Wednesday, May 06, 2009
Rubbish, Kenny G, Clowns and Prostate Exams
Carl Trueman describes a train-wreck of a church service he once attended and makes some interesting points about ecclesiology in general. As usual, Dr. Trueman drops bombs that few others can get away with. I love it.
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Thanks again, Zach-- you always find the good stuff! This essay from Trueman is seriously one of the most skillful (and funny and insightful) pieces of writing that I've read in a long, long time. His particular choice(s) of subjects means that he probably won't ever be read very widely, but he should be. I'm sending this essay to a friend of mine whom I think will get a kick out of it, and be provoked to serious thought, much as I was.
Favorite parts (the whole thing, really):
"The sophisticated post-Kantian theology for which they stand comes to this -- sitting around on a Sunday morning, listening to PC Man mangling the Bible and Kenny G playing Amazing Grace. I mean, give me a break. Kenny G!?! It wasn't even John Coltrane or Charlie Parker."
"After all, it is hard to see the musical genius of Kenny G giving birth to the Nicene Creed, or, for that matter, providing an atmosphere in which the same might be sustained."
"A church service involving clowns or fancy dress or skits or stand-up comedy does not reflect the seriousness of the gospel; and those who take the gospel seriously should know better. Frankly, it is more appropriate to liberal theology which does not take the gospel, or the God of the gospel, seriously. Serious things demand serious idioms. I heard recently of a church service involving dressing up in costume and music taken from a Tom Cruise movie. Now, if I go for my annual prostate examination, and the doctor comes into the consulting room dressed as Coco the Clown, with `Take my breath away' from Top Gun playing in the background, guess what? I'm going to take the doctor out with a left hook, flee the surgery, and probably file a complaint with the appropriate professional body. This is serious business; and if he looks like a twit and acts like a twit, then I can only conclude that he is a twit."
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