Saturday, December 20, 2014

Liturgical Dance Will Build Your Church


It's not easy. You want to build your congregation and you know that Liturgical Dance is the way forward. But how do you get there? Simple, sign up for a workshop at Abbey of the Arts. This is what you get, for a mere $375:



"Together we will explore how the healing power of such tools as guided imagery, body awareness, dream work, ritual, poetry, journal writing, visual art, movement, song, and storytelling enrich our own spiritual lives and our work in spiritual direction by giving us access to another language with which to encounter the divine presence within. Participants will develop comfort and skills in using these tools."



Some people think that there's a lot of "dream work" and "story telling" in the church as it is, to say nothing of anything else.

Fascists.

LSP


12 comments:

Anonymous said...

The Dervishes will sue

LL said...

Why don't they offer the classes free of charge if it helps people worship more effectively?

You have to ask yourself how Christ would have approached it (or not have).

LSP said...

I wish they would, Anonymous.

LSP said...

I'd be surprised if our Lord got anywhere near it...

LL said...

Is it humble, or does it glorify self?

Did Christ or his apostles dance publicly? We know that in Herod's castle, there were dancing women present almost all of the time.

I'm not opposed to dancing in the slightest, but in church it is a spectacle. Does that add to the Spirit or does it detract from it? The Arch Bishop would have more street creds than you or I, but when you consider that he bought his office -- what does the title mean?

LSP said...

The Arch Bishop will be head of the Talent Pool.

I find that scary. Possibly blasphemous.

jenny said...

Didn't David dance naked?
(I know, I know... leave it up to Austin to try to justify the ridiculousness...)

LSP said...

I fear you're becoming a bit of a handful...

Infidel de Manahatta said...

Okay. I just threw up in my mouth. A lot. Am I going to far to classify liturgical dance as heresy?

LSP said...

Nasty, isn't it, Infidel.

I think Liturgical Dance is wicked and heretics are drawn to that, obviously.

Is it heretical? Maybe it should be, it feels that way.

Chas S. Clifton said...

I watched the video. I am not sure why "art-making as pilgrimage" is heretical, but perhaps you could explain.

I saw mostly late-middle-aged women there, and I wonder if the church is meeting their needs, offering something that is appropriate for their stage is in life beyond being a grandmother and doing the flower for the Altar Guild.

Your thoughts?

LSP said...

Alright there, Chas.

They're not necessarily heretical. But perhaps you detect the spirit of "aged hippy"?

But, does the Anglican church begin to meet the spiritual needs of its members? Good question, and I'd have to say it doesn't.

So people turn to dreams and "body awareness" and liturgical dance.

There is, however, no shortage of Western (& Eastern) spirituality, shaped by Apostolic Tradition, Scripture and interior discipline.

But that's hard work; far easier to get it on to Kumbaya and feel you're in touch with the Creator.

Random thoughts... and, always, Merry Christmas!