Monday, February 27, 2006

I pray one day to have conquered the sin of coveting and to be able to say with the apostle Paul, that I have not coveted anyone else's gifts (see Acts 20:33). Until then, in all honesty I must say how much I admire and do find myself wishing I had written some of the things Marva Dawn has written. If you have not read Marva Dawn, you would do well to pick her up, particularly on the subject of worship. Her book, Reaching Out Without Dumbing Down, is an extensive treatment of the theology of worship. And any library on the subject would be an impoverished library without it. However, if you would like to have something short and sassy to get a sense of Marva Dawn's insight the little book How Shall We Worship is worth your best efforts to obtain. Here is a sample:
"What we say in our hymns should be matched by how they sound. To praise God's majesty requires a regal pace; to sing of Christ's passion and death necessitates lament; rejoicing with Latino folk songs will be augmented by rhythm instruments; African-American spirituals ought to be sung in a way that remembers their origin in suffering."

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