But not to be outdone by the excesses of mainline revisionists, evangelicals continue to deal with incursions of false gospels of their own. There is a rather humorous post at First Things. It began with a discussion of “worship music” in Catholic churches, in which a couple of writers lamented that the influx of evangelical style music was simply distracting.
One writer, Al Kimmel, noted that the amplified vocal of the worship leader overshadowed the voices of the rest of the congregation and diminished the reverence of the liturgy. Amy Welborn responded that Catholics are only emulating what they see in Protestant churches, a format that "works". Pragmatism. But in this context, she referred to Joel Osteen's TV program.
"I watched a few minutes of Joel Osteen’s program tonight, live from Reliant Arena down there in Houston. It’s a unique animal, of course, but it’s just what goes on across America, on a very grand scale. There was the huge choir arrayed on both sides of the stage, and for fifteen minutes or so, a woman stood center stage, dressed in the most amazing outfit that featured what sort of looked like a quilted Victorian topcoat with a purple lining and ruffled sleeves. I’m sure the choir made its noise, but the focus was on the woman, her voice dominated on air, and I’m sure in the arena as well, and her presence filled the big screens.
"Different service. Different expectations. Different (very important) tradition of congregational singing. But I’m saying that this is what Catholic music directors see, this is what they think they want to and can duplicate."
Now I have no problem at all with musical styles in church, as long as there is reverence and as long as there is content. I would prefer that worship leaders demonstrate humility, that the congregation is participating. I actually agree that amplification can short-circuit both reverence and community.
But I think that is not what Catholics should be concerned about. The content, the ideas expressed in many Christian gatherings and in much "worship" music remains shallow, devoid of theological content, as Chuck Colson discussed not long ago.
Neuhaus did pick up on this theme.
"Forget about the egregious music, I was listening to his sermon, so to speak. It brought to mind H. Richard Niebuhr’s terse comment on the theology of liberal Protestantism: 'A God without wrath brought men without sin into a kingdom without judgment through the ministrations of a Christ without a cross.'”
I grew up Catholic and I've heard plenty of Catholic sermons that were "egregious", but I find this startling, that Neuhaus would draw a parallel between liberalism and evangelical entrepreneurial theology. As I have argued often on this site, there is a pattern, first downplaying the importance of doctrine, then slowly forgetting about doctrine altogether, then forgetting basic moral and ethical truths which extend from understanding of God, until a whole new gospel replaces what was once orthodoxy. It happened in the mainline churches and it is beginning in the evangelical movement. Neuhaus goes on...
'The guy is really quite good at what he does. Prancing and preening around the stage, and flashing a smile that must have brought a pleasurable tremor to orthodontists everywhere, he repeatedly assured the audience, numbering in the thousands, that he and they are really, really wonderful. Each one of them, it seems, has an “anointing,” which means, as he put it, that you have to be you and I have to be me."
Ah yes. Easily discerned is the standard goal of so much of the word of faith message – we are all meant to be happy, healthy and well fed. That Neuhaus picked it up in just one sitting is instructional. He finished with a flourish...
"I don’t know if the program was representative of what Joel Osteen calls his ministry. But that evening he was in fine form. The showbiz genre is motivational speaking, and the goal is the building of self-esteem, making people feel really good about themselves. I’m more than OK and you’re pretty OK, too. What he does he does very well, and it obviously draws an appreciative crowd. Of course it has nothing whatsoever to do with the gospel of Jesus Christ."
Amen.
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