Thom Yorke announced the name of his new band, “Atoms for Peace.” Impressive lineup, but nothing can touch what has already been done with Radiohead. People are now calling him a political activist. I have always thought of him along with the other members of Radiohead as more of a philosophically minded group.  Their music bleeds Sehnsucht in every note and some much more. Once you attach a political aim or focus to music, it immediately pigeon holes the band into one function and it limits the reach of the music. I understand the desire to work with other musicians and create new music, but if your starting point is Radiohead, where do you go from there?  Just because you can go solo/start a new band doesn’t mean you should. IE Bono better not follow suit!

I was blown away by this 1995 clip from “Smoke,” as my pastor showed this in a course on symbolism in film. Harvey Keitel’s character Auggie, is a smoke shop owner and William Hurt’s character Paul, is a writer who has been suffering from writer’s block since the death of his wife.

The following is part of the president of the Robert E. Webber Institute for Worship Studies, Dr. Jim Hart’s letter to the students.

“Today, February 17, the Commission on Accreditation of the Association for Biblical Higher Education passed a motion granting the Robert E. Webber Institute for Worship Studies full accreditation!

Here is portion of my comments to the commission:

“As we have journeyed through the accreditation process, the leaders in the IWS community, and especially Bob Webber, have consistently stated that achieving accreditation is one of our highest prioritized goals. Although we had some fear that this process may attempt to change the ethos of IWS, we have discovered instead that ABHE has come alongside us to help us be a better school and to reach toward our greatest potential. Perhaps more importantly, it has supported and even advocated for our mission of forming leaders in worship renewal, so we can maximize our impact for the Kingdom. We have come to the realization that accreditation is really not a goal, but rather a threshold on a trek of ongoing institutional improvement, the relentless pursuit of excellence, and the partnering together with other schools of Biblical higher education with the common purpose of forming our students to impact the world with God’s story of redemption in Jesus Christ. I am deeply thankful for this association, which unites us together under that Kingdom mandate.

“Since the death of Bob Webber two years ago we have honored his legacy by continuing to make significant strides at IWS. . . . Bob’s genius in establishing an educational community that is intentionally simple, servant-oriented, sacrificial, and spiritual, yet committed to excellence, has secured a legacy for worship education and renewal that has exceeded expectations and has shown evidence of the Lord’s leading and blessing.

“Our association with ABHE has helped to make the Robert E. Webber Institute for Worship Studies a better school, and for that we are very grateful.”

Dr. Eric Ohlmann, Director of Strategic Planning and Accreditation, Dr. Eric Bolger, Academic Dean, and Dr. Luder Whitlock, Vice Chair of the Board of Trustees attended the meeting with me and helped to field question from the commission. After the questions we were excused while a motion was made, discussed and passed. We were invited back into the commission meeting and were informed that we had been approved for full accreditation.

I want to express my deepest appreciation to Dr. Ohlmann and Dr. Bolger who have both contributed invaluably to the accreditation process, to Dr. Whitlock, Dr. John Lindsell and the entire board of trustees for their support, leadership and hard work in this pursuit, to the superb faculty and staff for their tireless efforts and commitment, and for the prayers, support and input of our stellar alumni and students.

I want also to thank ABHE for their encouragement, support and advice in our pursuit of accreditation. In particular, I want to acknowledge Dr. Ralph Enlow, Dr. Randy Bell , Dr. Larry McKinney and Dr. Tony Buchanan, along with many others in ABHE for starting IWS down this road, for standing alongside us, for encouraging us and advising us, and for partnering with us to advance the Kingdom through worship renewal in the context of Biblical higher education.

Thanks be to God.

The Lord be with you,
James R. Hart, President”

“The church as a living witness to God s narrative became the place where the consumer could buy a product that fulfilled his or her needs. Of course, the church does fulfill needs, but they must be placed within the cosmic narrative, thereby reducing the individual’s focus on self and turning his or her contemplation to God’s saving deeds, whereby the whole world is made right.”
- Robert Webber

This is the weekly Bob Webber quote that IWS sends out to all students. This quote struck me especially hard in congruence with my current reading. Dr. Ralph P. Martin states in his book Worship in The Early Church states,

“Worship which is man-devised and conducted according to human dictates and whims, however impressive and aesthetic it may appear, is not acceptable. The verdict upon Jeroboam’s rival sanctuary at Bethel is a case in point. Worshiping by the Spirit of God entails a rejecting of all ‘confidence in the flesh’ (Philippians 3:3). Our first inquiry must be one which seeks to understand the character of the God whom we worship. The nature of God as He has graciously disclosed it in the pages of the Bible will determine all subsequent consideration of this subject, and will affect every phase of our desired communion with Him. Some of the main facets of God’s self-revelation may be listed.”
- Ralph P. Martin

This is a terrifying reality that plagues Western Christianity. As we have focused more and more on our individual justification and sanctification we have taken steps towards dove into this pit of self-comforting, culturally relevant subjectivism that God seems to warn against in 1 Kings 12 & 13. What are we doing?
“O my God, I cry by day, but you do not answer, and by night, but I find no rest.” Psalm 22:2 (ESV)

Sources
____
Ralph P. Martin, Worship in the Early Church. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1964, pg. 13

Robert E. Webber, Who Gets to Narrate the World? Contending for the Christian Story in an Age of Rivals. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2008, pg. 131.

This is a beautiful quote from an interview of Makoto Fujimura given by Stewart Lundy, regarding art and worship. Complete interview found here!

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He was asked:

How can a particular work of art be “untwisted” for the glory of God? What is an example of “bad” art? Or is the term “bad” art a bad way of phrasing it, since all art, if actually art, is good art?

Hezekiah’s snake is a good example (see II Kings 18:4). By having the right understanding of our trust of God, which Isaiah the prophet proclaimed to Hezekiah, and only by surrendering to trust God did Hezekiah begin to see the proper perspective to untwist the misuse of Mose’s snake.

Only when the King trusted God did he see the need to reform worship and correct the misuse of the object which Moses created to heal people under God’s guidance.  Proper worship is central to our understanding of reality, the arts, and it affects everyone, Christians and non-Christians. Culture is affected by how we worship God (Bill Dyrness makes this point in many of his books).