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Bulletin 131 Date : 28th Apr 2008
Icon or Idol

Orthodox Christianity is renowned for its use of icons in worship. An icon is not, in itself, an object of worship, but an object which transports the worshipper beyond itself to the God we seek to worship. The problem comes when the icon becomes the object of worship as if it possesses divine properties in itself. Then it ceases to be an icon and becomes an idol.

This was the problem faced by the prohpets of the Old Testament, especially Elijah. The Israelite people had been deceived into worshipping objects made by human hands instead of putting their trust in the Living God, hence the contest which took place on Mount Carmel in 1 Kings 18.

The same problem can arise with hymns and songs which we sing in church. The purpose of these is not to draw attention to themselves but, through their words and music to transport the worshipper to God as they worship and sing.

Sometimes we hear Christians discussing their preferences in terms of hymns or worship songs. Sometimes, I hear people with a preference for traditional hymns speaking scathingly about modern worship songs on the grounds that they are simply ‘catchy tunes with shallow words’. Equally, those who prefer modern worship music may be dismissive of the more traditional hymns on the grounds that they are too academic and beyond the reach of contemporary worshippers. The problem here is not which we prefer but whether it does what it was written for – to engage the singer with a sense of worship and awe before the God they seek to worship.

I find that when I lead worship for those who are new to the faith, it is necessary to start with contemporary songs or hymns which are easy to understand for the modern worshipper. Sadly the language of some hymns acts as a barrier and it is necessary to explain their significance to people so that they don’t go home saying to themselves, ‘what was all that about?’ (even for people who have been attending church for years). Faith is a journey and some people may never progress beyond contemporary worship songs to some of the magnificent hymns in our hymn books – not unless they are helped to understand the language and theology. When did you last attend a service where the preacher explained the words of a hymn?

So, let’s not turn our hymns and worship songs into idols by letting them become the focus of our attention. As leaders of, and participators in worship, let’s be sensitive to the needs of the people around us and remember that what works for us, because of our background, culture or upbringing in the faith, may not work for them. We don’t want Jesus to ‘overturn our tables’ because we are creating a blockage between the worshipper and the God they seek to worship by insisting on only using what appeals to us.