1 Nazarene Theological Seminary Pop Culture and Liturgy: Evoking the Habitus of Christian People a Pastoral Research Project Su
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NAZARENE THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY POP CULTURE AND LITURGY: EVOKING THE HABITUS OF CHRISTIAN PEOPLE A PASTORAL RESEARCH PROJECT SUBMITTED TO THE LIBRARY OF NAZARENE THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY DOCTOR OF MINISTRY PROGRAM BY TIMOTHY J. BROOKS SOUTH PORTLAND, ME MAY 1, 2016 1 POP CULTURE AND LITURGY: EVOKING THE HABITUS OF CHRISTIAN PEOPLE Approved by: ____________________________________ First Reader ____________________________________ Research Consultant ____________________________________ Director, Doctor of Ministry Program Date 2 TABLE OF CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS………………………………………………………….……7 ABSTRACT……………………………………………………………………...….……8 CHAPTER 1: POP CULTURE AND THE HABITUS OF CHRISTIAN PEOPLE….....9 INTRODUCTION……………………………………………………….…….....9 PURPOSE……………………………………………………………………..…12 METHODOLOGY………………………………………………………………21 CONTEXT……………………………………………………………………….25 DEMOGRAPHICS OF THE CHURCH, COMMUNITY, AND PROJECT……30 LIMITATIONS…………………………………………………………………..32 CHAPTERS IN THIS PROJECT………………………………………………..35 CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW………………………………………...………37 EXPERTISE AND THINKING………………………………………………....39 POP CULTURE………………………………………………………...………..42 CULTURAL LITURGIES…………………………………………………...…..47 LITURGICAL THEOLOGY…………………………………………………….55 SACRAMENTAL THEOLOGY……………………………………………...…63 CHRISTIAN FORMATION………………………………………………….…72 ECCLESIAL PRACTICES…………………………………………………..….75 CALL TO WORSHIP/SINGING…………………………………….….77 READING OF SCRIPTURE……………………………………….……78 CORPORATE PRAYER…………………………………………..…….78 RECEIVING OFFERING………………………………….…..………..79 3 GREETING TIME/PASSING OF THE PEACE……………………..…79 PREACHING…………………………………………………………....79 RESPONSE…………………………………………………………...…80 BENEDICTION………………………….………………………..……..81 OTHER PRACTICES……………………………………………………81 CONCLUSION…………………………………………………..………………82 CHAPTER 3: I UNDERSTAND, THEREFORE I PARTICIPATE………………….…84 PROJECT METHODOLOGY…………………………………………...………85 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY……………………………………….………..86 PROJECT INTERVIEW……………………………………….………………..91 SERMON SERIES………………………………………………………………93 CONCLUDING THE PROJECT……………………………………………....100 CHAPTER 4: SHIFTING ENGAGEMENTS WITH LITURGIES…………...……….103 PRE SERMON SERIES INTERVIEW………………………...………………103 SERMON SERIES……………………………………………………………..116 FOLLOW UP INTERVIEW……………………………………………………116 TWO NEW QUESTIONS…………………………………………….………..129 STORIES FROM THE CHURCH (POST PROJECT LUNCH)………...…….133 CONCLUSION…………………………………………………………………139 CHAPTER 5: THE CHRISTIAN HABITUS…………………………………...………140 LOOKING BACK……………………………………………………….……..141 ATTENDANCE……………………………………………………...…………142 RESPONSE………………………………………………….…………………143 4 EFFECTIVENESS………………………………………….………………….145 MISTAKES AND WEAKNESSES……………………………………………145 LOOKING FORWARD………………………………………………………..147 EIGHT THESES THAT EMERGED FROM THE PROJECT…………….…..148 UNPACKING THESE EIGHT THESES……...…………………...…………..148 NEW ENDEAVORS…………………………………………………………...158 ISSUES FOR THE LARGER CHURCH……………………………...……….160 FINAL CONCLUSIONS……………………………………………...………..161 APPENDIX A (SERMON TRANSCRIPTS)…………………………………………..164 SERMON #1…………………………………………………………...……….164 SERMON #2……………………………………………………………………171 SERMON #3………………………………………...………………………….178 SERMON #4…………………………………………………...……………….186 SERMON #5……………………...…………………………………………….195 SERMON #6……………………………………………………………………204 SERMON #7………………………………………………...………………….216 SERMON #8…………………………………………………………...……….223 APPENDIX B (ORDERS OF WORSHIP)……………...……………………………..235 APPENDIX C (SONG LYRICS OF SONGS SUNG IN SERMON)…………….……243 “BEVERLY HILLS”………………………………………………….………..243 “GLORY DAYS”……………………………………………………...……….244 “IMAGINE”………………………………………………………..…………..246 “I’M GONNA BE [500 MILES]”…………………………………….………..247 5 “BOULEVARD OF BROKEN DREAMS”…………………………..………..249 “FIREWORK”………………………………………………………...………..251 “BAD BLOOD”………………………………………………….……………..253 “MY WAY”…………………………………………………………………….255 APPENDIX D (PROJECT INTERVIEW QUESTIONS)………………….…………..256 APPENDIX E (CONSENT FORM)……………………………………………………257 APPENDIX F (INTERVIEW RESPONSES PRIOR TO SERMON SERIES)………..258 APPENDIX G (INTERVIEW RESPONSES POST-SERMON SERIES)……………..273 APPENDIX H (RESPONSES FROM THE CONGREGATION)……………..………296 BIBLIOGRPAHY…………………………………………………………...………….303 6 Acknowledgements This project could not have been accomplished without the patience, kindness, and cheerleading of my wife Charryse. I am so thankful to do life with her. My children Claire and Mackenzie also were very patient when daddy needed to leave town or “do homework,” as opposed to playing basketball or riding bikes. Nobody is blessed with three better ladies in their family than I am. Dr. Brannon Hancock was as helpful a first reader as I could imagine and better than I deserve. He sparked creative thinking, tirelessly copy edited, and responded to manic text messages for the better part of a year and a half. He has been a joy to share similar passion for both pop culture and worship. Dr. Dean Blevins and Dr. Judi Schwanz were incredibly helpful readers who spurred me on to excellence in the closing stages of this project. Dr. Doug Hardy has been a helpful and collegial D.Min director throughout my time in the program. Many people demonstrated generosity through different means to help make this project a reality: my mother Mary Brooks, Randie and Marla Blom (my wife’s parents), the people of South Portland Church of the Nazarene, the people of Victory (FL) Church of the Nazarene, the people of Norwood Church of the Nazarene, pastoral staff members that handled my work while I was gone in classes, Dylon Brown who helped me consider pop culture images, and the Lofland family for housing me during NTS intensives. If there is anything that concluding a Pastoral Research Project and Doctor of Ministry teaches a student it is that accomplishments are never individual. Many people take time and make sacrifices to help you succeed. I am beyond thankful to all of those who have been present in my life as I worked toward the completion of this project. 7 Abstract Pop culture and worship are liturgies with power and potential to shape our character and desires. This project examines the formative influence of secular culture and Christian worship on the people of South Portland Church of the Nazarene. The research centered on a didactic sermon series on understanding pop culture and worship. Texts in liturgical theology, sacramental theology, Wesleyan theology and pop culture provide the foundation for this project. Prior to and following the sermon series, one-on- one interviews were conducted with selected congregants of the church, and the entire congregation was invited to share their feedback on the project in an “all church lunch.” The project demonstrated that the people interviewed were not fully aware of what was forming them, but were also interested in the concept of liturgy – both cultural and liturgical. 8 Chapter 1 Pop Culture and the Habitus of Christian People Introduction The devil has had all the best liturgies.1 In a recent sermon series at my local church, South Portland [Maine] Church of the Nazarene, I was working through the seven deadly sins. One week the topic was lust, so a tangible tension filled the air. Rather than beginning with “what you have done,” as I felt to be so regularly the case in my youth, I made an exegetical decision (both of the text2 and community) to begin by pointing to the sort of sexuality that is paraded today in pop culture. I, therefore, began by sharing my distaste for a song that I figured we could all share distaste for: “Blurred Lines” by Robin Thicke. “Blurred Lines” came to the forefront of American consciousness and discourse when Thicke performed the song at the 2013 MTV Video Music Award show. That performance is most remembered for Miley Cyrus’s demonstration of “twerking” to the world. While the world was reacting either in horror or celebration at Miley Cyrus simulating a sex act on stage (albeit clothed), many overlooked the song itself, which at face value, seems to be about nothing more or less than date rape: If you can't hear what I'm trying to say If you can't read from the same page Maybe I'm going deaf Maybe I'm going blind Maybe I'm out of my mind 1 James K. A. Smith, Imagining the Kingdom: How Worship Works, Cultural Liturgies vol. 2. (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2013), 40. 2 2 Samuel 11, NIV. The story of David and Bathsheba. 9 Everybody get up Ok, now he was close Tried to domesticate you But you're an animal Baby, it's in your nature Just let me liberate you You don't need no papers That man is not your maker And that's why I'm gon' take a Good girl I know you want it I know you want it I know you want it You're a good girl Can't let it get past me You're far from plastic Talk about getting blasted I hate these blurred lines I know you want it I know you want it I know you want it But you're a good girl The way you grab me Must wanna get nasty Go ahead, get at me Everybody get up What do they make dreams for When you got them jeans on What do we need steam for You the hottest bitch in this place I feel so lucky, Hey, hey, hey You wanna hug me Hey, hey, hey What rhymes with hug me? Hey, hey, hey Hey! [Bridge] [Hook] Hustle Gang Homie 10 One thing I ask of you Lemme be the one you back that ass up to From Malibu to Paris boo Had a bitch, but she ain't bad as you So, hit me up when you pass through I'll give you something big enough to tear your ass in two Swag on 'em even when you dress casual I mean, it's almost unbearable In a hundred years not dare would I Pull a Pharcyde, let you pass me by Nothin' like your last guy, he too square for you He don't smack that ass and pull your hair like