http://paulmoreland.com/2007/08/17/im-a-dinosaur/ Faith, Family, Friends, Firearms Tue, 29 Jun 2010 15:45:35 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 http://paulmoreland.com/2007/08/17/im-a-dinosaur/comment-page-1/#comment-260 CarolynJP Wed, 06 Feb 2008 17:30:26 +0000 http://paulmoreland.com/?p=77#comment-260 I understand a bit of where you're coming from. I would much prefer to sing the old hymns, but there were some hymns that arrived on the scene during my lifetime that some from the previous generation didn't approve. In fact, some for many years were not permitted in the "church" hymnal. Yet, we sang them at home and listened to them on the radio. A few years ago, we joined a "baby" church. We came from a very conservative, fundamentalist background. The group included some unfamiliar "praise" songs in their song service. We were not too happy as we did not know them...more especially my husband. I recalled having to learn new songs in my high school choir, so I knew we could learn these new songs if we were so inclined, and we did. And we learned to like and enjoy singing them. Some were harder to learn than others since they had more difficult arrangements than the easier songs that I learned as a child. So we went along with singing these new songs. Still as time went by, the familiar hymns were sung less and less. It was even mentioned that the younger generation couldn't understand the old songs. I really thought that was an insult to the young folks intelligence. If they could learn foreign languages in school surely they could learn a few older words. It would be so easy if some thought that the case for the song leader to read through the song and briefly explain some of the archaic words to the worshippers. I really like it anyway when the song leader says a few words before he leads a particular song...as to why he thinks it's appropriate or how it originated, etc. Well, now I've said all that now to say this. I've not really studied the history of the music in the church from it's infancy, but I'm almost positive that we might not like the music of the first, second, or third century church. It's my understanding that four-part harmony was not very well accepted into the church liturgy until after the Civil War. There is an early form of church music called "Sacred Harp" where there are as many as six parts. Also weren't chants in the very early church history and aren't they still incorporated in the services of some churches? The various cultures of the world have different music forms that my uneducated mind can't understand, but I do believe if I was exposed to it for a long enough period of time that I could come to understand and perhaps enjoy it. I think these cultures also have the right and privilege to create hymns that fit their kinds of music. They do not have to conform to European or American styles. God is pleased with all music that is offered to him and each other. And although I as you do prefer the music with which I grew up, I don't feel that I can be too critical of those who prefer other types of singing..traditional, contemporary, gospel, praise, Gregorian chants, Negro spirituals, cultural styles, etc. Still, I guess one can go too far by incorporating Godly words into music that appears "worldly" to its listeners. I really have no good response to that thought. I understand a bit of where you’re coming from. I would much prefer to sing the old hymns, but there were some hymns that arrived on the scene during my lifetime that some from the previous generation didn’t approve. In fact, some for many years were not permitted in the “church” hymnal. Yet, we sang them at home and listened to them on the radio.
A few years ago, we joined a “baby” church. We came from a very conservative, fundamentalist background. The group included some unfamiliar “praise” songs in their song service. We were not too happy as we did not know them…more especially my husband.
I recalled having to learn new songs in my high school choir, so I knew we could learn these new songs if we were so inclined, and we did. And we learned to like and enjoy singing them. Some were harder to learn than others since they had more difficult arrangements than the easier songs that I learned as a child.
So we went along with singing these new songs. Still as time went by, the familiar hymns were sung less and less. It was even mentioned that the younger generation couldn’t understand the old songs. I really thought that was an insult to the young folks intelligence. If they could learn foreign languages in school surely they could learn a few older words. It would be so easy if some thought that the case for the song leader to read through the song and briefly explain some of the archaic words to the worshippers. I really like it anyway when the song leader says a few words before he leads a particular song…as to why he thinks it’s appropriate or how it originated, etc.
Well, now I’ve said all that now to say this. I’ve not really studied the history of the music in the church from it’s infancy, but I’m almost positive that we might not like the music of the first, second, or third century church. It’s my understanding that four-part harmony was not very well accepted into the church liturgy until after the Civil War. There is an early form of church music called “Sacred Harp” where there are as many as six parts. Also weren’t chants in the very early church history and aren’t they still incorporated in the services of some churches?
The various cultures of the world have different music forms that my uneducated mind can’t understand, but I do believe if I was exposed to it for a long enough period of time that I could come to understand and perhaps enjoy it. I think these cultures also have the right and privilege to create hymns that fit their kinds of music. They do not have to conform to European or American styles. God is pleased with all music that is offered to him and each other. And although I as you do prefer the music with which I grew up, I don’t feel that I can be too critical of those who prefer other types of singing..traditional, contemporary, gospel, praise, Gregorian chants, Negro spirituals, cultural styles, etc.
Still, I guess one can go too far by incorporating Godly words into music that appears “worldly” to its listeners. I really have no good response to that thought.

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