William Chong

Here’s another thought-provoking write-up by Jamie Brown:

“There are several reasons for opposing it. One, it’s too new. Two, it’s often worldly, even blasphemous. The new Christian music is not as pleasant as the established style. Because there are so many new songs you can’t learn them all. It puts too much emphasis on instrumental music rather than Godly lyrics. This new music creates disturbances; people act indecently and disorderly. The preceding generation got along without it. It’s a money making scene and some of these new music upstarts are lewd and loose.”

The Anglican pastor’s name is William Romaine and his critique was featured in An Essay on Psalmody. It was written in 1723. The “new music” he was referring to? The hymns of Isaac Watts.

It’s really easy to criticize new music, idolize old music, and demonize what you don’t like.

For those who don’t know, Isaac Watts was a prolific writer of such hymnal standards as “When I Survey the Wondrous Cross”, “Alas! and did my Saviour bleed”, and “Joy to the world!”. He was also known as the Father of English Hymnody.

I guess it goes to show that the conflicts over the style of worship music in churches today are not new ones.

You can read the full article here: The Problem with Postulating « Worthily Magnify.