CHAPLAIN’S PAGE
BLACK SABBATH
Christians could learn a lot about life from listening to heavy metal, according to a Church of England cleric.
The Rev. Rachel Mann claims that the much-maligned music demonstrates the “liberative theology of darkness”, allowing its fans to be more “relaxed and fun” by acknowledging the worst in human nature. She says that, by contrast, churchgoers can appear too sincere and take themselves too seriously.
The priest admits that many will be “concerned” about lyrics praising Satan and mocking Christianity, but insists it is just a form of “play-acting”.
Miss Mann, priest-in-charge of St. Nicholas, in Burnage, Manchester, writes in this week’s Church Times:
“Since Black Sabbath effectively created it in 1969…heavy metal has been cast as dumb, crass, and on occasions, satanic: music hardly fit for intelligent debate, let alone theological reflection. And yet, as both priest and metal musician and fan, it strikes me that the Church, especially at this agonised time, has a serious gospel lesson to learn from this darkest and heaviest music”.
Miss Mann says heavy metal songs are:
“unafraid to deal with death and violence. It’s predominantly male and white fans generally like tattoos and piercings but are graceful, welcoming and gentle. The music’s willingness to deal with nihilistic and extremely unpleasant subjects seems to offer its fans a space to accept others in a way that shames many Christians.
Metal’s refusal to repress the bleak and violent truths of human nature liberates its fans to be more relaxed and fun people”.
Miss Mann says she worries that Anglicans have made their faith too reasonable and ordered rather than passionate.
“I am not suggesting that as Christians we have all had a humour bypass, but we are inclined to take ourselves too seriously even when we are having fun.
Those of you reading the above article from the Daily Telegraph for 31st August 2010 no doubt feel as shocked as does your Chaplain. The pontifications of the Rev. Rachel Mann speak for themselves as to where she is coming from. We do wonder what those on the selection board were thinking about when she applied for ordination. It is standard practice to make known one’s hobbies and interests. One wonders, if she had said that she enjoyed classical music, and studying the word of God, if she would have been accepted for ordination!
Leaving aside the lady’s lifestyle, we should be deeply concerned at her spiritual outlook. To even suggest that Christians can appear too sincere and take themselves too seriously is a concern in itself. Is not our faith in the Creator, Redeemer and Saviour a serious business? Must we fall about laughing, and wallow in ‘liberative theology’ of darkness?
This is no inconsequential matter that can be passed over lightly. The quality of those who now enter the church is deteriorating rapidly. We now have a fire-breathing vicar, Rev. Andy Salmon, vicars who don rednoses and clowns’ outfits in services, and Miss Mann. These, and many more of this ilk, have been entrusted to teach the lively Oracles of God to a morally bankrupt nation. Let’s face it, this is not good news.
All these displays of worldliness in the church i grieving the Holy Spirit. We are warned of this very thing in Ephesians 4:30:
And grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. (See also Isaiah 63: 10)
Grieving the HolySpirit is not the only crime against Him. This is made manifestly clear in Matthew 12:31-32:
Wherefore I say unto you, all manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men: but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men. And whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but whosoever speaketh against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, (age) neither in the world (age) to come.
We may well wonder why blasphemy against Christ may be forgiven, but not against the Holy Ghost.This can only be understood by taking into account the ministry of the Holy Ghost, and His supreme importance in God’s scheme of things. John informs us in Chapter 14:26:
But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.
And also Chapter 15:26:
But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me.
Thus we may conclude that without the ministry of the Holy Ghost,man would be in total spiritual darkness, and without any comprehension of God the Father and God the Son. The Holy Spirit is the vital link between life and death; therefore any sin against Him, either by grieving Him or blaspheming against Him cannot be forgiven. This is not to suggest that Miss Mann has personally blasphemed against the Holy Ghost, but she has most certainly grieved Him. However, it is more than possible that the lyrics in heavy metal contain blasphemy, or words which grieve Him.
Miss Mann states that Christians could learn a lot about life by listening to heavy metal. This may be seen as a true indication that she herself draws inspiration from it, and has turned her back on the Holy Ghost. The only conclusion is that she is a follower of Satan. The words of our Lord are not to be taken lightly:
He that is not with me is against me; and he that gathereth not with me scattereth abroad. – (Matthew 12:30)
Peter made the position crystal clear regarding the judgement of the church by allowing strange doctrines to take a hold in I Peter 4: 17:
For the time is come that judgement must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?
In fact, Revelation is the record of a fallen church throughout this dispensation.
We long for the day foreseen by Jeremiah in 3:15:
And I will give you pastors according to mine heart, which shall feed you with knowledge and understanding.
