Question for my EP/RPCNA friends

[LittleFaith]

Recently I visited an RPCNA church. While I don't hold the EP position myself I don't have any objection to its practice, especially when the nearest sound church follows that line of thinking.

While there, I was somewhat surprised to see that this congregation used screens and microphones during the singing of psalms. Could someone [kindly and gently] explain to me the logic here? Since EP is not a conviction of mine I freely acknowledge that I have been to very few EP services and may just have a poor understanding of that position.

From my perspective, if musical instruments are outside the pale as not being specifically commanded in Scripture, and being an enticement to distraction and needless stirring of passions - few things better symbolize the spirit of our wicked age than adding electronics to worship in the form of visual and auditory amplification; they are, or can be, distracting; they're not commanded by Scripture; and I could see many of the same arguments being made as are made for musical instruments or any number of other deviations from an EP view.

Please know that I am not asking this in an accusatory tone, but rather as an outsider who saw this and wonders with curiosity. Moderators, if this doesn't belong in the EP thread, or if you deem it to be poorly worded, then no offense will be taken if you delete/disapprove/lock this thread.

 

[Logan]

I've never seen that before but to clarify: I assume you are speaking about screens as in projector screens with the words of the Psalm on them? What were the microphones for? A few individuals?

Strictly speaking, EP (exclusive psalmody) doesn't have anything to do with the instruments you bring up, or with the use of screens or microphones.

The screens don't seem to necessarily be a problem to me. How the words are presented to the congregation to sing is irrelevant: in the old Scottish church they didn't have money for books for everyone so they would "line out" the psalm, with the precentor singing/saying each line and then the congregation repeating it together. But whether the words are in books, scrolls, memorized, on phone screens, or projector screens, is irrelevant. It's a circumstance of worship although wisdom might dictate that some methods are better or more conducive to a proper attitude than others.

Electronics are not innately wicked or necessarily distracting. But they can become so. Now if the microphones are being used by an acapella "worship team" leading the congregation, that could be a problem, but not because of EP or instruments in worship or because electronics are bad. But again, I don't know from your post much of what was actually going on.

 

[Northern Crofter]

I was somewhat surprised....

What you describe is surprising/unusual but not unwarranted from an EP perspective.

...being an enticement to distraction and needless stirring of passions...

That's not a reason why EP folk sing from the Psalter.

...few things better symbolize the spirit of our wicked age than adding electronics to worship in the form of visual and auditory amplification...

I'm not sure I agree. The prophets (or even Christ) going to the top of a hill that might have once been used for pagan worship ("high places") so that they could be better heard when speaking would seem to me to be a good analogy. Wouldn't the printing press once have been considered a symbol of a wicked age?

...they're not commanded by Scripture...

I think the WCF speaks timelessly to this: "... there are some circumstances concerning the worship of God, and government of the Church, common to human actions and societies, which are to be ordered by the light of nature and Christian prudence..." (1.6)

 

[Jake]

I prefer singing in something in my hands (my church uses song books and/or printouts) but I have seen RPW-conscious churches use a projector screen rather than make copies each week or buy song books. I don't see a problem with this from a regulative perspective. It seems clearly adiaphora whether you use printouts, song books, projector screen, line singing by the precentor, etc. Likewise for use of microphones. I worshipped in an RP congregation once that had a very quiet precentor and a tune the congregation was not very familiar with and it was very awkward to get through the Psalm. A microphone may have been a useful addition there.

 

[dsanch1120]

Not EP, so I’m sorry if I’m not supposed to answer. My understand is that the psalms being sung are an element of worship while the means of reading those Psalms is a circumstance. Putting the words on the screen is akin to printing out the words from a psalter.
That, at least, would be my guess.

 

[Polanus1561]

From my perspective, if musical instruments are outside the pale as not being specifically commanded in Scripture, and being an enticement to distraction and needless stirring of passions - few things better symbolize the spirit of our wicked age than adding electronics to worship in the form of visual and auditory amplification; they are, or can be, distracting; they're not commanded by Scripture; and I could see many of the same arguments being made as are made for musical instruments or any number of other deviations from an EP view.

I am curious; is your negative view on electronics your own personal view, outside of EP settings and including your own PCA setting? Or is this something you are not seeing as consistent with the EP view?

 

[LittleFaith]

I'd like to start by remarking that I am married, so I don't need all these additional reminders that I'm a poor communicator! Joking aside, you all really do have a knack for helping me to see where my questions are less than clear. I'll do my best to answer.

I've never seen that before but to clarify: I assume you are speaking about screens as in projector screens with the words of the Psalm on them? What were the microphones for? A few individuals?

I should have been more careful with my wording. One screen, and one microphone; note to self: singular and plural exist for a reason. One screen to project the words of the Psalm. One microphone for the precentor to lead in singing.

That's not a reason why EP folk sing from the Psalter.

Sure, so that could be an example where my understanding of the EP view is flawed. Or perhaps, at some specific but unremembered point in the past, I heard arguments against instrumental accompaniment similar to some of the arguments made by Augustine about music.

I am curious; is your negative view on electronics your own personal view, outside of EP settings and including your own PCA setting? Or is this something you are not seeing as consistent with the EP view?

This is the crux of my question. It's the latter - I'm not seeing the consistency with the EP view. Perhaps it stems from my own understanding of instruments as a circumstance of worship rather than an element. If one views instruments as an element, why would microphones and screens not also be elements?

Again please know that my tone is not accusatory but rather inquisitive.

 

[Logan]

I don't have time for a full answer here but I think part of the confusion is that you are conflating EP (exclusive psalmody) with acapella worship (no instruments) and the Regulative Principle of Worship (RPW). The RPW is typically used in defending EP and acapella but one can hold to the RPW without holding to the other two. Likewise, one can be EP without being acapella, and one can be acapella without being EP.

So to be clear: discussion about a microphone and a projector screen has nothing to do with EP or acapella worship, what you really need to discuss is the understanding of the RPW and how that feeds into acapella worship.

 

[Rom]

An Acapella EP'er would disagree that an instrument is a circumstance, as instruments had religious significance in OT worship and as part of the Temple System, they are done away with in NT worship, as circumstances (by definition) are to have no religious significance.

Hence why a projector could be used to help facilitate a worship service such that it is conducted decently and in order (1 Cor 14) and microphones could be used to help better hear a minister preach.

I do not intend to argue the point of instruments, but if you want an explanation, that would be the rationale.

 

[Charles Johnson]

Anyone interested in learning the reasoning for why the Church of Scotland rejected instruments, and why they are still not used in the RPCNA, FCC, and other successor churches, would do well to read the 1807 report of the Presbytery of Glasgow on the matter. They were responding to an attempt made, without the approval of the presbytery, to install an organ in St. Andrew's in Glasgow.

 

[NaphtaliPress]

Anyone interested in learning the reasoning for why the Church of Scotland rejected instruments, and why they are still not used in the RPCNA, FCC, and other successor churches, would do well to read the 1807 report of the Presbytery of Glasgow on the matter. They were responding to an attempt made, without the approval of the presbytery, to install an organ in St. Andrew's in Glasgow.

Like the church calendar the introduction of instruments was contrary to the simple (so found objectionable by innovators) practice of the presbyterian church; they finally came into use as Dabney put it, on an "advancing wave of worldliness and ritualism in the evangelical bodies."

 

[LittleFaith]

Thank you all for the helpful answers. @kodos hit the nail on the head - I'm not looking to challenge one viewpoint or the other, just to understand the rationale.