Fashionable Orthodoxy?

I’m not sure what to make of this advertisement for a conference in Oklahoma City. While it goes without saying that I think that the people behind this “Try Orthodoxy” campaign have good intentions, I wonder if this is the correct approach to take. Putting aside the warm-and-fuzzy tone, I don’t think that a conference (which appeals to the mind) is the best way to introduce one to Orthodoxy (which is centered in the heart). Anyone with access to the Internet can find out information about the Orthodox Church as well as all the major arguments for its truth. But faith is the product of grace, not arguments. And this grace is produced by love and prayer.

I believe that the revival of Orthodoxy in America will not come about as a result of fancy ad campaigns. The sapling planted by the Church is watered by the good works of the faithful, and tended by excellent pastors. Perhaps we need another Chrysostom that will eloquently put forth the witness of Orthodoxy, as well as sponsor works of love both in the spiritual realm and in the world. May God grant us such as saint!

 

Foot-in-Mouth Disease

Is what I think I’ve come down with, having been thoroughly schooled by Steve in his comment on my last post:

A minor rewrite? peppier tune? Diamond wrote a NEW SONG which happens to use some key imagery and word choices from Newton’s original song. Your blog reveals a poor understanding of Amazing Grace, Pretty Amazing Grace, and perhaps grace itself.

Although writing from-the-cuff, as I am wont to do, has the advantage of being spontaneous and reflecting one’s genuine emotions at the time, it has the definite disadvantage of being not very well thought-out. Taking the time to study the lyrics, I have to admit that this indeed is a NEW SONG and in fact can even be construed to be less heretical than the original “Amazing Grace”: Diamond’s identification of “pretty amazing grace” with “who You are” can be given an Orthodox interpretation as being the identification of Grace as uncreated divine energy. (I’ll have to admit, it’s a stretch. This shows my thorough lack of understanding of Grace, except that it’s uncreated, deifying, and more necessary to me than water to a fish.)

Just reading the lyrics gives the impression that “Pretty Amazing Grace” is a pretty religious song. Yet at the same time, Diamond’s performance last night gave this song a very secular feel. And perhaps that could lead to a totally secular interpretation, as I asserted in my last post. Such is the peril of most pop music. (Of course some of you may say, “What about Christian pop?” to which I say “Of course, I’m against that too.”)

So, my apologies to Steve and to the Jewish Elvis: your song, although I’m hesitant to wholeheartedly like it, is definitely not the equivalent of Madonna crucifying herself.

 

In which we take cheap shots at pop music (1 of ?)

I haven’t identified myself as any sort of Protestant since high school. I can’t stand much of the happy-clappy worship that happens in evangelical churches today. But, I can’t help but retain an affection for “Amazing Grace”. Despite its perhaps questionable theological language, the simple message of divine grace coming and saving a wretch like me still has an impact on my heart.

In our house American Idol is watched. Not by my choice. American Idol is an amateur singing competition. Tonight the songs selected were by pop-folk songster Neil Diamond. Who won or lost is unimportant for this post. What is pertinent was the moment when Mr. Diamond himself came out and performed his version of “Amazing Grace”.

It’s amazing how a little rearranging of the words and the addition of new, peppier music can totally change a song. “Amazing Grace” was changed from an expression of Protestant piety into a “pretty amazing” celebration of…I’m not sure what. I guess the song could still be construed to be about repentance. It could also be construed to be about a girl named Grace. But isn’t that to be expected, when popular culture, the World if you will, appropriates something meant to be sacred and makes it something rather secular?

Of course, “Amazing Grace” has already been appropriated by the Zeitgeist so many times that it lost all of its original meaning. So perhaps this was a bad example. But I think that if “Amazing Grace” is dead, what Mr. Diamond did was desecrate the corpse.

By the way, this is not a commentary on any of Mr. Diamond’s other songs, and I apologize if I’ve offended any Neil Diamond fans in my readership.