Wheaton College Alumni Magazine Winter 2015 | Page 5
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Made for Worship
Jeremy Weber’s thoughtfully researched
article “Made for Worship” revealed to
readers the continuing effectiveness of
Wheaton to shape lifelong worshipers
in the crucible of global engagement
for Christ and his kingdom. Any faith
community that contributes to that kind
of life change exhibits an excellence that
makes me want to invest in and pray for
Wheaton even more.
How enlivening and confirming to hear
of recent and current students carrying on
Wheaton’s unique take on the integration
of worship and mission, in congregations
and communities around the world.
Trends in worship music do come and
go; but developing true disciples who live
worship as a lifestyle is part of Wheaton’s
great commission.
Steve Hoke ’71, M.A. ’72
Fort Collins, CO
I was excited to see “Made for Worship,”
which had some good reporting on how
Wheaton alumni are leading worship.
I did think one point was missing. The
ultimate affirmation of worship leaders
being “ambivalent about musical styles”
is problematic. What is missing from
any serious worship discussion is how
form interprets content—how music
interprets both words and liturgical
gestures (nonverbal moments of meaning
within services). Instead, we evangelicals
earnestly believe we can get past the
prejudices and pains of the “worship
wars” by separating spiritual ideas from
their musical embodiments, as if the
musical form doesn’t really matter as long
as the idea (or written content) is good.
Thinking about how musical form works
with or against spiritual ideas is a very
difficult task, but a task that the Wheaton
Conservatory should consider seriously
W H EA T O N . ED U / M A G A Z I N E
as it raises up future generations of
evangelical worship leaders.
Dr. Rebecca Nelson Abbott ’98
Mount Vernon, OH
A Reasonable Defense
The “A Reasonable Defense” article that
mentions the 2014 alumni award given to
Dr. William Lane Craig ’71 also mentions
that Dr. Craig recently debated theoretical
physicist Dr. Sean Carroll of Caltech.
The debate was part of a two-day God &
Cosmology conference held at the New
Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary in
February 2014.
I mention this to encourage Wheaton
alumni to watch all six sessions of this
conference on the Tactical Faith YouTube
channel (go to Greer-Heard 2014).
Dr. Craig and Dr. Carroll sparred with
each other Friday evening. There were
four additional speakers on Saturday
(two naturalists and two theists), with
responses from Dr. Craig and Dr. Carroll.
I mention this because, if you believe as
I do that education enriches your life even
if it doesn’t enhance your income, you will
find the entire conference enlightening,
inspiring, enjoyable, interesting, and
informative.
David Thiessen ’62
Woodstock, IL
Seeking Revival
It’s exciting to read about the changing
face of Wheaton—articles on diversity, the
new buildings on an