On My Mind: Theology and Music

There is a private Facebook group where women from the greater Lansing area post questions and information, things like: Where can I find a dentist that takes my insurance? Does anyone have the name of a good

mechanic? Check out this new restaurant in Okemos! When it comes up on my feed, I sometimes scroll through the answers, amazed by the care and concern that is shared.

Lately, though, someone has been asking the same question over and over. Where can I find a church that is welcoming and has great

contemporary worship music? At first, people asked clarifying questions: What do you mean by welcoming? (Welcoming of LGBTQ+ was the

response.) What kind of contemporary music? (Something with a drum kit and a praise band, was the

answer.) Does it need to be a Christian church? (Yes.) The hive mind was baffled. No one had a particularly good answer. A couple people suggested Edgewood UCC or The Peoples Church, but the caveat was that both churches sang hymns and had organs. Other people said that Mount Hope has a great band, but they weren’t openly welcoming.

I ventured a response, noting that there seems to be a strange correlation in Christian churches: those with the most progressive music usually have the most traditional (i.e., conservative) theology. This is

something I have noticed in my 30 years of ministry, and I think it is especially true for predominantly white churches. Of course there are churches that have both traditional worship music and conservative theology, but you almost never see a church with a praise band and a pride flag. Because of this, contemporary

Christian music hasn’t produced much in the way of inclusive music; there’s no market.

This whole issue has made me ponder what we hold fast to and what we let go of when it comes to worship. If we are willing to stretch and grow when it comes to theology, shouldn’t we be willing to stretch and grow when it comes to music? Or maybe the music is just a matter of taste and not every sort of music

appeals to every sort of worshipper? For me, though, the true test is the theology. If you preach the

transformative love of God for all people – without exception – I don’t care what music is playing! It is the welcoming word of the Good News that is music to my ears!

Peace,

-Rev. Dr. Shawnthea Monroe