Doctrine, Theology, and a School Choir? (Feminist Music in Church)

There are blogs I read that often discuss the dangers of contemplative spirituality which is New Age thinking that has appeared in some churches. According to the Lighthouse Trails Research Project, it is a "belief system that uses ancient mystical practices to induce altered states of consciousness (the silence) and is rooted in mysticism and the occult but often wrapped in Christian terminology. The premise of contemplative spirituality is pantheistic (God is all) and pantheistic (God is in all). Common terms used for this movement are 'spiritual formation,' 'the silence,' 'the stillness,' 'ancient-wisdom,' 'spiritual disciplines,' and many others. It has much similarity to the PUMSY/DUSO Hinduism train of thought that was taught in school under the "Self Esteem" movement in schools." [1]

These false teachings are rampant in many notorious false teachers (Rick Warren), notorious megachurches (Willow Creek), liberal publishers, and even a popular book (The Shack) [2].

This information leads me to a note I received while attending "More Light for Haiti: Candlemas Anno Domini MMX, The Feast of the Presentation of the Lord," a benefit event for Catholic Relief Services (a concert that featured Creole music in addition to art songs and beautiful choral music, from Thomas Fettke and Linda Lee Johnson ("The Majesty and Glory of Your Name, which I love), to the Requiems of Mozart and Duruflé's, the Pie Jesu from Andrew Lloyd Webber, the Ave Maria from Charles Goudod, and selections from musicals ("Send in the Clowns" from A Little Night Music) and operas ("Viens, Mallika, les lianes en fleurs... Sous le dôme épais" from Lakmé), new Creole-influenced music and selections from both musicals (Phantom of the Opera ). My hometown college (not my alma mater), a well-known chorus led by Liliann Quackenbush (who was one of the conductors of the Die Jahreszeiten selections that I sang last August, and conducts the Washington Street UMC Messiah singalong I attend each December), and that host Catholic church's choir. The note mentioned the choir of Concordia College of Moorhead, Minnesota's concert being held at the church (which I have attended a few concerts), and it mentions new works by director René Clausen, along with "traditional chorus pieces".

That choir will perform in churches the traditional selections of hymns, "Clausen arrangements" of movie music, selections with another choir, and an "avant-garde piece" that uses the live chorus, piano, theatrical lights, and pre-recorded nature soundtracks and choirs that has the "faking it" zing that was been a warning over the years. But the most dangerous portion to me was the use of Bobby McFerrin works.

Normally, you might just give it a pass. But I remember while in college, while writing a review for a college paper as part of my arts requirement in college, I was highly suspicious of a McFerrin work used in a dance event. It was a suspicious setting of Psalm 23 (not to be confused with the settings I've heard in various places) from Mr. McFerrin, which was clearly a feminist-oriented theology based on God as feminine. That was highly sacrilegious and inappropriate music to be used, and to be using this feminist tune with "invented" "added to this to appease one group" that you do not see in a legitimate Bible translation does not make any sense.

How can a church offer a concert in their setting with such feminist false doctrine and theology being sung in the holiest of holy settings, in such a wonderful church?

So on one side (as I mentioned earlier in the week) you have New Age thinking and kids jiggling to highly controversial music with questionable lyrics at deafening volume louder than what's permitted at many NASCAR K&N Pro Series tracks, and on the other side you have a religious college's choir likely performing feminist theology works in the sanctuary of a church. Sometimes you cannot win, and at other times you keep asking yourself is contemplative spirituality coming into the church with such a feminist theology? Having studied Psalm 23 when I was barely in first and second grade at the parochial school that no longer exists, and heard the McFerrin and Troccoli interpretations of it (they were both around the same time; Miss Troccoli's arrangement was based on her mother's last days but I don't hear the wicked feminist tones I hear in Mr. McFerrin's, which drew instant red lights), I cannot wonder why Concordia would sing such feminist and incorrect doctrine in their tour. They are, in the words of Heather Payne when she commented about false teacher Rob Bell, "leading people astray" when such false teachings are being used. ◙

NOTES

[1] Lighthouse Trails Research
[2] Charles Colson and Nancy Pearcy. How Now Shall We Live? Wheaton, IL: Tyndale, 1999, p. 263-271.