It seems like every major news outlet is covering the Pew Survey on Religion in some way. (Here is one outlet's summary. If you prefer to read the study itself, here is a link to the Pew Forum.) Basically, the findings are that people do not perform well on a "religious pop quiz." We don't seem to know even the most basic tenets of our faith; we seem to led by our hearts and not our heads when it comes to religion.
I do worry about the "fairness" of pop quizzes. I think we'd be surprised at how poorly we'd perform on any range of topics. Furthermore, who decides which questions demonstrate religious knowledge? If a person can recite and explain the Apostle's Creed and the Lord's Prayer, wouldn't that show at least a minimal understanding of the Christian faith?
But despite that reservation, I don't think we can see the results of this study as anything other than a call for ongoing Christian education - Sunday School, adult forum, Bethel Bible study, and, of course, music! Church music doesn't respect the distinction between heart and head. Soaring tunes can be matched with texts that explain and describe our faith, thereby pairing aesthetic beauty with Christian education.
Our closing hymn "O Christ, Your Heart, Compassionate" (ELW 722) this past Sunday is just one example of that blending. For one thing, the choir sounded fantastic on the last verse descant at second service, and the hymn itself has a beautiful tune. But the text also contains a number of allusions to specific Bible verses, and a call to ministry. Verse three appears below as an example:
O Christ, create new hearts in us that beat in time with yours,
That, joined by faith with your great heart, become love's open doors.
We are your body, risen Christ; our hearts, our hands we yield
That through our life and ministry your love may be revealed.
From what I can tell, the survey didn't ask people if they had any hymns memorized or how music informs their faith. That's certainly a glaring omission of one important aspect of worship!
Showing posts with label Education. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Education. Show all posts
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
Sunday, October 18, 2009
Baptisms and the ACT in Cleveland
In an entry last week, I referred to an "Eeyore problem" that I had observed around Northeast Ohio. Somehow it managed not to draw a flood of negative comments. I would hope that even if people might be tempted to agree that they will do their best to make a change. I reread the entry today and noticed that it certainly reflected more than my usual amount of cynicism. I suppose that was my point: in spite of our challenges, we should all strive to count our blessings and work toward a better future.
Church this week (and this month) seem particularly able to encourage such optimism. While the hymn "If You But Trust in God to Guide You" may be not be the most hummable, familiar tune, the text of trust and grace epitomize the hope and optimism that I always find at the heart of Lutheranism. Of course, the many baptisms in our church lately are always happy moments. We welcome a new member to our congregation and family in Christ.
I was thinking about the sharp contrast between my daily life and the practice ACT test that I administered at a public school in Cleveland this past week. Walking into city high schools can be a depressing experience, the institutional browns and yellows and fluorescent lighting, the teachers shouting for attention, and the sometimes listless or disrespectful students. However, in the midst of this setting, in a raucous room and a challenging environment, I watched a young woman in a Jr. ROTC Air Force uniform put all her effort into the ACT. She wasn't alone; in that crowd were a handful of students who were clearly focused and determined to do their best. I still haven't lost the hopeless romanticism and optimism that shine from those students.
With education and students on my mind, I was flipping through the ELW and discovered that nine hymns are listed under the heading "Education," including ELW 676 "Lord, Speak to Us, That We May Speak." To teach, to lead, to raise children, and to spread optimism (what Tillich collectively referred to as "the courage to be") all require a source of strength and inspiration, which this hymn expresses in its third verse:
Oh, teach us, Lord, that we may teach
The precious truths which you impart;
And wing our words, that they may reach
The hidden depths of many a heart.
Church this week (and this month) seem particularly able to encourage such optimism. While the hymn "If You But Trust in God to Guide You" may be not be the most hummable, familiar tune, the text of trust and grace epitomize the hope and optimism that I always find at the heart of Lutheranism. Of course, the many baptisms in our church lately are always happy moments. We welcome a new member to our congregation and family in Christ.
I was thinking about the sharp contrast between my daily life and the practice ACT test that I administered at a public school in Cleveland this past week. Walking into city high schools can be a depressing experience, the institutional browns and yellows and fluorescent lighting, the teachers shouting for attention, and the sometimes listless or disrespectful students. However, in the midst of this setting, in a raucous room and a challenging environment, I watched a young woman in a Jr. ROTC Air Force uniform put all her effort into the ACT. She wasn't alone; in that crowd were a handful of students who were clearly focused and determined to do their best. I still haven't lost the hopeless romanticism and optimism that shine from those students.
With education and students on my mind, I was flipping through the ELW and discovered that nine hymns are listed under the heading "Education," including ELW 676 "Lord, Speak to Us, That We May Speak." To teach, to lead, to raise children, and to spread optimism (what Tillich collectively referred to as "the courage to be") all require a source of strength and inspiration, which this hymn expresses in its third verse:
Oh, teach us, Lord, that we may teach
The precious truths which you impart;
And wing our words, that they may reach
The hidden depths of many a heart.
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