Last week I suggested that differences of worship and music philosophy will sometimes necessitate withholding cooperation, but that depends upon (1) the particular difference and… Read More »What kinds of differences affect cooperation?
Straw Men in the Music/Worship Debate One of the most dangerous, yet easy pitfalls one can fall into when discussing music/worship issues is to misrepresent… Read More »I’ll huff, and I’ll puff, and I’ll blow my imaginary argument down!
Several days ago, I watched a posted video of a previously streamed chapel service at an independent Baptist school located in the deep woods of… Read More »Thoughts on Music not Being a Controversy When It Really is
What do widely varying manners tell us about ordinate affection? Some reason this way: since some cultures regard eye-contact as respectful, and others regard eye-contact… Read More »Manners and Meaning
I have attempted in this series to provide a framework for evaluating the relationship between worship and mission. Using Jonathan Edwards’ categories of “Ends” helps… Read More »God’s Mission: Worship
“You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain.” This command is universally understood to mean that God’s name is not… Read More »The Strange Silence Around the Third Commandment
Edwards’s discussion of “Ends” presented last week provides a framework for determining both God’s chief end and his mission. Using Edward’s categories, God’s chief end… Read More »The Chief End of God and the <i>Missio Dei</i>
There is a lot of talk today about the Missio Dei–the mission of God. God is a sending God, the principle states, and the church–including its… Read More »Ultimate and Subordinate Ends
As Kaplan concludes, he considers the social functions of popular art. He sees its appeal in finding a common denominator among people. It is popular… Read More »Concluding Thoughts
Popular art is accused of being escapist. Kaplan agrees and disagrees. He argues that popular art seeks to escape the ugliness or troubles of this… Read More »Escape To Never Never Land
I have been arguing that the basic building blocks of worship have existed ever since creation, were codified in the Mosaic system, and are actually… Read More »Christ removes the shadows to reveal the reality
Kaplan disputes the idea that popular art provides relief from boredom. In one very real sense, it perpetuates it. The key difference between serious or… Read More »Sentimentality and Increasing Boredom
Last week I suggested that the establishment of the Jewish sacrificial system, tabernacle, and priesthood was a codification of worship elements that had been instituted… Read More »Shadows of reality
You can recognize popular art not only through its form (or formlessness), but through the feelings it evokes, according to Kaplan. He disagrees with the… Read More »Affective Anaesthesia
In this series I have suggested that the building blocks of worship were established in the first few chapters of Genesis. To review, those building… Read More »Constructing Hebrew worship
Kaplan argues that popular art is formless. It does not possess form in the truest sense. Form in good art, is precisely what invites true… Read More »Mere Recognition
Last week I suggested that the basic building blocks of worship worship established in the creation/fall events: (1) God reveals himself and initiates a relationship with… Read More »Distorting the building blocks of worship
The popular arts are often criticized by aesthetes for their form, or perhaps formlessness. Kaplan responds to this by directing us once again to how… Read More »Crystallized Prejudices
Synthesizing an essential definition of worship is a perennial problem. Many have tried, several have given us very helpful definitions, yet few are fully satisfactory.… Read More »The building blocks of worship
How are we to worship God? We should worship in all of life, but we have been told most explicitly to worship God corporately through… Read More »A Catechism on Judgment in Worship