Praise Him with the timbrel and dance;
Praise Him with stringed instruments and flutes!
Psalm 150:4
Drums are not evil. They are objects made of wood and steel and animals skins, all things that God created. There is no mention of anyone beating on a drum in the Bible, but there was a lot of beating of gold, grain, olive oil and of course, people. In fact, the Bible does not have the word drum in it, although there are plenty of references to worshipping God with a loud noise…with timbrels (tambourines) and brass cymbals.
Even though there is no biblical foundation for it, today there are Christian groups who believe that the drum is a symbol of peace. The strange thing about this is that they are not the only ones.
The following is from an article about drumming for peace:
Symbols of Peace
What comes to your mind when asked about peace symbols? There are many, and I have just in the last year discovered a new one. Native North Americans have a most powerful peace symbol, the peace drum. Its design was conceived by an Ojibway woman who received the directions for its construction in visions long before the coming of the white man to North America. In these dreamlike revelations she learned of the need for women to unite in drumming to bring peace to their warring tribes. In the visions she learned that women would have to take the initiative to bring peace. After building the drum, she invited friends and enemies alike to come and drum together and to make peace with each other.
Drumming Circles
There are many drumming circles in Manitoba and they are attended by people of all ethnic backgrounds. Most of them take place monthly. One of them is lead by a young man of Mennonite heritage who has collected various drums and other percussion instruments from around the world…
(from this weblink: http://www.suite101.com/article.cfm/natural_health/27343)
What was that? A drumming circle led by a Mennonite? Maybe it’s time to take a closer look at this, but first, a word of caution. One must use discernment when searching the internet for information on drumming circles as so many of these sites are pagan or wiccan. For this reason, only a few sites will be provided here (for research purposes only) regarding the drum circle:
http://www.spirituallyfit.com/volume4/issue2/stories/sacred_beat.htm
http://www.ubdrumcircles.com/article_nextbeat.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drum_circle
If you clicked on the above links, you will have learned that there is nothing Christian about the spirituality of the drum circle, but some Christians, and even Mennonites, have recently joined the drumming band wagon.
Take for example one Mennonite belonging to the Mennonite Mission Network (who incidentally is also on the interfaith list of religious peace fellowships with the Buddhists, Muslims, Catholics, and Unitarians, right under Mennonite Church USA, here).
He is also the co-founder and co-director of Drumming for Peace, a Lancaster, Pa. based organization, who:
…teaches and witnesses publicly for peace through drumming, rhythm, storytelling and music. Having played drums for over 40 years, he has combined his passions for peace and drumming. Drumming for Peace is presently providing a program, called “Found Sounds,” to after-school programs in three inner city schools. It was featured in the September-October 2003 edition of Sojourners magazine. He has taught a credited course, entitled “Sacred Drumming: Drumming as a Spiritual Practice,” at Lancaster (Pa.)Theological Seminary, presented the Staley Lecture at Bethel College, North Newton, Kan., on Drumming for Peace, and will be making upcoming presentations at Goshen (Ind.) College and Eastern Mennonite University, Harrisonburg, Va.
Source: http://www.mennonitemission.net/Resources/SpeakersGuide/Speaker.asp?ID=31
This Mennonite reverend teaches “peace and spirituality through rhythm, drumming and storytelling” (source here). You can read more about this on Mennolink, here.
Apparently, drumming for peace has been going on all over the place. With eastern Carolina District Mennonite Churches (click here), drumming a deconstructed hymn in San Jose (click here), and drumming with children for peace(click here). And if you want, you can drum for peace at an upcoming retreat in Maryland (PDF here: www.hyattsvillemennonite.org/about/cif_survey.pdf).
Peace is a good thing, and this Reverend is probably a very nice, musically talented man, but is the truth of the gospel spread through drumming, or by hearing the Word? Can we really drum up peace? According to this Sojourner’s article called A Different Drum, “polyrhythms” and chanting for world peace will keep highschool kids away from drugs. What about Jesus?
By the way, anyone can purchase their very own Peace Drum on mennolink.org (click here) or from Mennonite Church USA (click here).
Other Mennonites drumming for peace include the Pacific Northwest Regional Peace Gathering at Albany Mennonite Church in Oregon last fall (see here) and this drumming circle at Goshen College.
And if that’s not enough, there was a Spirituality Study at Waterloo a few years ago that involved some Mennonites and drumming circles:
In fall and winter 2003-04…10 two-hour workshops with nine volunteers: undergraduate and graduate students from psychology, drama, and speech communication. They came from Baptist, Mennonite, Catholic, Native, Muslim, and non-denominational backgrounds. The sessions were videotaped in the CCAT lab in the Modern Languages building. Each session included meditation, writing in journals, pairing off to share thoughts and perceptions, and group discussion of everything from “the Eucharist to Drumming Circles and Vision Quests, to reflections on our own inner experience.” Following the workshop series, Denton interviewed participants separately. (See here.)
As the result of this study there will be new courses developed to help people learn about and appreciate each other’s faith differences.
And that’s where the wide interfaith road always starts - with ‘learning’ from eachother’s spirituality - but acceptance leads to compromise.
Perhaps instead of drumming up peace, it’s time for these Mennonites to march on the narrow road, behind the Prince of Peace.
ROM Index: still booming
“The way of peace they know not; and there is no judgment in their goings: they have made them crooked paths: whosoever goeth therein shall not know peace. Therefore is judgment far from us, neither doth justice overtake us: we wait for light, but behold obscurity; for brightness, but we walk in darkness.” Isaiah 59:8-9
For extra reading, this article may be of interest:
Drumming Up Jesus, by Roger Oakland
http://www.understandthetimes.org/commentary/c61.shtml
Listen to Roger Oakland here:
Drumming for Jesus
http://www.understandthetimes.org/podcast/2348.mp3
More recommended reading:
DRUMMING UP DECEPTION
http://www.frbaptist.org/bin/view/PastorsPapers/PastorsPapersTopic20080221202638
