Comments on Showers of Blessings: Why Quakers' historic testimony against music and ...

It seems to me that there is something of value bo...

2008-07-15T16:21:00.000-05:00

It seems to me that there is something of value both in laying aside those forms that have become empty for us--as a corporate body and as an individual--as well as continuing to practice those forms that have Life and become s/Spirit-enriching for us.

It's just that the corporate body may not understand, or even experience, the Life that something like Sacred Harp provides for one Friend (or for a few Friends) among many.

Surely my own heart and mind would be troubled if, say, Paul L. were to come to his monthly meeting or to the elders of the meeting and say, "But my spirit suffers and I die a little bit each day when I do not sing..."

Blessings,
Liz Opp, The Good Raised Up

Paul - and Martin - Thanks for clarifying this que...

2008-07-10T02:55:00.000-05:00

Paul - and Martin - Thanks for clarifying this question.

My guess is that Clarkson's Quakers would still have been uneasy with Sacred Harp singing, as with the use of other outward forms in worshipping God, rather than relying on the motions of the Spirit, which cannot be programmed.

But since most Quakers today use music alongside silent waiting in a programmed worship service, this objection is much harder to hold, even for Friends in unprogrammed meetings.

Tradition is an argument extended through the generations, a process of learning from experience what works and what doesn't, what brings life and what kills it off. Rejecting all music was clearly a dead end, but the reasons for rejecting it may still be a valuable guide for us in discerning the place music should have in our lives.

I'm coming to realise how much this question of music has been a block for me to understanding and appreciating the Quaker tradition. I sympathise very much with the 18th century convinced Friend (described by John Punshon in A Portrait in Grey) who couldn't quite bring himself to give up his flute, so got it out once a year and climbed the Monument (a tall column commemorating the great fire of London) to play it out of earshot of the Elders...

Ditto for Nightingales-style singing (and NOT ditt...

2008-07-10T00:21:00.000-05:00

Ditto for Nightingales-style singing (and NOT ditto for noon sings at Gathering, as much as I love them).

:-) Jeanne

Paul, this inspires me to start work on my own pie...

2008-07-09T15:17:00.000-05:00

Paul, this inspires me to start work on my own piece,

"Why Quakers' historic testimony against music and other frivolous entertainments does not apply to playing drums in a rock band."

Wish me luck.

Dave

I love the title, Paul. I kinda want it as a bumpe...

2008-07-09T08:36:00.000-05:00

I love the title, Paul. I kinda want it as a bumper sticker.
I have a perhaps deeper thought that I just can't articulate right now, probably due to over-caffeination and under-sleep. If I sort it out, I'll be back later.

Hi Paul: great use of Clarkson. I've been fascinat...

2008-07-08T19:46:00.000-05:00

Hi Paul: great use of Clarkson. I've been fascinated by him because he can help us think through issues like this. It's easy to be a fundamentalist about tradition (17th century or bust) or a loosey goosy whatever-goes (continuing revelation) but finding a way of interacting with the past and respecting it enough but not too much is the trick. I'd agree that Clarkson's Quakers would probably not get too bent out of shape about shape notes!

The real reason I posted that of course, is that this kind of thinking applies to all sorts of interesting issues of manners, including dress, community, etc. Thanks for a real life example of how to model this.

Martin @ Quaker Ranter