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Home > Resources > Liturgical Arts > MusicA Study of Congregational Song at Calvin College, LOFT:
According to the Components of a Well-Formed Religion
Paul Ryan
Objective
To examine the congregational songs of the Calvin College worshipping community LOFT (Living Our Faith Together) during the 2004-2005 academic year in order to reveal and evaluate the faith and life expressed as well-formed.
Outline
- Introduction
- Scope of the Study
- The Nature of Congregational Song
- Categories of Analysis
- "World and Life View"
- God
- The Cosmos
- The Transcendent Realm
- Human Existence
- Origin, nature, identity
- Social identity
- Vocation
- The basic problem and solution
- Conclusion
Introduction
At Calvin College Christian formation in faith and life is a cornerstone of the curriculum and student activities. This Christian formation of students involves the classroom, the residence hall, the athletic field, the concert stage, and the chapel. It informs faculty placement and governs staffing needs. Advertisements and publications proudly display the school's emphasis on Christian formation, and parents and students alike hold accountable the college to maintain this pursuit. As a Christian institution of higher learning, Calvin College strives to embrace and embody the formation and expression of Biblical Reformed Christianity in all its endeavors.
One program that seeks to embrace and embody the task of Christian Formation is a Sunday evening community by the name of Living Our Faith Together or LOFT. LOFT is a worship service led by Calvin College students. Roughly six hundred to seven hundred students and visitors from the community join together weekly during the academic year to express their faith and life to God and to be formed according to God's word through scripture and sermons. As a worship service, LOFT weekly experiences an historic pattern of worship including celebration, confession, proclamation, intercession, and dedication in a informal and culturally popular style. Though sermons are included weekly and celebrations of the Lord's Supper are practiced occasionally, congregational singing is what particularly attracts those in attendance. Overwhelmingly, students respond that they attend LOFT because of the singing. This is not surprising since it is rare to experience less than twelve songs per one hour and fifteen minute service. Most local congregations can attest to singing at most six to seven songs per service. This volume of music and the students' motivation to attend makes LOFT foremost a singing community.
If Calvin College is an institution forming faith and life according to Biblical Reformed Christianity and if LOFT is a program instituted to pursue this end, a natural question arises, "Are the congregational songs at LOFT forming students in Christian faith and life?" Another way of asking the question is, "What is the faith expressed through congregational song that LOFT is living out together?" These questions frame the objective of this paper, i.e. to examine the singing literature of LOFT during the 2004-2005 academic year in order to reveal and evaluate the faith and life expressed and experienced.
Scope of the Study
One might argue that investigating the congregational songs of LOFT alone is not adequate to formulate a comprehensive perspective on the actual faith and life of the students. Granted. However, given the primacy of congregational song at LOFT and LOFT's appeal to students, an investigation of congregational song can reveal at least in part the experience of faith and life. In fact, this may be understating it. John D. Witvliet, director of the Calvin Institute of Christian Worship, goes as far as to say that one of the "most reliable methods for grasping the inner pulse of a given community...is to understand that community's music." 1
Just as it is important to acknowledge that the congregational songs at LOFT may not adequately reveal a comprehensive perspective of the students' life and faith, it is equally important to observe that congregational song is not the only way faith is expressed and experienced at LOFT. If time and space permitted, a similar study could be done by examining the variety of scripture verses and passages read throughout the year. Similarly, a study could be done by reflecting upon the prayers prayed or by evaluating the sermons preached. A study of the congregational song at this time is adequate, however, because of the place of primacy songs at LOFT hold.
The Nature of Congregational Song
To begin this study, it should noted that congregational songs are unique. On one hand, Augustine has said "whoever sings [to God in worship] prays twice." 2 What this means is that both the text of a song and the music of the song speak. The text objectively states truth or sentiment in grammatical and literary propositions, whereas the music adds a subjective dynamic that speaks along side the text. For example, a hymn sung at LOFT is "The Church's One Foundation." The text poetically states in four stanzas a basic doctrine of the church. When the traditional tune, Aurelia, is played with the text robustly, the text takes on a triumphant, march-like quality. At LOFT, however, the students often sing this text with a new tune that is lyrical and sweet. With this new tune the text of the hymn takes on a very different quality. Rather than triumphant and march-like, the doctrine of the church takes on a compassionate, mother-like quality. Augustine was right. Whoever sings to God prays twice. In this paper, most of the reflection will focus on the texts of the songs sung because of their objectivity. Brian Wren, Professor of Worship at Columbia Theological Seminary explains, "Though the words we sing are only part of the experience of singing, they deserve critical attention, because they either enlarge and develop Christian faith, or distort and diminish it." 3 On occasion, however, it will be worthwhile to acknowledge the style and/or source of the music as it enlarges the picture of the Christian faith and life expressed.
On the other hand, congregational songs present a challenge in analysis because of their poetic nature. Brian Wren explains the challenge in doing theology with hymn texts:
Though the Christian story is told, doctrines elaborated, and theological viewpoints expressed, a hymn lyric's theological work-if any-is done within the syllable count, stress patterns, and rhyming options of English verse, and the limits and possibilities of rhetorical devices such as epigram, simile, antitheses, and metaphor. To avoid sounding silly or off the point, the theological visitor needs to understand the possibilities and limits of the medium. 4
Moreover, the challenge of analyzing congregational song is magnified by songs that are particularly bad as poetry. One formerly popular song at LOFT was dismissed early in the year because none of the students could adequately explain what the song actually meant!
Categories of Analysis
There are a variety of ways one might organize an analysis of the Christian faith and life expressed in a body of congregational song. One might consider using the loci of systematic theology to understanding the extent of faith expressed (e.g. "What do the songs at LOFT say about the doctrine of God, the doctrine of humanity, the doctrine of Christology, etc."). One might employ the familiar scheme of creation, fall, redemption, and consummation. Or an interesting study might involve analysis of congregational songs by the three-fold pattern of the Heidelberg Catechism (Misery, Deliverance, Gratitude). In order to fulfill course requirements, this paper, however, will be using philosophical categories outlined by John W. Cooper at Calvin Theological Seminary. These categories are components of what is called a Well-formed religion. A well-formed religion is one that is "intentionally articulated and existentially satisfying" and "integrates life by involving and orienting every significant aspect of existence." 5 In the philosophy of religion, these categories can be used to examine and evaluate any number of religious faiths from Christianity to Buddhism and from tribal religions to secular ideologies. The definition at first glance is daunting, but in practice the categories can help define what is basic to human existence and life before God. More than simply fulfilling course requirements, these categories should supply several helpful reference points to understand the faith and life expressed at LOFT and to determine whether or not that faith is well-formed.
"World and Life View"
Due to space and time, this paper will focus on one component of a well-formed religion: World and Life View. Examining the LOFT congregational songs according to this component is ideal because it is overarching in natural and more particularly because Calvin College emphases Christian Formation based a Christian world and life view. What is a world and life view? Dr. Cooper explains that this is "An understanding of human life within reality as a whole, centered on the ultimate source of human good." 6 In other words, a world and life view locates human existence within the cosmos and orients humanity in relationship to God and the essential realities of human life. For the purposes of this paper, the components of a world and life view that will examined are four: God, the cosmos, the transcendent realm, & humanity. Normative order is also a key component, but left off of this paper for further investigation at another time. An illustration of a world and life view might drawn be as follows:
World & Life View
In all well-formed religions a world and life view is articulated in a more or less satisfying way. One of the questions for this paper is, therefore, "How well articulated and satisfying is the world and life view expressed by the congregational songs at LOFT?"
World and Life View: God
Dr. Cooper explains that God, or the object of religion is "Whatever is considered worthy of ultimate human attention because it is trusted as the basic source/preserver of existence and/or means of addressing its problems." 7 In Christianity, God is personal and triune. At LOFT, the congregational songs bear witness to a personal, triune God. Common titles for God are King, Lord Almighty, and Creator. The hymn "All Creatures of Our God and King" utilizes all three titles. A popular song, "Prince of Peace," names God with several titles:
You're the King of Kings
You are mighty God
Lord of everything
You're Emmanuel
You're the Great I Am
You're the Prince of Peace
Who is the Lamb
You're the Living God
You're my Saving Grace
You will reign forever
You are Ancient of Days
You are Alpha Omega
Beginning and End
You're my Savior Messiah
Redeemer and Friend
More personally, songs such as "Arise My Soul Arise" speak of God as "Father, Abba." And the Psalm paraphrase "40" speaks of God's personal attention to human needs, "He inclined and heard my cry." Though personal, God in the congregational songs at LOFT is always spoken of reverently and with respect.
When looking at the congregational songs at LOFT as a whole, it is evident that God is clearly triune. Several references are made to the Father. "Arise My Soul Arise, above, is an example. Many songs are highly Christological. "In Christ Alone," which will be referred to several times in this paper is an excellent example. Moreover, the Spirit is mentioned in several songs. "Spirit of the Living God" is a song sung exclusively to the Spirit, and the gospel song "When I Think About the Lord" sings of the personal filling of the Holy Spirit, "How he filled me with the Holy Ghost."
Individually, however, there are few songs that in themselves are explicitly Trinitarian. The African gathering song, "Come, All You People" beckons the community to praise all three persons of the Trinity and "Holy, Holy, Holy Lord God Almighty explicitly sings, "blessed Trinity." Only five songs of one hundred and fifteen, however, are explicitly Trinitarian. This is an important consideration since God as triune is unique to Christianity and is fundamental to the nature of God whom the community at LOFT worships.
World and Life View: The Cosmos
The congregational songs at LOFT are clear in articulating two separate realms within the cosmos: heaven and earth. God regularly is pictured as dwelling in heaven as the Lord of the earth, while humanity, on earth, continually looks up to heaven toward the Lord. The song, "God of Wonders" expresses the former concept of heaven: Lord of all creation / Of water, earth, and sky / The heavens are your tabernacle / Glory to the Lord on high. Similarly, "Christ the Lord is Risen Today" proclaims, "Hail the Lord of earth and heaven!" Conversely a new hymn "Before the Throne of God Above" articulates the latter posture of humanity on earth, "Upward I look and see Him there." Moreover, "Blessed Assurance: Jesus Is Mine" adds, " watching and waiting, looking above."
Here is the first instance of trying to understand poetic language. Do the songs really mean that God actually dwells in the sky or is it a poetic rendering of heaven? The primary sense appears to be that of a metaphorical rendering of the transcendent realm. Moreover, the looking above can also refer to the anticipation of the second coming of Christ, who will be seen in the sky. Admittedly, sometimes it is confused, but the LOFT community is not in danger of perpetuating an archaic God-in-the-clouds cosmology.
Though heaven is described as the location of God in many songs, the earth is not left without vivid description. The hymn "All Creatures of Our God and King" expresses many aspects of creation, "Cool flowing water pure and clear / Make music for your Lord to hear / Alleluia, Alleluia! / Fierce fire so masterful and bright / Providing us with warmth and light." "Great is Thy Faithfulness" describes " Sun, moon, and stars in their courses above," and "How Great Thou Art" sings, " When through the woods and forest glades I wander, / I hear the birds sing sweetly in the trees; / When I look down from lofty mountain grandeur / And hear the brook and feel the gentle breeze." One contemporary song, "Make a Joyful Noise," even expresses human enjoyment of the earth, " Running through the forest, dive into the lake / Bare feet on beaches white / Standing in the canyon with painted hills around / And the wind against my skin." There are several songs at LOFT that depict the reality of the cosmos, locate the earth as the dwelling place of humanity, and speak of the power and beauty of the earth and sky.
What of the beginning and end of the earth? The Bible certainly makes this clear, but what of the songs at LOFT? On one hand, the are no songs at LOFT that express an end to the earth. It is never mentioned. It is clear, however, from the congregational songs that God is the creator of the world. "All Creatures of Our God and King" declares, "Let all things their Creator bless," and a recent praise & worship song adds, "Humbly you came to the earth you created." An additional feature to the songs at LOFT is that two songs allude to God as creating out of nothing. A song written by a former student sings, "By your word you spoke light from darkness / Creator of all the earth." Moreover the popular song, "Show Your Power" recalls the work of God: " Spoke into the darkness / Created the light / He is the Lord." Although far from rehearsing the narrative of Genesis 1, the congregational songs at LOFT do proclaim clearly that God alone is the creator of earth and heaven.
World and Life View: The Transcendent Realm
The transcendent realm is the inaccessible, realm of mystery. In a Christian world view it is where God dwells in his holy temple and where he is attended by angels on high. The transcendent is the sense of the otherness of God and his incommunicable attributes. Robert E. Webber, worship theologian and practitioner, explains that congregational song and especially music "witnesses to the transcendence of God. it elicits the sense of awe and mystery that accompanies a meeting with God." 8 Since music is subjective, it is difficult to establish whether or not the music itself at LOFT expresses for those in attendance the sense of God's transcendence. The texts to the congregational songs, however, have abundant transcendent imagery.
Angels in the transcendent realm are a theme in a couple songs at LOFT. "All Hail the Power of Jesus' Name," depicts the heavenly royal crowning of Jesus in the presence of his angels, "let angels prostrate fall." And from the vision of Isaiah 6, "Holy, Holy, Holy Lord God Almighty" sings of " Cherubim and seraphim falling down before Thee." More often than not, however, this heavenly transcendent realm is depicted as more accessible to humans than inaccessible. A student wrote a song called, "A Prayer" where he writes, "I stand in wonder, consumed by your splendor." And the popular song, "Better Is One Day" expresses a heart-felt experience of God's transcendent realm, "How lovely is your dwelling place / Oh Lord Almighty / My soul longs and even faints for you / For here my heart is satisfied / Within your presence." There is a reference to the inaccessibility of God in "Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God Almighty": "Though the eye made blind by sin Thy glory may not see." But more often than not humans are depicted as being able to see into or experience the transcendent realm.
Moreover, God himself is described as crossing the barrier between the transcendent into immanent. In "Here I Am to Worship" the community remembers Christ, " Light of the world, / You stepped down into darkness." A creedal song, "I Believe in Jesus" confesses, " I believe that he's here now / Standing in our midst," and "Be Thou My Vision" describes unity with the transcendent, " Thou in me dwelling, and I one with Thee." By these examples, it is evident that the inaccessibility and transcendence of God is not a theme regularly expressed by the LOFT community. It is true that God crossed into the immanent cosmos by his son Jesus Christ, and that the Spiritual presence of Christ is still with us. In may be appropriate, however, for the LOFT community to sing a hymn such as "Immortal, Invisible, God Only Wise" in order to cultivate a healthy sense of God's otherness.
World and Life View: Human Existence
The next aspect to a well-formed world and life view is an articulated and satisfying narrative account of human existence. Three questions that may be asked of religions in this category include, "What is that origin, nature, and identity of humanity? How does humanity exist socially? Why on earth am I here? What are the problems of human existence and what are the solutions? As above, we will now continue to analyze the congregational songs at LOFT according to these questions.
Human Existence: Origin, nature, identity
Unlike the songs' account of the creation of the cosmos, the congregational songs at LOFT are less clear and satisfying when it comes to the origin of humanity. One song, "Everyday" confesses, "It's You who gave me life," but it is unclear as to whether it is referring to "new life" in Christ or the origin of humanity (most likely the former). There is one reference to human origin in the song "We Delight," but the poetic rendering is so unfortunate as to render it unhelpful: " Before the invention of man...the glorious Trinity." Are we to think that humanity is an invention of God, like Edison inventing the light bulb or Henry Ford inventing the Model T? It is hoped that God did not fail at his first attempts to make humanity as many times as Edison and Ford did to make their inventions! Similarly, there are no references to what we as humans are made of. Are we set apart from animal and plant life? Are we unique in any way? There is one reference in "Be Thou My Vision" that gives humanity some dignity. The song confesses, " Thou my great Father, thy child let me be." LOFT would do well, however, to find at least two or three congregational songs that express the Christian understanding of humans as made in the image of God.
Human Existence: Social identity
What do the songs at LOFT tell us about who we are as a people? Those who study congregational song are quick to point out that congregational singing is a group activity. John D. Witvliet says that "music forges first-person-plural experiences." 9 And Dietrich Boenhoffer in his little book Life Together writes about the communal nature of congregational singing,
"It is the voice of the Church that is heard in singing together. It is not you that sings, it is the Church that is singing, and you, as a member of the Church, may share in its song. Thus all singing together. serves to widen our spiritual horizon, makes us see our little company as a member of the great Christian Church on earth, and help us willingly and gladly to join our singing, be it feeble or good, to the song of the Church." 10
Congregational singing is itself a communal activity that forges communal identity. It has the potential to aid us in knowing who we are and to whom we belong.
Many of the songs at LOFT function to express and form social identity. One song in particular speaks of the community of faith gathered to worship, "Gather Us In":
We are the young, our lives are a myst'ry,
we are the old who yearn for your face;
we have been sung throughout all of hist'ry,
called to be light to the whole human race.
Gather us in, the rich and the haughty,
gather us in, the proud and the strong.
"Gather Us In" expresses the community as being diverse in age and experience and it connects those singing to a community of all times and all places.
Another way that the congregational songs at LOFT connect to the community of other times and other places is by singing tunes and texts that are either historic or global. 26% of the tunes sung at LOFT are from classical hymnody pre-1960 and 6% are tunes either from global nations or the African-American gospel and spiritual tradition. 29% of texts are historical in nature and 9% of texts are cross-cultural. These numbers are not impressive when considering that the church is 2000 years old and spans the globe. These numbers, however, are encouraging when it is considered that the average age at LOFT is 20 years-old and the overwhelming trend in services similar in style to LOFT is to sing no song older than 10 years. Moreover, in most contexts the thought of singing a text or song from outside of the English speaking world is unheard of. Nevertheless, this is still an area in which the LOFT community could expand their expression of faith.
Often, services similar to LOFT are criticized for mostly singing songs that focus on the individual's experience. Therefore, it should be acknowledged that just over 60% of the songs sung at LOFT are not in the first-person plural, but in the first-person singular. This is important to note, especially in an age of individualism and the privatization of faith. It is encouraging, however, that all songs in the first-person plural need not be expressions of individualism. Brian Wren explains,
A statement of deep devotion or commitment to God may require us all to say 'I' as we sing it together, because 'we' is less intense and commits the individual singer less strongly. A lyric saying 'I' can be a communal utterance if it focuses the singer on God and is implicitly or explicitly aware of the community in which each individual sings. 11
Certainly, the hymn, In Christ Alone is of this character drawing the "I" to Christ and committing the individual more directly to the work of Christ:
There in the ground his body lay,
Light of the world by darkness slain.
Then bursting forth, in glorious day,
up from the grave he rose again!
And as he stands in victory,
sin's curse has lost its grip on me;
for I am his, and he is mine:
bought with the precious blood of Christ.
Finally, there are several songs at LOFT that speak directly to the nature of the community of faith. "All Hail the Power of Jesus' Name" declares the community as the "seed of Israel's chosen race now ransomed from the fall," "The Church's One Foundation" similarly expresses in creedal fashion, "The church.elect from every nation," and the song "Come, Now Is the Time to Worship," designates the community as those who "gladly chose [God] now". These songs reinforce the doctrine of God's eternal election, but also express a community that is unique and set apart.
This leads to a brief appraisal of how the community expresses itself in relationship to those who are outside of the community. As a chosen, unique, set-apart community how does the LOFT express in its songs its understanding of those outside the circle? The dominant view expressed in the songs is that of referring to those outside of the faith as "the lost." Looking back on past experience, "Amazing Grace" sings, "I once was lost, but now I'm found / was blind, but now I see. A song, "Show Your Power" describes the lost as somehow becoming the inheritance of those within the faith: " And for our inheritance/ Give us the lost /You are the Lord."
The primary response to the "the lost" in LOFT's songs, however, is calling them to worship God. It is not referred to as evangelism as such, but it is sung that nations should take their part in the song of praise to God or that one day all will bow the knee and worship God. For example, "All Hail the Power of Jesus' Name" declares, "Let every tongue and every tribe responsive to his call, / to him all majesty ascribe, and crown him Lord of all." The hymn "All Creatures of Our God and King" calls to those in and outside the faith, "People and Nations take your part." Moreover, "Christ the Lord is Risen Today" proclaims that "Every knee to you shall bow" and the song, "Come, Now Is the Time to Worship" expresses the belief that " One day every tongue / Will confess You are God / One day every knee will bow!"
Human Existence: Vocation
At Calvin College there are several programs designed to encourage students to explore their vocation as God's people. The questions asked are, "Why on earth am I here? What brings meaning and fulfillment to my life? Where am I going?" These questions are also asked by philosophers of religion when investigating various religious perspectives on human vocation.
An examination of the songs at LOFT reveal two equal emphases: To worship God and obey him. "Blessed Assurance: Jesus Is Mine" captures well the first vocation of humanity expressed at LOFT: This is my story, this is my song, / praising my Savior all the day long. "All Creatures of Our God and King" calls out "Sing praise to God with all your heart." "All Hail the Power of Jesus' Name" similarly beckons, "to him all majesty ascribe and crown him Lord of all." Finally, the popular song, "Shout to the Lord" sings of the Christian vocation this way, All of my days I want to praise / The wonders of your mighty love." It is not overstating it to say that at LOFT the community spends equal amount of time praise God as calling one another to praise God.
Obedience to God and following his ways captures the second vocational emphasis at LOFT. A simple song, "Everyday" sings, "Everyday, it's you I'll live for / Everyday, I'll follow after You / Everyday, I'll walk with You my Lord." "Step by Step" speaks of vocation in a similar way, " I will seek you in the morning, / and I will learn to walk in your ways, / And step by step you'll lead me, / and I will follow you all of my days." Moreover, the prayer "Take My Life" summarizes the expression of obeying God while joining it to the vocation of praising God,
Take my life and let it be consecrated, Lord, to Thee
Take my moments and my days let them flow in ceaseless praise
Take my hands and let them move at the impulse of Thy love
Take my feet and let them be swift and beautiful for Thee
In critique, however, this vocational understanding is somewhat shallow as it gives no content to the vocation of obedience. By itself, the congregational songs give only a vague notion of obedience. They make no reference to the Christian notion of the cultural mandate; the songs are silent, failing to call the people to strive against injustice, oppression, war, and poverty; and they make no mention of the Great Commission. LOFT would do well to develop their Christian expression along these lines, rather than adding an additional song that calls the community to vaguely worship and obey God.
Human Existence: The basic problem and solution
In examining the congregational songs at LOFT it is striking that the expression of the basic human problem and its solution are in inverse proportion to LOFT's expression of human origin and identity. Human creation in the image of God is practically absent from the song literature of LOFT, but the fall of humanity into sin and rebellion and subsequent redemption of Jesus Christ is unavoidable.
The existential problem of humanity is expressed in the following ways. The first basic pattern is that of being lost or wandering. "A Prayer," written by a student at LOFT outlines the basic human problem in the first verse:
This is my prayer, Lord
I need You
I'm lost without Your love
It's my confession, Lord
I'm wandering
Please turn me back on Your path.
The old favorite, "Amazing Grace" states the human dilemma is similar terms, "I once was lost but now am found, / was blind but now I see." A second appraisal of the human condition is that of being thirsty, hungry, and weak. This is captured well by the song, "All Who Are Thirsty." Third, fear and despair are commonly sung about as human problems. "Grace my fears relieved" in "Amazing Grace," "Guilty fears" in "Arise My Soul Arise," and "When Satan tempts me to despair" in "Before the Throne of God Above" all reflect this understanding. Finally, separation from God and death characterize LOFT's singing expression of the basic human problem. The song, "You Are My King" implies a former separation from God by singing of forgiveness and acceptance: "I'm forgiven because you were forsaken / I'm accepted, you were condemned." And in a similar way, "Christ the Lord is Risen Today" taunts death from the other side of Christ's victory, "Where, O death, is now your sting, Alleluia! / Once he died, our souls to save, Alleluia! / Where your victory, O grave? Alleluia!"
The cause of these problems is undeniably three-fold: the temptation of Satan, human sin, and the curse of God. "Before the Throne of God Above" confesses, "When Satan tempts me to despair." A versification of Psalm 51 cries, "I have sinned against Thy grace / And provoked Thee to Thy face." And "Joy to the World," again, looks back from the victory of Christ, "No more let sin and sorrow grow / nor thorns infest the ground; / he comes to make his blessings flow / far as the curse is found."
It is the victory of Christ that is expressed overwhelmingly as the solution to the human problem. The second verse of "Before the Throne of God Above" outlines one aspect of Christ's atoning work:
When Satan tempts me to despair
And tells me of the guilt within
Upward I look and see Him there
Who made an end of all my sin
Because the sinless Savior died
My sinful soul is counted free
For God the Just is satisfied
To look on Him and pardon me
Many of the presentations of the solution are strikingly Christological. The second verse of In Christ Alone is a good example:
In Christ alone, who took on flesh,
fullness of God in helpless babe,
this gift of love and righteousness
scorned by the ones he came to save.
'Til on that cross, as Jesus died,
the wrath of God was satisfied;
for every sin on him was laid:
here in the death of Christ I live.
Finally, it is clear in the songs at LOFT that this solution is a gift a God, unearned. The third verse of the recent hymn, "How Deep the Father's Love for Us" is an excellent expression of this understanding:
I will not boast in anything,
No gifts, no power, no wisdom;
But I will boast in Jesus Christ,
His death and resurrection.
Why should I gain from his reward?
I cannot give an answer,
But this I know with all my heart-
His wounds have paid my ransom.
Conclusion
At the beginning of this study, it was observed that LOFT is foremost a singing community, singing upwards to twelve congregational songs per service. (A spread sheet of all one hundred and fifteen songs sung is provided here). There it can noted that, though LOFT sings many songs per service, it strives for a balance of familiarity through repetition and introduction of new pieces (see frequency). What this says is that the LOFT community is singing a wide diversity of song, while at the same becoming familiar enough with the music to allow it to shape and express faith and life. A benefit of this study is the opportunity to understand what is faith and life has been formed and expressed through the songs.
In summary, the congregational songs at LOFT for the most part express a well-formed faith and life along the lines a world and life view. They convey a Biblical and balanced perception of God as personal and triune; they portray a consistent cosmology of heaven and earth and the fullness thereof; there is an awareness of angels and the transcendent realm; and the view of human existence reflects very well the human problem of sin and the solution of Christ's atonement. Several deficiencies have been noted and suggestions have been made. The LOFT community would do well to explore additional song literature concerning the Trinity, the transcendence of God, the Imago Dei, the Cultural Mandate, justice issues, and the Great Commission.
A benefit of this study is the opportunity to examine in detail the texts of each congregational song at LOFT. This examination produces a greater awareness of what is being expressed at LOFT overtime, and provides suggestions for what content future added songs should contain. Additional study along the lines of the other components of a well-formed religion could produce similar insight and suggestions. For example, "How do the songs at LOFT express our relationship to God - how does he communicates with us and what does it means to commit to him?" Often new songs are included at LOFT for musical value and are accepted so long as they are Biblically sound. This study, however, suggests an alternative pursuit in seeking new songs that should ultimately result in a balanced, well-formed expression of faith and life.
Bibliography
Boenhoffer, Dietrich. Life Together. London: SCM Press, 1949.
Cooper, John W. Class Notes, 533, Philosophy of Religion, Spring 2005, Calvin Theological Seminary, Grand Rapids, MI.
Webber, Robert E. Worship Old and New: A Biblical, Historical, and Practical Introduction, rev. ed. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1994.
Witvliet, John D. "Beyond Style: Rethinking the Role of Music in Worship." In Worship at the Next Level: Insight from Contemporary Voices, eds. Tim A. Dearborn and Scott Coli. Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 2004.
Wren, Brian. Praying Twice: The Music and Words of Congregational Song. Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press, 2000.
1) John D. Witvliet, "Beyond Style: Rethinking the Role of Music in Worship," in Worship at the Next Level: Insight from Contemporary Voices, eds. Tim A. Dearborn and Scott Coil (Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 2004), 164.
2) Attributed to Augustine of Hippo, 354-430 C.E.
3) Brian Wren, Praying Twice: The Music and Words of Congregational Song (Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press, 2000), 1.
4) Ibid., 349.
5) John W. Cooper, Class Notes, 533, Philosophy of Religion, Spring 2005, Calvin Theological Seminary, Grand Rapids, MI.
6) John W. Cooper, Class Notes.
7) Ibid.
8) Robert E. Webber, Worship Old and New: A Biblical, Historical, and Practical Introduction, rev. ed. (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1994), 195.
9) Witvliet, 171.
10) Dietrich Boenhoffer, Life Together (London: SCM Press, 1949), 51.
11) Wren, 185.