Beyond the worship wars

Christian Century, June 4, 1997 by Marva J. Dawn

Through many congregations are fighting these days over what style of music to use in worship, the issue that should be debated is that of propriety. The most important question to ask in planning worship is how we can best glorify God. We can use all kinds of music--and a wide variety fosters greater community--but for either theological or musical reasons, some songs are not appropriate. The elements we use should remind us that it is God who has invited us here, that it is God who reveals Godself and enlightens us for worship. Our glad response can then take many forms.

We must also ask what kind of people are being formed by our worship practices. How will worship equip us for mission throughout the week? In addition, we must ask what will bring us together as a community.

The vitality and faithfulness of our Christian lives and the effectiveness of our outreach to the world depend on three foundations: on constantly deepening our relationship with God, on nurturing our personal character and on developing genuine community. Does everything in our worship contribute to growth in these three areas?

Sometimes conflicts about worship arise because of musical taste--some people prefer "traditional" and others prefer "contemporary" styles. Many congregations solve the problem by having one traditional and one contemporary service, though these terms are ill defined.

This approach, however, sharpens the focus on taste--and thereby fosters a"vendor-consumer" disposition. Also, it often separates older worshipers who prefer traditional hymns from younger members who want newer music; it ends up depriving traditionalists of new expressions of faith and robbing enthusiasts for the contemporary of continuity with the Christian community throughout time. Members of the congregation do not learn to appreciate a wide variety of musical styles in a fellowship of diverse people. Thus, this approach might contribute to a narcissistic self-centeredness that hampers genuine community and obstructs concern for the neighbor and outreach to the world.

Couldn't we instead bring together the opposing sides and promote a blend of styles in worship? We can learn what it means to be the Christian community as we talk together about worship practices. We can make sure that old and young worship together for the sake of wisdom and vitality for all. By asking better questions, we can be theologically faithful in our worship.

It is certainly possible to use contemporary materials without sowing dissension. A congregation in my area alternates weekly between the Lutheran Book of Worship and contemporary hymns and liturgy. The pastor leads the services both weeks with the same attentiveness to forms that match the message.

My home congregation, an, African-American community in Portland, Oregon, blends musical styles every week. One Sunday we began with a black spiritual, then sang "We Are Marching in the Light of God" from South Africa, and ended the opening devotional songs with a chorus from the Taize community in France. Other worship music in that service included three different traditions--a Lutheran chorale, an evangelical hymn and a soulfully sung solo.

Such deft blending seems to be the exception, however. Many parishes use contemporary music simply for its "marketing appeal" without paying attention to what they are using and why. In many cases, worship planners don't realize how much the content of worship is shaped by consumerist attitudes. We must carefully sort music and forms and styles to choose what is theologically appropriate and musically excellent. This winnowing process has usually already been accomplished in the case of worship elements that appear in hymnbooks and worship books. Though there are notable exceptions (as in the case of violent words or unsingable melodies), the hymns and liturgies that have stood the test of time have done so because their content is strong and their music felicitous.

There are many good new songs and liturgies, but congregations must work harder to find them and to assess their worth and suitability. As a guest preacher, I frequently attend" contemporary" services characterized by poor music, bad theology and shoddy leadership.

Last year when I preached for a congregation that had both traditional and contemporary services, I noticed a disturbing contrast. The traditional service began with the ancient formula "In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit." Thus we were reminded that the Trinity had called us there. We were also prepared by these lines at the top of the worship folder: "We speak to God before the service. God speaks to us in the service. We speak to each other after the service. As you are seated in the pew, please bow in silent prayer."

Although the same invitation appeared at the top of the contemporary service folder, the congregants paid no attention to it. Chattering continued during the first song. Furthermore, a sense of God's initiative and presence was lost in the contemporary call to worship, which began, "Come, join the journey of Jesus today." The congregation replied, "We come in our different ways, walking in our own styles, at our own speeds, but we come to join the journey." That response put all the initiative on us and fractured the sense of community by isolating each of us in his or her own style. This is not to say that we shouldn't acknowledge our differences, but corporate worship is intended to bring us together in spite of those differences and to unite us in the common faith of Christians. That set of lines violated all three of the criteria for worship noted above--that God be the focus, that worship nurture godly character and that it promote genuine community.