tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17617194.post5313839851107373706..comments2024-03-07T06:52:34.516+00:00Comments on Exiled Preacher: Sing to the Lord a new songGuy Davieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09184743462264437085noreply@blogger.comBlogger11125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17617194.post-38103442312060580242008-04-30T23:57:00.000+01:002008-04-30T23:57:00.000+01:00I agree with your thoughts on worship but it is ju...I agree with your thoughts on worship but it is just plain wrong to say that Baxter's views on atonement deviated from the Reformed faith - unless you want to say that pretty much all the early reformers and many greats from the 17th C did also.Martinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12423733138696540615noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17617194.post-65458683691626453992007-09-24T22:11:00.000+01:002007-09-24T22:11:00.000+01:00Hi and thanks for the response,In asnwer to your f...Hi and thanks for the response,<BR/><BR/>In asnwer to your fional question, would I sing a stuart Townend song to a different tune it would obviously depend upon the song but if the lyrics were acceptable then yes I would. (there may even be some acceptable lyrics in a few of his songs:)) However, in the current climate I have never seen a modern song have its tune changed but I have seen a number of older hymns have their tunes modernised.<BR/><BR/>As to the tune playing a role in the hymn, I would absolutely agree. Yet this role is subserviant to the words and is only to aid them. The tone of the hymn is set by the lyrics and not by the music. The emotional repsonse of the worshipper is to the words and our understanding of them. The modern song writing aim is to have the music lead the affect on the emotions rather than having the words do that.<BR/><BR/>I hope that I have made my view on tunes a little clearer, and answered your question. I'm afraid that I can't compete with the many theological minds that seem to troll around your blogg but I can state my twopence worth:)<BR/><BR/>Thanks<BR/><BR/>IanAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17617194.post-52644404526624937932007-09-24T16:05:00.000+01:002007-09-24T16:05:00.000+01:00Thanks for your comments, Ian. I agree that when s...Thanks for your comments, Ian. I agree that when singing hymns, we should concentrate on the words rather than the tune. But tunes do matter and they are <I>meant</I> to have an effect on how we sing the words. <BR/><BR/>Would you sing a Townend hymn to a traditional tune?Guy Davieshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09184743462264437085noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17617194.post-36982301279073657742007-09-24T11:16:00.000+01:002007-09-24T11:16:00.000+01:00Hi Guy,I am afraid that I would come under the tit...Hi Guy,<BR/><BR/>I am afraid that I would come under the title of a friend who would not sing these things. I do however generally keep quiet about these things as most of the evangelical church would hold to your view, if not the whole thinking behind it. <BR/><BR/>The reason that I hold to my view however is not because I think that the general theological errors of the writer are to be considered, outside of the hymns words, but the specific error in the theology many modern songwriters have in the area of hymn writing itself. There is a clear, and expressed, desire for the worshipper to be moved by the music emotionally and when they have been the words can be expressed. Now this is unsurprising given the charasmatic background that many of these songwriters come from, but it is not how I understand true worship to take place. Instead I believe, as I am sure you do, that the words must first take effect in the mind so that the emotions will respond with true joy. It is here that my fundamental objection lies to many contemporary songs. This error is not found in the many great hymn writers of the past who understood the words to be the important part and the music to aid the words, not to drive the song. If we wish to rid these songs of the errors within in them, as I see them:), as we do for many of the older hymns then perhaps we could write new tunes that do not seek to be the primary driver of the song but instead tries to aid our singing and understanding of the words.<BR/><BR/>Just a few thoughts, and perhaps another view you could take into consideration when next saying why all those who won't sing these songs are wrong:) I have no doubt that I will have convinced no-one, and indeed do not expect too, but at least I have given another view.<BR/><BR/>Thanks<BR/><BR/>IanAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17617194.post-19880452807720734022007-09-16T21:07:00.000+01:002007-09-16T21:07:00.000+01:00In our church we do sing one kendrick song(1988). ...In our church we do sing one kendrick song(1988). I have forgotten which one at the moment. We do sing hyms by john and charles wesley, if they have good theology. So basically we choose each song on its merit.<BR/><BR/>I'm not sure how big Hillsong music is in Britain. But it dominates Australia. We don't sing any of their music. We do this as we do not want to financially support their movement.<BR/><BR/>You should try some EMU music from Australia. Bryson Smith writes music but also pastors a Presbytn church at Dubbo.<BR/><BR/>I'm from Oz, if you can't already tell.<BR/><BR/>cheers Ian RAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17617194.post-76143967140175881382007-09-16T14:14:00.000+01:002007-09-16T14:14:00.000+01:00A great post, Guy.The first charismatics I ever me...A great post, Guy.<BR/><BR/>The first charismatics I ever met [back in the early 70s] were also Reformed, and were getting us all to read Loraine Boettner's Reformed Doctrine of Predestination.<BR/><BR/>Townend and Kendrick have written some insightful, biblical lyrics, I think.David McKayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04027490637755317026noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17617194.post-4826159187583714682007-09-14T22:38:00.000+01:002007-09-14T22:38:00.000+01:00On this issue, we are almost peas in a pod.I have ...On this issue, we are almost peas in a pod.<BR/><BR/>I have not really come across any Kendrick I'd want to use, though.Jonathan Hunthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12341478626195362383noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17617194.post-25175429515744161052007-09-14T21:52:00.000+01:002007-09-14T21:52:00.000+01:00Interestingly most conservatives don't seem to hav...Interestingly most conservatives don't seem to have bother (rightly I believe) singing Bernard of Clairvaux hymns, even though he was most likely what we would call a Roman Catholic Monk, yet there are few finer hymns that his "O sacred head now wounded" and "Jesus thou Joy of loving hearts"......I think your argument is sound that as in so many areas of life "content is king".<BR/><BR/>JPAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17617194.post-41169661991050806502007-09-14T18:08:00.000+01:002007-09-14T18:08:00.000+01:00Hi Guy,This post and your previous one this week o...Hi Guy,<BR/><BR/>This post and your previous one this week on 'Faithful and Contemporary' are among the finest to appear on your blog, in my humble opinion! Both address issues which need deep thought, gracious engagement, and humility of Spirit - and you've managed to capture all three.<BR/><BR/>I was reading the introduction to the old Christian Hymns last night, and was blessed by the statement from Spurgeon that you quote today. Like you, I can't abide the vacuous, performance led machinations which pass as worship so often today; but I do love many of the modern pieces. It's a blessing that Christian writers have once agained trained their focus on hymns rather than the ubiquitous 'chorus', and are giving us meat and substance to sing to God's praise. <BR/><BR/>When Jonathan Hunt featured a post on Townend on his blog recently I quoted a favourite verse of mine from one of his hymns. You've given me a good excuse to do it again:<BR/><BR/>'When every unclean thought,<BR/>And every sinful deed,<BR/>Was scourged upon His back<BR/>And hammered through His feet;<BR/>The innocent is cursed,<BR/>The guilty are released - <BR/>The punishment of God, on God<BR/>Has brought me peace.'<BR/><BR/>Good theology indeed.<BR/><BR/>God bless you,<BR/>AndrewFamily Blogshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18139302128402850028noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17617194.post-45836992342620830202007-09-14T17:30:00.000+01:002007-09-14T17:30:00.000+01:00Aaaaamen brother!Aaaaamen brother!Guy Davieshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09184743462264437085noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17617194.post-43840903864111191622007-09-14T15:29:00.000+01:002007-09-14T15:29:00.000+01:00Preach it Reverend!Preach it Reverend!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com