For many people in the church, if you ask them when they most feel God’s presence in worship, they will say something about the music. Religious music, worship music, no matter the genre, is meant on some level to foster an experience of God’s presence. How many people have shed tears of joy during a particularly well done organ piece or choral anthem? Or, on the other end of the spectrum, how many have felt themselves pulled out of a time of worship by a discordant piece that does not seem to fit the moment?
Music has the ability to instill in us a sense of divine presence and majesty. And when we join together in song, we are given the opportunity to respond to God’s work in our lives. This is why many of the classic masterpieces we appreciate were originally written as religious pieces. It is why those of us who are Methodists are called “a singing people.” It is why we get teary when we hear voices that bring to mind angels. Music is an integral part of our faith.
For those of us who are Methodist, the two most well known early founders of the movement are responsible for much of our focus on music. Charles Wesley was one of the most prolific hymn writers of all time. Much of the theology of the Methodist movement that he shared with his brother, John, can be found in the various hymns that he wrote. Some of his hymns make the most sense in Methodist circles while others of his hymns cross denominational lines with their impact.
For his part, John collected his brother’s hymns and others that fit into his understanding of God and spirituality into hymn collections. He included instructions with them, directing those who had a copy to learn the hymns and to sing them. Sing them all. Sing with courage but modesty. Sing in time. And above all else, sing spiritually. (See “Directions for Singing,” The United Methodist Hymnal, vii; a light-hearted take with the text of the directions can also be found online here: https://um-insight.net/in-the-church/local-church/wesley-s-directions-for-singing/.)
For this reason it has often been said of Methodists in particular that we sing our theology. That is to say that what we sing informs our theology, informs how we understand God and our place in the world. But given the power of music to influence our thoughts and create emotions, this is likely as true of other traditions that value song as well.
This pull to sing, to experience the presence of God as we do in those moments and to respond with all of our being is part of what has made this time of chaos and separation so difficult for many of us in church communities. We miss the music. And what makes this all the more stressful is the growing likelihood that singing may be delayed far beyond the reopening of our physical gathering places. This doesn’t mean music or even singing will no longer be a part of our worship times together. Nor does it mean that music does not have a place for us in the midst of this time.
More Than Praise
Like prayer, song has the ability to communicate more than simply praise and thanksgiving. While those are certainly important facets of both our personal and communal times of worship, music also communicates loss, grief, hope, faith, belief, lament, despair, and a host of other emotions. Consider the difference between Widor’s Toccata (here: https://youtu.be/jtj300j129k) and Verdi’s Requiem Mass (here: https://youtu.be/R7UwrbjlMow). These two pieces likely elicit quite different emotions.
During times of isolation, find the music that speaks to your thoughts and emotions. Listening to songs that express what you are feeling can be cathartic. It can also be an offering to God, like a prayer set to music.
Find the music that expresses your soul. Or the music that soothes the fear. Play as loud as your feelings are strong.
More Than Church Music
Most of us do not live a cloistered life away from the world. We live in a world that even at the best of times is a bit chaotic. We experience life. We are constantly shaped by what we experience. And regardless of what we have done, who we are, what we look like, or who we love, God loves us.
A thorough read of the Bible shows us that people have never been perfect. In our religious history, cheaters, murderers, and rapists have been lifted up as paragons of faith. A friend recently shared her thoughts on King David (thanks, Brandee). If you haven’t paid attention before, go back and read the entire story of King David with new eyes. Or look to the history of the Church for wars, killings, torture, and more all perpetrated in the name of Jesus.
Not everything related to the Church is good or life-giving. And not everything outside of the church is evil and destructive.
As we consider how we feel in the face of not only isolation but now grief, anger, and/or fear as well, there may be songs outside the life of the church that speak to those feelings. Occasionally I will hear a song on the radio (usually “alternative” if that matters), and it will speak directly to how I understand our place in the world. Or I will read the scripture for Sunday, and a song that I know will pop into my head. Occasionally this may be a church-related song, but most often it is something that has nothing to do with the church.
Is the world outside of our worship times and spaces holy? Does the divine presence stop at the doors of the church? What can a song like U2’s “Where the Streets Have No Name” tell us about the kingdom of God? What can we learn about belief and the doubts of the disciples after the Resurrection from The Monkee’s “I’m a Believer”?
Find the music that speaks to your soul, even if it doesn’t come from the Church, even if it comes from someplace as mundane as pop radio (or country or hip-hop, etc.).
Dance
As I stated before, music touches our emotions. It also touches our bodies. Even the most strait-laced, proper, out-of-sync person can feel the beat urging them to move, no matter how much they may fight that feeling. But in times like this, that movement can be good for us. As the saying goes, dance like no one is watching. It provides a certain amount of exercise and can raise your spirits.
For the last 6 or 7 weeks, a friend has been posting clips of herself dancing in the kitchen and challenging others to do the same. She finds the music that speaks to how she is feeling that day, sets up the camera, and moves. It gives her a little workout and obviously leaves her feeling better than when she started.
Like my friend, let yourself feel the music. Let it enter your soul and your body. Let it move you. Let it express your joy, your fears, your longing, and let your body move however it encourages you.
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As many of us begin looking to the loosening of the restrictions placed on us by others or by our own concerns, not all is as it was before. Music still plays a role in our lives and in our worship even though we may not be able to sing out loud together for some time. Music touches on our thoughts and emotions, calls to mind the presence of God, and expresses our faith and our fears. Music moves us spiritually and physically.
Next time, we will look at maintaining the discipline of Study. Even in times of isolation, it is important to continue to grow in our knowledge and understanding of God, faith, and one another. This is as much spiritual work as it is academic work. We will also consider the importance of studying with others and ways we can continue to do this even as we maintain physical separation.