When Children are Not Welcome in the Church
December 05, 2005
I doubt Jerry Falwell and James Dobson will notice this, but the most insidious and depressing secularization of Christmas and Christmas music has nothing to do with the censorship of explicitly Christian symbols and songs. One of my colleagues mentions nearly every Advent his exasperation with performances of “The Messiah” and other traditional Christian music that has such high-culture cachet, it is embraced by members of the NPR-listening, latté-swigging, unitarian-universalist-by-default, protestant mainliner-secularist set. However technically good the performance, my colleague always detects a soullessness and a menacing shadow in an aesthetization that eclipses all veneration. He has often explicitly noted the damaging environmental factor at such places at Duke University’s Chapel of Isengard, where statues of Spinoza and Robert E. Lee guard the door.
He has a point. This year I felt rather similarly but the occasion was somewhat different. I do not expect that any lifting of medieval folk and church music into a modern context outside of a legitimate Christian liturgy is liable to deliver the authenticity my colleague finds so wanting. At least in this case the pastor of the church being used for the officially secular performance of Christian music got up at the beginning and exhorted the throng to acknowledge the beauty of the church, the music, and the God who is their origin and object. “Good job!” I thought. But what had already spoiled the evening was my observation earlier on of some young couples who had brought young children and infants. It seemed they might be turned away! My finger on the trigger of my sword-cane, I sallied forth to interrogate the matron manning the door. Due to inclement weather, she said she would not turn anyone away, and it was too bad the concert advertisements did not state the rule, no children under six. They were allowed entry.
It is reasonable to ask and expect people to turn off cell phones (I heard several), to remain quiet, and to escort potentially noisy members of their entourage to the rear and adjoining rooms where they may be treated (at this venue) to massive images of corpulent Franciscan-friendly popes. There is no need for a special prejudice against children, who are often quiet, if not asleep. What about adults who acquire a hacking cough, a sneezing fit, those with certain mental handicaps? Why is their potential menace so less a matter of concern?
As I listened to music concerning the baby Jesus and his blessed mother, I scanned the pews, and it looked like the average age was about forty-five with a strong AARP-qualified showing. These are the very people who are always whining about dwindling support for the arts. Dumb move for them and simply sad that even at a “secular” event in a church (a basilica no less) that anti-child paranoia should be tolerated.
This is When Children are Not Welcome in the Church in The Japery, a part of The New Pantagruel. Previously: Blogging Kills | Next: A Healthy Diet | TrackBack (0) | Comments (0)
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