A couple of weeks ago I attended a benefit concert put on by a local men’s chorus here in Abbotsford. While choral music is not really my cup of tea, I found myself enjoying the concert. That is, until the chorus decided to sing what I think is one the worst songs in Christian history. Okay, ‘worst’ may a bit of hyperbole, “Kumbaya” and “Pass It On” still probably share that honour. However, It is a song that I think is unbiblical and even destructive to the future of the church. Three things before I reveal to you this unfortunate song. One, perspective is everything, and it is possible that I have completely misunderstood the point and meaning of this song, and therefore I am open to being corrected. Music is a very subjective experience and what one person relates to can be very different from others. This is just a fancy way of saying this is only my opinion so you are free to completely disagree with me. Two, I suspect some of you will really like this song, so please try not to be too mad at me. Consider this your warning that you may not like or appreciate what I have to say here. Three, it’s okay if you do like this song. I know most of the audience at the concert thoroughly enjoyed this song. I know there are songs that I like that are probably theologically suspect, it doesn’t stop me from liking them. But I would like you to give me the benefit of the doubt and think through what this song is saying, and perhaps more importantly, what it says about how we think.
What is this horrible song that I dislike so much….. that old favourite – “Give Me That Old Time Religion”. The song dates back to 1873 and most likely had its roots in African-American spirituals before it was picked up and made popular during the tent revivals of the late 19th century and has been a staple of Protestant hymnals ever since. I admit the song has a catchy tune and is fun to sing, and it hardly seems dangerous with its’ call to return to the religion of Peter and Silas, the religion that will “get us all to heaven” and was “tried in the fiery furnace”. But stop and think a moment about the picture and images this song forms. It causes us to take a ‘backwards’ orientation, to look ‘back’ in time to some mythical time when ‘things were better’. It assumes that whatever is happening now in the church and in our world is bad, and that the answer to our problems is found in ‘going back’ to where we were before. And by the way the audience enthusiastically responded to the song I am guessing that many there would heartily share in that. I understand why this may sound attractive. I understand struggling with the pace of change in our culture, our struggle with the dislocation happening in our culture. And there is nothing inherently wrong with a sense of fondness, or even nostalgia for our past. And there is nothing wrong with honouring and learning from our past. But, we must beware of the trap of thinking the way forward is backward. For I do not believe this is the orientation God would want us to have. I believe God is not a ‘look back’ God, but a God who is looking forward. God is always about moving forward, about doing “a new thing” (Is. 42:9; Jeremiah 31:22) God is about transforming our world, about bringing forth a “new heavens and new earth” (Is. 65:17), about creating a new people (1 Pete 2:9,10); and making us into a “new creation” (2 Cor. 5:17).
1 comments:
First.. you probably know I like the song --- so:
1. I won't argue about your perspective of 'looking back' in the sense you refer to it..
but for me I look at as:
Instead of much of what the world portrays we should have today...(free sex, booze, drugs, etc.) just give me 'the old time religion' a belief and trust in God who died to save me' and THAT's good enough for me!
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