Disrupting the Dichotomy: How Intercultural Music Changes the Conversation
For a number of decades in the United States, the church has worked hard to hold in tension a dichotomy between so-called “Traditional” and “Contemporary” worship. One could argue about the various sources of this dichotomy (and I commend to you the many liturgical historians who are charting the various liturgical developments of the last century), but regardless of source, the dichotomy exists. Even to this day, churches, church services, and church musicians are distinguished by these terms—she is a “traditional” musician, he is a “contemporary worship leader,” etc. To this point, sadly, no “contemporary musician” has yet assumed the historic title and role of “Cantor,” and even more sadly, no one has yet referred to me as a “contemporary” organist. In all humility, I assure you, I can shred. Soli Deo Gloria.
Nonetheless, in my career as a church musician and especially now as a professor of liturgy at Concordia Seminary, I have found the once seemingly sharp distinctions of this dichotomy to be blurring. In fact, I’m boldly ecstatic to suggest that the dichotomy has ultimately been proven false. I’m even more ecstatic to suggest that intercultural music—music that is originating in some form from beyond the typical Western canon of genres—is facilitating the disruption of our dichotomy. Let me take a little time to unpack and support these claims.
I am suggesting that, for the purposes of this short essay, intercultural music be understood as music that originates in some form from beyond the typical Western canon of genres. This is most certainly an artificial distinction, as Western music has, in one way or another, had an immeasurable impact on global music in the last few centuries. This is especially true for the music of the church, but can also be seen in classical, folk, and popular genres of music as well. What I intend with the term “intercultural music,” then, is more of a posture than of a product. It is a posture of reception—receiving into the predominantly white, Western Christian musical canon that which clearly originates from the Global South—music from various Latin American, African, and Asian contexts.
“These songs refocus our view of the Body of Christ, seeing the value and necessity of each body part. ”
This posture of receptivity is also not new. As Norman Nagel aptly wrote over forty years ago now, “each generation receives from those who went before and, in making that of the Divine Service its own, adds what best may serve in its own day – the living heritage and something new.” (Introduction to Lutheran Worship 1982). Our hymnals are filled with music from many times and many places. Christian congregations “Lift every voice and sing,” even the original context of a hymn or song may be lost on the performer (a significant and related problem, but one to be addressed at a different time). This synthesis of church music has even softened the sharpest of dichotomies: Roman Catholic and Protestant, orthodoxy and pietism, and the like.
But over the last few generations, the church has been caught up in another sharp dichotomy between “Traditional” and “Contemporary” music. You know the distinguishing factors--instrumentation (organ v. drums/guitar), musical orientation (melody v. rhythm), and even lyrical intent (different lyrical styles and poetic devices accomplish different goals in different genres). And this dichotomy continues to divide our churches, our church services, and our church musicians.
But I have seen that these intercultural songs disrupt the dichotomy in a refreshing new way! For example, many African songs are rhythmically oriented. African rhythms are the ancestor of many popular musical genres in the United States—from Jazz to Rock to Hip Hop. Some of these genres are the very ones that can be vilified by one side of the dichotomy. And yet, more and more African songs are being embraced. At Concordia Seminary, the primary place where I serve as leader of the Church’s song, we sing many of these African songs. Some are in our hymnal, including “Listen, God Is Calling” and “Christ is Arisen, Alleluia,” and some are equally embraced even if not published in Lutheran Service Book. We even sing “Now Thank We All Our God” to an African melody on a regular basis.
“As we practice this posture of receptivity with these intercultural songs, the Traditional/Contemporary dichotomy is disrupted and destroyed. ”
Similarly, many Latin American songs, authentically accompanied by guitar and percussion, are being incorporated into congregations in the United States. At Concordia Seminary, we sing a Spanish setting of the Lord’s Prayer, often accompanied by guitar, cajón, and string bass, with the refrain sung in Spanish and the verses in English (LSB 958/959). We also sing a beautiful Indonesian setting of the Lord’s Prayer, the melody of which is set in the pentatonic scale.
And in each of these examples, the song just doesn’t seem to fit into one of our clearly defined worship “camps.” These songs are neither traditional nor contemporary. And that’s the point.
These songs help soften our stereotypes on instrumentation, musical orientation, and on lyrical intent. These songs help us to realize the inclusive nature of music and of church music. These songs refocus our view of the Body of Christ, seeing the value and necessity of each body part. These songs reframe our understanding of inculturation, too often practiced as an imposition of the West on “the rest,” but now seen in its proper place as a means of mutual meaning-making, exchange, and enrichment.
Some might caution about tokenism—aren’t you just coopting these songs and their cultural context and exploiting them for your own purposes? I hope not. I work hard to avoid this. I regularly consult with our faculty, students, and staff who are native to the Global South. Many of them are regularly musically involved! I regularly assume a posture of humility and vulnerability to receive critique, to grow from my mistakes, and to cultivate a spirit of unity in our rich diversity.
As we practice this posture of receptivity with these intercultural songs, the Traditional/Contemporary dichotomy is disrupted and destroyed. Not only do these intercultural songs offer us a kind of “third way,” but even more these intercultural songs expose the falseness of the dichotomy between “traditional” and “contemporary.” Songs certainly have distinctions. Songs certainly can be measured and evaluated in different ways. But in the end, the church sings the songs of faith from many times, many places, and many genres. This is God’s gift of music to humanity.
So if your congregation is still immersed in the worship wars, still divided in practice, still maintaining this false dichotomy between “traditional” and “contemporary”—I recommend you learn to sing in Spanish. It will reframe everything for you!
If you want to explore this topic further, I encourage you to register for the Multi-ethnic Symposium at Concordia Seminary. https://www.csl.edu/resources/continuing-education/multiethnic-symposium/