Apology from Beeke About Rap Panel

I really had no intention of continuing to post about this issue, but because I have, I thought it appropriate to include the recent apology from one of the panelists:

http://www.challies.com/articles/joel-beeke-christian-rap-and-public-apologies

Great Roundup of the Recent Reformed Rap Debate

Thabiti Anyabwile provides a great roundup of many of the responses to the recent panel discussion on Christian Rap.

http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/thabitianyabwile/

You can see the video of the panel discussion that started all this here: (http://hiswordistruth.blogspot.com/2013/12/can-christian-rap-honor-god.html)

Al Mohler Reflects on the Question of Reformed Rap

Yesterday I posted some thoughts on the recent panel discussion concerning reformed rap.

Al Mohler provides his excellent insights here.  The last paragraph is golden:

Bach’s English Suite No. 3 in G Minor is playing as I write this. It makes me happy to hear it. But knowing that the Gospel is being taken to the ears and hearts of new generation by a cadre of gifted young Gospel rappers makes me far happier.

Can Christian Rap Honor God?

And we wonder why our churches are as segregated as they are on Sundays . . . This video literally made me feel like I had been punched in the gut.  It made me angry (and I don't even listen to Reformed Rap).


The Worship of God Q&A: Holy Hip-Hop from NCFIC on Vimeo.

This reminds me of the missions movement when they thought making a tribe "christian" meant making them dress like Europeans.  The reasoning of this panel basically sounds like this to me, "We don't like Christian reformed rap because everyone who raps is egotistical, we can't understand the words, and it doesn't sound like our Christian tradition."

Though I know it is a serious charge, these men sound a lot like the Pharisees to me; holding up their tradition as the only way to approach God.  While I'm certain these men genuinely want God to be glorified in the church, I have to wonder what they would do on the mission field.  How would they handle music among brand new believers in a previously unreached tribe.  Would they force Western styles on that tribe, or would they find ways for that tribe to express praise to God in their own ancient musical styles?  I'm not sure how they would answer that question, but my guess is that they would glory in that tribe's particular cultural expression and not force another style on them.  So, why treat this particular American cultural expression any differently?

I'm struggling to find an answer to that question? The only answer I can come up with is that they are guilty of some form of American cultural elitism where they believe their expression is the only legitimate American Christian expression.  Now, I don't think they wear that reasoning on their sleeves, but it must be hidden somewhere in their heart for these arguments to find such expression.

The church will remain a place of segregation until we agree that God loves and embraces cultural diversity and, therefore, diversity of musical expression also.



Justin Taylor has a great round up of some other responses on his blog.