As yesterday, Gianluigi chose today’s videos to complement his theological reflections. Enjoy!
We are examining liturgical music, following a prompt by Brendan Doyle (see yesterday’s DM). I have criticized the trend called “contemporary worship” or “progressive church songs,” but I have not yet touched the core of the matter. I need to explain what is happening when people are so sure and assertive about changing the musical tradition of a church because they find some discrepancies with the evolution that has happened in theological thinking, or simply because they find the old ways boring and uninteresting.
Of course, I also cringe when some obsolete or even violent theological concepts are espoused in a hymn, and I have been known for changing words and/or abolishing the use of a certain hymn altogether.
But the proponents of “new music” for the liturgy — who have been active for decades now — are really doing something else. They are agents of modernity on a mission to kill spirituality. Unwittingly for sure, but still very dangerous.
As theologian Dorothee Sölle said a few years ago, commenting on the lack of spirituality in church services: “God has taken refuge in music.” But she could say that because she — a very progressive feminist theologian — had just returned to Germany and was attending Lutheran services replete with Bach’s organ music! However, when the “new music” triumphs, with its “positive thinking” and “no darkness” — as Doyle stated — where is God going to go?
From a Jungian typological point of view, “progressive church songs” happen when we deal with church music solely from the perspective of thinking. We change the words, and then we go on changing old traditions, just because we got an idea. Of course you can take “secular music” and turn it into “sacred music” — that has always happened — but how do you do it and for what purpose and with what knowledge of the psycho-spiritual effects… that is the real point.
Music is primarily sensation: the physical effect in your belly of the deepest organ pipes, or the tingling of your feet at good drumming; music is also feeling: the uncovering of emotions that you don’t even know you have, or that you would like not to feel at all; then, music is also intuition and creativity: the amazing intertwining of lines, the choice of intervals, the texture of sound, and all the detailed aspects of a complex score that people with a lot of training and expertise have created — and that is why such music works so well, if you let yourself be caught in it.
Words and ideas have their dignity as such; they don’t need music to be communicated. Beats and sounds, however, involve the body immediately and speak to the soul in non-linear and non-rational ways.
Really, anything goes with me. Silence is fine. Humming is very fine. Chanting is amazing. Even improvised singing is fine. Drumming is great. A big pipe organ is amazing if the organist is truly skilled. Choirs are cool when they pray rather than just perform. But we need to know what we are doing, and the purpose that we are pursuing. We need to be in contact with the souls of those gathered and understand what makes those souls go deep.
If the worshiping community is at the center, those who make the decisions must abandon their preferences and ideas to follow what is relevant and good for the congregation. That might mean staying with very old-fashioned hymns, or changing the musical sets entirely, or something else, but not because any of these options is good in itself.
Church music must be mystical and prophetic, just as the church should be. To be prophetic, music does not need to repeat a message, but it must energize your body — not just in the ideological intention of the liturgical team. To be mystical, music must lead you to explore deep pain and elation, both yours and that of all others — starting with the Earth: we should not be afraid of weeping in church.
In a word, music has always existed to help people grow deep in any direction, to contact the sacred ground of existence. Seeing that it is used to foster shallow emotions, underscore a point, or even abolish silence in worship makes me truly mad.
Banner Image: The Soweto Gospel Choir performed in a gala concert in Graz, Austria during the ‘Voices of Spirit’ Choir festival. Photo by Christine Kipper for Info Graz on Wikimedia Commons.
Queries for Contemplation
What do you find interesting in Gianluigi’s musing on music, and what do you find off-target?
Related Readings by Matthew Fox
Creativity: Where the Divine and Human Meet
One River, Many Wells: Wisdom Springing from Global Faiths
Prayer: A Radical Response to Life
Charles Burack, ed., Matthew Fox: Essential Writings on Creation Spirituality
The Reinvention of Work: A New Vision of Livelihood For Our Time
WHEE! We, wee All the Way Home: A Guide to Sensual Prophetic Spirituality
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10 thoughts on “Liturgical Music – part 2”
You have given examples of what you think is acceptable. What are examples of music you find unacceptable? Is it evangelical praise music? Not quite sure what you/re getting at. While some old hymns hit the mark, many in the Episcopal hymn book (favorites of many) are difficult to sing and do not always speak to us. Those thee-s thou-s and thy-s sometimes get in the way of the message. I actually liked most of the music that came out in the RC church after Vat.2. Yes, some of it was a bit insipid, but most touched our hearts and at the church I then attended, people were singing their hearts out as never before. Personally, I think the organ is over=rated and can be stuffy and pretentious. I prefer piano and guitar.
I did not list examples of what I find not so good in church music not only because I prefer positive examples, but especially because what is good varies in relations to the worshiping group. There are pieces that, given the average culture of the group, are acceptable in that place and circumstance, but not in others. Surely I consider most “praise music” of Evangelical origin to be quite shallow, but I acknowledge that for somebody who grew up in that culture it might yield a lot of meaning. Surely there are hymns in the Episcopal Hymnals 1982 which are quite impossible to sing and should be tossed out in the next edition. I do wonder why you find the organ “pretentious” even though you are surely not the first person who tells me that. Again, this surely has to do with the different ways in which one grows up. Hopefully it does not have to do with feigned simplicity and a completely rational decision about what symbolizes the new and what symbolizes the old. I strongly believe that music decisions in worship should be primarily based on the emotional, the sensation, and the intuitive/creative aspects, not on the ideology of the day.
I concur with the previous comment above – I am confused by this line of discussion, especially today’s final comment : “Seeing that it is used to foster shallow emotions, underscore a point, or even abolish silence in worship makes me truly mad.” Anger at other’s means of worship seems beyond judgmental – and I cannot believe that Jesus would have ever stated His divine opinion that way. Christianity is ACTION – and newer, upbeat Christian Rock music recanting forgiveness of self and others and redirecting us to accept and forgive others enhances the call to action in my life. My bigger question would be, WHY does this anger you so?
Well, I get mad at lost of things and Jesus did too. Perhaps the difference would be that he would always get mad at the right things, and I might miss the mark instead. In any case, I surely won’t apologize for getting mad at what makes me mad, and you should not either (in case). I also think we are entitled to judge, in the original sense of the word, especially when we have expertise in the subject matter. My final comment lists three things: 1. the fostering of shallow emotions, as opposed to deep emotions; 2. underscoring a point made by the preacher; 3. abolish silence in worship by filling the “gaps”. These three things I truly believe identify bad music in worship. I did not attack anybody or any specific style of music. Why would you reduce my piece to an attack on preferences? And why do you think that liturgical music should be based on personal preference rather than on what helps the worship? One can surely listen to their preferred music at home (I do!).
I agree that “church music must be mystical and prophetic, just as the church should be,” but doesn’t it raise a kind of “the chicken or the egg” question? I doubt that a non-mystical and non-prophetic church would/could introduce mystical and prophetic music in its liturgy or that mystical and prophetic music would/could be recognized as such in a non-mystical and non-prophetic church.
I discovered both in the Glide Memorial Church in San Francisco where I faithfully attended the Sunday service presided by Rev. Cecil Williams while I lived in nearby San Jose in the mid ’70s. I have never known any other church service so in tune with the spirit of the Gospels as I perceive it. I cannot forget the joy and the sense of oneness felt in such a widely eclectic community, nor can I forget Cecil Williams’ occasional tongue-in-cheek comment at the beginning of the service: “brothers and sisters, if you came here for the salvation of your soul in another life, you may want to go home, because we are here to celebrate this life.” I feel very fortunate to have experienced this kind of liturgy and, later on, rituals guided by Matthew Fox. Oxygen for the soul.
Marvelous and so helpful. I appreciated this focus on liturgical music. Nobody talks about it. But you did. Each of your examples became a special mediation for me. Thank you.
I enjoy Gianluigi’s meditations and selected videos on the universal sacredness of music in reminding, experiencing, and inspiring Us of the Oneness and evolution of Our human and Divine Natures…
A fellow musician at a mega-church once made a bet with me over a cup of coffee. He said he could manipulate the congregation’s applause just by how he played the timpani.
The star singer, a baritone with a gorgeous voice and several recordings, always thrilled with his signature tune, usually earning a raucous standing ovation. The percussionist’s plan: “On the signature tune, I’ll end with a plain timpani roll. They’ll give polite applause. On this other, lesser ‘sleeper’ song, I’ll build to a crescendo roll with a loud stinger. They’ll go wild.” I didn’t believe him, so I took the bet.
Sure enough, the signature song got only polite applause. Then the sleeper song ended with that dramatic tympani, and the congregation erupted into one of the longest standing ovations I’ve ever witnessed.
That bet taught me more than a cup of coffee’s worth of wisdom: music can be used as a manipulative “cheap trick”; it must serve something greater than itself; and our musical gifts are powerful, so they need to be handled with care and reverence.
Over the years I’ve learned so much from other musicians. Some of the most spiritually moving moments have come not from the most talented players, but from the ones with the most servant-hearted spirit.
I was raised Presbyterian; became a convinced Friend in my late 30s. I love silent worship, but miss music. So, for a few years, joined the choir in the Presbyterian Church. But I felt I was being ‘dishonest’ singing words to a creed that I no longer ‘believed!’ And I missed the SILENCE! But I loved the friendships. What a spiritual challenge. Have moved again, and back to sitting in Silent Quaker Worship in Philadelphia and here in Asheville. Also a Taize Service at the local Episcopal Church which nurtures my soul as we sing simple phrases of calling out to God or expressing praise and adoration, and then sit in silent prayer. But all this said, religious ritual is such a personal thing as to what appeals to ones mind, heart and soul. We all have different tastes in music. For me, baroque and classical music express the Holy Spirit on a deep level while others lack tolerance for this ‘higher level’ of music. I can only speak for myself! By the way, I was not allowed to enter the local Catholic Church in South Louisiana, until the early 60s. I will never forget the sense of Presence as folks were kneeling in prayer, and the beauty of Latin chants!! Such a huge contrast to my Protestant Presbyterian chatty service with traditional congregational hymns. Ever since that experience, I have been drawn to Contemplation and silent prayer and often think I would be happy attending a monastery where choirs are singing in Latin!
I agree with GG and would like to attend any church where he was music director. However most here in America lack the musical sophistication or interest to understand the spiritual artistic vision described.
The cultural and society is largely driven simple, popular notions of art, religion and entertainment.