I grew up listening to all kinds of music, from rock and roll to country-western to classical. As an adult I have learned to appreciate all music. Well, still struggling with rap. I know it’s just poetry, spoken in a monotone, with synthesized music buzzing along in the background, but, aside from the frequent nasty or violence-based phrases (which I hate), it just doesn’t do anything for me.
As a Christian (”saved” when I was 17; born again-again when I was 59) I cycled thru hymns and spiritual songs, gospel singing, Christian folk and contemporary Christian. As I now have begun to review and revise what I believe, I must also give serious thought to the music message associated with that belief.
Take, for instance, Julia Howe’s Battle Hymn of the Republic. I’m no longer comfortable with “He is trampling out the vintage where his grapes of wrath are stored / he hath loosed the fateful lightning of his terrible swift sword … ” I don’t think God has to stomp on anybody. He works in the heart. He disciplines, but he disciplines the heart. Yep, I’m also challenging some portions of the Bible. Sue me.
And how about Isaac Watts’ At The Cross? How do you reconcile the dramatic “Alas! And did my Savior bleed? And did my Sovereign die?” followed by the bouncy refrain, “… And now I am happy all the day!” I do believe that Jesus suffered a horrible death, and that he died certainly with all of us in mind. But to make it a joyful camp song? H-mmm. We have American soldiers dying for us all the time, but you don’t hear us singing,
His jeep exploded, but he died for me.
Yes, I’m so happy that he died for me.
Turning to contemporary Christian music we hear a large portion of touchy-feely, what I like to call roller coaster songs. You have to hear a few in a row to get the roller coaster effect. My life was messed up, but Jesus delivered me. I was down in the dumps, but Jesus saved me. I led an exciting, yet sinful, life, but God loved me and took me out of it. Glory to the Lamb. All praise to the Father. Etc.
I don’t believe that Jesus or God wiped away my sins — because I still sin. I do believe that they freely forgive my sins, but I still sin. The only important thing is that, like the George MacDonald quote says (see top of page), some day I’m gonna have to stop sinning. Yes, me. God will direct my steps, and I will probably have to take a lot of them, but I must make the journey. Only me.
I will say, however, that the contemporary Christian songs are well done and, overall, give the good news of God’s love. I guess what makes them contemporary is the music style. The orchestration is great, and the vocals are as professional as top secular music.
I remember in my Youth For Christ days, critics blasted our Christian songs because they had a beat to them; it was jungle music and belonged to the devil! Several years back a relative of mine accosted contemporary Christian music, saying that the female vocals were too salacious, with their soft, throaty voices, making men think of sex. I didn’t feel it then, and I don’t feel it now.
I guess the answer for me is to not throw the baby out with the bathwater. As I have done over many passages of the Bible, wondering if they are truly the word of God, but embracing the message of love and care that God has for us in other passages, I have begun to see the beauty of, for instance, verses 1, 3 and 4, but not be afraid to challenge verse 2 of any given song.
Music is a tremendous gift that God has given us. He started it with gentle rains, rippling brooks, whispering breezes and soothing waves at the seashore. We added the words based upon what we were taught to believe. We altered the words as our belief systems evolved. No matter. As one songwriter put it, “Love will find a way.”
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