| To Mr. James Lyon hymnology Professor of Faculty of Protestant Theology in Paris Kinshasa, November 17, 2005 Dear Professor , Thank you for the action you reserved for my message of the past. But I thank you again, much to the concern that is created already very much in you from my training at your feet. I say, well, because I see my training, at your feet, already emerging on the horizon when I realize that our trade in this area of hymnody will crescendo. But, say, above all, that this area that unites us, given our understanding and our common desire, will, now more than ever, bouncing in the work done by our churches and theological training in order to arrive a kind of symbiosis between good theology and hymnody for a proper communication of the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. I still do the job that I am personally imposed on reading your sermons made from Protestant hymns to the dawn of the Reformation that you call by the technical term Liedpredigt. I must say that I am particularly struck by the fact that you are as deeply religious, but both a very rich preacher who loves Christ, his Church, the sacred hymnody and teaching. You do an outstanding job. You write your preaching to men and women of every generation, by digging, as in a job search in the history of German music (and why not Austrian, because it appears that the two were only single-country origin) and that from the beginning era of the Reformation until today. It is with great enthusiasm that I read to you always learn in order to inform me to educate myself in this field of hymnody that is my favorite. Dear Professor, Yes, you are right when, for your expertise, you come without penalty, to reassure you of the passion inside me for hymnody but without a great knowledge. It is true that from my heart, I am wearing, seriously, a great interest in the sacred hymnody. Say that I find in this sub-discipline of practical theology another identifying characteristic, not negligible, Reform. For not only, it conveys has always been different theologies of the Bible, both Old and New Testament and the religious experiences of men and women, but much more it offered to us by singing as a leaven unity of human hearts that are now singing the same song in unison so that the unity of hearts claiming the body of Christ is found. So, dear Professor, we can not say enough that the door itself hymnology any consistency in the communication unit of the body of Christ, as it does not serve to divide, but it performs the function of unifying humans. Here I agree with the ideas of Josef Ratzinger, that I carry in my heart, with regard to his thoughts on what must be the music of worship. Yes, I met him one day in his writings before he became Pope, Pope Benedict XVI. I do not know if you've never read a day? It must be said that in his book that helped me a lot while I was writing my dissertation in theology in 2002, I had drawn a lot of important considerations. It's his book''A New Song for the Lord''I am referring here. Reading Ratzinger, I arrived one day to say with my words after him, that the unity of the Church is also particularly hymnology. For the latter, the song finds its culmination in that song, beyond human language, beyond the racial divisions, breaking the bonds of ethnicity, sex, language ... is unifying and ecumenical in the true sense of the word and even goes beyond the human race where''the new song for the Lord intoned by humans on earth, in unity of mind and heart, mingles with the angels''to the glory of God the Creator. It is here that human divisions and discrimination fall like the wall of Jericho that relates the biblical book of Joshua. Yes, hermeneutics hymns as text and the melodic motifs that bear the reflection or the religious experience of men and women shows us how hymnology is - as Luther says, the mediator between man and God, because it puts the individual in direct communication with the supernatural. And if I were allowed to add a word, following Luther, I would say that through it, it conveys the Gospel can become and remain one being for our Christian life as the salt of the earth and light of the world. Dear Professor, I regret that the issues of this discipline, as you say, unfortunately, are often considered evil in most of our communities from the Reformation, while "our" Martin Luther was to continue be as useful to us by his considerations in this field of hymnody. Unfortunately, the close relationship based theology and hymnody is now characterized relationship difficult and subject to some controversy among theologians of the pastoral on the one hand and hymnologues church musicians or the other as they were and should always remain a complementary relationship. Some might therefore think that the controversy is only over the place and level of the fundamental importance of hymnody in the theological curriculum. But no, the problem is much larger and more disturbing: The Protestant hymnody of our identity is being persecuted. Its future is in jeopardy. He is not here to let us bring in a fear of tomorrow compared to Protestant hymnody. But we must admit that our identity is lost slowly but surely in this field. We know that any hymnody is related to liturgy and the liturgy itself is a dimension of religion as religion is understood as a dimension of life. Because we do not understand, or better, one can not understand religion in relation to life that it influences or influence. The two views are possible. In this way, we may be tempted to say that religion is born with rights, with the liturgy of religion in the quest for identity worship and hymnody with the liturgy. This is why religion, the liturgy and hymnody are linked with the social life of women and men who pray. Can I afford to think I'm in the right ... Dear Professor? And as society and its phenomena are always total and comprehensive, religion (Christian, too), its liturgy and hymnody, in their daily lives face-to-live as a sort of "mitsein" in For us, can in principle be isolated from each other in socio-cultural flow of Protestantism that animates and makes them unique compared to other religious movements that have a constant desire for a new style of celebration more participatory and making more room for the affective and emotional when we see coming, or better where we find the location of the persecution of the Protestant Church hymnody. Initiatives regarding the composition of this desire in anthemic new more participatory style of celebration is well established today. The hymnody of Churches Pentecostal Revival of inspiration speaks against Protestantism, Protestantism from our place of theological education to the worship of the parish. But I think you also know better than me, the desire to hold a much more participatory worship through song was already a major concern of Martin Luther. theology, as we know, as theologians and pastors. We also know that the worship and organization are the apple of the eye of the pastoral ministry. Practical theology, knows very well. And, incidentally, the story tells us that once she not even 1523 and 1524, Luther, the Protestant reformer, was issued a few considerations in relation to singing and worship? Recall that in his writings published in the order of divine service in the community and Formula Missae and communion Luther said two precepts essential to religious music when the divine service would focus on the sermon exegesis of sacred texts on the one hand, and the worship that should raise the participation of the community of the faithful in song the other. Admittedly, in the sense of organization in the cantatas of Bach watching very carefully the recommendation. You know more than me, dear Professor, because you have a head start compared to the knowledge of the works of JS Bach in particular with respect to the size of the contribution of believers to worship through song and even the role Bach assigns to music and theology where the role played hymnology Relay and reconciler . Because you say that "In his cantatas, Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750) proved that his music -" recreation of the mind "- refers to God. In this sense, the gradual secularization of church music completely destroys the meaning and threat faith. The hymnody connects and reconciles theology and music, the latter as kerygma forging and strengthening both the spirituality and piety (pietas, Frömmigkeit). Dear Professor, In his Epistle to Rathsherren (in 1524), Luther, we know, has a decisive pattern of organization the worship life at the temple at home, the family, a microcosm of the parish community. If the temple, the community should show its active support by singing at the organ, piety should result in the daily singing of hymns at home. was somewhat forgotten as you say, always, in a sense, dear Professor, that hymnody is part of Practical Theology, the area of coverage but also, I believe, the field conceptualization of theological reflections. And you say so, that, according to Martin Luther, Singen ("sing") and Sagen ("say") are one. I think the Protestant theologians should not forget or ignore that assessment Lutheran in everything they do in relation to theological education and in relation to the song that conveys the experience of our Christian faith. Dear Professor, If, urged by religious experience daily, the hymnody of the church say other than historical is based on the search for novelties, which is in vogue, that sings easily and across religions, festivals, crusades and then only because it is readily known to all, it is modern, it packs a time to praise and worship, I think there is a problem. There is a problem when the songs of old books are declared obsolete in our churches to comply with something like "this century by Paul of Tarsus in his Epistle to the Romans. The problem I want to raise here is that the inattention of historical churches and their institutions of theological education. When the Protestant hymnody is hunted elsewhere, consciously or unconsciously, hymnology "other," even with his cries and his improvisations, address for service in our Protestant liturgy. The Protestant hymnody is persecuted in the streets and in his own house Protestant. The cause of this problem, I think, is to seek the understanding of the work, or better, in understanding the contribution of the Holy Spirit in church music today. What is true is that the understanding of "singing in the Spirit" is plural in this day and especially at home Africanness also makes the charge. But you, in your course, by cons, you raise a somewhat unusual approach which in principle can influence the thinking of the whole Church in general and the so-called Protestant in particular. Dear Professor, You think, by relying on the thoughts of Paul of Tarsus, that to be anything other than an animal cry, the song shall require the participation of the mind and intellect and that Pauline statements in his letter to the Ephesians are not only practical. Car located in the relevant moral epistles (Colossians and Ephesians), encourage them to return to the path of Christ in the crisis that raged in Colossae, yesterday, and anywhere where there is a church today, in order to bring every man, woman to get rid of the "old man" and take the "new man" who can sing the "song again." What is still remarkable to find you as easily concealed logic of three "forms" mentioned by the apostle - "psalms and hymns and inspired songs by the spirit" - which correspond to what you hold, specifically, as to the steps of a step and you explain things so clearly. For you, "Psalm" or singing supported by the instrument - from the Greek Psalmos ("tune played on the lyre), the family of Greek psallein (" vibrate "), chanting (" action sing to the accompaniment of the lyre "- expresses all the internal states of the human soul, suffering to joy, to the complaint, recrimination or anger. You say that "The Anthem" is the only praise and "ode (song) spiritual" is, somehow, the culmination of a journey to faith in Christ, that is to say mastery of love and joy, triumph over Satan. These three essential degrees of song - Thanksgiving permanent - are governed by the Holy Spirit. They lead to joy (chara) is love (agape). They celebrate and announce (kerygma) victory over death which is sin. They show, by the power of faith, the light, the output of darkness. Dear Professor, your ideas on this point, I believe, are not very different from those that Ratzinger argues against the understanding of the cult, its organization and role given to vocals. Cf. Book by Joseph Ratzinger cited. Dear Professor, The issue of "church music as a manifestation of the Holy Spirit" that you raise, after Oskar Sohngen, Johann Mattheson (1681-1764), and Ulrich ASPER , drops the straw of our eyes by the knowledge that you share with us. You find the right words to remind us that the church music, entrusted to the Kantorei, the singing harmoniously complete assembly, itself connected to preaching. And you say to the German theorist and composer Johann Mattheson (1681-1764), himself, he testifies again in 1725 - in his Critica musica - that place where the preacher and Kantor on an equal footing " Both exalt the Word of God. " The Word sung will result in the richness of the relationship between monody and polyphony. In other words, unity to multiplicity, from simple to complex, from the popular scientist. The Word sung develops two functions, the first - God-centered - centered on God as praise, the second - anthropocentric - human-centered view of the Proclamation. This duality complementary feeds exegesis developed during the sermon. In this respect, the music appears as the manifestation of the Holy Spirit. Dear Professor, I unfortunately realized, as always, many of our Protestant churches today have more knowledge of these precepts that you give in your lessons that I consider very useful for thinking capable of causing "questioned" what was done versus what should really be done in this area dear to the Church. It is the desire to do everything the right way to really give his identity to our hymnody, our Protestant identity, which I agree with you here. Yet our churches and their theological training, until these days, prefer, unfortunately, does not think enough about it in their different theological circles. And this crisis with the Church lives. A question worth asking? How therefore address this crisis, today and tomorrow, if the pastor-theologians and professors of Protestant theology indoctrination or neglected altogether, even for long, in their view, the pastoral usefulness and dignity of the historical contribution of hymnology equally as knowledge required for anyone wanting to make theology for the church field where one is always called to implement the major biblical reflections, historical, missiological, ecumenical, pastoral and systematic theology? That's the question. For we must remember that all these different areas of theology that does work is complete: if exegesis we used to draw from the source all things gross, hermeneutics we use to clean them, separating what is valuable from what is vile, to become the word of God-the fruit of the encounter between the divine Spirit and human spirit-the systematic, in turn, is used to give shape to the development of our theological reasoning and practice remains the field Application theological anything out of the theological circle. If any of these components of theology suffers in the curriculum as is the case with hymnody that is so dear to practice, it goes here first, I trust, the nature of the training that we would like to give over her (hymnology) - we argue that it is the servant of the liturgy of the Protestant Church - although it is also plural, and then set themselves goals that our educational institutions Protestant theological training and finally its ultimate foundations should support the complementarity between theology and hymnody. Is not that does not act in this direction, as seems to be the case until these days is implicitly work for the weakness of the Protestant hymnody today? Dear Professor, I am glad that my question about the exciting issues in Methods hymnology led me to another opening compared to what I really want to do in your school and think that with the opportunity to do even one day as a disciple, at your feet. I am waiting for your recent book, which I will shortly be sent to better penetrate the theme of your ideas and see how, through its content, I may know you, better yet, through your writings and maybe find some good and new directions for my postgraduate thesis and my thesis project. Yes, a real course - as you can offer me (over a period of three years) - will consider this interpenetration mentioned throughout the Bible. Because it is really important to see how to get out linking the theory and practice, feeling and thought as you consider for me for a proper celebration and understanding of melodic and poetic texts intervenes hermeneutics, notably those concerning the melody. Please get rich by reports that make me go out each day that passes, my deputy - information in this area that attracts me and makes me also already enter the world of the liturgy and sacred music which, as stated Josef Ratzinger were sisters from the outset. Dear Professor, My university, the organization of the faculty of theology, maintains excellent relations with the Free Faculty of Theology of Paris, for it seems to me that the two institutions work together to benefit the sister school of the Congo - Brazzaville their expertise for some time. That's what I had done the advantage of attending a number of debates that some professors of Paris had agreed to give our faculty whenever possible after their various stays in Brazzaville. You can inquire about this with Mrs. Corinne. I do not know if you've already done once in Africa this sense as the others. Otherwise, I pray that your turn comes to the interest and bounce the question of theological institutions in our hymnody. is to say that this relationship gives me the opportunity to already start discussing with the academic authorities my university about the possibility of coming to see me take a few classes with you, right after defending my DEA could have occurred by that date. And since I did not (really) a specialist who will follow me there in this area that lacks real authority previously in our option at the moment. Also, I must also confess that I have followed, unfortunately, no progress over the course of hymnody in the DEA. Accept, Dear Professor, I still consult you on a sustained basis over a number of points during my research for writing my DEA which immediately proposes to examine the quiddity of what may now be history, challenges (identity and mission) and why not reflect on the stakes of the couple and Theology in Protestantism hymnology Congolese. This is the first opportunity. Conduct studies on the quest for a line of demarcation between sacred music and popular music in the Church today in the Congo may also be relevant. This is the second possibility. You know, besides, there are obviously still many things to say about these issues, very complex in this area and that training is still very necessary for me. I think I told you that your recently published book will serve as my lantern to guide the issue of my work requiring me, first, a curriculum of courses that, in principle, both should be done (by way of the Internet), even before writing my DEA. I do not know if it would be asking too much, dear Professor, to see what should be a bibliography for such research. In all cases, you have a word to say. I am happy to have you as one of the few trainers and know that you always read me in joy with the idea of trading. Must say that I feel very motivated your commitment to my cause and it excites me greatly. I will hold high the banner of all our successful collaboration. Dear Professor, Please, again, apologize for having been too long in this post has certainly taken a lot of your precious time to read it. Pending see our dreams become vision in what the churches and theological institutions, believe me, dear Professor, my sincere loyalty in this journey of knowledge with you. Your student from Africa, Mauritius MONDENGO, JR., student AED program Faculty of Theology, Protestant University of Congo To Mr. James Lyon November 24, 2005 Dear Professor, Thanks again for your answer I have just read with a delay of two days. I have a heart filled with joy and satisfaction for the option you stand in line to give a course with us, that the rest would be the best way to spread the teaching here in our hymnody Faculty. It is true that I do not know when it will start but I already cried for joy and pray to God that all this success, quickly, for my education and our students. I feel happy and touched to know that despite your very busy, you always find the time to read carefully and you also enjoy my ideas in this exchange. I pleasantly surprised when you express your surprise that I fully understand your point. But wait yet the end of your reading of my thinking and set me on what should be the focus of my work. Please remember to send me some analysis of melodies. I just share of our trade to the Rector of our University who has promised to invite me soon to talk in depth. I will keep you in his time. Sincerely, Your student from Africa, |
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