The Dumbing Down of Christianity

[ezra]

True, I can see how that can get boring.

if not careful its the flesh trying to quicken the spirit . as long as it is the spirit moving i am fine with it

 

[ezra]

I hear you here. In our church one of the, I'll call it a disappointment for lack of better term, is that when we sing hymns we don't sing them with the emotion they seem to be projecting. One of my biggest examples is at Christmas time we often sing "Joy to the World." To me that is a joyous song full of uplifting and powerful messages. A celebration of the birth of the Savior. But when we sing it in our church I feel like it is a funeral procession. All of the music we sing in church comes out that way.

I realize that I can inject emotion into the music when I sing it but it is difficult and feels like I'm trying to push a train.

how often do we treat church like a funeral

 

[JohnDB]

Something about singing "Joy To The World" as a dirge seems wrong.

 

[Jim Parker]

We put a big emphasis on baptism and Communion as core doctrines.

Those were the essentials of the early church.
Two great books by Alexander Schmemann
Of water and Spirit (about Baptism and receiving the Spirit)
The Eucharist.

 

[stovebolts]

Those were the essentials of the early church.
Two great books by Alexander Schmemann
Of water and Spirit (about Baptism and receiving the Spirit)
The Eucharist.

Yes, the didache mentions both of them as well as the Apostolic Fathers and both of them were core doctrines. Aside from these two mentioned from the Didache, the rest pretty much had to do with how one lives his life in service to God.
Interesting enough, the doctrine of the Trinity came much later.

 

[Jim Parker]

Interesting enough, the doctrine of the Trinity came much later.

The doctrine of the Trinity didn't come into focus until Arius taught that Jesus was (essentially) a created being.
After that got put to bed, the Church was confronted with a group that was teaching the Holy Spirit was a created being. According to the Pneumatomachians (Macedonians), the Holy Spirit was a created entity, subject to the Father and Son, in something of a servant role.

So, the Trinity didn't get defined until it got challenged by heresies.


iakov the fool

 

[PeterJens]

I hear you here. In our church one of the, I'll call it a disappointment for lack of better term, is that when we sing hymns we don't sing them with the emotion they seem to be projecting. One of my biggest examples is at Christmas time we often sing "Joy to the World." To me that is a joyous song full of uplifting and powerful messages. A celebration of the birth of the Savior. But when we sing it in our church I feel like it is a funeral procession. All of the music we sing in church comes out that way.

I realize that I can inject emotion into the music when I sing it but it is difficult and feels like I'm trying to push a train.

Back when I was a teenager, coming to faith meant singing songs in assembly in school became
a joy rather than an obligation.

At that time how I was reacting to life was who I was and not something I could choose. It was like
the emotional power was in scripture and the songs but not in me, or in how I could express things
from my heart. So for many it seems faith is a private thing, one acknowledges but is not sure either
how to actually express it or that one really believes it, it is just part of what one does.

This is why I never have been part of congregations like this, but seek out those who just want to
let ones appreciation flow from the heart, so the words are connected with the emotion.

For me Jesus came to bring us this love and joy that we wear on our sleeve, that defines who we are.
"I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full."
John 10:10
Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!
Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near.
Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.
Philippians 4:4-6

Paul is encouraging us to realise what we have in Christ, to centre ourselves on Him and His
promises and to let that be our heartbeat. When you do this, ones life and singing reflect
the emotion involved.

I am not condemning anyone, just sharing what is Pauls experience and his expectation of
what we can achieve in Jesus, Amen