What sort of country do we live in? A country that buses 300 people into London, makes them sleep under a bridge in bitter weather and work for free?
A country that makes an elderly couple stand for 80 minutes on a boat in freezing whether? While our grotesque colonial history is celebrated, while a crowd that is totally unrepresentative of London looks on, while the bankers take a holiday from making debt and young girls aspire to being a princess just like Kate, cause there sure aren't any other jobs around.
Oh yeah its a country that sings this totally un-biblical and ridiculous song:
I vow to thee, my country, all earthly things above,
(Don't even get what 'all earthly things above means?)
Entire and whole and perfect, the service of my love;
(that surely is idolatrous? to vow your love to something other than God?)
The love that asks no question, the love that stands the test,
(yeah cause Jesus didn't do discursive teaching he was all about dictatorship)
That lays upon the altar the dearest and the best;
The love that never falters, the love that pays the price,
The love that makes undaunted the final sacrifice.
(This is a huge thing to vow and again it is idolatrous to vow it to your country, but didn't Jesus say something about not swearing by anything or making vows?)
I heard my country calling, away across the sea,
Across the waste of waters she calls and calls to me.
Her sword is girded at her side, her helmet on her head,
And round her feet are lying the dying and the dead.
I hear the noise of battle, the thunder of her guns,
I haste to thee my mother, a son among thy sons.
(We don't normally sing this verse hey? totally revolting. Why has Britain never repented of this humiliating part of our history? why do we remember it with such a romantic gloss? While we continue to bash the Germans and continently forget that taking other people's countries was something we lead the way in.)
And there's another country, I've heard of long ago,
(It is not "another country" it is the rule of God, there is no comparison. Neither is it the thing of long ago - it is at hand, subverting power structures)
Most dear to them that love her, most great to them that know;
(Somehow this line reads as a little patronising)
We may not count her armies, we may not see her King;
(You would quail in your boots if you saw Him - but He is there to be known by anyone who wants)
Her fortress is a faithful heart, her pride is suffering;
(We are not proud to suffer - there is nothing biblical in that idea, we rejoice through suffering not because of it and take pride only in Jesus Christ)
And soul by soul and silently her shining bounds increase,
(It is not silent - there is more rejoicing in heaven luke 15:7)
And her ways are ways of gentleness, and all her paths are peace.
Think I feel a hymn re-writing coming on.
Come Lord Jesus and sort us out we need a jubilee sooo badly.
Hi Jen,
ReplyDeleteJesus did come and sort us out :) Liberty for the captives etc. !? (Isaiah 61)
I notice you didn't comment on the last line... it struck me this wasn't a very gentle and peaceful critique / deconstruction of the hymn?? Nor completely fair I think. Don't be a hater... :)
OK, the idolatry that can underlie patriotism is clear, I don't question that - have a look at most national anthems worldwide and I wonder how often it looks a bit unhealthy... But crucial if you are in the army. Or responsible somewhere in the chain of command, for example, as a voter...??
But it's the last verse where I think you've been a bit harsh. It is poetic language and I think leaves a lot for the listener/singer to complete or resolve in their minds and heart according to their own knowledge of God and his Kingdom. I'm fine with "another country" because that speaks to me of another King.
The singer *heard of it* long ago (maybe Sunday school?) and does not suggest it is anything but current and everlasting. To me it seems to be sung with wonder by the voice of a non-believer: just maybe, these people who hold the Kingdom so dear, and their ways, are right and proper, the ways of peace.
I have never sung it. I looked it up and it is written with the guns and the dead of the first world war in mind, according to: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I_Vow_to_Thee,_My_Country
A complex issue the poet addresses in three verses. Ambitious! A piece of art given to us. What we want to do with it is our responsibility. If you call it a 'hymn' does that make it so? Is it no longer 'art'...?
In your rewrite, are you going to try and include the ideas of patriotism, repenting for colonialism, mourning the dead we have sent to war, celebrating salvation and drawing parallels to the Kingdom of God? Looking forward to reading, hearing and maybe even singing it!? :)
Who made them stand on a boat? I'm pretty sure it was their decision to be there and that when they chose the date however many years ago they didn't know what the weather would be like. Also, the celebration was about the Queen's reign and I may be mistaken but I don't think there was colonialism in the last 60 years (my history is pretty bad so do correct me if i'm wrong).
ReplyDeleteAs for the unemployed people shipped in to work for free, that is awful! Why couldn't some of the budget have been put towards paying the stewards?
Brenda
Brenda, you're probably write I'm sure they had some level of choice, just think someone could have come up with a better wet weather contingency plan like popping some glass pains up so they didn't have to stand outside.
ReplyDeleteWhen and If colonialism ended is probably a very relative matter. But my mum is not yet 60 and when she was born colonialism was still alive if not so well, there were still countries getting independence in the 80's and I remember Hong Kong returning to China.
And why I got so cross about the shipping in of unemployed people to work unpaid is that the oppression of those in poverty is not unconnected to the exploration by the powerful. The Queen whether we like it or not is the head of state and it is the actions of her government that very directly lead to that situation, they gave the contract to a profit driven company and they gave the go ahead to unpaid work schemes.
Yes some of the budget should have been paid towards the stewards, but what a perfect picture of what is happening in our country right now. Tons spent on propping up the rich and hereditary powerful while manipulating the poor and taking their money.
I would have had a lot less issues with the celebrations if they called it something other than The Jubilee. It is the complete anti-thesis of the Jubilee we are celebrating an institution who's routes are in feudalism, imperialism and capitalism. Let us not call it a Jubilee.
I was content to keep my republican views to myself join in tea parties and have fun, but scripture calls us to speak up about injustice and I think given what's happened we should be very very angry about the co-opting of the beautiful revolutionary concept of Jubilee to the maintaining of the status quo.
(Though I am celebrating that The Arch bishop upset the mail!)
Much revolutionary love
Jenny x
A much more gracious (!?)take on it all:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.theosthinktank.co.uk/comment/2012/06/01/the-real-jubilee?utm_source=Theos+News&utm_campaign=eb03aa7672-June_Newsletter5_31_2012&utm_medium=email
My Chambers dictionary defines Jubilee as 'celebrations arranged for the anniversary of a wedding or coronation' although the original word is Hebrew from the biblical concept of Jubilee. Collins English dictionary defines it 'as a time or season of rejoicing'.
ReplyDeleteOn Monday night I was at St James Park surrounded by people from different nations. It was just one massive party and a great celebration. There is something good about people coming together to celebrate and this Diamond Jubilee gave the country an opportunity & an excuse to do that.
Sharon x
Hi Jenny,
ReplyDeleteYour "sort us out" comment just made me think about whether God will really provide any solution to the problem of sin in addition to the cross, resurrection and outpouring of his Spirit on those who will receive it... I don't think so. At the same time, we were taught to pray daily for God's Kingdom to come and all we do as believers should be in cooperation with Him. And maybe we should be praying fervently for Him to hasten the end of times - is that what you meant? Is that the prayer of the Spirit and the bride??
Regarding the use of the word "Jubilee", yes, how wonderful if the celebrations included some returning of land, freeing of slaves and leaving the land fallow for a season - and trusting God! At least there was an extra day of Bank Holiday in this spirit, although widely criticised by pessimistic financial forecasters...
Of course, (another massive issue) we could all voluntarily join in the freeing of slaves in various ways, one of which being the more careful use of the consumer power we have...
And then regarding the evil artists of the world... I'm not sure what you're suggesting about the lot of them but it would seem you question their willingness to take responsibility for meaning they convey. Maybe that assumes there is always fixed intentional meaning?
I consider myself an artist. There is all sorts of meaning in a work of art. Beauty, and meaning, is so often in the eye of the beholder. Even a work of art with the most prescriptive and intentional 'meaning' can be understood in a different way by someone from a different time, a different culture, a different ethnicity, gender, creed, experience, family system(!) etc.
More often than not however, good art builds in an even greater degree of ambiguity. And without the artist in front of us to interrogate (graciously and respectfully of course) about context and motive, how quick can we be to judge whether they or their work deserves moral reproach? Consider how much we all, artists and non-artists misunderstand one another's meaning, minute by minute...
Maybe songs written to be sung as worship need to have as little ambiguity as possible? I certainly try and be really careful with what I write, to make sure it is 'biblical' :)Have you ever read any of Nick Page's book (http://books.google.co.uk/books/about/And_Now_Let_s_Move_Into_A_Time_Of_Nonsen.html?id=3Px4AAAACAAJ&redir_esc=y).
Again it's just the last verse I would defend, mainly, as not being all that bad :P Will read your new hymn now. Is it supposed to be serious or satirical, I'm confused now?
Grace and peace to you in the words and between the lines,
Adam
PS. Interesting comment last night at Home Group was that it would be interesting to know what the Queen made of all the adoration directed at her this weekend, given that she is a committed Christian? Maybe she was uncomfortable with it!?
Hi Jenny,
ReplyDeleteYour "sort us out" comment just made me think about whether God will really provide any solution to the problem of sin in addition to the cross, resurrection and outpouring of his Spirit on those who will receive it... I don't think so. At the same time, we were taught to pray daily for God's Kingdom to come and all we do as believers should be in cooperation with Him. And maybe we should be praying fervently for Him to hasten the end of times - is that what you meant? Is that the prayer of the Spirit and the bride??
Regarding the use of the word "Jubilee", yes, how wonderful if the celebrations included some returning of land, freeing of slaves and leaving the land fallow for a season - and trusting God! At least there was an extra day of Bank Holiday in this spirit, although widely criticised by pessimistic financial forecasters...
Of course, (another massive issue) we could all voluntarily join in the freeing of slaves in various ways, one of which being the more careful use of the consumer power we have...
And then regarding the evil artists of the world... I'm not sure what you're suggesting about the lot of them but it would seem you question their willingness to take responsibility for meaning they convey. Maybe that assumes there is always fixed intentional meaning?
I consider myself an artist. There is all sorts of meaning in a work of art. Beauty, and meaning, is so often in the eye of the beholder. Even a work of art with the most prescriptive and intentional 'meaning' can be understood in a different way by someone from a different time, a different culture, a different ethnicity, gender, creed, experience, family system(!) etc.
More often than not however, good art builds in an even greater degree of ambiguity. And without the artist in front of us to interrogate (graciously and respectfully of course) about context and motive, how quick can we be to judge whether they or their work deserves moral reproach? Consider how much we all, artists and non-artists misunderstand one another's meaning, minute by minute...
Maybe songs written to be sung as worship need to have as little ambiguity as possible? I certainly try and be really careful with what I write, to make sure it is 'biblical' :)Have you ever read any of Nick Page's book (http://books.google.co.uk/books/about/And_Now_Let_s_Move_Into_A_Time_Of_Nonsen.html?id=3Px4AAAACAAJ&redir_esc=y).
Again it's just the last verse I would defend, mainly, as not being all that bad :P Will read your new hymn now. Is it supposed to be serious or satirical, I'm confused now?
Grace and peace to you in the words and between the lines,
Adam
Adam,
ReplyDeleteMany thanks. Okay I will concede that the last verse is maybe OK!
I'm not sure I called the art world evil. But apologise that I should have said some artists do not want to take responsibility for the meaning of their work. Others very definitely do and it is the reason they create.
I would be interested to know what it means to you to be an artist?
Secondly is there not a little contradiction in your statements:
"good art builds in an even greater degree of ambiguity"
"Maybe songs written to be sung as worship need to have as little ambiguity as possible"
Why be ambiguous with secular art and not Christian?
I am not particularly "arty" but have always been confused about this ambiguity thing? Surely we create art to communicate and if you are aiming to communicate why not be as clear as possible? I always thought art, be it poetry, painting whatever was about communicating something where prose was not sufficient, not about veiling something you could have said in a sentence. A book like Kaffka's 'The Trial', What's the point? No-one understands it!
Yes people from different life experiences will view art differently,but we are not so different that we cannot communicate.A picture of an apple is a picture of an apple and if someone thinks it is a banana, it is not a question of perspective they are wrong.
The person who wrote this hymn I can't imagine was of a post-modern persuasion he was very definitely trying to say something, and I thought it pretty much summed up a narrative which I wished had not been part of the Jubilee celebrations.
As to what the Queen thought I sincerely hope she enjoyed herself. I think the Arch Bishops sermon is probably a fairly accurate take on her feelings as I'm sure she approved it. She is a very great women who I admire enormously while still reserving the write to think that the monarchy has no place in a progressive society.
Which brings me on to your point Sharon, an excuse to celebrate is as you say never a bad thing and the country enjoyed it, neighbours ate together - all good, but we do not have to put our critical thinking to the side to enjoy it. I was not saying lets not celebrate the Jubilee I was saying lets ask why no jobel?
Grace and peace to you in the words and between the lines!
Jenny
Ah, so the hymn was sung at that service. I see.
ReplyDeleteYes, interesting point about contradicting myself. Surely not! :) Actually, in defense, I would claim that it wasn't a contradiction. I'm not much of an art theorist, not having written or discussed art much with those that know. But I have practiced it a bit through music, words and visuals...
First, an apple is surely not simply an apple. Placed on a plinth or painted on a canvas or projected onto a cathedral or etched onto the face of an electronic device, the apple is imbued with so much 'meaning' that it cannot be.
Secondly, are worship songs / hymns art? Hmmm. Derek Webb is someone who seems to get angry about labelling music as "Christian" in the first place. But when it is a hymn, perhaps we would have to call it "design" rather than "art" in the art & design spectrum? Design implies that the creative piece serves a specific purpose. Therefore, a hymn, which aims to allow a group of people to collectively communicate a similar sentiment or truth simultaneously might have to be less ambiguous than a song meant for more personal or collective enjoyment and blessing. I'm sure there are many more insightful reflections out there on ambiguity in art but think about the more prominent masterpieces of painting, sculpture, music and song. Are they ambiguous or are they like a Ronseal tin?
Love,
Adam