That New-Time Religion

I am sure you have heard the words of the Negro Spiritual, “Get me that old time religion it’s good enough for me.” I was thinking about the words of the Negro Spiritual as I was reading the article in today’s Philadelphia Inquirer with the title, “That New-Time Religion” and the attempt of churches and synagogues to redo the script, so to speak, in an effort to get young people to attend the services. Some of these efforts include the use of old time favorites. My own church hold two contemporary services every month as part of its efforts to entice new people to attend.

Give me that old time religion
Give me that old time religion
Give me that old time religion
It’s good enough for me

It was good for the Hebrew children
It was good for the Hebrew children
It was good for the Hebrew children
And it’s good enough for me

It will bring you out of bondage
It will bring you out of bondage
It will bring you out of bondage
And it’s good enough for me

It will do when the world’s on fire
It will do when the world’s on fire
It will do when the world’s on fire
And it’s good enough for me

There are a number of versions to this song first copyrighted in 1891 by Charlie D. Tillman from folk sources, the most famous being the adaptation by Woody Guthrie.

The thought occurred to me that the same kind of thing must have happened in the early days of the new religion as the Jewish followers of Jesus experimented with different approaches to appeal to Jews and Gentiles. I am also wondering if the insights of Alexis De Tocqueville contained in Democracy in America, his classic treatise on American way of life, would help us understand this phenomenon. Since I am just thinking out loud while blogging, these random thoughts are preliminary.

copyrighted 2005