I’ve heard a few reasons for this – none of which make a lick of sense. One reason I’ve heard is because it’s louder and everyone can hear it better if we sing it. If so, we’ve invented PA systems for that.

I’ve also heard it’s because we want to limit the vocal inflections, and thus our own interpretations, that we use to spin the message to whatever we want. If so, that’s dumb for two reasons: 1) the words don’t change, so let’s be honest – could the message really change if we say the same words differently? and 2) we put EVEN MORE personal emphasis on whatever words we want when we sing them than when we say them! I’ve heard priests do 15 syllable melismas on certain words that they personally thought should be emphasized.

Let’s give them the benefit of the doubt and make a pros and cons list.

PROs of singing:
-Louder

CONs of singing:
-Can’t understand the words as well (especially sopranos)
-Not how humans are used to hearing messages, so we don’t really get what the prayer is saying
-There are many more ways to put our own interpretation by means of emphasis on the message via the use of pitch, volume, malisma, tempo etc.

PROs of speaking:
-Easier on the voice
-Less foreign to American culture
-Easier to understand

CONs of speaking:
-Not as loud.

If we’re not supposed to interject our own commentary on the prayers, then why do we do a homily? Why do we even have a church service?

If someone has answers to these questions, or corrections to my current understanding as to why we sing, please comment. Like I said, these are just things I’ve heard – I don’t know if they’re official reasons or not.

I don’t even want to get into the whole “intruments during church” argument. I do have one question for you to mull over though: isn’t the human voice an instrument? Not only does it fall into the category of being an instrument, but some would argue it is the most beautiful of all the instruments (and thus the most distracting).

Look, if I don’t know what the song is saying because the vocabulary and olde timee language- how am I supposed to be praising God? I mean you can only lean over and ask your wife what a word means so many times in 1 song.

I call for a generation X (or are we y?) church reformation. Brian gets to be the choir leader guy.

Once again, I left church feeling nothing, except maybe anger. I heard nothing that I could relate to my life during the homily. Absolutely nothing. This has been going on now for well over a year. And I was even in the choir! If I can’t feel close to God as a regular layperson, and I can’t feel close to God singing in the choir, then I don’t think there’s any hope for me.

Maybe I’m the one that needs to change. Whether that means changing myself, or changing where I attend church, I don’t know. But I’m willing to do whatever it takes to bring me closer to God.

In spite of what I said above, I would not trade the profound, intense, worship we give to God in the liturgy for the most Scripture centered sermonizing found in any Evangelical church on any Sunday. After all, I do have a Bible (in fact many) of my own. I know that when I take the time to read and listen, I hear the Word of God loud and clear without a middle man.

Still,it is plain to me that the Fathers intended that BOTH Word and worship should find balance when we get together.

Thanks for your thoughts. They are an encouragement to my wife that she is not alone.

I should have posted this, I horribly summarized our stance.

“Being neither fundamentalists or modernists, we call ourselves Christian. We realize that we are not the only Christians, but simply Christians only. We have no other name.
Our authority is the Word of God. We have no creed but the Bible. Where it speaks, we speak. Where it is silent, we are silent. The scriptures are our only rule of faith and practice. We allow the utmost liberty of opinion in matters where Scripture revelations do not legislate, while we accept the fullest conformity to the clear and uncontested revelations of that Word. ”

I will freely admit I know nothing about orthodoxy, I guess I just have a simple faith. I believe the bible is God’s word, and he sent his son to die (and raise from the dead) for me to save me from my sins and give everlasting life in heaven.

Whatever title or religion that makes me, fine. I try to focus on my relationship with God and what Jesus taught in the bible. I leave the other stuff to people way smarter than I am.

Who am I to judge someone on the best way to have a relationship with God? That’s waaaaay above my paygrade.

Brian, as to your question, “What the heck happened?” Well, IMHO, the EOC, or at least Holy Trinity (but I think the whole EOC) because it was full of fallen people, took on the same characteristics as triumphalistic Orthodoxy – basically, the EOC got proud of being the EOC. I remember quite well how people who left the “Perfect Church” were treated by many folks. There was a type of silent “shunning” that took place. I don’t even think folks were trying to be mean, but it was kind of that, “How can you leave the perfect church?” type of attitude.

So I think really it doesn’t matter what it is – it will collapse and it will fall. I mean, you know, some boast of chariots, and some boast of horses – but if all we boast in is the name of our God, then while they will collapse and fall we will rise and stand for good.

Ok, seriously, yeah, as long as there is the sin of pride in the world there will be the temptation to think that we have achieved perfection this side of heaven, and then brag about that. So I think that no matter what parish or church, club, group, etc, there will always be those who want to make THAT heaven believe that THEY are in the “chosen” group and fall into the trap of forming just another clique that worships the idol of itself rather than God. Idolatry is prevalent in churches just as much as in the world.

Sadly, churches then become just large social clubs rather than the catalyst for radical change that Jesus commanded us to be.

Hmm…maybe I’ll make a post on this myself, since I keep writing so dang much here. Sorry!

You are absolutely right about the EOC. I forgot how close we once were to this balance. What the heck happened?