Comments on: Isolation in Ecclesia?

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Sat, 15 Jul 2006 21:45:17 +0000

“Scarcely any decent church music since the Reformation? What about Bach? Handel? Mozart? They are better missionaries than the proselytizers, methinks.”
Obviously, you haven’t been in a church in a while….. “Six Flags Over Jesus” franchises don’t allow Bach, Handel, or Mozart.

By: Barry

Barry — Fri, 14 Jul 2006 17:54:21 +0000

This is an excellent post, although a bit errant at one point. There is simply nothing (other than man-made traditions) that would allow for a distinction between a secular instrument and a sacred (spiritual? Christian? whatever?) instrument. Banality is one thing. Musical instruments are another, and no necessary connection between the two exists.

By: IndyChristian

IndyChristian — Fri, 14 Jul 2006 13:32:42 +0000

Glad to hear the question come back into view. The latest 'Top 50 Influential Churches' report may heighten the conversation even. Care to address it, Seth?

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Thu, 13 Jul 2006 18:45:00 +0000

There is some connection between Holy Rosary and Wabash College. There may have been a music professor or some other learned person who helped them select music. For the benefit of those looking, however, one of their selections was O bello Dio, Signor del Paradiso in translation..a pilgrim song dating from the time of the Crusades and Ein Haus voll Glorie Schauet sang in the original German. Both were sung well in my view although I don’t claim any music expertise.

By: Joshua P. Allem

Joshua P. Allem — Thu, 13 Jul 2006 15:52:38 +0000

“Forsake not the assembling of yourselves together…”
I have never understood how almost the entire body of Christ for the last 2000 years could take a statement as basic as the above and turn it into the massive, structured institution that it is today. If you’re one of His, then just make sure you get together once in a while! That’s all it’s saying! That can be assomplished at a private home or a public resteraunt. It can be accomplished with as few as 3 people. Why spend huge amounts of money on buildings all over town to cram people in like cattle once a week, every week to accomplish nothing?
The answer to that question is relevant to our discussion concerning isolation. The majority of today’s Christian doesn’t want REAL community. They prefer things at arms length. People just aren’t gonna get together on their own like they should and get personal. They prefer being a small nameless entity in a crowd of Christians without ever giving or receiving from the whole. But because everyone else is also not giving and receiving, it becomes a pathetic rehash of old sayings and hand shakings with empty smiles.

By: Seth

Seth — Thu, 13 Jul 2006 13:05:02 +0000

Incidentally, Holy Rosay is my church here in Indianapolis. I was actually introduced to Roman Catholicism while at Wabash – we would drive over to Indianapolis once a month to sing with the chruch schola. Thanks for the very good recommendation, nonetheless!

By: Chuck

Chuck — Thu, 13 Jul 2006 13:04:06 +0000

Scarcely any decent church music since the Reformation? What about Bach? Handel? Mozart? They are better missionaries than the proselytizers, methinks.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Thu, 13 Jul 2006 12:17:57 +0000

Shop Holy Rosary in Indianapolis at their 9:30 Latin High Mass. The music is also very interesting in that it takes in some 1600 years of song.

By: Alan K. Henderson

Alan K. Henderson — Thu, 13 Jul 2006 06:21:02 +0000

Finding a local congregation where the Gospel is preached and secular instruments, such as pianos, guitars, and drums, are not used to supplement the most banal of banal music, is a feat.
There’s been scarcely any decent church music since the Reformation. The organ accompaniment to the old classic hymns is quite dreary, and modern “praise music” tends to be as bland as a 1970s variety show. “Silent Night” in its original incarnation – to be sung with a single acoustic guitar providing the instrumental – is a notable exception.

By: David Wayne

David Wayne — Thu, 13 Jul 2006 02:49:18 +0000

Egads man! I can see you will be stirring things up royally! Welcome aboard – I can’t wait to read more from you.