Jennell Williams Paris

c. 2009 B. Walrath/ R. Woods All rights reserved. Used by permission.

The American Ideal of Love• Christians (even well- informed by scripture) use the language and symbols of their culture. In American culture that often means looking to romance when speaking of love.• Romantic Ideal- comes from the medieval courtly tradition and is present in today’s romance novels, movies, and our imaginations.

• Includes passion, magical, “falling in love.”• Romantic Love separates two lovers from the rest of the world

• Prosaic Realist view of love- often confused and ambivalent, growing/dissipating over time.

• Philosophy that love should be between lovers who are compatible in practical ways. • This love requires hard work, compromise, and sacrifice all the time.

The American Ideal of Love, Cont.

•The Bible speaks of God in many ways other than in a romantic way.•Erotic love (eros) was certainly present in biblical times, but not in the same as in American culture.

•Ex: “I Am,” Lord, King, metaphorically through animals, family terms, etc..

Biblical perspective

• God takes the role of Leading Man- God takes the role of Leading Man- the assertive pursuer, the initiator of the assertive pursuer, the initiator of emotional intimacy who takes risks to emotional intimacy who takes risks to win the heart of His Beloved.win the heart of His Beloved.• Sometimes in culture this means Sometimes in culture this means making Jesus into our “boyfriend”- a making Jesus into our “boyfriend”- a strong benevolent, wooing man. strong benevolent, wooing man.

God as Leading ManGod as Leading Man

Humans as Leading LadyAs humans, we take the stance of ‘leading lady.’“Humans rarely initiate action or do anything good.The Leading Lady complements the Leading Man by being weak, passive, and in distress. In worship music we have a stance of longing and begging.

Humans ask for things to be done for them and speak of how wretched and pitiable they are.While a stance of humility is essential in worship, these songs overemphasize the worthlessness of humans, which may limit worshipers from becoming agents of change in the world.

Humans as Leading Lady, Cont..

More to God’s Love than Personal Fulfillment• Many worship songs encourage people to view Many worship songs encourage people to view God in terms of His ability to deliver and God in terms of His ability to deliver and experience of emotional fulfillment.experience of emotional fulfillment.• “ “God’s activities include more than personal God’s activities include more than personal salvation and interpersonal intimacy.” (p48)salvation and interpersonal intimacy.” (p48)• “ “God’s Love should help free believers to God’s Love should help free believers to express His love in the world by living rightly express His love in the world by living rightly with others and with creation.” (p50)with others and with creation.” (p50)• Romantic love separates individuals from Romantic love separates individuals from society, because they need nothing but each society, because they need nothing but each other, and don’t connect them with others other, and don’t connect them with others outside of them. God desires us to reach out to outside of them. God desires us to reach out to others, not just have an intimate relationship others, not just have an intimate relationship with Him.with Him.• Songs need to empower us to live through the Songs need to empower us to live through the power of the Holy Spirit. power of the Holy Spirit.

• We need to realize we are at war, not just in We need to realize we are at war, not just in lovelove.

Balance

•Our Relationship with God is more than just a romantic relationship between just Him and Us.•There is a call for songwriters to write songs that are about what God is doing in the world, not only in our own hearts.

How Can We Change this?

• Increase reliance on Scripture in song lyrics.Increase reliance on Scripture in song lyrics.•Broaden the use of God’s name- “God,” Broaden the use of God’s name- “God,” “Lord,” “King,” “You”..“Lord,” “King,” “You”..•In this way, worshipers will be more faithful to In this way, worshipers will be more faithful to

Scriptural attributes of God Scriptural attributes of God• Broaden the language of love beyond the Broaden the language of love beyond the romantic.romantic.

•Use the other forms of love in worship Use the other forms of love in worship •ErosEros (erotic love), (erotic love), storgestorge (family/maternal (family/maternal love), love), AgapeAgape (altruistic love), (altruistic love), PragmaPragma (pragmatic love), (pragmatic love),

• Expand the role of humans beyond passivity, Expand the role of humans beyond passivity, weakness, and sinfulness.weakness, and sinfulness.

• Humans are a part of a divine-human Humans are a part of a divine-human relationship doing important works of relationship doing important works of creativity, justice, and mercy.creativity, justice, and mercy.