The Rev Stephen Coulter told parishioners not to sing the carol after he visited the West Bank.
He told them the words ‘How still we see thee lie’ were too far removed from life in Bethlehem.
He said where shepherds once used to watch over flocks by night now security guards watched over the people living there.
As a result the carol has been banned from all festive services in his Dorset parish of Blandford Forum.
“I do not like the song, therefore no one else may sing it!”
No wonder my ancestors fled England in 1635 for the New World and freedom to worship God as they chose. We never looked back. In fact, we also threw the English out of our country, and good riddance.
What can one say? Is Christmas all about Bethlehem and the Palestinian dispute, or about the Everlasting Light which once filled a feed trough?
The vicar needs a sabbatical…IMHO
Idiot
Good grief. Is there to be, then, no hope for Bethlehem? No promise in the night for Bethlehem of an everlasting peace that is to come? What a severely limited and literal vicar this man appears to be.
Geesh. What a grouchy bunch of folk we’ve become. Bloggers included, folks.
How about taking a moment instead of complaining about the Vicar to pray for the peace of Bethlehem, for our brothers and sisters who are Palestinian Christians? Might be more useful. Am signing off to do so now. Anyone want to join me?
[i] No wonder my ancestors fled England in 1635 [/i]
Let’s not get on a nationalistic high horse. Your rector has canonical authority to do just as Coulter did; neither the Atlantic Ocean nor American independence affect that. More than a few ECUSA clergy have suppressed “Onward, Christian Soldiers.”
He is just trying to bring attention to the plight of Palestinian people under Israeli oppression. It is amazing how many Christians in the west are oblivious to the sad realities faced by Palestinians, especially Palestinian Christians.
Is not singing Little Town of Bethlehem going to bring peace to the Middle East? One can sing a carol and pray for peace and think the Vicar is a limp headed fool all at the same time.
What the Vicar is proposing is an empty gesture done to make him feel more righteous and noble about his dedication to the cause of Palestinians ( Christian or otherwise). And the carol would do more to remind people of what has been lost to the world because of the conflict in the Mideast than all of the Vicar’s posturing. It will also remind people of why we should seek peace. Because of Christ.
And peace only can be true peace when it arises from a heart enflamed with the love of God. It can only arise from a heart that sees in all mankind the promise of the Incarnation. From a heart that loves the Christ child in all His innocence and promise.
So make your indignant protests and sound the alarm Vicar. I will sing out the Christmas carol to remind myself and others what the Angels proclaimed. “On Earth Peace To Men of Good Will”.
So rather than focs devotionally on the light of the world which brings hope and peace and stillness into the darkness and chaos of this world- as the Carol does- he would rather leave us without hope or peace or stillness by pushing our noses into the filth of current political unrest.
Unless he turns to Christ and grasps the former then he will never have the tools to combat the latter. Seems someone’s political outlook supercedes their spiritual outlook- and that is sad indeed. The C of E is facing a crisis of true faith and this is just another example.
Hmmm. Whereby I think that banning the hymn is a bit extreme, I applaud the Vicar for bringing the issue to light. Too often, such as in Thanksgiving services, we allow ourselves to fall into a mindset that everything is just peachy. We should give thanks, for instance, for our wonderful country and overlook (and never mention) all the hypocrisy, untruth, the trampling of the Constitution and the political corruption that exists. Yet I would rather hear a sermon that focused on both those things which we should be thankful for all the blessings of the country yet still hold up those elements which we should still be working on. In the same vein, if I was this Vicar, I would rather not celebrate a Christmas whereby we were pretending that nothing was wrong in the Holy Land or that peace exists there when, in fact, it does not. I thus believe that he could deliver his message of the present reality and yet use the hymn as a vehicle of present and future hope. To jettison the carol does bring attention to the things that are wrong but in jettisoning the carol, he jettisoned the hope and grace that the birth of Christ ushered into the world.
ho hum……..
I was in Bethlehem last year — and it as the vicar says; however, I will sing the carol in joyful anticipation of His return and along with that return the peace on earth that will not come to fruition until that time. Bethlehem was the site that touched me the most in the holy land as I placed lay on my belly and touched the spot that represents his birthplace — down in a cave. I wept then and wept some more as we waited to pass through the security to get out. In fact, this carol, has meant even more to me since then — “the hopes and fears of all the years “were” met in Him that night” — and are being met — and will be met when He comes again in glory !!!! Alleluia
We should give thanks, for instance, for our wonderful country and overlook (and never mention) all the hypocrisy, untruth, the trampling of the Constitution and the political corruption that exists.
And I would say that, too often, we founder in a sea of cynicism and distrust and darkness – and that we need to remember to be thankful, even in that sea, and that we need to remember the hope of Christ, even in Bethlehem. It’s a large assumption, Vitner, to say that people are pretending nothing is wrong. What we are called to proclaim is the hope that is in us. Let’s do it. On that we can agree. 🙂
Oh, Sherri2, I don’t think it’s a large assumption at all. I think there are many parishioners who, if given the option, would prefer their preacher not to mention anything wrong in the world and, instead, focus their attention to “religious matters” ~ that is, keep everyday life out of it. Or, given our current situation, how many parishioners would prefer their preacher not to mention anything about the current dilemma facing the Anglican Communion but keep things looking rosy? Yet let’s be sure that we stress our agreement: I’m in favor of proclaiming both the reality of our current situation as well as the truth of Jesus’ hope. We must be BOTH hearers and doers of the Word.
Sarcasm On……
Well he will have to answer for this bad and discriminating decision one day called Judgment Day! I guess standing firm for the faith and all that goes with it, including songs that reflect the Advent Season, are disposable to his guy! Yeah God will understand I’m sure. Sarcasm off!
I hope he eventually comes to grips with his ignorance and apologizes soon!
Well, correct me if I’m wrong, but is not ‘O Little Town of Bethlehem about the Bethlehem’ about the town in first century when Christ was born? Seeing as it was written in the 1800s, I don’t think its suppose to be a commentary on the modern state of Israel.
But even if it we were to view it in the modern light, is it not all the more appropriate to sing now? I mean, with verses that read, “And in thy dark streets shineth an ever lasting light” and “in the dark night wakes, the glory breaks,” could they not be used as a very poignant metaphor about hope for the conflict in the Holy Land?
Silly bugger.
And the Palistinian Christians are suffering more at the hands of muslim extremists than from “Israeli oppression.”
So THAT’S the 8th deadly sin: hymn choices. Make the wrong choice, God sends you to hell on Judgement Day. I guess the organist at my seminary is going to ROAST. Tell you what, ODC, I’m not going to allow “Drop Me Kick Jesus Through the Goal Posts of Life” to be sung at my church. How many years in purgatory is that going to cost me?
This is NOT a salvation issue. If anything, it’s a liturgical issue (i.e., it’s not an Advent hymn as your post suggests, it’s a Christmas hymn). As such, there are plenty of other Christmas hymns that can be sung. Does your church sing EVERY Christmas hymn in the book? If not, how do you know which ones God wants you to sing? Are you not liable for judgement if you don’t sing even those Christmas hymns that never get sung?
Get real.
Vitner…it was sarcasm or did you gloss over that part that I wrote……….apparently you did!
By the way Vitner, I’m pretty sure that we all will be held to account for every decision we make good and bad! I never dsaid he would be sent to hell…so stop putting words into my posts that are not there. You need to get real!
Gee – what a surprise! A priest who wants to make Christmas focus on his personal political agenda rather than on the incarnation. Don’t sing God Rest Ye Marry Gentlemen, it excludes women. Don’t sing Joy to the World – global warming precludes nature’s singing. Don’t sing Hark the Herald Angels Sing, there is little present peace on earth. Who will save us from these meddlesome priests?
Dave,
When is the last time you sang “God rest ye merry, GentleMEN?” It’s usually replaced with “God rest ye merry, Gentle Folk” (or “Christian Folk”) and changing “With true love and [b]brotherhood[/b]” to “with true love and [b]charity[/b]” or how about “Good Christian Friends (or Folk), rejoice” (alternately: “Good Christians All, rejoice”)?
The PC changing of carols are, IMO, a lot more disturbing than omitting a carol.
Peace
Jim Elliott
Florida
Not enough to do?
Aren’t many people in the Middle East, mainly muslims, offended and oppressed by the Christian worship of Jesus as GOD ? Why not take the vicar’s “logic” – such as it is – to its logical conclusion, and thereby banish all reference to Jesus as GOD and just demote him to minor prophet status, thus freeing muslims from the oppressive views promulgated by traditional Christianity ?
BOTH sides are to blame for the mess they’re in! And yes, the vicar IS wrong!
[blockquote] He told them the words ‘How still we see thee lie’ were too far removed from life in Bethlehem.[/blockquote]
Hymns aren’t supposed to reflect current reality, they’re meant to reflect future hope. This is why I think the vicar is mistaken. (I still get a lump in my throat when we sing, “Guide me O thou great Jehovah” and “For All The Saints.”)
Perversity impels me to point out to those up in arms in the hymn’s defense that its author was Phillips Brooks, a Broad Churchman to the core, albeit in the old style.
According to Cyberhymnal, Brooks recalled assisting at services in Christmas 1865: [i]I reÂmemÂber standÂing in the old church in BethÂleÂhem, close to the spot where JeÂsus was born, when the whole church was ringÂing hour after hour with splenÂdid hymns of praise to God, how again and again it seemed as if I could hear voicÂes I knew well, tellÂing each other of the WonÂderÂful Night of the SavÂior’s birth.[/i]
A less commonly sung stanza would seem to bear out those who argue the hymn is not detached from present realities:
[b]Where children pure and happy pray to the blessèd Child,
Where misery cries out to Thee, Son of the mother mild;
Where charity stands watching and faith holds wide the door,
The dark night wakes, the glory breaks, and Christmas comes once more.[/b]
When was Bethlehem or for that matter Jerusalem, ever at peace? I guess we ought to ban When I Survey That Wondrous Cross because of the issues with the Church of Holy Sepulchre.
Actually, I’m waiting for one of those highly intellectual and perceptive Anglican clerics to ban all Christmas carols because everyone falls short of the glory of God and the Christmas spirit. (What do these guys drink before they go to bed at night?)
Vinegar juice, Dan (29). The power of propaganda is demonstrated in the support given by the liberal antisemites to the suicide bombers who blow up themselves and innocent Israeli women and children. I remember that from 1948 to 1967 liberal Protestants supported Israel. But then the generation that felt appropriate guilt for their failure to respond adequately to the needs of the European Jews under persecution by Hitler began to pass away and were succeeded by those who sympathized with the well publicized plight of the Palestinians.
Bethlehem, as Brooks reminds us, is where hopes and fears that transcend headlines, politics and years meet and are met.
He needs to re-read C S Lewis’ Learning In Time Of War, from The Weight Of Glory. We must sing, and continue to lift our praises, even singing about Bethlehem.
Maybe the Vicar should re-read the second chapter of Luke and pay attention to the reasons why Jesus came to be born there, not just the prophetic reasons, but the political reasons behind Joseph’s and Mary’s getting there in time for the birth.
He does have one point. “How still we see thee lie” describes Episcopalians over the last decades. They lie still while clergy here and there drop the Creed from the liturgy. Occasionally the clergy are honest and say they don’t believe it, more frequently they they lie (and do not do it in stillness!) and say it’s a “political document” so they don’t want it in a church service. The laity only notice when “O Little Town” gets banned. You want results? Stop lying still, get rid of the clergy and bishops who still lie.
#3 beat me to it.
RE: “I guess we ought to ban When I Survey That Wondrous Cross because of the issues with the Church of Holy Sepulchre.”
Even more importantly we cannot actually “survey” that “Wondrous Cross” here and now. It should clearly be banned, not merely for its patriarchal implications about “sin” and “consequences” [sniff, toss head!] but also for the sheer improbability that any Americans singing the song are actually surveying the real, legitimate, 2000-year-old wondrous cross.
Sarah, the Franklin Mint no doubt have authorized bonafide gold plated splinters that they could sell you…real cheap…! 🙂
Mr. Coulterr’s ideological position is showing – it’s all Israel’s fault. The peace in Bethlehem at the time of the birth of Christ was imposed by the iron rule of Rome and her minion, Herod. But the stable that night was an island of peace. But what a pecksniff, as many so-called nuanced liberals are, he is.
I was just in Bethlehem two weeks ago. It is a sad place but I have to ask WHO is working with the Palestinians to improve the lot of the folks of that small town? It is certainly NOT the Palestinian Muslims; the Christians have made a tremendous impact on Bethlehem. They should be encouraged. And that includes buying the products they make and sell through the Christian agencies there (Bethlehem Bible College, a Lutheran agency). By the way, does the fact that the Vicar “Smuggled” the nativity set out mean he didn’t pay for it? I saw plenty of that very item for sale and being transported legally across the security check point (Yes, we did have to cross it on foot because the line was long.)
And as for the Palestine refugee camps, I shudder to fear that they are so disorganized–and that someone may come in and “organize” them into enclaves dedicated to revolution. I would like to get some Japanese in there to make some suggestions
When we sing ‘O Little Town’ this year in our services, let’s all make a point to make it a prayer for all the Holy sites and the people living in the Holy Land. That’s a better course of action IMO than silence.
In His Peace
Jim Elliott <>< Florida
Oh for Heaven’s sake, this is mere political correctness, an attempt to demonstrate the possessor of the union card to sensitivity and cutting edge social awareness. As tiresome as it is trivial. Larry
Tis a pity. The verse that begins “O Holy Child of Bethlehem descend to us we pray” is IMO one of the most powerful in Christian hymnody.