"What Child is This" - reggae version!

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SueS

Puritan Board Freshman
This absolutely floors and angers me - it's soooo typical of what goes on at my old church!

Someone in that congregation gave my son-in-law a cd of reggae flavored Christmas music and requested that he (a sax player) and several other young men play the cd's version of "What Child is This" at their Christmas program this coming Sunday evening. He's excited about doing it and said that his group is doing a better job than the recording. It didn't even faze him when I told him that reggae music has its roots in Carribean voodoo and is not appropriate for use in a church. I ended the conversation by saying, "well, at least it will be entertaining", a comment that again, completely went over his head.

It's just one more example of a "pastor" who has such a low view of Scripture and the things of the Lord that he permits something like this to take place. It totally sickens me.

We've been praying for over three years that the Lord would deliver my daughter and her husband (who we truly love) from that place. That deliverance can't come too soon. This is a very serious situation!
 
I thought it had Rastafarian roots.

I also agree that I would not encourage our worship leader to "kick out the jams, mon". Showing grace to a culture when you are on their turf is one thing. Importing it for entertainment in the Church is another.\

Sue, I used to want to shed blood over lots of issues. Now I shed tears, share information and pray about situations like this. When I see people I love in a prison, I desire to see them sprung.
 
Why play it to its current tune? Surely not for entertainment or because we like the sound, right? No, no, no, we hate the way it currently sounds and in fact don't prefer it, so that's why we do it! We need to make the sound so bad that we are somehow more reverent and can only think about the words!


This is a matter of what is "normal" for a people group. In this case, I actually might agree that it is not a "good" thing to have this song as reggae if the audience does not see this as proper. However, there are people groups that would find this completely normal (i.e. Jamaica) and it would in fact be a distraction to play the normal American tune to "What Child is This." There are also those of us who see no difference between the classic tune and in a reggae version of the song. In fact, I'm quite certain that I would really like it and would enjoy singing it. But again, this is a matter of preferences and for our culture this would likely be a distraction, so I understand not wanting to have the song performed in this way.
 
Chaplainintraining said:
Did it really derive from voodoo? I googled and couldn't find anything along those lines.
Click to expand...



You're right - I misspoke concerning its roots in voodoo. However, the main point stands - whether one is EP or not, such an arrangement has no place in a church service!
 
SueS said:
Chaplainintraining said:
Did it really derive from voodoo? I googled and couldn't find anything along those lines.
Click to expand...



You're right - I misspoke concerning its roots in voodoo. However, the main point stands - whether one is EP or not, such an arrangement has no place in a church service!
Click to expand...

If I may ask, exactly what type of music has it's place in church? What is the criteria for church music, and upon what do you base your criteria?
 
To be honest, by reading the thread title I thought someone was going to post a cool version of "what Child is this".

To resonate what Todd said...If you are EP than any arrangement of "What Child is This" would not be acceptable. If you are Non-EP then I think a reggae version of "What Child Is This" would be great.
 
matthew11v25 said:
To be honest, by reading the thread title I thought someone was going to post a cool version of "what Child is this".

To resonate what Todd said...If you are EP than any arrangement of "What Child is This" would not be acceptable. If you are Non-EP then I think a reggae version of "What Child Is This" would be great.
Click to expand...

Could you explain what exactly "EP" is, and why you think that a reggae version of What Child Is This" would be great for those of us who are not?
 
ReformedFundy said:
Could you explain what exactly "EP" is, and why you think that a reggae version of What Child Is This" would be great for those of us who are not?
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EP = Exclusive Psalmody (at least, here on the PB--as opposed to extended play, for example). You'll find several folks on the board who hold to this position for corporate worship.
 
Scottish Lass said:
ReformedFundy said:
Could you explain what exactly "EP" is, and why you think that a reggae version of What Child Is This" would be great for those of us who are not?
Click to expand...

EP = Exclusive Psalmody (at least, here on the PB--as opposed to extended play, for example). You'll find several folks on the board who hold to this position for corporate worship.
Click to expand...

Hmmmmm...interesting. Thank you kindly for the answer.
 
Will,

In a Puritan Board context, there are three or four subjects that will almost certainly reach critical mass even before the carbon rods get pulled out: baptism (credo vs. paedo), exclusive psalmody, and textual criticism (KJV/NKJV vs. the "critical text" versions such as NAS, ESV, etc.).

The classic Lutheran position is that what is not prohibited is permitted.
The classic Calvinist position is that what is not commanded is not permitted.

The first affords amazing lattitude for methodological variation and innovation on the grounds that if it does not receive prohibitive critique, it probably lies within the realm of liberty. The second cites the Levitical instance of "strange fire" resulting in divine condemnation as evidence that we have no right to worship in a way not directed by the Lord in Holy Scripture.
 
SueS said:
Chaplainintraining said:
Did it really derive from voodoo? I googled and couldn't find anything along those lines.
Click to expand...



You're right - I misspoke concerning its roots in voodoo. However, the main point stands - whether one is EP or not, such an arrangement has no place in a church service!
Click to expand...

I wouldn't say the arrangement has no place (I didn't hear it so I can't comment one way or the other. I can personally think in my mind how it could be ok, but I can also see where it could be done in a way that is absolutely wrong). On the other hand, I would agree that a Christmas "program" has no place in a church service. What part of corporate worship can occur during a 30 min. entertainment that just happens to use Jesus as the subject matter.

If you want a program, do it on a Saturday.
 
Chaplainintraining;


If you want a program, do it on a Saturday.
Click to expand...

Our Church has a fellowship dinner and a Christmas 'program' but they are held on either a Friday or Saturday evening...not during on Sunday that is for Worship..
 
BJClark said:
Chaplainintraining;


If you want a program, do it on a Saturday.
Click to expand...

Our Church has a fellowship dinner and a Christmas 'program' but they are held on either a Friday or Saturday evening...not during on Sunday that is for Worship..
Click to expand...

I couldn't agree more.

I heard the guys on the WHI say something once along the lines of, "we are all for Starbuck Q&A sessions. We like alot of the seeker sensitive stuff. Just do it on Saturday. Attract them on Saturday and bring them to worship on Sunday. Do not confuse Evangelism and Worship."
 
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