Posted: 06/14/07

Making God Sing Like A Girl

A prominent British Theologian shocked much of the Christian world just before Easter in a startling interview with the BBC. In the interview, the "Very Rev." Jeffrey John, Dean of St. Albans called the Biblical view of the Crucifixion of Christ "repulsive and nonsensical." That was the mild part. He went on to say that the traditional teaching of Christ's sacrificial death for the sins of mankind makes God seem like a "psychopath". Why would he make such outrageous statements? Well, it's all about "Love". You see Mr. John envisions a kinder, gentler God than the one the Bible reveals. He summarizes his thoughts by saying, "What is at the heart of salvation, punishment or love? Liberals, like myself, believe it is love." Doesn't that make you want to grab somebody's hand and sing Kumbaya? 

The "Very Rev." John's remarks remind me of a dark and strange period of Church History. Although it is seldom discussed today  - during the 17th and 18th centuries "The Church" took some 4,000 - 5,000 boys annually and castrated them. They were called the Castrati. To us, that sounds absolutely barbaric but to the religious leaders of the day it made them "Angel Voices". For nearly 200 years countless thousands of young boys were castrated for the sole purpose of having the sweet sounds of their voices fill European Cathedrals. Women were not permitted to sing in the Church Choirs of the day so this was the answer to four part harmony. More innocuous names were coined for the Castrati - such as Musico and Evirato (literally meaning "unmanned")but the synonyms did not remove the brutality and selfishness of the practice. 

What does this deplorable practice have to do with today's flaming liberal theologians? The Castrati were emasculated to bring about kinder and gentler tones than would normally be produced by a male singer. Extreme, cruel? Absolutely - but it "pleased" the ears of the religious crowd of that day. Today, theological liberals are emasculating God to please the ears of modern Christianity. Who wants to hear about the judgment of God? Who can bear a God who is angry with sin and demands a Sacrificial Lamb in the person of His son to be a propitiation for sin? Now, that is all in scripture - in fact, everywhere throughout scripture. You simply cannot read the Bible without understanding that the true meaning of salvation through Jesus Christ is both punishment AND love. Every Old Testament sacrifice spoke prophetically of the coming Lamb of God who would offer Himself a sacrice "once for all" (Heb. 9).

 That sounds harsh to the ears of the modern Liberal and thus they emasculate God and remove his Justice and Judgment. They make God a Castrato to tickle their own ears. They don't like the God revealed in scripture - so, they make God sing like a girl - but the song sung is found nowhere is the Bible. It's a song that will lead to the judgment of the Castrators.

By Bob Burney Click here for bio and archived articles