Body Check

I have got through the latest round of deadlines for my ETCW modules, so I can start catching up on some blogs (though I need to be doing more personal book reading!).

Al writes an excellent post here on evangelical piety in relation to hymns and spiritual songs. Well worth reading and reflecting on.

In the comments section, Rick Phillips' comment is worthy of note, which I quote here:

I strongly agree with your criticism of this romantic-love approach to Jesus. I completely banned from my church what I call "love-songs-to-Jesus." My rule is this: if you could sing it to Suzy or to Jim, you shouldn't sing it to Jesus. I came to a church that sings both contemporary music and hymns, and this one rule improved our contemporary songs dramatically. The effects of romantic and even erotic songs (not to mention the whole charismatic/ecstatic "wash over me/burn me/set me on fire" type songs) are seriously injurious to a muscular Christian faith for both men and women. No faithful pastor should permit them.