Featured Age Old Arguement of Worship

There were many times when this debate has been had. Typically it was found in the more conservative Baptist churches. I hope our resident historian @rlvaughn may be able to help us out with some citations from Baptist history. There are some exclusive psalmody Baptist churches that eschew modern worship songs or even hymns. I may be mistaken, but I believe some of them are of the Primitive Baptist persuasion?

 

Some 'Reformed Baptists' have latched onto the exclusive psalmody (singing paraphrased Psalms) contrivance from Presbyterianism.

Reformed Baptist Church of Topeka


Tom Chantry, historian of USA 'Reformed Baptists', explains his personal take on all this:

chantrynotes.wordpress.com/2014/11/10/preaching-from-the-choir/

 

Many old hymns were written in style contemporary for church music in the time they were written, to be accompanied by the instruments then in use.

 

I think the "cottage prayer meeting" is closer to the house churches of the early NT era. I think as we move away from this the more worldly churches become. Worldly = everything from RCC church floor plans and decor to adrenaline driven hysteria confused with the move of the Spirit.

 

You're right. It's an old argument. A tired old argument from an account that has no bearing on the decorum of Christian worship whatever, and didn't conform to the OT prescriptions, either. Who was David to lay his eyes on the Ark? He was not a priest. Why, when it came back to Israel from the Philistines, did not the priests insert the staves through the rings and bear it on their shoulders, as commanded, covered, back to the Tabernacle?

But what happens? David's dancing, people are jumping pews, and the next thing you know the oxen stumble and the Ark shifts and Uzza tries to catch it, and BOOM! He's dead. No more singin' and dancin'.

And we have no record of David dancing in the Tabernacle, nor at the door thereof. You want to go out to the back forty and dance in a Speedo to God, you go right ahead, but the there is an orderly decorum to be observed in the assembly.

 

Sounds like the Regulative Principle vs Normative Principle argument

The Normative is basically anything in worship is ok as long as the Bible does not forbid it. Martin Luther

The Regulative Principle basically says God has established what is acceptable in worship ie prayer, reading scripture, communion, giving $, singing, preaching. See Nadab and Abihu in Leviticus as well as Sauls sacrafice which invoked the fury of God ( God had not told them to do it. They usurped Gods acceptable plan of Worship).

 

Just stopped by and noticed this, so quickly (and hopefully can make it back later):

There was a time among the English Particular Baptists when congregational singing was controversial -- not just hymns, but singing, period. Baptist Music: To Sing or Not To Sing

I am not aware of any American Primitive Baptists who hold exclusive psalmody, though it wouldn't surprise me if some could be located. I do know one particular PB who created tunes to sing Psalms from the KJV text, but he wasn't an exclusive psalmodist. They also used Benjamin Lloyd's words-only hymn book. Most of the exclusive psalmodists of whom I am aware among Baptists are Reformed Baptists -- and probably influenced to that practice through the Reformed/Presbyterian tradition.

 

Good information. Thank you.

 

Urban legend.

Paul mentions psalms, hymns and odes. Omits dithyrambs.