REBIRTH: Singing Death, Singing Life

C. Michael Hawn, FHS, Sponsor

From William Billings' "Chester" to Julia Ward Howe's "Battle Hymn of the Republic," from "God Bless America" after 9/11 to "Make America Great Again," patriotic music has long raised questions about the relationship between faith, identity, and nation. These songs can inspire gratitude and unity, but they also risk exclusion, partisanship, and idolatry.

This session explores how national song in worship can either reinforce the idols of nationalism or become a means of honest lament, prayerful hope, and communal rebirth. Drawing on theologians such as Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Marva Dawn, and David Lemley, we will consider how worship music forms Christian identity, how patriotic texts can be framed faithfully, and how the church might sing its way into God's new creation.

Participants will leave with theological and pastoral tools to engage these songs carefully, critically, and with courage.