Recently, Christianity Today asked a collection of prominent evangelicals whether they thought “Away in the Manger” should be done away with.
Why do away with “Away in a Manger”? some of you may ask.
The bad theology, of course.
You know…”The little Lord Jesus no crying He makes…”
At best, it’s extrabiblical. At worst, it’s unbiblical.
It’s a denial of the full humanity of Christ.
But it’s a pretty song, a cute song, a song rich with memory for many of us.
The question brings to mind a whole slew of other songs that I love and hate. There are the songs whose melodies I love but whose words I abhor. And the ones whose words I love but whose melodies I hate. And then there are the worst ones, the ones whose melodies and words I love–except for a couple of lines.
Songs like “Above All”.
I think it might’ve been my favorite song except for its one huge glaring fault.
Above all powers, above all kings
Above all nature and all created things
Above all wisdom and all the ways of man
You were here before the world began
Above all kingdoms, above all thrones
Above all wonders the world has ever known
Above all wealth and treasures of the earth
There’s no way to measure what You’re worth”
It’s beautiful–singing about the supremecy of Christ over all things, of His matchless worth.
And the chorus only increases the wonder, telling of the pinnacle of God’s glory displayed through the cross.
“Crucified laid behind the stone
You lived to die rejected and alone
Like a Rose trampled on the ground
You took the fall..”
I exult in the supremecy of Christ, I celebrate the incarnation, I rejoice in the crucifixion–the Power of God displayed for all to see.
And the next words send me back to earth with a thump.
“You took the fall
And thought of me
Above all.”
What?
Are you serious?
So I just sung about how God is above all–but now you’re telling me God worships ME?
Uh-uh. Not happening.
God, the supreme God who is above all, thinks of me (Hallelujah)–but He does not think of me ABOVE ALL. God thinks of me and loves me–but He is God-focused above all. He does not live to make me happy or even to save me–He lives to be Himself and to be seen as Himself. And, boy, is that a good thing! If God were me-focused, it would decrease His God-hood, it would make Him an idolator. God doesn’t think of me above all.
So, needless to say, that song frustrates me a bit.
So good. So bad. So difficult to separate the good from the bad.
Tell me, do you have a song you love and hate? Do you think about the theology in the songs you’re singing? What songs bother you–and what do you do about it? Do you still sing along? Do you stand in silence? Do you write a letter to the editor? Tell me what you think about theology and music.
Rebekah,
I have thought the same thing about that song. Great song, but I’m pretty sure what kept Him on that cross was submission to the Father’s will and his longing for oneness with the Father. Yes, his love and sacrifice were for us (me) but if you look at the words of his struggle in the garden and his greatest anguish on the cross (why have you forsaken me?) it’s clear I wasn’t what was nearest and dearest on his mind. Which I’m pretty glad about. And I rejoice in the results of it.
=D I’ve always rather disliked that song myself!
If I sat here and thought about it for awhile, I could give you a whole slew of songs that rankle. But I’ll stick to answering your final questions.
Sometimes I sing along anyway because they are being sung for corporate worship which I think is way different than individual worship and I think participation is better than staunch and silent disapproval.
Except in cases where the theology in the song is just SO bad – in which case I just don’t sing. But I do’nt stand there and refuse to sing. Usually I would just leave the sanctuary until that song was over. (Use that time to go to the bathroom, etc.) I feel strongly that we are to participate in corporate worship and if I think something needs to be changed (as in a certain song not being sung any longer) I would just ask simple questions of the worship leader, etc., to find out why we’re singing it and if certain things have been realized about the words.
Honestly, I don’t think people think that much about it. This is sad but true. The songwriter who wrote “Above All” lives in my area and actually sang at my church back a few months ago. I really don’t think he meant it the way we “read” it. I think he means more in a self-sacrificial way–not as in worship, but as in sacrifice. Oh me. I’m not saying this well. I think sometimes certain phrases are used for their musical-ness, but necessarily their theological merit. For better or for worse, I think this is what is done.
I hope this makes sense! :-)
I agree with your view on this song. I like it except for the last few lines. Sometimes we have to tweak a word here and there at my church to make the songs theologically correct. Maybe that could be done with this one?
But, were it not for me (us all) Christ would not have had to endure any of it – so what was He thinking of on that cross? Hmmm.
I so agree with you about that song…
Yes, I have a few others too. I sing along, or play along (being pianist on a worship team). And I stew inwardly.
Thank you all so much for commenting. I love hearing how others respond to such things. I totally get what you’re saying, Amy–that the songwriter didn’t intend to be suggesting that Jesus is an idolater (thinking of me above God) but to be emphasizing Christ’s humility in going to the cross for a sinner such as I. And I think Lisa is making a similar point–that I (my sins) are indeed the reason for which Christ went to the cross.
I try to be gracious with songwriters, realizing that it’s not easy to write lyrics that flow wonderfully while conveying theological truth completely accurately–but I also want to be sure that I’m steeping myself in truth and not simply letting pretty lyrics from a Christian artist convince me that something is Biblical (when it isn’t necessarily.)
I just heard a new Christmas song this morning on the Christian station that rankled a bit. The line – “truth was pure as a child…that night before Christmas.” A child isn’t the standard for purity! A child, except that One, is born sinful and utterly selfish. The Truth (Jesus) is the standard for purity. The song got it backwards. Pure truth became a child that very first Christmas.