Church Music

I am told that my nephew asked his dad why I became Orthodox, and received for an answer, "He has always been Orthodox". When I first heard about that conversation I thought it was a strange answer, but this Get Religion article about church music helps me understand the anser my brother-in-law gave to my nephew.

I never liked very much the hymns sung in the church of my Dad's denomination. As a rule, the songs were very "me" oriented and were in 4/4 time played in a honky tonk/bluegrass/CW style (it varried according to region). Typical of the style is the song Joy Unspeakable. It is telling how many times the word "I" is used. To be fair there were exceptions to this rule. There were songs of profound and sublime theology. I have in mind one song in particular: Are you Washed in the Blood, which is a condensation of much of St. Paul's teaching. But that was an exception.

At the church co-astored by my brother and my brother I heard different songs. For the most part it was casual 70s/80s style, west-coast, Chuck Smith, Jesus-People, Calvinist influenced church. As a kid I really liked the doughnuts and coffee served between the singing and the preaching. And, as I said I heard different songs. Two that stand out in my memory are I Will Celebrate by Maranatha Music (they sang a lot of songs by Maranatha Music) and the 18th century beauty All Hail the Power of Jesus Name. Both of these songs were sung often. They were both different from what I sang in my Dad's church. One was newer. One was much older. And, though the newer song was more fun, I was deeply moved by the older song with its doxological, eschatological and telological emphases. As far as I can tell, the Protestant movement never has produced a song that is equal to it.

It is the last line that is the best. If you haven't clicked on the link above look at them here...

Let every tribe and every tongue before Him prostrate fall
And shout in universal song the crownèd Lord of all.
And shout in universal song the crownèd Lord of all.

And this is, I think, what my brother-in-law saw that made him say to my nephew, who is merely three years my junior, that I have always been Orthodox. For it is this vision of what it means to be a human being, prostrate and worshiping, that is the heart of what it means to be an Orthodox Christian.

It is my hope that I can live up to it. Lent has been full of activity that distracts from Lent. I am sure Holy Week will be the same. Thankfully, there is heaven to look forward to. And it will be heaven because finally, if I make it, I will be able to do what I was made for, without distraction.