being to a faithless concert I can say that men certainly do not mind showing public emotions. neither do men have a problem with celebrating the word church, albeit a bit under the influence of alcohol and in a non-Christian context. But the gig was filled with thousands of blokes dancing, singing and raising their hands as most Christians do in their worship.
Therefore, does the problem boil down to the fact that christianity and more specifically 'Church' is irrelavent to that section of men and women in 18's-30's? I would say yes (generalisation). I dont think its men that have a problem airing emotion but to do so in a church that they had never been to is totally alien and completly scary! Anyway, loving the shape this is taking, keep writing and I will find something to moan about.
Just came acorss this discussion which seems relevant to your thoughts:
http://www.emergentkiwi.org.nz/archives/so_tell_me_how_singing_worship_works.php
Post a Comment