RE: [Fwd: Re: Jews performing Christian holiday music]

[Adrian A. Durlester <durleste...>]

Wolf:

Every week I play the organ at services in the synagogue in praise of G-d.
Yet there are Jews who would say that is wrong, too!

In any case, I am currently one of only three Jewish students at the
Vanderbilt Divinity School. I have assisted as a pianist at chapel services,
and participated in the choir. Throughout my life I have participated in
performances of music set to parts of the Xtian liturgy. As a child, I
probably knew the entire Latin High Mass better than any Hebrew.

I used to just not sing the words Jesus and Christ. Now, I have a simple
solution for words, courtesy of my wife: when I have to sing "Jesus" I sing
"cheeses" and for Christ I sing "rice." If I can use the gift of musical
ability that G-d gave to me in service to anyone's praise of G-d, is that
not being an or l-goyim by example?

I do have limits, however. I will not participate in a messianic Jewish
activity of any kind. If I am performing or accompanying Jewish liturgical
music in a Xtian setting (like an ecumenical service) I insist that it be
made clear that I am Jewish, the music is Jewish, and has absolutely nothing
to do with Xtianity, messianic Judaism, etc. If the presenter cannot agree
to those terms, I do not participate. So far, that has never happened.

I suspect you might object to where I am choosing to go to school. Though it
has no direct affiliation, the Vanderbilt Divinity School did grow from a
Xtian tradition and does exist primarily to train Xtians for the ministry.
It might interest you to know that the chair of New Testament studies here
is a practicing Conservative Jew. (The school is also currently in a search
for a chair in Jewish studies.) What I can learn here is no different than
what I can learn in any Jewish studies program or seminary-the challenge of
learning
it in a primarily Xtian atmosphere actually enhances my Judaism.

When I do perform in a Xtian environment, what always strikes me is the
alienness of it. It simply does not fit within my Jewish world view. So I do
not fear corruption, proselytization, etc.

This past summer, at the CAJE conference, which was held at *Trinity
University* in San Antonio, we had to give up use of a perfectly good choral
rehearsal space because it was in the basement of an on campus church-even
though it had a separate entrance. Foolishness. If we want to stop being
afraid of the Xtians, we need to interact with them and make them not fear
us. My perspective on this, having spent the last ten years in North Dakota,
is quite clear. Ignorance is the main problem, more so than any
institutionalized or historical anti-Semitism. Let them see who we are, that
we don't have horns or blood sacrifices..and we stand a better chance of
getting along.

I don't fear or feel threatened by what goes on inside a church. My Judaism
is rock solid. What do you fear?


Adrian

-----Original Message-----
From: owner-jewish-music (at) shamash(dot)org
[mailto:owner-jewish-music (at) shamash(dot)org]On Behalf Of Kame'a Media
Sent: Tuesday, December 15, 1998 1:38 PM
To: World music from a Jewish slant.
Subject: [Fwd: Re: Jews performing Christian holiday music]


Sounds like an attempt to censor or stifle, but be that as it may--

Okay, its a statement.  (Is that so wrong)?  In response to other
statements; so?
A reasonable disagreement?  I'm all ears.

It is not appropriate for a Jew to hang out in churches, period.

Would you, Ari, give us your take on the appropriateness (or not) of a
Jewish person hiring themselves out to sing religious Christian music in
a church, being a Jewish culture expert ?

I do not feel especially "righteous" for stating what I feel, so I would
ask
those Jews who have or continue to sing  Christian religious music in
churches:  How does it feel to sing a lyric such as
"Christ, our Saviour is bo-orn..." or similar words?

I am not saying that Christian religious or holiday music has no merit.
I am not saying a Jewish person should never voluntarily listen to it.
I am not saying that a Jewish person cannot admire or even be inspired
by it.
(I am very fond of much gospel-blues and both black and white gospel.
(The Rev. Gary Davis, The Dixie Hummingbirds, Sam Cooke and others).

As a conscious Jewish person, however, I would just never get on a stage
to praise Jesus.  Not even in the shower.

I hope my point is clear.

Wolf------------------------------------------------------------------------
Adrian A. Durlester  -  durleste (at) home(dot)com
http://members.home.net/durleste/
Student, Vanderbilt University Divinity School
http://divinity.lib.vanderbilt.edu/vds/vds-home.htm
Music Director, Congregation Micah, Nashville, TN
http://www.micahnash.org/
Home phone (615) 646-9788
Nextel cel-phone (615) 207-2661
You can page me from http://www.nextel.com
List-Owner for hanashir (at) shamash(dot)org; Co-Owner for L-Torah (at) 
shamash(dot)org
http://uahc.org/hanashir
Editor, Bim Bam (for Torah Aura Productions)
http://www.torahaura.com/
Evening Program Chair, CAJE 23 - San Antonio TX, Aug 9-13, 1998
http://www.caje.org
Alternate Email: aad (at) iname(dot)com  adriand (at) aol(dot)com