The period from about 1500 AD until 2000 AD is generally known as the Modern Era. We are quickly slipping into the Post-Modern Era.
One of the characteristics of the Modern Era was the elevation of science to a religion. As a result of the Modern Era, other religions, such as Christianity, must now answer to science in the public forum. Christians find themselves defending themselves against things like evolution and astronomy.
Another characteristic of the Modern Era is that art, music, and literature have been subjugated to math, science, and engineering to the point where the arts are only considered good for entertainment, not to be taken seriously like math, science, or medicine, for example.
One of the problems we have in the church is that the things we use to worship God - music, drama, dance, & art - are considered nothing more than entertainment by the secular world. Since we are so influenced by the modern culture, we find ourselves increasing the entertainment value of our worship. (Worship, of course, should not be confused with Christian entertainment which can be a form of outreach.)
I don’t see an obvious solution, except to draw a harder line between entertainment and worship and find new ways to worship God. In my opinion, our worship times are too entertaining and Christian entertainment is little different than worship.
Since we are rapidly moving into the Post-Modern Era, this problem may get sorted out as the arts once again take a prominently place in society.
What do you think?
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2 comments:
Worship can be very entertaining...especially to the non believer. But I don't think entertainment in and of itself can ever really be worship.
God desires our best. This involves our skill and excellence. Good entertainment comes from skill and excellence....but should the fear of what others might think concerning entertainment stop us praise and worshipers from what we passionately do best?....no way!
I think part of the solution, Jim, lies in people realizing that worship is more than music and art. Those are definitely worship - or they can be - but of all the ways we can worship God, they are very fractional.
I hear people complain about music in church quite often - or they say they can only worship with a certain kind of music. Many in the church (at large) have come to worship themselves, I feel, by placing so much weight on a particular style or songlist or on music itself.
Interestingly enough, while music is definitely a God-given talent - and I do believe God loves to hear us "play"... Music is never listed as a spiritual gift in the scriptures - and if you believe that the Spirit provides all we need in the church to BE the church - where does that leave music?
All that to say again... you KNOW how much I LOVE music - like you... but I think the church would do better to step back and learn to "worship" other ways for a while.
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