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Article: Blessed ignorance. (M.E.M.O).(Christian music)(Brief Article)
- Article from:
- The Christian Century
- Article date:
- February 27, 2002
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2002 The Christian Century Foundation. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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BACK WHEN 19th-century Methodists were debating whether to sponsor seminaries and promote a "learned ministry," one bishop, it was said, opposed the idea. He connected vital faith and piety with ignorance. Challenged by a critic who asked the bishop whether he was thankful for his own ignorance, he proudly answered yes. Whereupon the critic moved that the convention sing a Te Deum since the good bishop had so much for which to be thankful.
I deserve such a Te Deum, critics may say, after they read my confession of almost total ignorance concerning one of the strongest cultural forces around: "Christian music." I hope I'm not a snob about everything post-baroque. ...