Rhythm’s ‘Rite’
This week marks the centennial of a famous riot in Paris on May 29, 1913. Was the cause of this riot political unrest, governmental abuses, or class warfare? No. It was a ballet! Igor Stravinsky’s ballet, The Rite of Spring, premiered in the Théâtre des Champs-Elysées, literally igniting a physical riot in the crowd, as well as an aesthetic riot in the twentieth century music world. How could a ballet have had such tremendous and...
What Is Directing Our Worship?
When asked to serve as the Music Minister at his church, Steven gladly accepted. He led the congregation in the great hymns from the church’s history—such as “All Creatures of Our God and King,” “A Mighty Fortress is Our God,” “Praise Ye the Lord, the Almighty,” and “Near the Cross.” An elderly gentleman, strictly accustomed to southern gospel music, approached Steven one morning: “These new songs are nice and all, but I really prefer...
When Technology Comes to Church
What happens when technology comes to church? For kingdom-minded Christians, this is the logical question to ask following my prior essay, Is Technology Neutral? Once we’ve agreed in principle that technology is no neutral force in human affairs, this raises questions for its usage in all areas of life. For those who worship in most Protestant churches today, technology is everywhere. Technologies aren’t just overhead screens and...
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