IrvingD

In spite of what other experts might say, I say that there is no style of music that is the exclusive vehicle of worship. Some would have the music of worship limited to a particular tradition or supposed non-tradition. Whether it is some form of ancient chant, Bach chorales, traditional hymns, Gospel, revival, or contemporary "praise music," we must avoid proclaiming any of these as the only proper way to render God's praises. Any one of them or a combination will work. My problem comes with those who would say otherwise. Popular megachurch pastor Rick Warren dismisses traditional hymnody as outdated and, hence, irrelevant or even prohibitive to church growth. In one seminar I attended, Warren had the audience in stitches when he parodied a chorus from Handel's Messiah. "We praise thee, we praise thee, we praise thee, we praise. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Aaaaaaaaa--men," he repeated oblivious to the artistry in the Baroque oratorio. A military chaplain I...

The blogosphere and FaceBook are replete with flame throwers. It seems that people are not content to express their opinions and leave things at that. This is the age of ad hominem attacks. What used to play on air as slander is now the stuff of daily discourse. People have become "haters" on both sides of the political divide. No individual is immune from motive baiting, and no action from and ulterior-and sinister-motives when analyzed from the other side of the political spectrum. That anyone could hold an idea from inner convictions or altruistic motives is categorically denied. I am not promoting a kind of bland "let's-just-all-get-along" dialogue. Convictions matter. World views are real entities to those who hold them. But there are ways to talk about these things without tearing at each other. Without ripping apart the personal character of the President. My friends who call him a "crypto-Islamist" or question his citizenship have already ...