REBIRTH: Singing Death, Singing Life

Martin Seltz, Sponsor

On the rare occasions when the church’s music engages with the non-human world, other beings in God’s creation are typically treated as objects to sing about, rather than fellow worshipers to sing with. For example, most “creation hymns” extol the goodness of God’s creation (e.g., “All things bright and beautiful”) or, more recently, lament the human desecration of God’s creation with calls for creation care (e.g., “Touch the earth lightly”). Very few explicitly unite human singers with the rest of creation as fellow worshipers of God (“All creatures worship God most high” being a notable exception). What would it sound like to sing with all creation more intentionally? This session builds on the theological insight that all creation worships God and that human expressions of worship should be integrally connected to this universal song of praise. From ancient sources, such as Psalm 148 and the Benedicite, to contemporary resources, this practical workshop explores ways to join our voices with the non-human world in praise and prayer. It also points to gaps in the church’s repertoire of song where songwriters and worship leaders can experiment with creative new ways to sing with all creation.