Sound Theology by Colleen Butcher

A child named after three of Europe’s most interesting 20^th century composers is almost set up to fail. If that child choses the banjo as their instrument of choice, we would probably shake our heads and walk away. But Béla Anton Leos Fleck has succeeded in amazing ways. Fleck has become one of the most sought after musicians of this generation, in genres as varied as bluegrass, jazz fusion, and classical orchestral.

One of the main reasons that Fleck has developed such a following, and been successful in so many arenas, is because of his ability to bring together a diverse group of fellow musicians and inspire them to create something interesting. Over the years, he has collaborated with amazing musicians from around the globe and across the musical spectrum, each encounter inspiring new ideas and integrating new influences. He has modeled the openness and curiosity that is necessary for creativity to thrive. His personal skill creates space for the skills of others, as they weave together the magic, each collaboration taking shape independently. read more…

This series of song-a-week postings will conclude with Epiphany. And of course, the only music for this week is We Three Kings. Written in 1857, We Three Kings was one of the first home-grown, American Christmas hymns to find wide popularity. Its author and composer, John Henry Hopkins, Jr., was the head of music at the Episcopal Seminary in New York City. He composed the hymn for a Christmas pageant at the seminary, but for a number of years it was sung only in family gatherings, before its inclusion in a published collection in 1862. This carol is still popular during nativity plays, as it is one of the very few settings of this part of the story!

Star of wonder … still proceeding. Do we still follow?

Incense … prayer and praising. Is our worship never ceasing?

King and God and sacrifice. Is our desire to behold Him!

During these weeks of Epiphany may we pursue, and be guided to, the perfect Light. read more…

We now find ourselves in the midst of Christmas, which, like other important celebrations of the liturgical year, is a season, not a single feast day. There is movement and direction leading us through the story, providing time and space for the marvels and mystery to unfold. Culture is unable to sustain its attention once the gifts are opened and the turkey eaten. But our story calls us to pay attention to the details, to take time to read both Matthew’s and Luke’s accounts of the Christmas wonders. The first chapter of John inspires us to keep the eternal perspective always in view. The liturgy creates space to keep singing the hymns that connect these dots, the poetry that links temporal with eternal, the carols that otherwise would be abandoned with the Christmas wrapping paper. read more…

We have waited. We have been silent. We have anticipated. We have remembered.

The day is here. The baby—the promised one—has come!

However, lest we begin to imagine that this longed-for arrival was the result of our waiting, or our silence, Isaac Watts’ lyrics challenge us to find our appropriate place in the story.

Receive! Make room! Sing! Share the joy! Do good! Rejoice! Wonder! Love! read more…

The deep and dark of longing presses in on these days of waiting. The ancient traditions spent this last week of Advent meditating on the “O Antiphons,” which are the names and images of the Christ, taken from the book of Isaiah. Each antiphon (the liturgical response, sung or said after the psalm), begins with the exclamation “O!” as if the worshippers’ longing can barely be contained. There are seven verses: O Sapientia, O Adonai, O Radix Jesse,  O Clavis David, O Oriens, O Rex Gentium, and O Emmanuel.

For those who watch and wait, each day’s verse is full of depth and meaning, acknowledging the pain of our present reality, and anticipating the now-but-not-yet of comfort and joy. read more…