Comments for Bonar Bridge and Lairg Free Church http://bonarandlairg.org Free Church of Scotland Fri, 29 Jan 2010 12:12:38 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.com/ Comment on Psalms, Hymns and Spiritual Songs by JCAF http://bonarandlairg.org/2009/12/29/a-defence-of-the-free-church-practice-of-singing-only-inspired-materials-of-praise-in-public-worship/#comment-9 Fri, 29 Jan 2010 12:12:38 +0000 http://bonarandlairg.org/?p=119#comment-9 Hi Ross,
Thanks for your comments and for highlighting Gordon Wenham’s lecture. I know there are some congregations within the C of S, and other denominations, that make a point of always including Psalms in their worship along with whatever else they might sing. I would think the reason is along the lines of Gordon Wenham’s argument, that what we sing will undoubtedly shape our theology.

Samuel Johnson (1709-1784) once said if he were allowed to make the ballads of a nation, he didn’t care who made the laws. As a literary giant of his day he saw the great influence that songs have on the way we think and act. It makes you wonder what influence our secular songs are having on our society. It also makes you wonder what influence our religious songs are having on our churches!

]]> Comment on Psalms, Hymns and Spiritual Songs by Ross http://bonarandlairg.org/2009/12/29/a-defence-of-the-free-church-practice-of-singing-only-inspired-materials-of-praise-in-public-worship/#comment-8 Thu, 28 Jan 2010 21:53:52 +0000 http://bonarandlairg.org/?p=119#comment-8 Hello John.

I found your article very interesting. As a member of the C of S I often hear people speak disparigingly of Exclusive Psalmody in the way you highlight and realise that it makes for a weak rebuttal. In relation to this I thought you may also be interested in something that I heard many years ago. Apparently the Septuagint divides the Psalter into three sections, Psalms, Hymns and Spiritual Songs.

You may also be interested in a public lecture that Gordon Wenham gave in the Dingwall Free Church for HTC (FF Bruce lecture 2008). I can’t remember the title of the lecture but it was very much in favour of the use of Psalms in worship. Coming from GW’s English context he spoke about how Psalms had all but gone from use in public worship and as a consequence people do not have the same Scriptural grounding. I think he pointed out how a congregation’s theology is often developed through their Hymnal. I can identify with that in the C of S where I have heard people refer to their Hymn book as the Bible. He also talked in depth about the advantages of learning Scripture through Psalm singing. You can down load his lecture off the HTC web site.

I hope this may be of some interest to you.

]]> Comment on Psalms, Hymns and Spiritual Songs by JCAF http://bonarandlairg.org/2009/12/29/a-defence-of-the-free-church-practice-of-singing-only-inspired-materials-of-praise-in-public-worship/#comment-6 Fri, 22 Jan 2010 14:57:46 +0000 http://bonarandlairg.org/?p=119#comment-6 Thanks for your comment John. To answer your questions. First, yes there are some passages in the epistles that seem to have a structure that is not that of ordinary prose, but there is absolutely no evidence to suggest that they are early hymns. On the contrary there is abundant evidence that they belong to a collection of “faithful sayings” given by the apostles (1 Tim 1:15, 3:1 & 2Tim 2:11-13). It is clear that there was a “pattern” or “form” of sound words that was given to the early church, not for singing but for reinforcing crucial points of doctrine (2Tim 1:13).
In answer to your second question, the reformed view is that God is only to be worshipped in the way that he has specifically revealed. This principle applies to all worship, public and private. I do think there are some things, like the preaching of the word, that are permissible in public worship but not in private worship. But I don’t think the opposite is true. I don’t think it is credible to say that we can introduce non-inspired songs into private worship but not into public worship. I firmly believe the book of Psalms should be used for both.

]]> Comment on Psalms, Hymns and Spiritual Songs by John Wallace http://bonarandlairg.org/2009/12/29/a-defence-of-the-free-church-practice-of-singing-only-inspired-materials-of-praise-in-public-worship/#comment-5 Thu, 21 Jan 2010 23:49:09 +0000 http://bonarandlairg.org/?p=119#comment-5 Hello,You make a convincing argument that I had never really heard expressed in quite this way before – I must admit when I used to think of these 2 passages I did have in mind the picture of psalm (from scottish psalter); old fashioned/ “weighty” hymn and praise chorus but as you say a little bit of thought makes it obvious this is not what Paul could have intended. The other argument I have heard from people who defend the “exclusive psalmody” is that the psalms, hymns and spiritual songs do actually refer to different types of sung material used in worship but that each of these types of worship items is to be found in the book of Psalms. If I understand you correctly you are saying that the three descriptors (psalms, hymns and spiritual songs) do not refer to seperate classes of sung items but refer to different (and essential) aspects of the one same sung item which in the context does seem to make more sense.
What do you think about the argument that is sometimes made that some NT portions of scripture (e.g. Phil 2; Col 1:15f) were early “hymns” of the NT church (I’m guessing you would refute this!)
Also, do you see any distinction between what is permissible in “private” as opposed to “public” worship?
Kind Regards, in Christ, John

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