Choirs have been linked to several coronavirus outbreaks. And some scientists are skeptical about efforts to bring them back with protective measures.
Imagine the scene: You’re at church, belting out a hymn, and the sound is so joyful that you turn, smiling, to look around. You notice a spray of spit coming from the mouth of the person next to you: One particularly large droplet arcs toward the person in front, then lands, right on their neck.
Three months ago, you might have thought that moment was gross. Today, you’d probably find it frightening.
In the space of a few months, group singing has gone from being something life-affirming to a potential source of disease, even death. Outbreaks of the coronavirus have been linked with choir rehearsals and church services in Britain, Germany, the Netherlands, the United States, and, this month, South Korea.
Some countries have banned group singing as a result, and scientists are studying the risks. But with conflicting messages from the authorities worldwide, singers are left for now with little but anxiety. Read More
What troubles me is that some churches rather than imposing a temporary moratorium on choral and congregational singing in their in-person services or cutting back on the number of hymns, worship songs, and other forms of singing in their services have started singing again when they reopen as they did in pre-COVID-19 days. When questioned why they are putting their congregations at risk in this manner, church leaders in these churches fall back on the argument that singing is worship. Singing is a form of worship but it is not the only way we worship God. The kind of worship God desires the most is a life of obedience. This includes obedience to the command to love one another as Christ loved us, in other words , with a sacrificial love, and to love our neighbors as ourselves. Becoming the epicenter of a new cluster of COVID-19 cases and deaths is not an expression of love of our fellow Christians or love of others. Church music has played an important part in my life as a Christian over the years but I would not place my love of church music before my love of my fellow Christians or my love of others.
2 comments:
Pure Bunk! The desire to worship must always trump the timid fear for our own safety. Christians trust in God - Fear not!
The desire to worship God can be realized in many ways. Singing is only one of them. What the Scriptures teach is that the kind of worship that God wants the most is embodied in a life of obedience to him. Jesus taught us to love one another as he loved us. He also taught us to love our neighbors as ourselves and to even love our enemies, those who despise us.
How is dismissing the safety concerns of church members, regular attendees, and guests and not providing adequate layers of protection for them against the virus an expression of love of your fellow Christians or your neighbor? To me it would seem to fall short in that regard.
There are many ways that we can worship God in song without having to put our congregations at risk. I have already suggested a number of them in one of my articles. They include taking advantage of the wealth of resources (videos, mp3s, lyrics, etc.) available on the internet and singing at home. I have learned a number of new hymns and hymn tunes since March and sing these new songs as I go about my daily activities--a practice that has a long history in the Anglican Church.
Those who truly wish to worship God in song are not satisfied to restrict their singing to one hour of the week. They sing his praise all day long. But it is pointless to sing God's praise if you are not living a life of obedience to God. God is seeking true worshipers, those who worship him in Spirit and in truth. Their lives are a paean of praise to God.
Trusting God does not require that we use poor judgment and are reckless in our decision making. God knit us in our mother's womb and gave us a brain. I don't think that he would have given us a brain if he didn't expect us to use it. It is one thing to lose our lives in sacrificial service to the sick as have Christians in times of plague in the past. It is another thing to throw them away because we have bought into the devil's lie that the pandemic is not as serious as the health experts claim. The devil loves to see the people of Christ suffer and he will encourage them to embrace all kinds of false beliefs and to make all kinds of foolish mistakes.
You are also confusing cautiousness--being attentive to dangers and being careful--with fearfulness--feeling fear or apprehension. They are not the same thing. Because someone chooses to wear a face mask, for instance, does not mean his fearful. He is taking what is a necessary step to protect not just himself and his family from infection but his whole community. He may have the virus himself and wearing a face mask will help prevent him from spreading it to others. If he is a Christian, he is bearing the burdens of others, as well as doing what good that he can while there is an opportunity to do good.
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