Churches Are Reopening. That Doesn’t Mean Singing's Back.

Quick to Listen

Christianity Today

Religion, Christianity, Religion & Spirituality

4.3 • 622 Ratings

🗓️ 27 May 2020

⏱️ 54 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Transcribed highlights of the show can be found in our episode summaries. California’s Department of Health’s reopening guidelines for houses of worship contain bitter news for those who love corporate worship. “Strongly consider discontinuing singing, group recitation, and other practices and performances where there is increased likelihood for transmission from contaminated exhaled droplets,” the report warns. In another section it notes, “ Activities such as singing and group recitation negate the risk-reduction achieved through six feet of physical distancing.” Absorbing this is tough news for those who feel most connected to God and others through music. “There is something about articulating our emotional state and using music, using song, as a means of expressing ourselves before the Lord. And that's deep in the Christian tradition, from singing and praying the Psalms to the early hymns in the New Testament like in Luke's gospel and peppered through Paul's letters,” said Glenn Packiam, associate senior pastor at New Life Church in Colorado Springs, Colorado. “There was also a reputation that early Christians get. In Pliny’s letter to the emperor, he says, “These strange Christians get together before sunrise and they sing these hymns to Christ as if to a God.” “There's something about song that helps us express more than just what the words of the song are saying,” continued Packiam, who is also the author of the forthcoming book, Worship and the World to Come Exploring Christian Hope in Contemporary Worship. Packiam joined digital media producer Morgan Lee and editorial director Ted Olsen to discuss how his church has handled the pandemic from a worship perspective, what makes corporate singing special, and what it means that eschatology is missing from our worship music. What is Quick to Listen? Read more Rate Quick to Listen on Apple Podcasts Follow the podcast on Twitter Follow our hosts on Twitter: Morgan Lee and Ted Olsen Visit our guest’s website: Glenn Packiam Read more about Packiam’s church: New Life After the Fall of Ted Haggard Music by Sweeps Quick to Listen is produced by Morgan Lee and Matt Linder The transcript is edited by Bunmi Ishola Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	This episode is brought to you in part by The Apologetics Guy Show, the podcast that helps you find clear answers to tough questions about Christianity.
0:11.1	Learn to explain your faith with courage and compassion. Join Moody Bible Institute professor Dr. Mikhail Del Rosario at apologeticsky.com.
0:22.6	California's Department of Health has issued its guidelines for houses of worship as they
0:26.5	reopen. Under their guidance, only 25% of the capacity of churches, mosques, synagogues, and temples,
0:33.0	or a max of 100 people, whichever is lower, will be allowed to meet. In addition, they noted physical
0:39.0	distancing, wearing masks, and frequent handwashing as other key prevention practices. But potentially
0:44.3	the most challenging is their advice around worship. Strongly considered discontinuing singing,
0:49.4	group recitation, and other practices and performances where there is an increased likelihood
0:53.2	for transmission from contaminated, exhaled with droplets.
0:56.6	The report warned.
0:57.9	In another section, it noted, activities such as singing and group recitation negate the risk
1:02.3	reduction achieved through six feet of physical distancing.
1:05.7	As churches begin to reopen across the U.S., many will likely look and sound the same as
1:10.5	California's congregations.
1:12.3	Then we wanted to discuss what we love about congregational worship and what its absence
1:16.0	from Sunday services may mean over the coming months.
1:20.0	Today is Wednesday, May 27th, and you're listening to Quick to Listen, where we go beyond
1:25.4	hashtags and hot takes takes discuss a major cultural
1:28.3	event. I'm Morgan Lee, digital media producer here at Christianity Today. And I'm Ted
1:33.0	Olson. I'm editorial director here at Christianity today. Ted, this kind of hits home for both you and me a lot, so I really want to hear your take on this.
1:53.8	Yeah, I mean, you know, like I've mentioned, I think on a previous pod, I'm on the vestry of my church, which I'm the board of my church. And so we have been talking a lot
2:02.9	about, you know, what to do with reopening. Illinois is, of course, one of the states that has
	...

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