A Commitment to Conservative Principles for Worship
Scott Aniol May 3rd, 2008 Updated: May 5, 2008
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The final priority of Religious Affections Ministries is a commitment to conservative principles, especially when it comes to congregational worship. Such principles include the following:
- Belief in absolute standards of truth, goodness, and beauty. Relativism in these three areas is rejected since they are transcendental principles flowing from the very nature of God. The fact that something is true, good, or beautiful depends on its relationship to the Ultimate True, Good, and Beautiful. Therefore, the difference between right and wrong, good and evil, and beautiful and ugly may be determined by observable standards and are not merely subjective. Furthermore, these transcendental principles are revealed in the written Word of God and natural revelation (creation and conscience). While natural revelation is certainly a lesser authority than the Bible, it is a real authority nonetheless.
- Priority of the affections over the passions. True conservatism favors modest, well-crafted art with depth that targets the intellect and affections over shallow, immediately-gratifying art that merely stimulates the physical passions.
- Rejection of the novel and commercial. Pop culture, by its very nature, is transient. It is novel for novelty’s sake. It is not substantive, because substance doesn’t sell. Conservatism rejects such culture because it does not have the capacity to support deep content.
- Commitment to that which is timeless and demonstrably good. All of these principle lead to this final one. Those cultural elements (including that included in worship) that are substantive, timeless, and demonstrably good (based on absolute standards revealed in Scripture and nature) have more capacity to support biblical truth and reverent worship.
Religious Affections Ministries is committed to advocating these principles of conservatism, among others.
In summary, Religious Affections Ministries exists to promote worship that is biblical and encompasses all of life, and congregational worship that is deliberate and conservative.
