| If you really want to touch off a good argument | | | | to perform a favorite Metallica tune with lyrics |
| among church musicians, this quote is a great place | | | | rewritten to glorify God. After all, wasn't it God who |
| to start. Most people attribute it to Martin Luther or | | | | inspired them to rewrite those words? The |
| John Wesley, but the consensus of opinion is that it | | | | congregation may sing the hymn, "Just as I am," but |
| actually traces back to a sermon delivered by | | | | these progressives don't believe the traditionalists |
| Reverend Rowland Hill in London in 1844. In context, | | | | really mean it. In their opinion the church might as well |
| the sermon was not so much a call to bring secular | | | | sing, "Just as we want you to be," instead. |
| music into the church as a plea for improvement in | | | | Those are the extremes, but you can find people |
| the quality of church music. Hill went on to write | | | | lining up all along the spectrum of opinions. Who is |
| hymns himself, and compiled and published five | | | | right? I think we can find the truth where it usually |
| collections of hymns and psalms for use in churches | | | | lives, somewhere in between the two extremes. |
| and schools. Few people argue that he drew | | | | While it would be a mistake to toss out two |
| inspiration for his hymn tunes from songs he | | | | thousand years of tradition, it would be just as much |
| overheard in taverns. | | | | of a mistake to allow ourselves to become so |
| Break that quote out in the average small church in | | | | entrenched in it that we are unwilling or unable to |
| the USA, and you can almost sense the rise in blood | | | | change. What we call traditional, classics hymns of |
| pressure. People immediately starting to form alliances | | | | the faith are certainly far removed from Gregorian |
| and prepare for battle. | | | | chant, but if the church completely rejected change, |
| The traditionalists believe the hymnal of their | | | | that is what we would still be singing. |
| denomination to be divinely inspired, and are horrified | | | | Styles of music change over the years. Was it |
| when the church has to replace a set that has | | | | sacrilegious when J.S. Bach encouraged us to move |
| become worn. They howl in rage when they find | | | | to the equal temperament system of tuning after |
| that songs by Amy Grant and Andre Crouch have | | | | such a long tradition of the just and mean-tone |
| been included in new editions. Right next to standards | | | | temperaments? Should it be surprising that |
| by John Wesley or Martin Luther? How dare they?! | | | | developments in opera influenced oratorios and |
| To traditionalists, this quote is an unholy twisting of | | | | visa-versa? Techniques of composition changed |
| words to justify the sacrilege of bringing the devil's | | | | drastically from the baroque to the classical period, |
| music into the sanctuary. Singing Christian lyrics to | | | | and yet again during the romantic and impressionist |
| heathen styles of music is an abomination which | | | | periods. |
| stinks in the nostrils of God. They wonder at God's | | | | New instruments are invented; old instruments find |
| mercy in refraining from striking the offensive | | | | new venues and take on new roles. Styles of music |
| musicians to their deaths with well-cast bolts of | | | | are born, combined with other styles, and fade away |
| lightening. Surely it would only be what they deserve. | | | | as time brings new ideas to the forefront. This is |
| Opposite the traditionalists are the | | | | neither good or bad - it's just the way things are. |
| ultra-contemporary proponents. These people believe | | | | This isn't to say that we shouldn't exercise caution in |
| that the lyrics are all that matter, and often show | | | | the music we choose to use during worship services. |
| little concern whether or not the lyrics can be | | | | Changing for the sake of change alone is just as |
| understood. Heavy Metal? Why not? If people enjoy | | | | dangerous as refusing to modify our worship service |
| the style, they should be given an alternative with a | | | | at all. Finding a sense of balance between traditional |
| Christian message. Where in the Bible does it say that | | | | and modern forms of worship is a daunting task, but |
| the electric guitar is an evil instrument? | | | | it's a task that we must face if we are going to |
| They have a hard time understanding why other | | | | continue to minister to those already in God's |
| members of the church worship team are reluctant | | | | kingdom while reaching out to those on the outside. |