So you feel justified in speculating on what the author was thinking, but you somehow find it objectionable for me to address those speculations? That strikes me as a bit inconsistent.
FTR, I was not “speculating,” and I think you know that. Rather, I very specifically cited statements by the author which contradicted your interpretation. I also emphasized that he said nothing about the body being evil, as you claimed that he believed.
Regarding RT’s point, I think there’s multiple significant differences between singing a hymn and watching a dance troupe perform on stage. For one thing, singing is something that the entire church gets to do. The musician may be leading the worship, but everyone gets to sing. That doesn’t make it impossible for the worship leaders to comport themselves in ways that draw attention to themselves – by showboating, for example. However, it does mean that there’s a major and fundamental difference between singing on stage and dancing about.
Also, dance – by its very nature – tends to draw attention to the dancers. Not so with music; for example, it’s common for people to be playing music in the background and listening to it peripherally. In contrast, the entire point behind having a dance performance is to focus the attention on the dancers. (Again, I’m not saying that music can NOT be used to focus attention on the performer. That certainly happens far too often. However, when performed in a reverent and understated manner, the focus remains where it should be – on the content of the music.)
Which leads to a third critical distinction between the two. Music that’s theologically sound very specifically directs people to the object of worship. Not so when it comes to dance performances, for nothing in the dance motions specifically exalts the Lord God Almighty. You can clasp your hands to your chest, but the same would be true of somebody who’s pining over a lost love. You can lift your hands up to the heavens, but the same wold be true of someone worshipping Mother Nature. Nothing in the motions themselves draws people to God.
Again, I emphasize – similar dangers can exist when it comes to music. For example, somebody once urged the worship leader at my old church to do a long, bombastic harmonica solo. To his credit, he refused. Why? Because he knew that the harmonica music, by itself, did nothing to draw people’s focus to the Lord. He had no objection to playing a short bridge between stanzas, but he refused to do anything more than that. He knew that the music itself, without the words of praise, was not inherently worshipful, and he refused to make himself the object of attention.
“What about instrumental music?” one might ask. Again, that needs to be done with prudence and caution. Few people would associate Johann Sebastian Bach’s “Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring” with a worshipful mood nowadays; heck, few people would even recognize it! But if you play a familiar tune during the brief offertory, for example, that strikes me as appropriate. It’s a time for silent reflection in which vocals would be distracting. At the same time, you want people to be reminded of a spiritual theme, and so playing a familiar hymn or spiritual tune would be justified.
So I think there are some very clear and significant differences between singing a hymn and watching dancers perform on stage. I realize that you might not put much importance on these things; if so, I won’t beat myself up trying to change your mind. My point is that we can’t pretend that the two actions are fundamentally the same. They are not.
