In Life Together, Bonhoeffer believes that it is inappropriate to worship in unity by including harmony. Harmony is for the dissenter. In some ways I agree with him. When people harmonize, beauty seems to be most common desire, but it becomes selfish, bubblish. I am all for offering up our talents to God, and utilizing them, especially in music, but I see Bonhoeffer's point. Harmony is often selfishness. Dissention from corporate worship, uniqueness hinders unity.
Today however, I think Bonhoeffer would have been proud of Foothill Community Church in Azusa. This small church, who has three congregations (sort of four)- standard American, Spanish speaking and Chinese speaking (also a psuedo-Emergent church).
Today, on Easter Sunday; the day of resurrection; the day that Christ gets reconciled back into the Trinity after overcoming his venture of forsakenness, Babel realizes its reconciliation with God and worships again. The Chinese Church and American (very mixed) congregations came together and worshipped together, each in their own tongue. It was quite powerful.
Babel has come together many times over the centuries in order to worship together, but its experience is still too unique to the Church. We need to integrate our congregations more regularly and be willing to worship together, without understanding each other.
Foothill Community Church was able to do so today. The congregations worship in dissenting, distinct languages but come as a reconciled heart. I believe Bonhoeffer would have been proud at today's service and would encourage many more just like it.
PS. It was also fun that Wendall Berry's poem, Manifesto: The Mad Farmer Liberation Front, was read and consisted of much of the sermon. Very fun.
PPS. There were fourteen baptisms of all ages on this wonderful day. It is great to see Foothill Community Church, a small church struggling with finances to still have the witness to appeal to others, and these others are being baptized, not only into an act of their public announcing of salvation, but into a community. Good work FCC.
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