Haydn’s Theresienmesse: An Artistic/Apologetic Tour De Force

 

Perhaps every generation of Christians since the 18th century has felt they are facing the epic battle of all battles in terms of faith versus science. Now, I personally don’t believe the two are opposed but that’s a topic for another day. In addition to engaging scientific arguments in a scientific manner, each generation of Christians who live among enlightened scientific thinkers(i.e., communities that consider themselves to be sophisticated observers of the natural world and scientific processes as they relate to how things work) must boldly proclaim faith, an intangible quality this side of heaven, as the most powerful reality in the universe.

Recently, there has been a call to respond to 21st century scientific thinkers who are relentlessly, dogmatically, and combatively committed to an atheistic view of the universe. We call these individuals the New Atheists. The responses in book form, at conferences, and increasingly in sermons are mounting. I contributed an artist’s response about a month ago at the Southwest ETS conference, which I plan to share on this blog in coming days.

Tonight the NOBTS Seminary Chorus will present a work that emerged during one of Western church’s  greatest periods of questioning. Certainly some enlightened thinkers sought to maintain faith in Christ, but many of the influential enlightened philosophers sought to destroy the foundations of Christianity. For example, even in America’s early days Thomas Paine wrote an influential work, Age of Reason, questioning the validity of the New Testament.

Responses in the Enlightenment by thoughtful Christian leaders were appropriate and well presented, but I would argue that the arts as well provided a meaningful response.

To illustrate how Christian art was a meaningful response to the Enlightenment, I will need to provide some brief background on a particular philosophical argument. The ontological argument (Speaking of God: “that than which nothing greater can be conceived”) originated with Anselm in the 11th century.  The idea re-emerged with Descartes and has made an important comeback in recent decades.

Although Hadyn was no philosopher, I believe the greatest of Western artists inherently recognize that something or some being demands art “that than which nothing greater can be conceived.” Beethoven’s journey with the symphony ultimately led him to a story line in the 9th symphony that has  become the theme of the European Union. Beethoven no doubt sought to make a lofty philosophical statement with the work. For Haydn, the thematic vehicle for music of the highest possible conception must be Christian. Ultimately Haydn’s journey to write sacred music of the highest quality resulted in the Creation, but the six symphonic masses written in the 1790′s are of equal quality. The Theresienmesse, which will be presented tonight at Leavell Chapel, is one of those works.

By the 1790′s, Haydn was not a naive artist writing a fluffy settings of a familiar mass text . At this point, he knew well the dangers of a tyrant such as Napoleon, yet the joy of the Gloria movement cannot be contained, just as the joy of a life lived for Christ cannot be contained no matter what difficulties we face this side of heaven, “O death where is thy sting.” Surely there is a powerful apologetic that is represented in a life lived for Christ with joy in the midst of very difficult circumstances. When an artist so uniquely captures this sense of uncontainable joy and hope, a powerful response to the God-doubters is presented for the world to observe. No doubt Haydn’s Theresienmesse is an artistic/apologetic tour de force.

Reflections on the Supper

I encourage my students to consider doing something special this week to reflect on the Passion of Christ. I realized at about age 19 as an evangelical in a small town in MS that Baptists knew little about how to commemorate Passion week. It’s strangely funny to me how we sometimes as Evangelicals try so hard to not be liturgical that we miss some of the great blessings of worship that have historically proven to be the most treasured by the church. I say this as one firmly committed to free church worship practices, pointing to the most recent scholarship in the Oxford History of Worship, which reveals foundational practices that would suggest greater rather than less freedom.

As a college student, observing Passion week included an opportunity to go to a Maundy Thursday Service for the first time/I had never experienced anything like it–incredibly powerful as the elements were draped in black. At other points in College I began experimenting with fasting, probably with the guidance or model of my father.

Since then I have come to understand much more profoundly that Passion Week can be a powerful time of personal, family, and corporate worship. Our immediate family began doing Passover almost 10 years ago, and now our kids look forward to the event each year. Additionally, I have sought to do some things personally that would make the week of worship special. However, sometimes the Lord has plans that are beyond our capacity to implement.

As most of my friends and students know, my father was diagnosed with brain cancer about a year ago. This was devastating news for our family. Dad was a healthy 65 at that time, committed to responsible eating and exercise. And in a matter of months we saw him go from healthy to the look of death. We prayed and sought the best of medical help. Praise God for the folks at MD Anderson; by the end of summer Dad was free of cancer, had returned to work, and was fervently researching worship for a series of classes that are now being presented across MS in conjunction with the MS Baptist Convention. As dad walked through the valley of the shadow of death, worship had taken on a renewed and deeper meaning .

Then, just a few weeks ago, we found out Dad’s cancer had returned. Within days we were scrambling to get things in place for me to be with dad and mom at MD Anderson. It was there as I was beginning to read and listen to various portions of the gospels that the Spirit reminded me of a profound truth. One particular night we decided to eat in the same room, even if Dad had to eat the overdone steak and other stuff that was on the approved list (we did sneak him a couple of pieces of fajitas steak from Pappasitos). That night I suddenly sensed the Spirit uniting us and realized that what we were experiencing was not all that different from the Love Feasts in the early church. According to scholars the Love Feasts are actually hard to distinguish from the Supper in the early Church. There was a deep sense of an eternal bond, and reflections on that moment continue to remind me of His promise that “He would be with us to the end of the world.”

The Supper is such a powerful and expansive event we fail to see it in many aspects of our fellowship and worship as the church! Critically important things are happening theologically during the Supper; it is an act of obedience as we remember a real historical event; there is a present, that is, an existential power in the supper even with a view of the event as symbol; there is a future hope in the Supper as we look forward to the Marriage Supper of the Lamb.  But the Supper is also just a powerful, powerful, powerful act of fellowship with Christ. His presence does make all the difference and when we break bread with others, even if in a hospital as your dad is receiving cancer treatment, even there the presence of Christ can be so real it’s overwhelming. Remember, one of the primary role’s of the Spirit is to remind us of Christ’s presence.

With these thoughts in mind, perhaps you can better understand why I was so looking forward to celebrating Christ in the Passover with Dad this weekend. Dad has been doing the event with family and friends in Brandon, MS, for several years now. In fact we’ve had fun comparing notes regarding who presents the more authentic service. Dad had me topped when he let me know a few years ago that he had a converted Jewish person who speaks Hebrew attend his event. Nothing could possibly go wrong . . . except no one could be sick because Dad’s blood count is at a point now that we can’t take any chances with him being around sick folks. Well, my precious Elizabeth got sick on the way last night. My wise and patient wife finally helped me realize this morning that none of us needed to go to Dad’s tonight. So once again tonight we will have competing Passovers, this time just a few miles apart as my ever gracious cousin Bill Trolio will host us. Thankfully my wife made enough Charoset to feed an army and 4 boxes of Matzo ball soup, perhaps my favorite Passover food. To say I am disappointed would be a vast understatement. However, the Lord always seeks to heal and teach us truth when we undergo emotional and psychological warfare. Here’s the truth I sense He is sharing with me today. Just as I long for my earthly father’s presence, deeply longing to hear his voice in person tonight, to be led by him in worship, to receive the look of pride that he offers to me in a unique way, knowing that he knows my weaknesses like few on earth, so the disciples deeply missed Jesus by Good Friday. They were at a point of incredible emotional and psychological trauma, wondering what they would do without Him. I believe that’s one of the reasons why Jesus offered so many promises of presence in the upper room discourse, John 13-17. And as I am reminded painfully this weekend of the emptiness of lack of personal presence, I am also reminded of the greater truth, the earth shattering reality of Resurrection Truth. Because He has risen, Christ is present with us through the Spirit. And we will be made to be even more present with Him for all of eternity, and to be comforted by this thought is to be comforted by the presence of the Heavenly Father. In fact, Jesus said that to know Him is to know me. So thankful for an earthly father who has truly given me a picture of the Heavenly Father by seeking to define his life by the Word. We show our Father to our children to the extent that we abide in Christ and His Word. Ultimately I am thankful to God for His beautiful plan to break bread with even me and my family for all of eternity.

The (i)ncarnation of Worship

The article attached is the philosophical underpinning for this blog: (I)ncarnation chpt 1 and (I)ncarnation chpt 2.

Worship and Apologetics

I have been interested for some time in the relationship between a healthy worship gathering and a setting that is primarily used for evangelistic purposes. My tendency is to say–by the way I am not the originator of this thought–that a worship gathering that is being used for evangelistic purposes is not really corporate worship, with the recognition that God is honored as lost souls are saved. In this article I examine possible apologetic approaches in a corporate worship setting. After reviewing the categories regarding how apologetics can be integrated into a corporate worship setting, some suggestions are made for presenting an informed apologetic approach.

The article attached was presented in the spring of 2011 at Southwest Regional Evangelical Theological Society Meeting in Dallas and now appears in The Journal for Baptist Theology and Ministry (journal link): Worship and Apologetics (direct link to article).

History of Worship Lecture

I hope to start providing podcasts on various aspects of worship history and current practice. The the following lectures are associated with a worship leadership class at NOBTS, but I would like to invite all who might be interested in growing in their understanding of historical movements in worship history. These first podcasts are quite low-technique so thank you in advance for your patience–I believe you will be able to hear the information clearly, which of course is the primary focus of these recordings: history of worship lecture 1 history of worship lecture 2 and history of worship lecture 3, history of worship lecture 4, and history of worship lecture 5, history of worship lecture 6, history of worship lecture 7a, and history of worship lecture 7b.

A Worship WIKI

Introducing a fantastic worship wiki created by our worship students at NOBTS–very proud. I think you’ll find this resource to be quite helpful and you’ll get a taste of the types of topics we discuss at NOBTS:

http://planningandeadingworshipnofa12.wikispaces.com/

Cultural Noise

The following article is related cultural noise in the worship gathering: Cultural Noise and Worship Leadership. Comments are welcome.

The Superiority of Matthew 5 Thinking

I have been dumbfounded over the past few days to see the reaction of many to the tasteless video created that denigrates Islam. However, the reaction of passionate supporters of Islam has caused me to reflect on the superiority of Matthew 5 thinking. When I say superior thinking, let me clarify first what I do not mean. What I do not believe is that historically people in the West are smarter than Islamic people. What I do not mean is that my Western ancestors are genetically superior. What I do believe is that the values of Matthew 5 could easily be lost in a generation and my descendants could act just as barbaric as those we have been observing in the news the past few days.

Although much more than what follows is evident in Matthew 5 thinking, one of my favorite principles is highlighted in verses 38-48: acting in vengeance is not the path to spiritual maturity. You might remember that this familiar section of scripture begins with: “You have heard that it has been said, An eye for eye and tooth for tooth . . . .” What follows this Matthew 38a would have been recognized and is still recognized as a counter-intuitive reaction based on natural human emotion, namely that we should love our enemies. Verse 48 clarifies that spiritual maturity is to be measured against becoming perfect as our Father in heaven is perfect.

Wow, what a high and holy calling we share as Christians, but there is also a good amount of practical reasoning inherent in this section of scripture. When I consistently act in a reactionary manner I empower others. My Spirit-led instinct as a believer is to say that I shouldn’t pay too much attention to art that degrades Christianity. Certainly, there are instances where moral outrage is warranted, but even then a reasoned response is most appropriate. The reaction of many Christian Scholars to Brown’s Davinci Code a few years ago would be a supreme example of a thoughtful response that did a lot of kingdom good.  Christians have not always responded in such a thoughtful manner, thus not following the advice of their leader.

Yes, I say boldly that Matthew 5 thinking is superior, but it’s not because we’re smarter (i.e., Christians in the US or a Western way of thinking). The reason Matthew 5 thinking is superior is because Jesus is God. He shows us ways to think that humans aren’t capable of inventing or sustaining on their own. Every believer who is serious about walking with Christ understands that recognizing the value of Matthew 5 thinking has barely accomplished half of the task. Living out Matthew 5 is extraordinarily more difficult. Again, the ability to do so does not come from a superior commitment to self-discipline. Loving your enemies in the manner Jesus described can only be accomplished by walking in the Spirit.

I do recognize that suggesting that God desires to share His divine nature with us to the extent Peter says He does (2 Peter 1:4) is very offensive to Muslims. That reality saddens me. I really do believe there could be peace among us. But only if all recognize that Jesus is Lord. Until then, may we boldly be martyred for Him, declaring His victory with every wound.

Disclaimer: This blog does not reflect my view on the sovereign right of a nation to protect itself but rather the appropriate response of the Church and individual Christians to attacks of various type.

(i)ncarnational Worship

The attached documents explain the philosophical underpinnings of this site (Incarnation chpt 1; The incarnation of worship chpt 2). At the end of chapter 2, I present a list of the foundations of worship leadership preparation. Although, I believe the worship leader will want to grow in each of these areas to move toward maturity as a worship leader (no music items are mentioned because this document was written for worship leaders of all types, including lead pastor), the one item that should appear  to missing is the following: prayer. Even if one has all of the knowledge-based/wisdom-based tools, these tools will prove ineffective without the power of God. Often God has been gracious to me and allowed for impactful worship without the necessary prayer preparation, but I am increasingly convinced that I fail to see what could happen in worship because of my laziness in prayer. May we seal our commitment to acquiring these tools with fervent prayer. Please know that if you are not in the Worship Leadership or Planning and Leading Worship FAll 2012 classes at NOBTS, you are still invited to comment on these documents or ask for further explanation.

What is a Hymn?

In Worship Leadership class during Red Carpet week 2012 a question arose: “When do contemporary songs become hymns?” One of the leading sources on hymnology that has arisen among evangelicals in recent years is by David Music and Milburn Price, A Survey of Christian Hymnody. The following can be found in the opening chapters of their book: “Hymns are part of the branch of poetry known as ‘lyric poetry.’ The lyre was an ancient Greek musical instrument, and lyric poetry was poetry that was to be accompanied by the lyre; thus, poetry was designed for singing. Hymns contain many of the characteristics that are familiar from other types of poetry such as stanzaic form, rhyme, poetic meter, and poetic device” (Introduction, vii). In terms of distinguishing Old Testament singing and New Testament singing, they define all OT singing as Psalms (probably not completely canonized until Bablonian captivity) and or Canticles (other lyrical poetry in OT that were “antecedents for the songs of faith of later eras.” Regarding the emergence of the word hymn in the NT, Music/Price said the following: “Paul encouraged believers to sing ‘psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs’ both as an instrument of praise to God and as a tool for teaching (Eph. 5: 19, Col. 3:19). Whether this referred to three specific types  of songs or is to be interpreted as a rhetorical device that Paul used for emphasis is a matter of some uncertainty.  . . .  Early Christians sought to supplement their heritage of psalms and canticles with songs that would praise the name of Christ, share the gospel, and express their own religious experience”  (3). Three of the earliest Christian songs come directly from scripture: Magnificat (Luke 1: 46-56), Benedictus est (Song of Zacharias, Luke 1: 67-79), Gloria in Excelsis Deo (Luke 2: 14), Nun dimittis (Song of Simeon, Luke 2: 29-32). Also, portions of Paul’s letters appear to be hymn-like refrains emphasizing a particular theological point, possibly existing before Paul’s original penning of the words. If we use this possibly loose NT definition of hymn, a contemporary song could become a hymn quite quickly. But from a hymnologist’s standpoint, there are more specific designations among modern Western Christian categories for song, which can be very helpful to trace historic patterns. For example, Harry Eskew/Hugh McElrath distinguishes hymns as “usually [existing] in strophic form, using the same music for each stanza. The number of phrases of the hymn tune correspond to its text, ranging generally from as few as four. . . . There will sometimes be a refrain of four or more additional phrases.” (Sing with Understanding, 36). Clearly, a typical worship song that might have emerged in the 80′s as a chorus of few words that is continuously repeated would not fit this definition. However, a song like “Blessed Be Your Name” does appear to match the criteria stated above. Because of the influence of rock on worship songs from 1980′s to present, a bridge is often included. So, one must decide if the inclusion of a bridge is enough to not count a song as a hymn.