Jan 12 2005
the secular, Sacred & profane pt 1
In the next couple of weeks we will begin talking about images of Jesus in today’s music. As part of that experience in our worship we will be playing and listening to songs that are considered "secular" because they didn’t originate in the church or from people who are considered "Christians." The question will probably immediately come to mind why would a church do that why would a church play "secular" music in worship. Worship is supposed to be a sacred and set aside time and no place for that kind of music. I’d like to take the time to explore the my understanding of the secular sacred and profane and the reason why we will do secular songs in worship. The good the bad and the ugly. That is the way that the sacred,secular and profane have been understood for the most part in our world. The sacred is good the secular is bad and the profane is ugly. Conventional wisdom says; The sacred is what is good in God’s eyes, the secular is what is bad in God’s eyes and the profane is what is ugly in God’s eyes. Music movies and books have all been carved up and placed into these categories and their value is based on which category they fall into. The sacred has value for the spiritual journey and following Jesus and the others do. I believe that the division between sacred and secular is a creation of a particular world view of the Christian faith and doesn’t necessarily reflect way that Jesus and his first followers would understand their world and their faith in Jesus Christ. Actually many of the songs and music that we now consider sacred have their roots in what we might call the secular world. There is ancient saying that "All truth is God’s truth." In other words if there is any truth is our world it comes from God. I believe that there is truth to be found in both sacred and secular music, movies and art etc. If all truth is God’s truth and secular music speaks to the truth of our human condition and our most basic yearning then that truth is also God’s truth. The distinction between sacred and secular is non existent if we accept that there is no truth that exists in the world apart from God’s truth. So if there is any truth, even the smallest amount in our popular music, movies or books then it is also God’s truth even though it may not be the whole truth. So what is ultimate truth where do we go to find the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth? As I Jesus follow a take seriously Jesus words "I am the way, the truth and the life" (John 14:6John 14:6
English: Contemporary English Version (1999) - CEV
6 “I am the way, the truth, and the life!” Jesus answered. “Without me, no one can go to the Father.). Ultimate truth is having a personal relationship with Jesus and following his life patterning our lives. However, truth that points to the ultimate truth can be found in sacred and secular music. Popular music along with movies and other art forms are asking many deep and important spiritual questions. Questions that express the deepest yearnings of human beings and give us a glimpse of God’s truth. When we engage these questions and speak to these yearnings we can be lead to the ultimate truth of God’s love for us embodied in Jesus, God’s truth in the flesh. Followers of Jesus, people of faith, the church needs to be in the conversation. We need to listen to the questions and acknowledge the yearnings and recognize them as valid starting points for exploring the ultimate truth of God which we know through Jesus. In February we will continue our exploration worship experiences focused on the search for Jesus by exploring images of from current music. We will unpack the spiritual yearnings and questions of faith in four Grammy nominated songs. If I ain’t Got You by Alicia Keys, Jesus Walks by Kanye West, Reason by Hoobastank and Heaven by Los Lost Boys. In the process we will hold these question and yearnings up to the light of the ultimate truth found in Jesus.
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