Hard not to be of two minds with this story. On the one hand, the sermon (or more properly, homily) has a form and protocol that is expressed through means proper to itself, meaning that rapping is not a faithful example of what's expected of it in the rubrics governing the Eucharist. Such innovation, it taken at all, must first be approved by proper Church authority; in this case, the local bishop. This clearly wasn't done and as a result, a sanction has been imposed suspending this priests' faculty to preach.
On the other hand....
There is a point to be made concerning the contemporary lingua franca of youth today who, to this point in their lives, have never had the argument of the faith presented to them in a form will listen to. Rap might just be the right tool to use today in the cause of the New Evangelization. The form and cadence of rap shares' much in common with other art forms that comprise the zeitgeist of today's culture, forms such as modern slam poetry. They share in common a lexicon and form popular among millennials and their children. Using it in making the argument for the faith, Christ, and his Church doesn't seem like such a bad idea if used wisely and with the express consent of at least any local Church superior.
Like I said... it's hard not to see some merit on both sides of this story.
Catholic priest suspended for rapping in church
On the other hand....
There is a point to be made concerning the contemporary lingua franca of youth today who, to this point in their lives, have never had the argument of the faith presented to them in a form will listen to. Rap might just be the right tool to use today in the cause of the New Evangelization. The form and cadence of rap shares' much in common with other art forms that comprise the zeitgeist of today's culture, forms such as modern slam poetry. They share in common a lexicon and form popular among millennials and their children. Using it in making the argument for the faith, Christ, and his Church doesn't seem like such a bad idea if used wisely and with the express consent of at least any local Church superior.
Like I said... it's hard not to see some merit on both sides of this story.
Catholic priest suspended for rapping in church
Comments
Post a Comment