Recently I finished reading a book called, 'Why Johnny can't sing hymns.' It was a pretty darn good read. While I had to make my way past all the overt criticisms of a music form that I actually quite enjoy (that is, contemporary worship music) the author, T. David Gordon (no relation) had some compelling things to say.By trade, Gordon is a media ecologist, which I confess is a profession I had not heard of...
Read MoreRead MoreMuch of our worship seems to reject the incarnation. Karl Barth, when writing to address the growing atheist movement in the early part of the 20th century, answered their criticism that ‘there is no such thing as a God up there’ with the words, ‘quite right.’ He reminded the church that we don’t believe in a God like that either. The only God we know of is the one who came to meet us, who...
Read MoreRead MoreIn 1972, the first Scripture and Song book was published. It began, or marked the beginning of the movement broadly called, 'contemporary worship music.'That was 41 years ago. I've been working on a wee theory. Back in 1972, a musical and liturgical revolution occurred. That much is clear. The folk music that people were listening too on the radio began to be used as a vehicle for their songs of praise, confession and intercession in...
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